willie_901
Veteran
Maybe you are moving your body with the SLR because you're holding it differently?
Have someone watch you using both cameras.
At one point, I discovered slight forward body motion at the worst possible time was causing problems. I had to unlearn that habit.
While f 8 and short shutter times should eliminate many possibilities, I too suspect the focus alignment.
The above-mentioned tripod test seems useful. Old mirror foam is also worth checking out.
Have someone watch you using both cameras.
At one point, I discovered slight forward body motion at the worst possible time was causing problems. I had to unlearn that habit.
While f 8 and short shutter times should eliminate many possibilities, I too suspect the focus alignment.
The above-mentioned tripod test seems useful. Old mirror foam is also worth checking out.
raid
Dad Photographer
I had no such problems with using SLR cameras for speeds 1/30 and up.
charjohncarter
Veteran
It might be focusing. I find my old Spotmatic is the easiest to focus for me. And I use a Pentax P3n which has a bright finder with split image focus. 50mm lens are fine with these SLRs but give me a RF when you go wider. The P3n is the best SLR for me with a 28mm and 20mm but still the RF gives me more confidence.
megido
Well-known
Do you think the mirror could that much out of alignment to have an effect at f8 and its corresponding depth of field?
megido
Well-known
Thank you very much for the encouraging words!
x-ray
Veteran
Bracketing should have nothing to do with sharpness.
First look at the negatives direct with a loupe on a light box.
If you have motion blur with a 50mm at 1/250 of a second you either have a serious issue with your camera like the actual speed is a 1/30 or you're seriously moving like jogging or shooting from a moving car. I'm not trying to be funny, It's not easy to get motion blur at 1/250 with a 50mm lens. You have to work at it to get a blur. At 1/60, yes you can get motion blur.
Go back and look at each neg with a loupe. Motion blur is different than out of focus. You do know that apertures like f11 to 22 you're getting int the helm of diffraction what images are less sharp? On a 50mm like the f1.4 your optimum apertures are around f5.6-8.
Out of focus and diffraction show up as a general softness. Motion blur is a smear and looks different than the other two sharpness killers.
Really without seeing you shoot and looking at negs it's hard to say what you're doing or what's going wrong.
megido
Well-known
I think after all this generous advice the best thing to do is shoot another roll and check the results.
Thank you all for your time and advice. Very much appreciated. Will report back.
Thank you all for your time and advice. Very much appreciated. Will report back.
x-ray
Veteran
Try half of the roll on a tripod and the other hand held. Examine the negs under a loupe. Don't examine them through any sort of sleeve or page. Just look direct at the negs.
Honestly I can't imagine anyone not being able to hold a camera steady with a 50 at 1/250, except my ex mother in law.
megido
Well-known
Hahaha!
Yes, half tripod half hand held is what i was planning. I think I may be moving/flinching in anticipation of the (flipping) mirror. ;-)l
x-ray
Veteran
Squeeze with the finger. Breath normally. It's not a 44 magnum and won't break your wrist. I am amazed you can blur an image at 1/250.
Like anything else it takes practice. None of us are born with these skills.
Good luck.
megido
Well-known
farlymac
PF McFarland
Look very closely at your negatives. If it is blurring due to camera shake, there will probably be a rotational factor to it, as most times it is caused by stabbing at the shutter release button, rather than squeezing one off like you would with a rifle. Things on one side of the negative will look like they are moving in the upward direction, while on the other side it will be downward. It's not as pronounced in the center.
My biggest problem with any camera is I sometimes rotate my hand while pressing the shutter button, so my horizons are usually out of kilter. Try as I might, I haven't been able to kill that habit yet, especially since it will cause some blurring.
A long shot is the mirror is not returning to it's resting spot, which can cause the focus to be off.
And for a really long shot, make sure there is no diopter lens on the viewfinder, except the one that would normally come with the camera. I think this is referred to as a 0.5 diopter, but is unmarked. A +1 or -1 might not be noticeable enough to your eyes, but could throw things off just enough.
The other thing is lens variability. You could own a half dozen copies of the same lens, but at least one will not be as good as the rest. Best way to check for this is at the focal plane. So open the back, put the camera on B while using a locking release cable to keep the shutter open, take a piece of clear plastic (you can cut one from a broken CD case) with some tape on the side nearest the lens, and place it on the film rails (the inside pair, not the outside ones), then check focus at different distances. Some lenses might perform better close up, while others will be good at infinity. I have a nice little Minolta 28mm that is no good at any distance, so I suspect it had been dropped at some point in time, damaging the internal element mounts.
Of course, it just may take time to get used to the Nikkormat. It is a pretty big camera for a second tier model.
PF
My biggest problem with any camera is I sometimes rotate my hand while pressing the shutter button, so my horizons are usually out of kilter. Try as I might, I haven't been able to kill that habit yet, especially since it will cause some blurring.
A long shot is the mirror is not returning to it's resting spot, which can cause the focus to be off.
And for a really long shot, make sure there is no diopter lens on the viewfinder, except the one that would normally come with the camera. I think this is referred to as a 0.5 diopter, but is unmarked. A +1 or -1 might not be noticeable enough to your eyes, but could throw things off just enough.
The other thing is lens variability. You could own a half dozen copies of the same lens, but at least one will not be as good as the rest. Best way to check for this is at the focal plane. So open the back, put the camera on B while using a locking release cable to keep the shutter open, take a piece of clear plastic (you can cut one from a broken CD case) with some tape on the side nearest the lens, and place it on the film rails (the inside pair, not the outside ones), then check focus at different distances. Some lenses might perform better close up, while others will be good at infinity. I have a nice little Minolta 28mm that is no good at any distance, so I suspect it had been dropped at some point in time, damaging the internal element mounts.
Of course, it just may take time to get used to the Nikkormat. It is a pretty big camera for a second tier model.
PF
Last edited by a moderator:
chrism
Well-known
As far as 'wide open Leica' vs 'Wide open Nikon' - the technical term here is 'balderdash.'
referring to contrast of the RF patch?
You are correct in your second point.
megido
Well-known
Well, I've just seen the results of my recent test roll and I'm happy to say that everything is a lot sharper thanks to all your generous advice. I was able to achieve acceptable sharpness at 1/30 f2. I think the two main problems were the different action of the shutter release button on the Nikkormat (my M3 is extremely sensitive and quiet) plus getting used to not having a continous view at the point of exposure.
Thank you all once again!
Thank you all once again!
shawn
Veteran
I find it much easier to shoot longer exposures when there is no sort of blackout as I brace the camera against myself (elbows in) and then use visual feedback from the finder to try and hold everything steady. Same thing is true with tracking shots.
On the flip side, I have to break the habit of using visual feedback from the finder when shooting an SLR. Basically learn to ignore the finder right as I shoot. Otherwise as the mirror first starts to move (before blackout) the image shifts and I think I unconsciously try and compensate.
Shawn
megido
Well-known
I also find that it much easier to see if i moved the camera during exopsure with an continuous view.