Pentaxians... Any out there?

ChrisPlatt said:
With practice the Pentax trick can usually be performed but what's the point?
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Knowing that this can happen has value, if only to help someone realize what might be amiss if they suddenly reach into their camera bag only to discover their viewfinder is blacked out.
 
Brian Atherton said:
As I said, I found it really isn’t any use, it’s just a quirk of the camera mechanism. If it was of use, no doubt it would be better known.
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I'd say it's basically universally known amongst the Pentax film community.

ChrisPlatt said:
With practice the Pentax trick can usually be performed but what's the point?
A cable release is cheap, doesn't take up much space and works every time
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A cable release doesn't do the same thing as mirror-lock-up. Ideally, if I was working on a tripod I would be using MLU and a cable release. That's the point*

*I don't use this trick and don't recommend it, just pointing out what people use it for.
 
Poland - Oct 2019
Ilford HP5+ in HC110
Pentax ME - Pentax-M 35 f/2.8
Scan11737.jpg
 
nickthetasmaniac said:
A cable release doesn't do the same thing as mirror-lock-up.
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That's true. But once camera is mounted on a tripod or other stable support MLU is mostly unnecessary, except perhaps when mounting some exotic optics.

In 40+ years of photography I've never needed MLU, and have only ever been temporarily puzzled when I inadvertently activated it on cameras so equipped.

Chris
 
Interesting, Chris, to see your opinion on mirror lockup. I tend to agree that it's mostly unnecessary. I'm reminded of the early Pentax 6x7 which after a few years on the market was "upgraded" with the MLU feature. Otherwise sensible people opined that the feature was absolutely necessary, and they would decline to buy a 6x7 that didn't have it.

I have two Pentax 6x7 bodies, a late one with MLU and an early model without - a feature I've never missed having. The 6x7 camera was continuously improved in small ways throughout its production period. I recall one gent doing a test with a 6x7 on a tripod, with a coin balanced on the top plate. Releasing the shutter with a cable release, the coin remained upright. So much for speculation about massive vibrations to match the impressive sound! 🙂 It is said, however that there is some shake at speeds of 1/15th-1/30th, though I have not noticed this.
 
Doug said:
Interesting, Chris, to see your opinion on mirror lockup. I tend to agree that it's mostly unnecessary. I'm reminded of the early Pentax 6x7 which after a few years on the market was "upgraded" with the MLU feature. Otherwise sensible people opined that the feature was absolutely necessary, and they would decline to buy a 6x7 that didn't have it.

I have two Pentax 6x7 bodies, a late one with MLU and an early model without - a feature I've never missed having. The 6x7 camera was continuously improved in small ways throughout its production period. I recall one gent doing a test with a 6x7 on a tripod, with a coin balanced on the top plate. Releasing the shutter with a cable release, the coin remained upright. So much for speculation about massive vibrations to match the impressive sound! 🙂 It is said, however that there is some shake at speeds of 1/15th-1/30th, though I have not noticed this.
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I have a 6x7 with mirror lockup. And I do use it if the camera is on a tripod. But frankly, I do most of my shooting without using a tripod or MLU. And I don't have the photo available but I've handheld at 1/30 (of course, leaning against a wall) and it was not great (mostly because of focusing) but better than not having the image.
 
ChrisPlatt said:
That's true. But once camera is mounted on a tripod or other stable support MLU is mostly unnecessary, except perhaps when mounting some exotic optics.

In 40+ years of photography I've never needed MLU, and have only ever been temporarily puzzled when I inadvertently activated it on cameras so equipped.

Chris
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That's fine (I disagree, which is also fine), but now you're making a case against the usefulness of MLU in general, on any camera. In the OP I was responding to you were questioning the point of the 'Pentax trick' and presenting a cable release as an alternative. The point is a jury-rigged MLU, which you may not value but plenty of photographers do. Hence it being a feature on top-end SLR's literally for decades.

Personally, if I'm going to the effort of sticking something on a tripod, I want to remove every vibration possible. I don't follow the logic that MLU is unnecessary once mounted on a stable support.
 
Since the Pentax, as well as many other cameras, release the shutter only after the mirror is fully up, an argument could be made that all potential vibrations have damped out by the time the exposure is made.

However, either Modern Photography or Popular Photography once did a test in the 1970's whereby they used an instrument to measure vibration during exposure, both when the mirror was locked up and when not. They used a tripod and cable release.

If I remember the results correctly, there were a range of slower speeds (such as 1/15 through 1/4) where non-lockup exposures produced sufficient vibration to affect the exposure, the results made visible in the tests via an oscilloscope trace. So, it seemed to me that lockup was useful.

On a Hasselblad, if I want maximum sharpness, I'll pre-release the shutter, which closes the shutter, stops the aperture down, and raises the rear baffles. Then, when the cable release is pressed, the only thing that moves is the opening and closing of the lens' leaf shutter (minimal mass). Naturally, the camera is on a tripod.
 
Huss said:
Great shot! As an aside, the ME just clicks with me. Love it.
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Yes, i like this camera too. Unfortunately it suffers from a random underexposure problem. Possibly a bit of dirt under the ASA dial but needs sorting out before loading it again.

tbhv55 said:
You've done it again, Pan! Nicely framed shot, with great 'atmosphere'.
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Thank you! Glad you like it 🙂

One more:

Poland - October 2019
ilford HP5+ in HC110
Pentax ME - Pentax-M 35 f/2.8


Scan11799sm.JPG
 
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