Mirror Up/Delay

[Thomas73]

Hello,

Do you use this custom setting on your Hxx body to minimize vibrations, for hand-held photography (either shooting film or digital) ? If you do so, which delay do you consider ?

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

 

[Richard Naismith]

I usually use 5 seconds. This is with landscape photography. 4 seconds may be ok also. Always strictly with tripod.

All the best.

Richard Naismith

 

[fotografz]

The OP isn't asking about the self timer function ... the question pertains to the mirror delay that can be set in the custom functions menu to reduce the effect of mirror vibrations.

Choices are: None, 25ms 50ms 100ms or 200ms

I use it all the time ... generally set to 100ms ... if shooting in particularly low light I may increase the delay to 200ms.

It really works for questionable shutter speeds while working hand held, or on tripod with a cable release if you do not want to trip the mirror-up function when timing a shot while looking through the viewfinder.

-Marc

 

[Thomas73]

Thanks for your replies.

Yes, Marc is right : this was my concern.

The mirror delay is set in the custom options only? Or is it necessary to go into the 'self timer' menu and set the 'mirror up/delay' option to 'on' as well (but I do not think so because this setting switches the self timer to 'on'...)?

 

[fotografz]

Yes, just in the custom options.

Press the Menu button on the grip top twice to bring up custom options, then using the front control wheel scroll to Extra Mirror Delay, and then use the rear control wheel to set the amount of delay. Be sure to press the "Save" button on the grip top.

"Mirror Up Delay" isn't the same, it works in conjunction with the self timer. It can be set for different action sequences when using the self-timer ... Mirror Up/Delay, meaning the mirror goes up, the camera then counts down, and then shoots ... or Delay/Mirror Up where the self-timer goes through its count down, then the mirror goes up and the camera shoots. I don't know why there are two of these, or what you would use Delay/Mirror Up for.

-Marc

 

[Thomas73]

Thanks Marc for your detailed and clear reply!

 

[peterbkk]

what you would use Delay/Mirror Up for.

-Marc

This one had me puzzled too. I guess if you had set a long self-timer, the available light kept changing, and you wanted the camera to keep adjusting exposure right up to the shutter firing. Otherwise, as soon as the mirror swings up, the exposure meter is blind.

Can't imagine that I'd ever use it.

There are a few options in the H system that I wonder who would ever use them. Must have been someone who thought it was a good idea.

Like custom option 8, to turn the control wheels to the opposite direction. Why?

Or the bracketing settings: where you can select standard, over, under, in every which way. Why?

Just because they could?

Regards
Peter

 

[fotografz]

Hi Peter.

Well, the option to set the wheel direction is one I wish I had on my Leica S2. Drives me nuts. It is the opposite of the H4D.

I think it all depends on what other cameras you use or have used, and having the ability to match the direction for the sake of quick intuitive "Muscle Memory".

-Marc

 

[peterbkk]

Hi Peter.

Well, the option to set the wheel direction is one I wish I had on my Leica S2. Drives me nuts. It is the opposite of the H4D.

I think it all depends on what other cameras you use or have used, and having the ability to match the direction for the sake of quick intuitive "Muscle Memory".

-Marc

I never thought of that...

How do you like the S2? When I bought the H4D-50, I looked long and hard at the S2.

Leica seems to have less "vendor risk" but I liked the hand-hold balance of the Hasselblad format better. I have a M9 but never "fell in love" with it like I did with my 205 'blad.

Regards
Peter

 

[Paul Claesson HUSA]

This one had me puzzled too. I guess if you had set a long self-timer, the available light kept changing, and you wanted the camera to keep adjusting exposure right up to the shutter firing. Otherwise, as soon as the mirror swings up, the exposure meter is blind.

Can't imagine that I'd ever use it.

There are a few options in the H system that I wonder who would ever use them. Must have been someone who thought it was a good idea.

Like custom option 8, to turn the control wheels to the opposite direction. Why?

Or the bracketing settings: where you can select standard, over, under, in every which way. Why?

Just because they could?

When Hasselblad created, designed and manufactured the original H1 camera in 2002, the thought was to include as many custom options to may be beneficial to photographers, they are options after all and the photographer can choose to use the default options and many did. I found through my travels around our country and speaking to thousands of photographers over the years that the lions share actually used maybe 15% of features that the camera was capable of and through conversation I find out what type of work they do, I typically will have a suggestion on how to improve their method of working by changing 1 or 2 custom options. In the end it simplifies their life and allows them to focus on capturing wonderful images.

Regarding control wheel direction that just seems logical to me to offer a choice, same goes for the bracketing options. Over the years i have received numerous request for additional custom options, some valid and some not. All these request that we received in the USA are forwarded to Product Management in Sweden and they maintain a running list of request received worldwide. Those features that have been requested with the most frequency move up the list and may be implemented in a future firmware release.
Finally, yes sometimes Hasselblad will implement a custom option or feature because we can....

Paul Claesson
Hasselblad Bron Inc.
Technical Support Manager

 

[peterbkk]

When Hasselblad created, designed and manufactured the original H1 camera in 2002, the thought was to include as many custom options to may be beneficial to photographers, they are options after all and the photographer can choose to use the default options and many did.
.
Finally, yes sometimes Hasselblad will implement a custom option or feature because we can....

Paul Claesson
Hasselblad Bron Inc.
Technical Support Manager

And I love the options! And the profiles!

I'm on week 2 with this camera and just realised that with one change of profile, I can change from one compete style of photography to another. Day to night. Portrait to landscape. Street shot to tripod. Great stuff.

Can't think of any options that I'd like adding to the firmware but I'll let you know if I do.

What might be nice is a "profile management" tool in Phocus. So that, on one screen, you can see all the options and exposure / focus settings and with a few clicks of a mouse, set up and save a new profile, uploading it to the camera. It'd make it easier to get your head around profiles. The Phocus "profile management" screen could also explain all the options in a bit more detail than the manual. The manual is great (compare it to the sparse 205 manual), but a bit more "why" could be helpful.

regards
Peter

 

[Douglas Fairbank]

I would just like to add one thing the Paul's statement and that is if you have a request for Hasselblad please look at the Hasselblad Bulletin (link on the website) where you can add your own wish to the growing wish list.

 

[Douglas Fairbank]

What might be nice is a "profile management" tool in Phocus. So that, on one screen, you can see all the options and exposure / focus settings and with a few clicks of a mouse, set up and save a new profile, uploading it to the camera. It'd make it easier to get your head around profiles. The Phocus "profile management" screen could also explain all the options in a bit more detail than the manual. The manual is great (compare it to the sparse 205 manual), but a bit more "why" could be helpful.

regards
Peter

Peter, That is a great idea, I wish I had thought of it. Please send it to Hasselblad's wish list.