rmolson
Member
Vibration and mass
I have been running film developer tests with FP-4 in Rodinal and D-76 in my Bronica and TriX in HC-110 with my 4x5 Bush with a great 150mm Topcor lens. Trying to get something closer to Barry Thorntons sharpness. In both cases I have been getting less than spectacular results..The images are just not that sharp Which has been something of a mystery as I use to get very good sharpness with the same combinations and even an old beater 135mm Raptar lens and my old Yashica D TLR! Today checking for focus shift, on the Bush indoors It is way too windy outside, I was slightly spooked when I watch the image dance on the ground glass as I focused. The camera was mounted on my new Slik Universal 212 Deluxe, rated to hold 15 pounds! I decided a few months ago to bite the bullet and get really good tripod and pay the big bucks At first I thought it was the tripod mount, a very sexy screw in device attached to the camera and then inserted into the tripod pan head and locked down, Much more convenient than lining up a the mounting hole while holding the camera and turning the set screw on the pan head. Great tripod about 2 to3 pounds lighter than my old 30 plus years all metal Slik with knuckle busting knurled ring locks on the legs. But when in desperation I got it out and mounted the camera ,the vibrations ceased! I should have picked up on this before when I was shooting with a 400mm on my OM1 this summer using the new Slik. The sharpest results came not from the mirror up and cable release, but by placing my left hand on the top of the lens ( On its on tripod mount ) and bearing down while tripping the shutter with my right hand. In my working life I was a graphic arts cameraman not an engineer. But I remember high school physics 101 and Mass. The newer lightweight tripods while stronger than the old aluminum ones have less mass, and mass is what dampens out vibration.
I can hang some weights in a camera bag over the camera to compensate but this sort of nullifies the whole idea of lightening the load for field work
That is unless some one has a better idea.
I have been running film developer tests with FP-4 in Rodinal and D-76 in my Bronica and TriX in HC-110 with my 4x5 Bush with a great 150mm Topcor lens. Trying to get something closer to Barry Thorntons sharpness. In both cases I have been getting less than spectacular results..The images are just not that sharp Which has been something of a mystery as I use to get very good sharpness with the same combinations and even an old beater 135mm Raptar lens and my old Yashica D TLR! Today checking for focus shift, on the Bush indoors It is way too windy outside, I was slightly spooked when I watch the image dance on the ground glass as I focused. The camera was mounted on my new Slik Universal 212 Deluxe, rated to hold 15 pounds! I decided a few months ago to bite the bullet and get really good tripod and pay the big bucks At first I thought it was the tripod mount, a very sexy screw in device attached to the camera and then inserted into the tripod pan head and locked down, Much more convenient than lining up a the mounting hole while holding the camera and turning the set screw on the pan head. Great tripod about 2 to3 pounds lighter than my old 30 plus years all metal Slik with knuckle busting knurled ring locks on the legs. But when in desperation I got it out and mounted the camera ,the vibrations ceased! I should have picked up on this before when I was shooting with a 400mm on my OM1 this summer using the new Slik. The sharpest results came not from the mirror up and cable release, but by placing my left hand on the top of the lens ( On its on tripod mount ) and bearing down while tripping the shutter with my right hand. In my working life I was a graphic arts cameraman not an engineer. But I remember high school physics 101 and Mass. The newer lightweight tripods while stronger than the old aluminum ones have less mass, and mass is what dampens out vibration.
I can hang some weights in a camera bag over the camera to compensate but this sort of nullifies the whole idea of lightening the load for field work
That is unless some one has a better idea.