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01-26-2011, 08:29 AM   #1
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K-5 Mirror Slap? Causing Blur???

QuoteOriginally posted by Wheatfield Quote
...what is for me going to be a more pressing problem, which is the rather brutal amount of mirror slap that my K5 has.
(from post 300, page 20) https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-k-5-forum/128562-relevant-news-re-...ml#post1358557

Is mirror slap causing blurry pictures?

If so, at what shutter speeds?

Do you have any examples?

Do all the K-5's have the same shutter slap or are some better than others?


Last edited by betaPhoto; 01-26-2011 at 08:43 AM.
01-26-2011, 08:36 AM   #2
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Every SLR can suffer from vibrations due to mirror slap. Hence the reason for the mirror up functions. To eliminate it, use a tripod, then either use the 2 second timer or turn on the mirror up function so you have to hit the shutter twice. Once to raise the mirror and again to take the exposure.
01-26-2011, 08:52 AM   #3
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QuoteOriginally posted by GregK8 Quote
Every SLR can suffer from vibrations due to mirror slap. Hence the reason for the mirror up functions. To eliminate it, use a tripod, then either use the 2 second timer or turn on the mirror up function so you have to hit the shutter twice. Once to raise the mirror and again to take the exposure.
I understand the reason for the mirror up function, but the question is about a "brutal" amount of mirror a slap. And is it causing blurry shots?

Or is this untrue and the K-5 is normal for an SLR? i.e. Can one expect to get sharp shots just like I can with my K20 or now do I always have to use the mirror up function to get good shots?

If it's true the K-5 is worse in this respect than say the D7000, I would certainly buy the camera that takes sharper shots!
01-26-2011, 08:55 AM   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by betaPhoto Quote
(from post 300, page 20) https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-k-5-forum/128562-relevant-news-re-...ml#post1358557

Is mirror slap causing blurry pictures?

If so, at what shutter speeds?

Do you have any examples?

Do all the K-5's have the same shutter slap or are some better than others?
Unfortunately, the blur starts at about 1/50th of a second and peaks at 1/15 before becoming a non issue at ~1/8th second.
This is at the bottom end of hand holding shutter speeds so using mirror lock and a 2 second delay isn't a feasible solution.
I don't know if some cameras are better than others, but I would expect this is the case.


Check this post:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-k-5-forum/127039-how-long-k6-3.html#post1325333

01-26-2011, 09:12 AM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by Wheatfield Quote
Unfortunately, the blur starts at about 1/50th of a second and peaks at 1/15 before becoming a non issue at ~1/8th second.
This is at the bottom end of hand holding shutter speeds so using mirror lock and a 2 second delay isn't a feasible solution.
I don't know if some cameras are better than others, but I would expect this is the case.
Do you think the camera is just to small and light, thus making it worse? Is it bad on the K-x & K-r?
01-26-2011, 09:42 AM   #6
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ditto what wheatfield said...no such problem w/ my K20D (I've shot 1/15s shots lots of times). The K-5's SR doesn't compensate for the slap at 1/15, so even w/ a DA15 lens, it'll blur the entire image... :-P

Doubt it's as bad on the K-x/K-r...different harmonics for different sizes. Some folks have mentioned the K-5 had this issue as well...
01-26-2011, 10:02 AM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by Wheatfield Quote
Unfortunately, the blur starts at about 1/50th of a second and peaks at 1/15 before becoming a non issue at ~1/8th second.
This is at the bottom end of hand holding shutter speeds so using mirror lock and a 2 second delay isn't a feasible solution.
I don't know if some cameras are better than others, but I would expect this is the case.


Check this post:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-k-5-forum/127039-how-long-k6-3.html#post1325333
This is news to me. Is this another generic problem with K-5? Can other owners please confirm?


Thanks,

01-26-2011, 10:10 AM   #8
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I'd bank on this being user error- not letting the sr system arm before shooting can cause a slight blur (aka wait for the hand icon).
01-26-2011, 10:23 AM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by Adam Quote
I'd bank on this being user error- not letting the sr system arm before shooting can cause a slight blur (aka wait for the hand icon).
I wouldn't bank on that. My first K-5 suffered from the same thing, along with FF issues. The second unit did not suffer this problem. I don't think my technique changed or I learned to use a camera in the time it took to exchange it.
01-26-2011, 10:29 AM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by Adam Quote
I'd bank on this being user error- not letting the sr system arm before shooting can cause a slight blur (aka wait for the hand icon).
If Wheatfields example of mirror slap on a tripod had the SR on, It's a terrible example of a problem that may not exist!
01-26-2011, 10:56 AM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by betaPhoto Quote
Do you think the camera is just to small and light, thus making it worse? Is it bad on the K-x & K-r?
The K-5 is smaller than similar cameras, but it is close to the same weight. I took the following from the B&H pages for each camera:

K-5 - 740g
D90 - 703g
D7000 - 780g

Jeff
01-26-2011, 11:07 AM   #12
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I wonder how / if mirror slap causes more or less issues when comparing in-body vibration or shake reduction with in-lens reduction.

Is the impact of the mirror enough to cause the sensor to move in the Pentax, whereas other brands it's fixed and it would have to cause the whole camera including the lens to move to cause blur in the in lens shake reduction scenario.

Just some thoughts because I thought one of the theories was that it's related to the mass of the camera. Lighter bodies more prone to it than heavier ones was what I read in previous posts.
01-26-2011, 11:08 AM   #13
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I believe that Falconeye has already dealt with this issue in an earlier thread and put this one to bed.
01-26-2011, 11:15 AM   #14
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I thought I already saw where Falc did some tests on this and found it to be less than the K7 and fairly insignificant? I have rock solid steady hands and even with SR often fail at anything below 1/8 with my K20D. This is true even when using my Sigma OS 17-70. The K5 has some problems, but I wouldn't see this as one of them. I have friends with Nikons and Canons and they report the same findings on most models.
Regards
01-26-2011, 11:24 AM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by Rupert Quote
I thought I already saw where Falc did some tests on this and found it to be less than the K7 and fairly insignificant? I have rock solid steady hands and even with SR often fail at anything below 1/8 with my K20D. This is true even when using my Sigma OS 17-70. The K5 has some problems, but I wouldn't see this as one of them. I have friends with Nikons and Canons and they report the same findings on most models.
Regards
I think Falk dealt with shutter blur not mirror slap.
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