MX mirror lock-up - not much of a trick at all

**ChrisPlatt** · 10-15-2016, 12:23 PM - **1 Like**

The first camera body I owned that featured mirror lockup was a Nikon F.
Unfortunately that model requires a frame be wasted each time MLU is used.

Later my Nikon FM, FM2N, FE and FE2 bodies had mirror pre-fire with self-timer operation.
The mirror flips up when shutter is tripped with self-timer activated, and remains up until shutter closes.
That's an ingenious way to reduce camera shake using ordinary lenses but like the Pentax MX trick
it's not real handy if you wish to mount a lens whose rear element projects into the mirror's path.

In forty plus years of photography I could probably count on one hand the
number of exposures I've made in which I have actually utilized mirror lockup.
But I do prefer cameras that have MLU as they are often professional models,
with other desirable features I use far more frequently.

Chris

unixrevolution · 10-17-2016, 08:42 AM

Originally posted by arnold

Yes it woks OK, but I can't help but feel that one is making the camera bypass its normal sequence of operation. It strikes me as abusive of design or maybe even equipment.

The MLU trick for the MX is not abusive to the camera. The camera itself triggers the mirror to lock up before the shutter. All you're doing is tapping the shutter button just enough to actuate the mirror raising, but not the shutter firing.

It's not going to hurt the poor little guy

Chris may have called this a stupid trick, but you know what? Murphy's laws of combat say that if something was stupid, but worked, it wasn't stupid, and this trick in my experience does work.

That said, I don't use it much. My LX's have MLU and I use them for my low light/tripod 35mm stuff. The MX is for handheld carry.

Where I *really* use MLU is the 6x7.

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10-15-2016, 12:23 PM - 1 Like	#16
ChrisPlatt Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Rockaway Beach NYC Posts: 7,694	The first camera body I owned that featured mirror lockup was a Nikon F. Unfortunately that model requires a frame be wasted each time MLU is used. Later my Nikon FM, FM2N, FE and FE2 bodies had mirror pre-fire with self-timer operation. The mirror flips up when shutter is tripped with self-timer activated, and remains up until shutter closes. That's an ingenious way to reduce camera shake using ordinary lenses but like the Pentax MX trick it's not real handy if you wish to mount a lens whose rear element projects into the mirror's path. In forty plus years of photography I could probably count on one hand the number of exposures I've made in which I have actually utilized mirror lockup. But I do prefer cameras that have MLU as they are often professional models, with other desirable features I use far more frequently. Chris

10-17-2016, 08:42 AM	#17
unixrevolution Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Waldorf, MD Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,861	Originally posted by arnold Yes it woks OK, but I can't help but feel that one is making the camera bypass its normal sequence of operation. It strikes me as abusive of design or maybe even equipment. The MLU trick for the MX is not abusive to the camera. The camera itself triggers the mirror to lock up before the shutter. All you're doing is tapping the shutter button just enough to actuate the mirror raising, but not the shutter firing. It's not going to hurt the poor little guy Chris may have called this a stupid trick, but you know what? Murphy's laws of combat say that if something was stupid, but worked, it wasn't stupid, and this trick in my experience does work. That said, I don't use it much. My LX's have MLU and I use them for my low light/tripod 35mm stuff. The MX is for handheld carry. Where I really use MLU is the 6x7.