The Gitzo tripod cost about £200 I think 10 years ago. I remember at the time going for a 4 leg section design (shorter when folded up) and a relatively light one to make it easy to carry around. A 3 leg section would possibly have been a better choice. I have not used it a great deal and not with such a heavy camera/lens setup that I now have. Perhaps the resonance created by the shutter movement causes the problems with my tripod and head that it wouldn't do with another.


http://www.manfrotto.com.br/gitzo/gitzo/product/0/G1298/_/SER._2_BASALT_TRIPOD_4...

Great captures of the first bird, but I have to ask, did you selectively increase exposure in the face/breast of the subject ?

Love the Bittern

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/queen/flash.html

I am clearly showing my age!

Problem solved.

It is shutter induced tripod vibrations...caused by the tripod/head not being up to the job. I rested the lens foot on my kitchen granite worktop and was able to get the same sharp image using normal remote ; mirror lock-up ; and electronic shutter.

I guess if I want to use that lens/TC combo I will have to use electronic shutter or invest in a much sturdier tripod. At least I know how to test one out when I come to buy it.

The first picture in original post was definately shake. I was able to repeat the same blury/sharp consecutive images again and again without fail by switching from mechanical to electronic shutter.

AH AHHHHHH......... saviour of the universe !


sorry , couldn't resist.

Nigel

The electronic shutter can only be used in live view, so yes the mirror and shutter is open while I focus. As I understand it only the trailing shutter operates to end the exposure.... any vibration from this is too late to affect the image.

When using mirror lock up I was waiting anything from 2 to 5 seconds before triggering the shutter with the same results.

I am thinking it is my tripod/head. Although rated at 5kg and 4 kg respectively, I think they are not up the job when using almost 2.5 kg of kit. More experimentation to follow, but a bit of testing in the kitchen last night did seem to show that the shutter speeds in the 1/30 to 1/90 range produced the worst results, with graduated improvement as speeds got slower or faster than these

I have had a K1 for around a month now. Before buying I was debating with myself whether I needed to upgrade from my K10D. Probably not, but I decided to get the new toy anyway.

Very glad I did. The dynamic range the K1 produces is much improved, and combined with the latest Silkypix offering (Studio Pro 7) much more can be brought out of the raw file. So far I have not ventured above 3200 ISO but I have not found the need to do any additional noise reduction above what the camera and Silkypix applies.

Full frame of course means that cropping can be done to a greater extent, as long as you have nailed the focus. Many features I have not seen before, and so far I am impressed with the lens distortion and CA aberation features, both of which are tagged in the raw file and I am able to turn them off in PP if I wish.

The function and setting dials on the right of the camera are very useful for direct control of ISO ; exposure compensation etc.

Finally, I have an extensive collection of K and M series lenses plus some of the classic FA lenses. The fact that these can now be used as they were intended is a big plus for me, and will I hope re-invigorate my photography which has been a bit quiet in the last two years.

I was manually focussing using live view 100% zoom. The difference between the shots was using mechanical or electronic shutter

Good idea. Will give that a try tomorrow. I had to come in from the garden not because I was losing light but because I was losing sensation in my fingers. It suddenly got very cold again