Vibration

Do you know how long it takes your camera to stop shaking after you remove your hands? Do you know how long after using mirror lock up it's ok to take the picture? Do you know how much shake the shutter induces in the camera that won't be prevented by mirror lock up? Unfortunately my answer is I don't know either, but I had an interesting experience today.

I was using my Gitzo 1348 tripod - more sturdy than most people use - an Acratech V2 head (will do a review in a few weeks after more experience with it), an extension arm for nodal rotation for stitching from Really Right Stuff, my Can on 1Ds2 and a 24-70 lens. I had recently purchased a right angle finder for the camera ant it was in the upright position. I was absolutely amazed to see in the eyepiece view while my eye was six inches away, just how much camera shake there was that I hadn't noted before. It took at least 3 seconds for the visible shake to settle down after removing my hands and I saw shake from the mirror going up and from the shutter release (though as that is immediately followed by the mirror return, I'm still not sure if the shutter release (cable of course) actually induces shake.

I guess I'm going to have to be more careful to give the camera at least two full seconds after mirror lock up before releasing the shutter and probably 4 seconds after letting the camera go before doing the mirror up. With the wides I was shooting with today, it turned out not to be a problem, but I will have to watch with longer lenses.