Cable release on Hand-held? (D7000)

[crisscross]

Has anyone experimented with using a cable release for handheld shots?

I ask because with my new D7000 I found the 1st days shots (handheld, which has been my natural habit on D80) had ghastly and obvious movement. I attributed this to the rather abrupt mirror action and headed to MUP + tripod + ML-L3 remote.

However I also tried using the camera handheld but remote released and now think it is a rather heavy spring on the shutter release button that is the greater problem & lots of times where a tripod is out. Only you run out of hands and the remote can only be used from positions giving poor hold with that hand.

A cable release can presumably be used while gripping the camera and would have a lighter spring on the button and could be faced inwards rather than up/down?? (MC DC2 or non-Nikon equivalent)

Any thoughts would be gratefully received.

PS I use the Nikkor 80-400 VR lens 90% of time and using the tripod mound as a handgrip. Lighter than most tele, but still equal to camera weight

[Letrow]

Chris, I have the D7000 as well but have not experienced the problems you have. It might be the result of the body-lens combination. I mean at 400mm any movement will be significant I guess.
I am not sure why you would use the camera handheld but remote released, unless your camera has a mechanical problem with the shutter release button. Normally, you should be able to push this button quite softly and of course you could practise it a bit.

You have two extra options that might be of help, the quiet shutter release (see page 7 manual 'Q') and the Mirror up (page 7 'Mup'). In most cases I would think that the mirror would be the biggest problem in movement, not the spring on your button. Still, if you think it is the spring, go to a shop and compare it with another D7000 to make sure.

And I assume that you are using VR in the correct way, although the only problem I can think off with this would arise when you have VR on and the camera on a tripod.

[crisscross]

Thank you Peter - I think you may be right that it just needs more practice; I have tried some tests this morning first half-depressing to get the lens somewhere near (it is a very slow one being driven by motor in camera), then a quick but careful full press. Maybe hanging about with the release button half down does give one the shakes. Also it is the 1st actually new DSLR I have had & I suppose my D80 with 45k shutter count will have lost some of its spring strength

Haven't tried the Q setting yet, but will (as soon as I have done all the things I have promised my wife I will do today)

[krispix]

Peter's right about VR when on a tripod. Something many of us forget.
Back in the days of film you could get a camera bracket with a grip (principally for mounting a flash off-camera) and often you could run a cable release to a trigger on the grip. I don't know if such a thing is available today, and if it were, it would have to be camera-specific today - But it might be worth some investigation.

[crisscross]

...
Back in the days of film you could get a camera bracket with a grip (principally for mounting a flash off-camera) and often you could run a cable release to a trigger on the grip. I don't know if such a thing is available today, and if it were, it would have to be camera-specific today - But it might be worth some investigation.

Thank you Chris

An implementation of the cable release to trigger + grip is what I was wondering about, except that I would probably just continue using the fairly generous tripod collar standard to the 80-400 and big enough to get hand round. It seems there is precedent for this approach

[Letrow]

to get the lens somewhere near (it is a very slow one being driven by motor in camera)

You do make me think about this lens though. I have been looking at it and the slow focus + the fact that an updated lens is expected somewhere in the (hopefully near) future have held me back. The weight might cause some camera shake I guess, but you would expect the VR to counter that.
The reach must be tremendous though, almost comparable to 600mm on a FX camera. Very, very attractive.

[Polar01]

The len you state that 80-400 is the slowest focusing len nikon has ever make, it also happens to be a great lens, however not if the subject is moving or you are tracking it and need it to be kept in focus. If you are looking for a fast lens then the 70-300 f4.5-5.6G ED this is one of the fastest focusing lens that Nikon makes, at lot of sport shooters use this lens. I am thinking of buying the lens you have, however I shot mostly landscape that does not move very fast, I also own the 70-300 lens. Hope this is of some use.

Allan

[crisscross]

Going off topic a bit, but I have had 80-400VR about 4 years and you can see its versatility on my website (in signature). I think the D80 pixel density was limiting its reach; D7000 won't! Rumours of its replacement also rife for years, but integral motor and VRII would have to make it bigger and prefer not to think about a price. I have even tried it with TC201 2x converter, but lack of AF on that means little difference in final quality, just ID of birds too far away for decent pic.

Not too keen of feel of Q(uiet) setting and no evident improvement

[jprzybyla]

Hi Chris, when I read your post about your shots showing obvious movement I wondered what autofocus mode you were using. In AF-C and AF-S the D7000 have priority modes, either Release or Focus. In AF-C the default is set to Release, meaning the camera will fire when the shutter button is pressed whether or not anything is in focus. For AF-S the default is set to Focus, meaning that the camera will not fire until something is in focus. On my D7000 for nature photography I have the autofocus set to Automatic Mode with Dynamic area using the center focus point, I have both AF-C and AF-S priority modes set to Focus. Not sure if this will help but it works for me.

[rpcrowe]

Hi Chris...

I am not going to approach the very posssible prroblems: a faulty camera release button or incorrect method of holding the camera when firing.

Or perhaps you are just not choosing a shutter speed fast enough to dampen camera motion even when using VR. Even when using Image Stabilization, I have to be careful when I am shooting my 300mm f/4L IS lens hand-held; and your 70-400mm can be 100mm longer than my 300mm lens.

Being a Canon guy, I cannot pretent to understand the different nuances between Nikon lenses and cameras. However, if you have a corded remote release, this is a thought that would possible help you.

Old style flash brackets like this are avalable just about anywhere on the used market, including various rummage sales. Virtually no one uses flash that is non-dedicated anymore and virtually no one uses the old style cable release to fire the camera so these L-type flash braskets are available at a very low price...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-flas...item519c9a84e6

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sunpak-Flash...item2a17c2ee62

Taping your remote release on the handle of a bracket like one of these so that you could fire the camera with either your thumb or with your forefinger might provide you with the stability which you are lacking.

H\Additionally, here is a link to lots of pictures of various camera stabilizers; one of which might also help to stabilize your shots.
http://www.google.com/search?

q=home+made+steadicam&hl=en&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tb o=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=GBsHT4-qDsWniAK5vfyUDg&sqi=2&ved=0CE4QsAQ&biw=1280&bih=53 3

[crisscross]

... In AF-C and AF-S the D7000 have priority modes, either Release or Focus. In AF-C the default is set to Release, meaning the camera will fire when the shutter button is pressed whether or not anything is in focus. For AF-S the default is set to Focus, meaning that the camera will not fire until something is in focus. ......

Thank you Joe - I must admit I didn't gather the meaning of those a1 & a2 settings, but I think what I have been trying to do is get EVERYTHING to work manual apart from single point static autofocus (because I know my lens isn't fast enough to use continuous); I may not have achieved this the day I was having bad trouble and have now corrected.

I just loathe the recent trend towards making computers, and it seems now cameras, to guess your intentions. I shoot, look at it, alter exposure and maybe position of single focus point and then shoot again.

I have been out again in not very brilliant light and implemented a policy of (1) pressing halfway to get lens focussed on the right field, continent or galaxy (2) press the whole way in one move taking care to avoid jerkiness. I think that solves at least 75% of the problem,....now to Richards post for the other 25%

I love the snowy egrets on your smugmug site

[crisscross]

.....these L-type flash braskets are available at a very low price...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-flas...item519c9a84e6

Taping your remote release on the handle of a bracket like one of these so that you could fire the camera with either your thumb or with your forefinger might provide you with the stability which you are lacking.

Thank you Richard: Those L brackets look as if they may be better than just using the lens mount as a handle and thank you for confirming that a cable type (now USB) release attached to handle is not mad.

The stabilisers look worse than a tripod. I need an equation that resolves conflict between getting older and less steady on one hand and having to carry a tripod (and be seen looking pretentious) on the other.