3200 blues.

[Horoscope Fish]

Ahhh! So live view isn't designed for everyday hand held use? I never use it so I wasn't sure. I though it was just another way to use the camera for people who didn't like using the viewfinder or when using the camera for motion video. I toyed with it a few minutes ago and I definitely don't like it. Might try it for some tripod macro shots one day.

However, my D90 has a mirror lock up option that does not require Live View.

Live View does move the mirror up and out of the way so the image coming through the lens can be projected straight on to the cameras sensor. That same image is then output from the sensor to the rear-LCD and we can use the LCD for framing and focusing instead of the viewfinder. Some people simply prefer this method and Live View does use a different method for achieving focus (Google "Phase Detection" vs "Contrast Detection" if you really want to get your geek-on) which some people also prefer.

When I say "Mirror Lock-up", though, I'm referring to an option I specifically employ for stills in order to prevent "mirror slap" and increase sharpness.

The same action is being taken in both cases -- the mirror is moved out of the way of the sensor -- but it's being done for two different reasons.

Clear as mud?

....

 

[Mike D90]

Clear as mud?

....

Mississippi mud water clear!

 

[Iron lung]

OK, so my head is about to explode. So will using live view on the 3200 help with sharpness or not...confused

 

[Mike D90]

OK, so my head is about to explode. So will using live view on the 3200 help with sharpness or not...confused

According to what has been pointed out, yes, it can help with sharpness if used correctly, which would be from a tripod mount and probably also using a remote shutter release of some type.

 

[Horoscope Fish]

Sometimes understanding something is not enough to explain it clearly and I may be failing here... One last try though.

When we frame up a shot, the light we see moves through the lens and hits the cameras mirror. The mirror redirects the light through the prism and then through the viewfinder. It's critical to understand the mirror, in its resting state, sits between the lens and sensor. The job of the mirror is to reflect the image from the lens to the viewfinder; if it didn't we wouldn't be seeing through the lens, which would suck.

Then you click the shutter release button... This action causes the mirror to move UP and out of the way of the sensor so the light from our shot falls ON the sensor directly for the duration of the shutter speed. At the same time the mirror now blocks the viewfinder, which is why you see a moment of blackness in your viewfinder when you take a shot; the path of light is no longer being directed to the viewfinder for you viewing pleasure, it's being allowed to fall through the shutter and onto the sensor. At some point the shutter then closes and the mirror drops back down to it's resting position. At this point you can see through the viewfinder again because the mirror is, once again, reflecting the light from the lens to the viewfinder.

Allow me to illustrate with an illustration:



Mirror down: Light reflected to viewfinder.
Mirror up: Light falls on sensor.

To put it as simply as I can, Mirror Lock-up means the mirror in our DSLR body, which is positioned in front of the sensor and behind the lens, has been rotated to it's upward position. In this upward position the mirror no longer blocks the sensor as it would if it were not in the upward and locked position. Live View simply USES Mirror Lock-up but I can use Mirror Lock-up without using Live View.

Using Mirror Lock-up, whether by using it in Live View or not, stops "mirror slap" and reduces camera vibration that may help get you sharper photos. It's not a promise but it will remove one source of vibration that could be affecting the sharpness of your photos.

I hope that helps.

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[Eyelight]

I mentioned using Live View in post #30 to avoid the mirror movement and @aroy pointed out the mirror does not stay up on the D3200. Reference posts #30, #32 & #33.

It puzzled me that the viewfinder stays dark, so I put the question to Nikon. Received a response that answered half my question, but more or less indicated the D3200 does not have the capability to auto-focus the lens in Live View, so it does drop the mirror, focuses, raises the mirror and releases the shutter before retuning to Live View.

The second question was weather there was a slight delay after the mirror raises before the shutter releases, but the Nikon man missed that one and left it unanswered.

I added the question, what about Live View with using manual focus because then it makes sense the mirror would not need to move.

I'll post the answer when I receive a reply.

 

[marce]

It puzzled me that the viewfinder stays dark, so I put the question to Nikon. Received a response that answered half my question, but more or less indicated the D3200 does not have the capability to auto-focus the lens in Live View, so it does drop the mirror, focuses, raises the mirror and releases the shutter before retuning to Live View.

The second question was weather there was a slight delay after the mirror raises before the shutter releases, but the Nikon man missed that one and left it unanswered.

Watch the D3200 focusing in live view you an see it focusing on the screen, the mirror stays up it uses contrast focusing. Rad pages 80-87in the manual. The information you have been give is flawed.

 

[marce]

The confusion seems to come from this Nikon Blog which is rather rambling and dated. As far as I know all the more modern D-SLRs us contrast focusing using the sensor in live view, this negates having to have the mirror drop to focus using the phase detection array. If you use live view you can set the focus point anywhere on the screen...

//www.nikonusa.com/en/Learn-And-Explore/Article/ftlzi4ra/live-view-shooting-modes.html

 

[Eyelight]

Watch the D3200 focusing in live view you an see it focusing on the screen, the mirror stays up it uses contrast focusing. Rad pages 80-87in the manual. The information you have been give is flawed.

The confusion seems to come from this Nikon Blog which is rather rambling and dated. As far as I know all the more modern D-SLRs us contrast focusing using the sensor in live view, this negates having to have the mirror drop to focus using the phase detection array. If you use live view you can set the focus point anywhere on the screen...

//www.nikonusa.com/en/Learn-And-Explore/Article/ftlzi4ra/live-view-shooting-modes.html

A case of the development moving faster than marketing and support, I suppose.

As I mentioned earlier, the mirror did not appear to drop while in Live View on my D3200. I played a little more this morning and discovered the mirror does drop when the release is set to continuous which kind of makes sense because it would be difficult to use Live View to follow a moving target as the shutter constantly interrupted Live View. It is easier to use the viewfinder and the higher shutter speeds associated with continuous would not be affected by mirror slap.

 

[marce]

I did the same to double check, I'll now clean my sensor!!!!!