Another Noob question -- mirror lock

In a few places, I have read to prevent camera movement for long shutter speeds ie for smoothing out water to lock the mirror up. This is to avoid any movement of the camera by the mirror moving. Is this process the same mirror lock function as is used for cleaning in the menu? Or is there another way when shooting? TIA

Someone likely knows much more about this than I do and although the functions depend on the mirror moving away from the sensor, you do not want to use the Lock setting for photography. Long shutter speeds or the Bulb setting will hold the mirror up as long as you need for your exposure, but the mirror locking function is for cleaning only.

Locking the mirror up will definitely add sharpness, as you will not have the small vibrations set up by "mirror slap". I don't know what camera you have but it can be used on the D700. However, on long exposures I prefer to do this instead. I place the shutter speed on Bulb "B" with a matte black card placed in front of the lens, trip the shutter with a remote cable what allows me to lock the shutter open. I wait a second or so and move the black card away from the lens. I either use a stopwatch or even just count off the seconds, place the card back in front of the lens and unlock the shutter. It works like a champ, especially for long exposure shots taken at night.

Thanks for the quick replies. I have the D5300. As far as the black card method, I have done this with film cameras back in my former life. Ha! Actually it was a black cloth. As you stated, STM, the camera shake from the mirror movement was what I had read and that was the reasoning. I am assuming that the Bulb setting would work with the wireless remote. I haven't tried it yet as I am trying to become familiar with all of the buttons and settings on the camera. Ha!

cwgrizz said:

Thanks for the quick replies. I have the D5300. As far as the black card method, I have done this with film cameras back in my former life. Ha! Actually it was a black cloth. As you stated, STM, the camera shake from the mirror movement was what I had read and that was the reasoning. I am assuming that the Bulb setting would work with the wireless remote. I haven't tried it yet as I am trying to become familiar with all of the buttons and settings on the camera. Ha!

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Some more expensive models (like D7000, D300, D600, etc) do have a Mirror Up Lock (MUP) used for photography as you describe.

The D5300 model does not. The Cleaning mirror lock is different, and cannot be used for photography.

But, the D5300 does have menu D5, Exposure Delay, to add a short delay after the mirror comes up, but before the shutter opens, to let the mirror vibration settle down. This should do most of the same effect.

With what you want to do... The D300+ and the D7000+ line of cameras have a mirror lock up function to prevent the vibration of the mirror going up. I do not believe the D5xxx or D3xxx have it. The way to achieve the same end point is after you have everything set the way you want, flip the lens to manual focus so it doesn't change, then go to live view. The mirror will go up for the live view. Then trigger the camera by remote or the timer delay so you don't add additional vibration by pressing the shutter release.

Thanks Wayne, I had just found the exposure delay (d5) in the reference manual and came back here to add it for info for others when I saw your post. Ha!Good info and many ways to do things. And Moab, thanks for another method to accomplish the desired effects.

Where is that option ?

I hang my camera bag under the tripod on the hook provided and use the camera normally..

hrvojexyz said:

Where is that option ?

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It is under the "Custom" settings in the Menu. It is under the section "d" You can set the delay time (I think the default is 1s) and can turn it on or off (Default is off). Pg. 183 and 189 in the reference manual give the info. Hope this helps

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is that if you are taking long exposures and you have very much ambient light it is a good idea to cover your viewfinder with the eyepiece cap that came with the camera. See page 88 in the manual.

Hey Steve, Good catch. I already knew that, but it was only through some digging for about two days that I found it. I had the cover that came with the camera, but no clue as to what or how to use it. It was included and called a viewfinder cover, so I had to use it. Before finding the information you listed, I had figured it was just something to keep the viewfinder clean while storing the camera. Ha! Have you ever tried to put the cap on with the rubber eyepiece in place. That is what I was trying to do, before I found the info in the "Reference Manual". I really don't know why they even send a "Users Manual". They should call it a "Quick Start" manual. Ha! I wish they would send the reference manual in print form, also. Oh well, off of my soapbox on the manuals.

cwgrizz said:

It is under the "Custom" settings in the Menu. It is under the section "d" You can set the delay time (I think the default is 1s) and can turn it on or off (Default is off). Pg. 183 and 189 in the reference manual give the info. Hope this helps

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Found it , thanks, this is my first time in that menu..

Hey Steve, Good catch. I already knew that, but it was only through some digging for about two days that I found it.

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It's not for measuring, it is to stop light from entering the camera body and messing with your long exposure shots. Say you're shooting for stars, around 30 seconds in bulb mode and you have some fancy-schmancy intervalometer's screen tied to your tripod, or the campfire behind you... not a lot of light could get in through the eyepiece, but enough to cast an unsightly haze over your starscape.

Strong light entering through the viewfinder can affect exposure measurement as well. Remember, light coming in through the viewfinder will follow the same path as light coming in through the lens just in reverse.

Moab Man said:

With what you want to do... The D300+ and the D7000+ line of cameras have a mirror lock up function to prevent the vibration of the mirror going up. I do not believe the D5xxx or D3xxx have it. The way to achieve the same end point is after you have everything set the way you want, flip the lens to manual focus so it doesn't change, then go to live view. The mirror will go up for the live view. Then trigger the camera by remote or the timer delay so you don't add additional vibration by pressing the shutter release.

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It does not work on the D3300 at least. In live view the mirror is up, but when you shoot, the mirror comes down, then goes up and then the shutter fires. I have checked it.

For really long exposures, the "black cloth" method is better, as it lets both the mirror and the shutter vibrations settle.

Another thing to take care of is the Tripod vibration. For long exposures you need a strong tripod on a solid base, else it will vibrate with wind and if near roads with traffic. Some users of MF 80MP cameras have commented of foot steps affecting their shots, so they trigger the camera by remote after moving quite a distance from the camera, and sit tight till the shot is over.

On my D5100 I use the Exposure Delay Mode on the tripod (Custom Setting d4)