When to use MLU?

When should we be using MLU? Anytime the camera is on a tripod? Anytime I'm using a release? Anytime the shutter speed is less than a certain point?

I know what it is, I'm just not sure when I should be using it. Personally I've been using it anytime I'm on a tripod. With the 5D I turn it on and set the drive to "timer". This defaults to a 2 second timer and handles the MLU for me, so I figure why not. When I use a remote I tend to get impatient and press it twice fast to get the shot...

Also if/when using MLU how long should I wait before taking the picture if doing it manually? I figure if the camera defaults to the 2 second timer, that's what canon recommends so why not right?

Oh, and if anyone from Canon ever sees this, can we PLEASE HAVE A BUTTON ON THE CAMERA THAT DOES THIS?!!! Has anyone here ever used that stupid direct print button? Make that the MLU shortcut please!!! Or at the very least give us the option to set what it does like you do with the set button...

MLU is most effective when the camera is tripod mounted, shutter speeds are slower than 1/125th or 1/60th of a second but not more than a few seconds. Shutter speeds faster than that and the shutter will have completed it’s task before any vibration has a chance to affect the pics and for shutter speeds much longer than a few seconds the vibration will not notably affect the pic either.

Not sure what the proper response to this is, but I'll comment on what I do. Like you mentioned, I tend to use it whenever I'm shooting from the tripod. It's likely not required as sometimes the shutter speed is higher, but it's a habit for me now I guess. I used to use it below certain shutter speeds with certain focal lenghts, but again now I pretty much use it all the time (from the tripod).

As to the delay when using a release, well, not sure about that either, but I try to do a four or five count after flipping the mirror up until I take the shot (unless the shutter speed is going to be real slow, then I wait a bit longer to make sure there's no vibration). Again, I'm not sure what the "correct" method is, but I no longer have any blur/focus issues since doing things like this. I hope this helps? Sorry I can't be more technical or exacting in the response!

I'd like to see 100% crops with and without MLU and if I'm convinced, I still won't use it.

Cobra351 wrote in post #4146514
...As to the delay when using a release, well, not sure about that either, but I try to do a four or five count after flipping the mirror up until I take the shot (unless the shutter speed is going to be real slow, then I wait a bit longer to make sure there's no vibration). Again, I'm not sure what the "correct" method is, but I no longer have any blur/focus issues since doing things like this. I hope this helps? Sorry I can't be more technical or exacting in the response!

You might try setting the delay timer along with MLU. The delay timer cuts down to 2 seconds than automatically fires the shutter. It makes the feature pretty easy to use.

• Set MLU enabled
  
• Set auto timer
  
• Compose, focus, and press the shutter
  
• Mirror pops up then 2 seconds later the shutter fires.

It helps most in approximately the 1/30th to 2 second range.

Why doesn't it help on longer exposures? Like longer than 2 seconds.

Because the vibration period is such a small portion of the overall exposure that it is effectively overwritten. It's like if someone walked past your lens on a 30 sec. exposure. You'd likely not even see it unless they were wearing bright red.

What does it hurt though? I guess it's just a waste of 2 seconds...

Agreed on the people disappearing. I love how things magically disappear on long exposures...

I tend to use MLU with a tripod and longer lenses regardless of the exposure time. A very short exposure might avoid blurring from mirror slap but I wouldn't count on it working 100% of the time.

JackProton wrote in post #4147627
I tend to use MLU with a tripod and longer lenses regardless of the exposure time. A very short exposure might avoid blurring from mirror slap but I wouldn't count on it working 100% of the time.

Correct. There are high frequency components to the mirror vibration. See:

http://markins.com/cha​rlie/report4e6.pdf

I agree that it would be huge great if Canon provided a button on the camera that could be programmed to toggle MLU on and off.

J.

Tapeman wrote in post #4146854
It helps most in approximately the 1/30th to 2 second range.

And at longer focal lengths.

deffinately on longer focal lengths

How does it help on longer focal lengths? Do they just magnify the vibration more?