Nikon D300 MLU or Mirror Lock Up Feature

To get super sharp landscape images, I use the lower 25% of my aperture range to get super sharp images.  Using the MLU feature, a cable release and a tripod, I am able to get the sharpest possible images with full depth up close and way far for an image with awesome perspective and composition.

Nearly every SLR camera has a mirror that must be moved out of the way before the shutter can open and allow light to hit the film.  The mirror will cause vibration in the camera that lingers while the shutter is open during longer exposures.  Many landscape images are taken with small apertures to ensure sharp focus of the scene.  This reduction in light must be made up by a longer shutter speed.

However, not every SLR camera has a mirror lock up or MLU feature.  The Nikon D300 does have this feature and is seldom talked about in the photography community.

Here is a graph of the camera in motion when the shutter release is pressed:

 
The graph is small and hard to see, but in looking at the purple section, you see normal vibration.  The mirror is the problem.  It is essential for reflecting the image your camera "sees."  However, when engaged, the mirror snaps up and hits the mirror pad causing vibration as seen in the yellow section.  The pink shows the continued "settling" of the camera even on a tripod.  Most of the shake is seen in shutter speeds as fast as 1/60th of a second.

This "shake" is not something that the VR or vibration reduction in your lens will be able to influence.

Keep in mind that this shake will not be seen in your LCD screen when you "snap" the shot.  However, when you get home and load the image on your computer, open it up in your image processing software like NX or Photoshop, you'll know...especially in the fine details of the grass, rock edges and tree branches.

I hope this guide was helpful and that you have a better understanding of the MLU or Mirror Lock-Up Feature.  It was brief, but may be enough information to get you to check out the MLU feature of your D300 or, if trying to decide between the D300 and another camera, you may investigate more to see if this feature is something you will benefit from.

If it was helpful, let me know by clicking the “YES” down below.  If you would like to provide your input, I will be happy to add the information to this guide.

Show The World Your World; Share A Photograph.  TM.

Sulae
Sulae Arts