Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/08/06

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Subject: [Leica] "lag time" and the real world.
From: David Young <dnr@horizon.bc.ca>
Date: Wed, 06 Aug 2003 21:47:57 -0700
References: <BB55ED0D.2B443%mlquinn.mail@earthlink.net> <5.1.1.6.0.20030806103526.023722f8@mail.horizon.bc.ca>

For all of those who think lag time is unimportant, I must agree that in 
most instances, with better quality equipment, it is largely irrelevant.

However, I have discovered one area where it becomes very important... and 
that is the photographing of lightning.

There are, I have learned, several homebuilt and commercial lightening 
detectors that will trigger the  electrical remote contacts of a motorized 
camera... including the R8 w/winder!

Such circuits will respond within 1 ms, but the camera must have a quick 
'lag time' got get the mirror up and out of the way before the lightning 
bolt is gone.   This works with most modern SLR's, as lightning flashes can 
last several hundred milliseconds and often come in series, about 40 ms apart.

But if they're on autofocus, or need to meter first, they won't work!

For those gearheads who simply want to know what cameras have what shutter 
lag times, they should consult

http://www.fone.net/~rfrankd/CameraCompatibility6/CameraCompatibility6.htm

Which lists numerous SLR's in various formats.

Personally, I'm with Ted. I won't worry about it. Unless I'm selecting 
another camera, or taking shots of lightning.

Cheers!
- ----------

David Young,     | égalité, liberté,
Victoria, CANADA | fraternité et Beaujolais.

Website at: www.horizon.bc.ca/~dnr

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Replies: Reply from David Young <dnr@horizon.bc.ca> ([Leica] RE: "lag time" and the real world.)
Reply from David Young <dnr@horizon.bc.ca> ([Leica] Re: "lag time" and the real world.)
Reply from Henning Wulff <henningw@archiphoto.com> (Re: [Leica] "lag time" and the real world.)
In reply to: Message from Mike Quinn <mlquinn.mail@earthlink.net> (Re: [Leica] M7 vs M3 "lag time" -- How can we find out some realnumbers?)
Message from David Young <dnr@horizon.bc.ca> ([Leica] Ted vs "lag time")