This series of images illustrates the relative performance at various focal lengths using a D200, Markins M10 ballhead mounted to the stock flat plate, and a Nikkor 70-200 F/2.8 AFS-VR and 300/4 AFS using a Kirk replacement collar. The TC's employed include the TC14E-II and TC17E-II. All leg sections fully extended, resulting in a comfortable eye level viewing height for a 5'7" - 5'8" person. Other images will illustrate the performance with various other leg extensions.

All images shot at F/8 1/10s ISO 100-125, except the 300/4 500mm images shot at F/9.

These are 100% pixels from the original raw NEF files, rendered to TIF, cut and pasted into a composite TIF, saved as a JPG in PhotoShop CS quality 12 (highest possible quality). The numbers in red document for me my original image file numbers, thus verifying that I actually copied the correct images into the correct slots :-)

The first vertical column uses full mirror up with a 5-10s delay. this is the "reference image" for each row. Focus was manual and all images in each row were shot at the same focus.

The second and third columns were shot with the camera in S mode with a wireless remote and without exposure delay. The 2nd column has the pan base unlocked and the 3rd column has the pan base locked. The 4th and 5th columns were shot with the D200's built in 0.4s exposure delay mode, again with the pan base locked and unlocked.

Even at 200mm, without mirror delay there is a tiny amount of degradation that may not bother some people. In all the other images there is a varying amount of significant degradation. In particular, note the grain of the Hammermill copy paper used to print the test target on an HP 2100 laser jet printer, especially without TC's. That grain is invisible in most shots not using some form of mirror delay.

The M10 was current (early 2008) production. In previous tests over the years with my older 2004 era M10 I have seen significant improvement with the pan base unlocked. You don't see that improvement here. In other tests, I believe that this current M10 slightly outperforms my older M10 so these images are illustrative of typical performance with newly purchased gear.

Note that for focal lengths longer than 200mm, exposure delay was not effective, except with the 300/4 at 300mm. In that case the Kirk two point replacement collar probably provided additional support, minimizing the mirror slap delay time.

Note also that in all images the vertical lines are sharp, or nearly as sharp as the mirror up image lines, consistent with mirror slap vibrations which are all in the vertical direction.