Slowest SP hand held you can shoot?

hamlet · May 18, 2014

What is the slowest shutter speed you can shoot at while standing hand held? Also feel free to share how you can achieve this amazing feat.

Mach0 · May 18, 2014

hamlet said:
What is the slowest shutter speed you can shoot at while standing hand held? Also feel free to share how you can achieve this amazing feat.

Depends on you. I've gone as low as 1/4s for a statue at night before and did ok.

Raj_55555 · May 18, 2014

I actually shot this HDR handheld

PixelRabbit · May 18, 2014

Does moving instead of standing handheld count?

hamlet · May 18, 2014

The slowest i can shoot at is 1/30s without vr hand held. For me i just get balled up like a hedgehog and shot on continues mode when i'm done exhaling. From then on it is picking the sharpest i took. :lol:

PixelRabbit said:
Does moving instead of standing handheld count?

Sure, we can only benefit from your knowledge.

PixelRabbit · May 18, 2014

Ok standing still.
Biggest tip, brace yourself against yourself, elbows IN! Think of turning yourself into a tripod.

1/13 F5.6 ISO1600

IMG_5434bw-1 by Judi Smelko, on Flickr

1/4 F16 ISO320

IMG_3680bw-1 by Judi Smelko, on Flickr

Just for fun a panning one.

1/25 F22 ISOunknown

IMG_0290_2-1 by Judi Smelko, on Flickr

vintagesnaps · May 18, 2014

Usually not slower than 1/60 and I prefer not to go slower than 1/125. If I'm losing light late day and shoot slower than that I get positioned and braced to try to keep the camera steady. Taught myself that shooting sports anyway, I sometimes stand feet somewhat further apart, knees in a little & heels out, elbows in, shoulders back and hips forward, etc. - or is that doing the Time Warp?? Hard to describe, and anyway my weight isn't going to shift over my hips the same way as you men so what works for me might just work for me! lol

Mike_E · May 18, 2014

In open space about 1/13th that I can recall.

Standard technique and practice.

And no caffeine.

TCampbell · May 18, 2014

There's a guideline created in the days of 35mm film cameras. The idea is that the "average" person who is using good techniques to hold the camera and a good stance and actually trying to be still can probably hold the camera well enough to use a shutter speed equal to the inverse of the lens focal length. E.g. at 50mm then 1/50th. At 200mm then 1/200th.

But this is a "guideline". Some people are able to do a bit better... and some people aren't even able to be this steady.

Also it gets complicated with crop-frame cameras because you have to multiple the focal length by the sensor's crop-factor (usually 1.6 for Canon and 1.5 for Nikon).

Feet should be spread apart so you have a wide solid stance with a good center of gravity (e.g. don't "lean"). Your left hand should palm the camera body and lens in an underhand grip with your left elbow tucked in to your stomach so you are supporting from below and your forearm braces the camera. The camera is pressed to your face -- not hovering out in front of you. You can find videos on good camera holding technique.

Also if there is something you can lean on to brace yourself or your camera... then lean on it.

SCraig · May 18, 2014

Handheld - 270mm, 1/6 second, f/5.6, ISO 400

The_Traveler · May 18, 2014

I can shoot at 14 seconds handheld but if you want the pictures to be sharp, it really depends on the focal length.

nzmacro · May 19, 2014

So anyone have a sharp shot taken hand held with an 800 F/5.6 at 1/100 ?? Would love to see one

Danny.

petrochemist · May 19, 2014

Posture, bracing, stabilisation, technique and the degree of sharpness you consider acceptable all have a factor but the effective focal length is also VERY relevant.
I've recently managed to pan a 750mm EFL at 1/180s with little or no shake https://www.flickr.com/photos/petrochemist/13548301284/ at more normal focal lengths I've managed down to ~1/4s on occassion. Going this far beyond the rule of thumb will involve a lower suscess rate, but with digital it doesn't cost anything to try.