Bear2 Loc: Southeast,, MI

Back button focus

Brokenland

This is an issue I have to deal with anytime I take pictures. I have a nervous disorder and I must use a tripod or brace myself against something, especially if there's very little light. I've placed the camera on a bucket, lean against a sign post or tree, even placed the camera on the roof of our car. But this was all before I found my vintage tripod.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

Select a camer body that is ergonomically compatible with your hands' size, strength, and level of dexterity. The controls, especially the shutter release should be easy for you to access when the camera is hand-held and in shooting position. There are many grips, L-brackets, pistol grips, and mechanical or electrical cable releases and configurations with brackets and grips that enable improved handling and vibration buffering of the camera.

When a very long and heavy telephoto or very large wide-angle lens is used the camera's center of gravity changes. Again the use of a bracket, pistol grip, or other camera handling rig can be used to restore balance. These accessories can be attached to the lens collar as well as the tripod socket on the body.

Of course, tripod and monopod use is the best camera steadying support accessories you can apply. This, however, does not entirely shake or vibration proof unless they are used properly, adaquette for the load and the head is properly configured. Monopod use requires proper physical leg and body positions for the photograher.

I realize this may soud too elementary but don't poke the shutter release-squeeze or press it gently.

When handhold the camera there is a general rule of thumb as to minimum shutter speed to prefect camera movement blur. ! over the focal lenght- so a 300mm lens will require 1/300 sec. or faster. A 50mm lens- 1/60 sec. etc. Some photographers can handhold their cameras at speeds below this recommendation- it requires practice and other strategies.

Other strategies are a matter of assuming a certain position of the arms, hands and legs to improvise additional support. Some photograher use the sleeve of a heavy/softly line jacket to buffer vibration. Sometimes bracing the camera against a wall, ledge, beanbag, wooden crate, rock, or a tree can be helpful if no monopod or tripod is available or is impractical.

Some older SLR and DSLR modes had excessive "mirror slap", so weh possible and a tripod is in use, lock up the mirror before exposure. This is caused by internal vibration due to mechanical function within the body. Back in the day, I could handhold a Leica or a Rolleiflex at 1/8 sec. in a hitch. Hasselblad- NADA! Perhas, nowadays, the mirrorless camera has less potential for internal vibration. Hand holding a camera at less than the ideal shutter speed for the focal length may suffice for an 8x10 print in a wedding album but may not make the grade in a large print or screen image.

Like all things photographic, there are compromises. I would rather boot the ISO and get a bit more noise, to attain a higher shutter speed than end up with camera shake blur.

If you are mechanically included, be creative. All kinds of gizmos can be rigged up with a bit of ingenuity. Belt pods are commercially available but can be crafted of leather. There are shoulder harnesses, things yoy can do with a neckstrap. I once rigged a small monopod to a saxophone strap and made a decent steadying setup.

rsworden

One of the main reasons I went with Olympus is the outstanding In-Body Image Stabilization. I almost never use a tripod anymore except for focus stacking, live composite etc. that require perfect alignment. All my wildlife and most of my landscape shooting is handheld.

CO

If you can't use a tripod, a stringpod really stabilizes the camera. The lower photo here is one that I made. All you need is a 1/4-20 eyelet bolt and some rope. I went on a trip once and was not able to bring my tripod. You can just roll up the stringpod and put it in your pocket.

This is a stringpod that I made

(Download)

CO

Number 19 on your list really helps. I've made a couple of stringpods. All of your recommendations here are great.

vma Loc: Idaho

Thank you! My elbows do keep creeping up! I like to use my focus peak to see what is in focus (eye or branch).

vma Loc: Idaho

Thank you! I really like this idea. I like to walk along green belts & hike with a camera, wrist strap, extra batteries & a water bottle.
100-400 lens=birds, flowers, nests.

vma Loc: Idaho

Olympus is tempting, I just switched to fujifilm from nikon. Not sure my old 73 yr old brain is up to learning a new camera setup.

vma Loc: Idaho

Very creative ideas. Thank you.
While hiking, I leave my lens tripod collar mount on my 100-400 lens to grip & it helps balance fuji camera/lens. While hiking, Its easier for me to carry/shoot while gripping the the mount always keeping a wrist strap attached to camera. Maybe a cushioned grip on the mount would help as my finger rotates focus ring (I seem to lock focus on leaves w/o focus peaking). I will work more on Tucked elbows, gentle squeeze, while using AF-S or AF-M to be able to use focus peaking. CL drive. Im definitely a bit shaky with unpredictable bif, getting better with birds in nests. Thanks again for your help.

vma Loc: Idaho

Thank you! I like the belt pod idea.

jamesl Loc: Pennsylvania

-------------
Shoot at a higher shutter speed may be?

joecichjr Loc: Chicago S. Suburbs, Illinois, USA

Thanks for the fabulous advice

vma Loc: Idaho

I like it!😄