glojo Loc: South Devon, England

This is a discussion and NOT me saying what is right or what is wrong...

I am continually reading posts regarding how we must use tripods if we want pin sharp images, but I personally disagree with this stance and feel folks are not being fair to new comers who might not want to use a tripod.

I totally accept that with a decent tripod the photographer has little or no excuse for taking shots that have camera shake, but on the other hand if we are careful then we should not be getting camera shake when hand holding a camera? (question)

It is always wise to use at the very least the shutter speed that is at least equal to the length of the lens but obviously there are exceptions. Shooting slower than 1/50th of a second takes shed loads of practice and even then success is never guaranteed.

If we are getting camera shake at speeds of 1/250th or above then is it fair to suggest we might need more practice, plus of course, constructive advice to help correct this issue?

I have a severe spinal injury and am 64yrs of age so I am not the fittest of folks, nor the youngest but to all those that suggest a pin sharp image is not possible with a hand held camera then I say poo hoo. Look at any F1 race meeting or motor bike race and we will see any number of highly skilled photographers with hand held cameras fitted with 600mm prime lens. Yes some will have monopods as these lens are blooming heavy but most are hand held and their pictures are indeed pin sharp. I accept these are professionals but all they are doing is hand holding the camera, I am not talking about their skill in getting that award winning image.

Hand holding is not difficult, it is not a second best option and we should all be able to take a decent image unless we have a medical problem that prevents it.

As I said at the beginning this is not me saying what is right or what is wrong, I am hoping we can inspire confidence for folks to practice, practice and practice again.

If we want pin sharp then yes I can post pictures of birds in flight with a hand held long prime lens and I'm hoping that lots of other folks will submit their hand held images to give confidence to those that feel it not possible. (please post some examples)

I have no idea if the information will come out with my attached image and it is definitely not pin sharp but... to me it is a keeper plus without the mobility of the hand held camera it would be impossible to move the tripod to get that picture without frightening the model :) I was quite literally just a very few feet away from this wild and sometimes extremely vicious animal and trying to move a tripod is something I would prefer some other person try doing :twisted: (humour)

I am hoping I have got the information correct, no extra lighting, no flash and just the lights from our kitchen which give some sort of poor lighting onto the patio.

Hand held 1/15th sec f2.8 78mm ISO 3200 :oops: (I needed light) with the Nikon 70-200mm lens

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

I think you are overreacting.

Nobody ever says that sharp images are not attainable while hand-holding the camera even at slow shutter speeds...they just say that using a tripod is a worthwhile move in many cases, and it is.

I think you are making a mountain out of a molehill...we all agree that everyone should practice things they want to do better.

Roger Hicks Loc: Aquitaine

See also http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-45712-1.html

Cheers,

R.

glojo Loc: South Devon, England

Hopefully not an over reaction and perhaps my wording may or may not be too OTT? I wish I was able to make a molehill :)

A tripod is DEFINITELY beneficial when there is time to use it and I guess the photographer will be selective in the subjects they shoot that will always give them the time to use it.

I tend to look at it as a specialist item as opposed to an item required to take decent images. To justify that statement I would refer folks to the amazing shots on the Macro forum. yes some are no doubt taken by folks using a tripod, but the ones that really catch my eye are hand held and sometimes\frequently at a shutter speed of 1/60th with a 105mm macro lens!

Photog1 Loc: North America

Your sample picture is noticeably soft.

If you can't use a tripod, a bean-bag on a car roof or brick wall is recommended. Anything steadier to support the camera (and lens!) than shaky old human bones is bound to supply better results.

glojo Loc: South Devon, England

Welll said and I guess it is but it was 'needs must' That blur in the fore ground is an open door and that creature is renowned for being vicious.

If I had a bean bag, tripod, monopod or any other type of support then the picture might have been better BUT the badger was getting too close for the camera to focus. This was the last shot before the camera could no longer cope and I had to gently encourage the thing to move away from me.

Don't forget this was taken at night, (11.11pm) no extra lighting, no flash, an ISO of 3200 which gave me lots of noise. It is NOT a photograph, it is a snap of a unique event and asking a vicious wild animal to keep still whilst we get comfortable might work in controlled conditions.

Incidentally I was laying on a floor with NOTHING to hand and I must confess to being pleased with what I ended up with. I thought at 1/15th of a second I would get a 'smudge' I cannot see the exif info but I can assure you this is a crop of the original image

Newdevonian

The eyes the eyes - shoot for the eyes!

Margo Loc: Clearwater Florida

Thank you -- I found your information valuable and encouraging!

Margo Loc: Clearwater Florida

:thumbup:

glojo Loc: South Devon, England

I do, I do ... The ayes have it :) :)

I am wondering if the extremely low lighting, 11pm at night, the ISO of 3200 and the creature getting too close to the camera might be making it look soft?

I look forward to seeing examples of a similar type image shot using a bean bag or tripod in the exact same lighting conditions and with any type of moving animal being so close.

The only light is that coming from our kitchen which is way off to the left. I'm not sure if the room I was in had any lighting although I would not want to make myself to visible :)

This post is to listen to observations and recommendations and hopefully see images of what other folks can do... I dread to think of the consequences of trying to use a flash!! That particular species is not afraid to have a 'friendly nibble' of anyone that gets too close to it.

Is it a blurred image suffering from camera shake or is it an image that is being asked too much of because of all the adverse conditions, namely the Extremely poor light along with an ISO of 3200? Even the exposure value had to be altered to get some type of picture.

I am not the expert but I look at the hair and see single strands but.... I bow to the experience of those that are better qualified and MOST IMPORTANT... this is NOT me trying to be sarcastic. I am here just like everyone else, to learn. If that image is blurred then it is blurred, my poor eyesight is just struggling to see this 'shake'. The eyes are DEFINITELY dull and possibly not as sharp as they could be. The focussing point is just slightly behind the eye but that beast was moving and it was the best I could do :)

That other point regarding how close can we focus with a 70 - 200mm lens might also be relevant as that thing was getting real close and friendly (that was the last shot before the camera stopped focussing) :(

I'm not sure how I could use the beanie bag especially as I do not have one but would it make the image sharper and could I use it? We have to remember that these are wild animals that are constantly moving so I need to be able to instantly move my camera to get the best picture.

Mickey Oberman Loc: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

glojo,

That is a very good picture of a vicious, unpredictable animal.
I think I would have backed off before it came that close.

Don't worry so much about pleasing others unless you are a pro.
Please yourself. You set your own standards and do your best to meet them.
If another person compliments you you can pat yourself on the back and feel good.

ole sarg Loc: south florida

Send the tack sharpest photo and blow it up to where you are looking at pixels and not the photograph and guess what it is no longer tack sharp!

glojo Loc: South Devon, England

Thanks sarge
I blew this thing up to see if I could still see individual hairs, boy does it look a mess.

I had to smile when it was suggested this critta would not get too close. My sister and her husband WERE stood behind me, but when this thing got within 3ft, they decided to attack in the opposite direction :) :)

When the camera refused to focus the badger was sooo close to the open door, I made some very gentle noises and thankfully it simply ambled away. I had never realised how much of a rubbery nose these creatures have, they use it for rooting in our garden which plays havoc with the lawn, but by crikey when they fight they are EVIL.. and I do mean evil. I had very sadly seen full grown badgers quite literally ripping each other apart, an awful, awful sight. If a fox dares to come into our garden whilst they are feeding they VERY quickly let the poor creature know who is boss, certainly not an animal to under estimate. On that picture of the nose, you can just see the tip of a canine tooth!

On my pc it is 500% and you can see the individual pixels :( but not here??)

Onquest Loc: Just Wandering

I would consider it a keeper if it were my shot. Perhaps not a competition winner but definitely a keeper.

glojo Loc: South Devon, England

:thumbup:

It would DEFINITELY never win any competitions but our local primary school wanted copies, my doctor has a copy.. The local newspaper printed one of the images (not this specific one, but one of a similar grainy standard) We just do not usually get badgers this close. Everyone we speak to all tell us how timid they are and are so impressed with how close these wild badgers came.

DEFINITELY 100% not a picture to win ANY award but to record an event, I love this collection of pictures.

I TOTALLY 100% accept it is flawed but when we criticise we should demonstrate how we can do better and I AM SURE lots of folks here can do just that. :thumbup: