Regis Loc: Coeur d' Alene, Idaho

I hand hold all my shots using a Canon 5Dsr with a total 800mm prime lens (400mm times 2x extender = 800mm).
If I can do it at 74, then anybody can manage this combo.

Bazbo Loc: Lisboa, Portugal

I have no such issues with the D850. There may be other secondary factors--the high mp cameras may be a bit heavier (as is the case with the 850) which may cause some stability issues, for example.

jimneotech Loc: Michigan

Did your lens have VR?

Harry0 Loc: Gardena, Cal

Everything ... is kinda like everything.
PRACTICE makes perfect. Practice a good stance, a firm hold, and a smooth pivot.
Make sure your camera setup is more like action/sports.
Maybe a shallow DoF is zooper kewl, but you'll miss moving objects that way.
I "grew up" with folders and ISO 50 film- a monopod and a cable release doubled my success rate. A tripod or a tabletop was even better.
Today I'm old and decrepit- I always have a cane- and that works as a mono. Since I do Nikons, I have a small assortment of shutter remotes- I can hold/zoom/focus in manual mode and press a button with less shake than doing all that and pressing the shutter.
There are other stabilizers- a buddy uses an old bed brass finial bolted to the bottom as a half pound counterweight. One guy on Youtube uses PVC pipe and sand; another uses a bungie cord hooked to his belt.
It also depends on the person- I know one person who can take great shots holding her camera up and at arms length - if I tried that you'd wonder who I was waving at.
YMMV.

Alans844

Great shot. I had some concerns about buying an 850. I think that shot convinced me I can do it.

CatMarley Loc: North Carolina

All depends on technique, focal length and shutter speed. Given a short focal length, high shutter speed, and handling the camera like an offhand rifle the pixel count does not mean a thing. Longer, slower and shakier does, and the more pixels, the more there is to detect a motion blur. But at best, the difference is going to be infinitesimal.

Angmo

I did 10 days in the Himalayas. Medium Format. I shot all photos from a tripod using a two button cable shutter release - mirror up wait a moment, then shutter.

No regrets. I can enlarge any photo to 100 inches no sweat.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

That's what I'm talkin' bout ! ....

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FreddB Loc: PA - Delaware County

I was going to start by saying please correct me if I'm wrong, which is totally unnecessary on here. I wasn't aware that pixels had a weight factor. One's ability to shoot handheld depends on the weight of the equipment versus their hand/arm/upper body strength. Those are affected by our age and physical condition. So, it's either downsize the gear or up size the strength; save the pixel count for another discussion.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

For those wanting to improve your hand holding :http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-236741-1.html

and I really like this bracket with non-slip ergonomic grip - neither of these are available commercially.

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(Download)

Angmo

Looks like the plumbing on my Anschutz .22 caliber target rifle. Supporting a camera using the large bones of the forearm versus fingers of the hand matters

gwilliams6

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x25oqcFXnjs
Adorama Tv- Mark Wallace on freezing motion, and panning with action. He talks about lens focal length and shutter speeds for handholding.

The inverse rule generally works with stationary subjects. You should shoot handheld with a shutter speed equal or faster than your lens focal length. EX: 125mm focal length, shoot at 125/sec or faster to eliminate motion from camera and lens shake. EX: 24 mm focal length, you could handhold as low as 1/30 sec for stationary object. BUT lens stabilization and/or IBIS (In Body Image Stabilization) allows you to handhold at much slower speeds in modern cameras, some as much as 4-5 stops slower than before. I am able to handhold as slow as 1/4 second with my IBIS in my camera, even with telephoto focal length. I have years of practice in keeping my body and camera steady, but anyone with practice and modern camera/lens combos with lens stabilization and/or IBIS can achieve equal results.

Do not worry about the differences with higher megapixel cameras. That does not matter as much as proper shutter speed for your focal length and any lens and/or in-body stabilization you have. I teach photography at the university level and have to teach my students this and then they have assignments to put all this into practice. I also teach them proper camera holding and body position techniques to help them keep everything steady for shooting with slow shutter speeds and long lenses. Cheers

cambriaman Loc: Central CA Coast

When I got my D800e a couple of years ago I found the high pixel count did indeed require an improvement in handling skills. It didn't take very long to get the full capability performance as a regular result. Practice, practice, practice!

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

No, it's a Sigma 150-600 Sport - so it has OS, not VR.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

No, but the higher the pixel density, the higher the amount of recorded fine detail, and if you have a blur that is 1 plxel long on a 12 mp canera, that will be several pixels long on a 46 mp camera - so, the blur you won't see at 12 mp you definitely will see at 46 mp - regardless of the camera+lens weight, physical condition of the shooter, age, etc.

Pixel count is definitely part of this discussion. What gear do you use?