home brewer Loc: Fort Wayne, Indiana

at one time you could manage the camera because you were stronger; if you are healthy for 87 then buy some light dumbbells 2.5 or 5 bound and practice lifting then straight in front of you. I know that some body types just don't seem to get stronger. At a young 72 I am hitting the gym 5 days a week to lift weights to gain strength. I make progress as long as I do not injure myself outside the gym. I spent 3 months off last year due to a shoulder injury caused by using a sledge to break concrete and another 2 weeks a short time later due to covid and the flu even after I took vaccines. That set me back big time; after a month of lifting I am back to about 60% to 80% depending on the muscle group where I was before the injury.
There are a few people at the gym that are older than me. But most young men and women who are very into lifting; thus I will never be lifting like they do.
I am trying to say that maybe you can get stronger.

Don, the 2nd son Loc: Crowded Florida

Excellent technique. I use these also and have added a shoulder brace/rifle stock. The stock has devolved to something like the equivalent to the WWii "grease gun" submachinegun contraption a shoulder pad as from a crutch and aluminum tube 1/2' connects to the tripod mount. Found several iterations on eBay they are vintage from 1950'-70's mage by RCA, etc for video/8mm cameras. Helpful at our advanced age.

eshlemania Loc: Northern Indiana, USA

Wow, thanks for this. Gonna' get my husband to work on this. :D:D

suntouched Loc: Sierra Vista AZ

I use a pistol grip on my long lens. Helps to balance the weight via the lens collar. If the lens you are using doesn't have a lens collar then the pistol grip will be sitting too far back to help. The other thing that helps is using an adjustable harness type camera strap. Adjusted correctly it adds a counter tension which helps stabilize the camera. I use Optech brand. I have not found monopods to be helpful as they tend to sway. And I end up lifting the monopod off the ground to try to follow the bird which is very unhelpful! Carrying a very light weight stool allows you to sit which usually increases stability. There is one that folds up to the size of a small umbrella so we aren't talking about much extra weight or bulk. I have one bought at Ace Hardware that weights about 1 1/2 pounds - is a little bulky but worth the effort. There are better ones on the market. And the last thing to consider is doing some upper body weight training at home with light weights. Bicep, tricep and shoulder exercises are quick and easy to do. Results will vary depending on the amount of muscle mass you still have. Strengthening those muscles may help the tremors or not but they certainly won't hurt anything ! Let us know if you stumble upon something that makes a difference. Keep shooting!

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

Let me go in another direction: have you been working with your doctor about the essential tremor? There are various medication options, and there is new technology.

The first line medical therapy for essential tremor is the beta-blocker class. These can be quite helpful, but may cause a slow heart rate and fatigue. Sometimes a very low dose (2 mg) of diazepam (Valium) will reduce the shakes without causing fatigue - I like this option because it can be taken only when needed, since it only stays in the body about 6 hours. Of course, the older we get, the more careful we have to be with medications.

Now - if medications fail, there is a new treatment called MRI-guided transcranial ultrasound - which, as the name implies, involves shooting ultrasound waves into the brain. This has been shown to be pretty effective for both essential tremor and Parkinson's Disease- related tremor and appears to have minimal side effects. There may only be a few places in your state that offer it, so travel may be required, but ask your physician for a referral to be evaluated for that procedure. Here is an overview:

http://usa.essential-tremor.com/neuravive/insightec-lp-4/lp-9a/?source=google&campaign=Essential_Tremor&medium=tremor&content=ad1&utm_term=essential%20tremor%20treatment&utm_term=essential%20tremor%20treatment&utm_campaign=Search+-+Tremor+KWs+Phrase+Exact&utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=ppc&hsa_acc=1129928557&hsa_cam=920795996&hsa_grp=41995734170&hsa_ad=494277961637&hsa_src=g&hsa_tgt=kwd-112261739&hsa_kw=essential%20tremor%20treatment&hsa_mt=b&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gclid=Cj0KCQiAxc6PBhCEARIsAH8Hff11vQJ88yWhEVCcXUZ8sANPE7HBVPWbL0MTtP557HH8OTuIHwp6LysaAsL0EALw_wcB

Picture Taker Loc: Michigan Thumb

You might look into the mirorless (Canon) as they have great anti shake in the camera and the lenses

61jhawk Loc: Tarrant County, Texas

I can understand your problem very well. I'm a couple of years younger than you and have an essential tremor problem. I shoot a Nikon D500 and a Sony RX10 iv. I usually use a monopod which is also handy as a walking stick. About a year ago I bought a Vello CB800 pistol grip from B&H for about $19. Just this little change in how I hang onto the cameras helped control the shake. I also have increased my shutter speed and keep reminding myself to get the elbows tucked into my sides. Glad to see other octogenarians out there who have this concern but want to keep shooting. I've been at it since I got my first camera at age 12 and will not quit until - well until they pry that camera out of my you know what.

JBRIII

If a new camera could be purchased, would not the best low light camera be the way to go, allowing faster shutter speed at lower ISOs? Not cheap, I' d bet, but writter seems to have tried most or all of the other equipment suggestions made.
Just asking?

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

Your problem is my problem too and I’m only 77. I’m always looking for things to lean on and trying to maximize my shutter speed. I’ve never been one to try to hold rock steady at very slow shutter speeds but then I’m not a purist for tack sharp photos either.

MosheR Loc: New York City

Did you ever try a shoulder pod? Basically, they look sort of like rifles onto which you fix the camera, with the "stock" resting atop your shoulder. This way it is most of your body supporting the weight, instead of just your hands. This setup is also quite flexible, and allows you to shoot wildlife, or whatever else you may be interested in.

Good luck

BboH Loc: s of 2/21, Ellicott City, MD

I'm 86 in 2 weeks and am starting to notice the same thing, plus P.N. in the legs at times causes them to wobble a bit. Carrying a tripod is becoming a bear. What I do now is to hold my left elbow tight to my body but this doesn't work with all lenses; the suggestions presented I expect to be very helpful - thanks.

Basil_O Loc: Minneapolis, MN

If a new camera is in the works, I would seriously consider a look at Sony. Some include Hand-held Twilight or Anti Motion Blur in the scene selection menu. In essence, it takes a series of exposures and combines them to make one image. The Anti Motion Blur setting is helpful to reduce the effects of camera shake.

I combine this with a hiking stick that has a removable top knob that converts into a monopod. It is helpful for those days when my hands just aren't as steady as I would like.

Nicholas J DeSciose

There are a lot of very good lightweight carbon fiber tripods this is your solution real photographers use tripods all the time

Nicholas J DeSciose

Also monopods are very useful and fast to use Study professional photographers to understand the tools that they use to keep the camera steady

Blair Shaw Jr Loc: Dunnellon,Florida

Absolutely........I do as well.