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Improving Sharpness...one quick suggestion (Thanks Moose Peterson)
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Sep 1, 2018 09:11:29   #
lmTrying Loc: WV Northern Panhandle
 
rustfarmer wrote:
Once again I suggest that if cameras were made upside down, with the body curved just a bit to fit against your forehead and the viewfinder built to be on the bottom edge, camera shake would not be a problem.


I thought of that last night while responding to another thread. And then I thought about all the fashion model / red carpet / Hollywood event pohtographers that take close up photos of people who now appear to have tiny feet. Ah, well, second thought I guess they turn their cameras 90 degrees. But still, I wonder why none of them have ever tried a tilt/shift lens.

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Sep 1, 2018 09:12:35   #
AnneHW Loc: Monroe, Wisconsin
 
I started carrying a monopod, and that has helped a lot.

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Sep 1, 2018 09:34:07   #
gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast
 
I've always been an advocate for anchoring the camera to your face to stabilize it. That's why I like heavier cameras, more mass, less likely to move once it's stable.

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Sep 1, 2018 09:44:17   #
suntouched Loc: Sierra Vista AZ
 
Look up Imagemeister- a UHH member who has developed a number of stabilizing products including a forehead stabilizer.

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Sep 1, 2018 10:05:19   #
Bobcat87
 
After reading info here and online, I decided to make a string tripod. Just finished it yesterday, so have not "field tested" it, but I think it will help (and is light-weight and easy to carry). I also wear glasses, so the forehead suggestion would not work for me, but I may take suntouched's suggestions about forehead stabilizers.

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Sep 1, 2018 10:14:42   #
a6k Loc: Detroit & Sanibel
 
Another good idea is to borrow a technique from rifle shooters and use the strap to establish tension around the bent arm. I won't bother to detail this because it can be looked up. If it works for rifle accuracy it works for a long lens. Of course, if you don't use a neck-length strap then this is not feasible.

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Sep 1, 2018 10:14:51   #
rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona
 
Excellent advice. In many cases, if I can't use a tripod, I'll forgo taking the photograph.
--Bob
Eric2018 wrote:
Or use a tripod.

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Sep 1, 2018 10:51:26   #
anotherview Loc: California
 
Yep.
fantom wrote:
Not always practical nor possible.

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Sep 1, 2018 11:08:17   #
ashriverguy Loc: Rural Minnesota
 
Another important issue not mentioned here is "breathing". I’m also a firearms shooter and I know, when you breathe
It lifts your arms that are ideally anchored to your chest. Breathing techniques are throughly covered in various articles on the net.

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Sep 1, 2018 11:15:27   #
Chaostrain Loc: Hillsboro, Oregon
 
fantom wrote:
Not always practical nor possible.


No method is. That's why it's good to have several to draw from depending on the circumstance, unless of course you only shoot one thing then you only need one methed. This is just one of many.

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Sep 1, 2018 11:21:32   #
imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida
 
jak86094 wrote:
Short version: PRESS THE VIEWFINDER REALLY SNUGGLY AGAINST THE EYE/FOREHEAD.

Long version: I was becoming discouraged with the sharpness of my photos. Camera: Nikon D500; lens: Nikkor 200-500 mm. I had worked hard on my stance, breathing, and handholding skills but my shots still seemed slightly out of focus. Since everything was slightly out of focus, I was pretty sure it was camera shake.

Last week, I came across a short YouTube video by Moose Peterson about how to hold the camera to get sharp photos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_a6XaQ16aaE

and got a great tip that has greatly increased the sharpness of almost all of my photos. In addition to left hand under the balance point of the lens, elbows in tight to the body, and roll (not punch) the finger over the shutter button, he emphasized one factor: PRESS THE VIEWFINDER REALLY SNUGGLY AGAINST THE EYE/FOREHEAD. This anchors the camera to the forehead. Together with the elbows, this adds a third anchor point, essentially creating a tripod. Then snap as you gently exhale...what a difference.

I've implemented this suggestion...holding really firmly against my eye ridge as I focus and shoot. Several UHH members have commented on the sharpness of my most recent shots shared here on the UHH site. If you're not happy with the sharpness of your shots, take a look at the video referenced above and then try Moose's recommendations...especially the one about holding firmly against the eye. Good luck. Hope someone finds this useful.
Short version: PRESS THE VIEWFINDER REALLY SNUGGL... (show quote)


You will also find this useful ! - https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-236741-1.html

..

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Sep 1, 2018 11:28:54   #
nervous2 Loc: Provo, Utah
 
jak86094 wrote:
Short version: PRESS THE VIEWFINDER REALLY SNUGGLY AGAINST THE EYE/FOREHEAD.

Long version: I was becoming discouraged with the sharpness of my photos. Camera: Nikon D500; lens: Nikkor 200-500 mm. I had worked hard on my stance, breathing, and handholding skills but my shots still seemed slightly out of focus. Since everything was slightly out of focus, I was pretty sure it was camera shake.

Last week, I came across a short YouTube video by Moose Peterson about how to hold the camera to get sharp photos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_a6XaQ16aaE

and got a great tip that has greatly increased the sharpness of almost all of my photos. In addition to left hand under the balance point of the lens, elbows in tight to the body, and roll (not punch) the finger over the shutter button, he emphasized one factor: PRESS THE VIEWFINDER REALLY SNUGGLY AGAINST THE EYE/FOREHEAD. This anchors the camera to the forehead. Together with the elbows, this adds a third anchor point, essentially creating a tripod. Then snap as you gently exhale...what a difference.

I've implemented this suggestion...holding really firmly against my eye ridge as I focus and shoot. Several UHH members have commented on the sharpness of my most recent shots shared here on the UHH site. If you're not happy with the sharpness of your shots, take a look at the video referenced above and then try Moose's recommendations...especially the one about holding firmly against the eye. Good luck. Hope someone finds this useful.
Short version: PRESS THE VIEWFINDER REALLY SNUGGL... (show quote)


I really appreciate your post. I have been taking pictures for the better part of 50 years and the Moose Peterson videos give some of the very best info I have ever seen on how to hold the camera. One question about rolling shooting finger. It would seem more natural to roll finger towards face rather than the opposite direction i.e., rolling finger away from face. Is that right? Anyway, thanks for your post. I am off to my camera store to see about a rubber eyepiece.

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Sep 1, 2018 11:52:39   #
Yodagirl Loc: All Over-Fulltime RV (Originally from NH)
 
jak86094 wrote:
Short version: PRESS THE VIEWFINDER REALLY SNUGGLY AGAINST THE EYE/FOREHEAD.

Long version: I was becoming discouraged with the sharpness of my photos. Camera: Nikon D500; lens: Nikkor 200-500 mm. I had worked hard on my stance, breathing, and handholding skills but my shots still seemed slightly out of focus. Since everything was slightly out of focus, I was pretty sure it was camera shake.

Last week, I came across a short YouTube video by Moose Peterson about how to hold the camera to get sharp photos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_a6XaQ16aaE

and got a great tip that has greatly increased the sharpness of almost all of my photos. In addition to left hand under the balance point of the lens, elbows in tight to the body, and roll (not punch) the finger over the shutter button, he emphasized one factor: PRESS THE VIEWFINDER REALLY SNUGGLY AGAINST THE EYE/FOREHEAD. This anchors the camera to the forehead. Together with the elbows, this adds a third anchor point, essentially creating a tripod. Then snap as you gently exhale...what a difference.

I've implemented this suggestion...holding really firmly against my eye ridge as I focus and shoot. Several UHH members have commented on the sharpness of my most recent shots shared here on the UHH site. If you're not happy with the sharpness of your shots, take a look at the video referenced above and then try Moose's recommendations...especially the one about holding firmly against the eye. Good luck. Hope someone finds this useful.
Short version: PRESS THE VIEWFINDER REALLY SNUGGL... (show quote)


I too have that same lens. When I got it, I had a UF filter just for protection. The pics were horrible-very blurry & out of focus, until I took that filter off and it was a whole different set of pics! I threw the cheapie filter in the trash, and switched to B+W clear glass filters on all my other lenses and tossed years of other accumulated filters. If you have a filter for protection, try a few pics without-it may also help.

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Sep 1, 2018 11:55:30   #
imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida
 
Yodagirl wrote:
I too have that same lens. When I got it, I had a UF filter just for protection. The pics were horrible-very blurry & out of focus, until I took that filter off and it was a whole different set of pics! I threw the cheapie filter in the trash, and switched to B+W clear glass filters on all my other lenses and tossed years of other accumulated filters. If you have a filter for protection, try a few pics without-it may also help.


- or, just leave the filter(s) OFF ....and leave you hood ON 24/7.

..

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Sep 1, 2018 12:02:00   #
Yodagirl Loc: All Over-Fulltime RV (Originally from NH)
 
imagemeister wrote:
- or, just leave the filter(s) OFF ....and leave you hood ON 24/7.

..


The hood for the 200mm-500mm is monstrous-it's the size of a car tire! As for leaving the filter off, I'ma not stepping into that one!

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