How good is your stabilization?

[tegan]

Some have lens stabilization and others have body stabilization. Irrespective of the approach how slow can you shoot handheld without a tripod or monopod or bracing?

Tegan

[Travis]

what do you mean... with or without IS/VR?

doesn't it kinda depend on your focal length too?

[Travis]

never mind.. misunderstood..

i've shot 1/3 with VRII with 2 outta 5 being very good...

[tomorrowstreasures]

I am a wiggler. and a heavy breather and have no stabilizer either built in to me or the camera. sigh. i am a wanna be steady person though!

[tirediron]

I routinely shoot hand-held down to 1/30, and have shot as low as 1/8 (with lots of body bracing), but as a matter of course, I always try and use a tripod below 1/60 if possible, or with big glass.

[tegan]

I have shot down to 1/4 of a second with good results, handheld with no bracing but I do not like to go below an 1/8 of a second. On film I once successfully shot at 1/8 of a second handheld for a 16" by 20" blow-up.

Tegan

[Marko]

I'll shoot digital at 1/30 handheld and no slower....and even that's rare.
95% of the time I'm at 1/60 or faster handheld.

When I shot film the odd time I'd try 1/15 on a 50mm and it worked.

[Travis]

I'll shoot digital at 1/30 handheld and no slower....and even that's rare.
95% of the time I'm at 1/60 or faster handheld.

When I shot film the odd time I'd try 1/15 on a 50mm and it worked.

but... are you talking about regular shooting... or about shooting with IS / VR?

you should be able to pump out a slower speed with the new technology lenses/bodies...

not that it matters really... the only type of photographer who truly benefits from VR is wedding and some other photojournalism(macro)... VR also really helps for household/vacation snapshots where setting up tripods is impractical... most other professional type work will involve proper setup to reduce vibration..

[Marko]

I should have clarified, I'm talking regular shooting, I don't have any IS or VR lenses.

but... are you talking about regular shooting... or about shooting with IS / VR?

you should be able to pump out a slower speed with the new technology lenses/bodies...

not that it matters really... the only type of photographer who truly benefits from VR is wedding and some other photojournalism(macro)... VR also really helps for household/vacation snapshots where setting up tripods is impractical... most other professional type work will involve proper setup to reduce vibration..

[tegan]

I find setting up a tripod impractical in a lot of situations: almost all photojournalism and public relations shoots, street shooting, shooting in busy or tourist areas, animals, inside buildings, on bridges, on skis, in tight caves and mine shafts etc. Aside from studio, portraits, and product work I often have no place to put a tripod near my camera position.

Tegan