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Re: [OM] Re: Camera Shake at high shutter speeds

Subject: Re: [OM] Re: Camera Shake at high shutter speeds
From: "John A. Lind" <jlind@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 25 Mar 2002 03:55:41 -0500
At 19:12 3/24/02, Moose wrote:

Perhaps John "11x16" Lind or a lurking Gary "Stop that Vibration" Reese know more?

OK . . . I'll add my $0.02 worth. It's anecdotal from practical application and what I "get away with" when making my photographs. In general, for the mid-range 28-75mm focal lengths Dave originally mentioned at 1/250th second, a tripod won't make much difference provided the person holding the camera has a good solid stance. I feel more comfortable at 1/500th toward the longer end of that range. If DoF doesn't matter much I tend to push up toward the higher shutter speeds. The two pics I made in Wyoming were both hand held out of perceived necessity. Having had shooting training courtesy of Uncle Sam, I use some of those techniques for very solid bracing with a camera.

From a standpoint of image acuity, shutter curtain travel time doesn't affect much, if anything. It's the amount of time any one point on the film is exposed to light that does count. I suppose it's possible to introduce a slight amount of image distortion as the camera will have shifted by the time the slit makes it from one edge of the film frame to the other, but at a 1/250th shutter speed, no single point on the film is being exposed for more than 1/4th of that.

Tripod usage serves two purposes: camera shake mitigation and aiding thoughtful image composition. How much it contributes to shake mitigation depends on shutter speed and focal length. Contribution toward thoughtful composition remains nearly constant, and it helps greatly with keeping a level horizon when using 24mm and shorter lenses. It is *very* easy to end up with a slanted horizon when hand holding the 18mm in particular; I always try to use a tripod with it. I suspect users of the 21mm have encountered similar issues with it also.

Two recent examples:
The one of the "Secret Wyoming Factory" using the 135mm was done in a *sitting* position with legs crossed at the ankles and elbows braced just behind the kneecaps. Took a little repositioning of feet and knees to compose it. Looking at the projected Kodachrome I know it can make an 11x16 OK. Knowing the shake risk with a 135mm I also made a half-dozen shots; several repetitions of a couple different perspectives (horizon position). Took risks making it that way though. The mountain pic with snow fences was easier with shake risk in using the 24mm. The significant risk with it was keeping the camera "level" (roll, not pitch; I deliberately aimed slightly downward). The rolling and sloping terrain didn't help. I was either kneeling or sitting for that one also. A combination of not only bracing but to get closer to the ground and pick up closer foreground easier for a feeling of greater image depth.

All that said, I would have preferred to tripod both. The consideration was being parked barely onto the unpaved shoulder of I-80 with a large number of tractor trailer rigs whizzing by at 80+ MPH. I didn't want to stop any longer than necessary and decided to forgo the time required to set up the tripod. Less time parked in both locations meant: (a) less risk to getting hit by a big truck with a highway-hypnotized driver, and (b) less risk of encountering one of Wyoming's "finest" who might not take kindly to someone parking on an interstate highway shoulder to make photographs.

-- John


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