[wibbly]

so i have been cursed with naturally shaky hands.. both my mom and her brother have noticeable shakiness naturally, while my dad has the steadiest hands i've ever seen, well i didn't get them

what techniques do you guys use to reduce camera shake as much as possible when shooting handheld? i try to use a tripod as much as i can, but it's not always possible. i find that i shake enough that even with SR, using the 1/focal length*1.4 as a minimum shutter speed still gets me pretty poor results, so shooting in less than ideal light is a pain in the ass.

are there any simple tricks that work well for you? i try to lean up against something if i can and lock my arms into my body when i do that, but that's not always possible.


thanks for any tips

[j2photos]

As odd as it is, I go into "sniper" mode right before a shot. I will take a breath and hold it before I pull the shutter. I was fortunately blessed with steady hands but it never hurts to be safe.

[sergysergy]

I hope this helps

Making the Most of Long Exposure Handhelds - Introduction - In-Depth Articles

[jatrax]

Try this article: Shooting Long Exposures Hand-Held - Articles and Tips | PentaxForums.com

[UncleVanya]

Carry a sandbag and a strap? Strap camera to things when needed (or your wrist?) etc.

[Billk]

I have benign familial tremor and my best guess is that is what you have too. It is no big deal except for those occasions you need to be extra steady.


Half a standard alcoholic drink is quite effective for countering it for a short period of time. Seriously - a doctor told me this and it works. Just avoid thinking that if half a glass is very good, then more will be better.


Beta blockers are also very effective for when you need to not shake for a longer period but you need to sort this with your doctor as they have significant side-effects and cannot be taken by asthmatics.


It sounds like you are doing a lot of the good steadying things already but I certainly recommend sergysergy's link above.


I take a slightly different approach to j2photos - I try to press the shutter towards the end of an out breath. Whichever way you do it, though, pressing the shutter when you are still as you can be is very important for all photographers, not just shaky ones

[officiousbystander]

I also have shaky hands. This was helpful.

You Tube

You Tube

From 27:00 on. I don't do exactly what Gene Ho does but it started me experimenting with breathing and trying to identify a still point. It works.

[DSims]

Don't forget that a monopod will help too. You should be able to use it in more situations than a tripod.

It sounds like you're already using many of the tips others have linked to above. Can you hold the camera steady against your face too? Or does this not work/not possible?


Do you find the K-3's SR works better than the K20D's? I found the SR on my K-5 IIs was effective at one full stop slower shutter speeds than my previous bodies. I'm not sure whether this still holds true as the amount of shaking gets greater.

[UncleVanya]

What about a foot strap to pull up against?

[abmj]

Pretty much what others have said. It is more like shooting a rifle than many might be comfortable with. Stand straight with balance on both feet, do NOT lean forward. One foot slightly ahead. Camera/lens cradled in left hand. Right hand does not hold the camera up, it works the controls. Elbows in tight to the sides to make the body a solid support structure. You are making the body into a tripod. Breath in, breath partially out and hold, squeeze the shutter like a trigger. The shutter action is more of a rolling movement than a punching down motion. Lean against something if available.

Kind of like this: How to Hold a Camera - Digital Photography School

[Paul the Sunman]

A technique I developed years ago shooting in dull light with 100 ISO film in Ireland was to hold the camera normally with the right hand, and pull the camera strap very tightly around the back of the neck with my left hand while also using it to steady the left side of the camera. This effectively locks the camera to your head rather than your hands. For most people, their heads are much steadier than their hands.

[Sandy Hancock]

Propranolol?

[calsan]

Set the auto iso range to start at 400 or higher, not 100. Better a bit of noise, than a lot of blur.

[dms]

Although I don't have the problem I find additional mass very beneficial--I attach a weight (e.g., a weighty quick release foot) to the camera at the tripod mount bushing; however, a grip (w/ extra batteries) should do even better. E.g., if you double the camera mass your shaking effect will be reduced by half (except that after a while carrying more unsupported weight may cause fatigue and greater shaking).

Another option is to use (when a monopod or tripod is not appropriate/convenient) a string tripod. You can google it, and/or look in pentaxforums--there was some recent discussion (I posted) on this.

In either case you can still use SR--which is not a good idea w/ a tripod or monopod

[Rondec]

If it bothers you with other things, than propranolol or timolol would be helpful (that is to say, consulting a physician).

Otherwise, keeping your shutter speed up and using things around you to stabilize yourself/camera are probably the way to go.