Did shake reduction change your photography?

**ramseybuckeye** · 06-30-2014, 07:57 PM

Originally posted by mee

I'm a little confused by many of the posts here.. the way I read the OP is that they were asking if SR can help if you have tremors or shaky hands. Not just if SR helps in low light or with lower shutter times in general.

Lower light and slower shutter speeds will expose any shake, now matter how steady you are.

dcBear78 · 06-30-2014, 08:07 PM

I don't have shaky hands but the SR has conditioned me into not even worrying much about exposure time. I really noticed it going out with a group of Canon shooters.

Best I have done was a 2 second exposure whilst the camera was propped against a wall.

wildman · 07-01-2014, 02:28 AM

Along with SR don't forget fast burst mode.

Often with a fast burst of 3 or 4 frames I find one frame that is particularly sharp compared to the rest and keep that one.
I use this a lot when shooting birds with tripod mounted long glass with SR off.
It just increases your chances of getting at least one sharp keeper.

**Kerrowdown** · 07-01-2014, 03:27 AM

Originally posted by lightbender

change your photography

Changed no, helped yes, it just allows me to hand slower speeds and get acceptable results than would be possible without.

**Lowell Goudge** · 07-01-2014, 04:53 AM

Originally posted by Kerrowdown

Changed no, helped yes, it just allows me to hand slower speeds and get acceptable results than would be possible without.

For some people, those who have problems controlling shake, it can change what they do. For those who do not, I think it expands what you can't do. With film the 1/focal length golden rule for shutter speed made a lot of people learn the limits where they could take a shot. SR to some extent allows you to push the envelope quite a bit. Now you think, why not take the shot, where as before it was a waste of time/film Part of this is perhaps also the change to digital, where a shot costs nothing, but part of it is that you simply CAN take more shots

normhead · 07-01-2014, 06:41 AM

Originally posted by Lowell Goudge

For some people, those who have problems controlling shake, it can change what they do. For those who do not, I think it expands what you can't do. With film the 1/focal length golden rule for shutter speed made a lot of people learn the limits where they could take a shot. SR to some extent allows you to push the envelope quite a bit. Now you think, why not take the shot, where as before it was a waste of time/film Part of this is perhaps also the change to digital, where a shot costs nothing, but part of it is that you simply CAN take more shots

IN digital you already paid for your film, your only choice is whether or not you're going to use it, or leave it sitting in the camera when it dies.

bdery · 07-01-2014, 10:57 AM - **1 Like**

Mine is always on (except when doing long exposure with tripod of course). I consider it one of the perks of Pentax and cannot believe how many people say they "turn it off".

Nikon forums have been ablaze with people complaining that the 24MP sensor in the D7100 is not as sharp as the older 16MP sensor... Just because of camera shake. It's not only a matter of illness and shaky hands, it's a matter of getting the most out of your equipment.

Bagga_Txips · 07-04-2014, 07:42 AM

Using SR, and with a dying battery that gave silly settings, I have had acceptable results at 1/6 of a second, hand-held. In the daytime! Not bad for a 66 year old...

Sagitta · 07-04-2014, 02:14 PM

One thing it allows is the ability to get shots like this.

Handheld, 1/15 of a second on a 50mm f/1.4 wide open.

Rivulet; Peaks-Kenny State Park; Dover-Foxcroft, Maine
by Jody Roberts, on Flickr

Bagga_Txips · 07-04-2014, 06:47 PM

Wow. Purple rain, purple rain...

**hjoseph7** · 07-07-2014, 03:58 AM

The best way to test if you have shaky hands is to take a picture with small lettering on it(such as a wall calendar) and see if the small lettering comes out in focus. I can go down to about 1/30(while holding my breath) WITH SHAKE REDUCTION, but that's about it. So you might say I have very shaky hands. It gets worse when you open up the Aperture. Below f3.5 it gets really hard to produce perfectly sharp pictures. Holding the camera properly also helps in producing perfectly sharp pictures. If you are standing or sitting in an awkward position, it becomes nearly impossible.

ecky · 07-10-2014, 11:34 AM

The SR is really great if one wants to shoot video. One can use old cheap manual primes with good focus rings. It's also nice feature when using LiveView and manual focus.

07-07-2014, 03:58 AM	#41
hjoseph7 Site Supporter Join Date: May 2014 Location: Minnesota Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,047	The best way to test if you have shaky hands is to take a picture with small lettering on it(such as a wall calendar) and see if the small lettering comes out in focus. I can go down to about 1/30(while holding my breath) WITH SHAKE REDUCTION, but that's about it. So you might say I have very shaky hands. It gets worse when you open up the Aperture. Below f3.5 it gets really hard to produce perfectly sharp pictures. Holding the camera properly also helps in producing perfectly sharp pictures. If you are standing or sitting in an awkward position, it becomes nearly impossible. Last edited by hjoseph7; 07-07-2014 at 04:11 AM.

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06-30-2014, 07:57 PM	#31
ramseybuckeye Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Hampstead, NC Photos: Gallery Posts: 17,292	Originally posted by mee I'm a little confused by many of the posts here.. the way I read the OP is that they were asking if SR can help if you have tremors or shaky hands. Not just if SR helps in low light or with lower shutter times in general. Lower light and slower shutter speeds will expose any shake, now matter how steady you are.

06-30-2014, 08:07 PM	#32
dcBear78 Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Gladstone, QLD Photos: Gallery Posts: 823	I don't have shaky hands but the SR has conditioned me into not even worrying much about exposure time. I really noticed it going out with a group of Canon shooters. Best I have done was a 2 second exposure whilst the camera was propped against a wall.

07-01-2014, 02:28 AM	#33
wildman Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Flyover America Posts: 4,469	Along with SR don't forget fast burst mode. Often with a fast burst of 3 or 4 frames I find one frame that is particularly sharp compared to the rest and keep that one. I use this a lot when shooting birds with tripod mounted long glass with SR off. It just increases your chances of getting at least one sharp keeper.

07-01-2014, 03:27 AM	#34
Kerrowdown PEG Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Highlands of Scotland... "Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand" - William Blake Photos: Gallery Posts: 57,819	Originally posted by lightbender change your photography Changed no, helped yes, it just allows me to hand slower speeds and get acceptable results than would be possible without.

07-01-2014, 04:53 AM	#35
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,888	Originally posted by Kerrowdown Changed no, helped yes, it just allows me to hand slower speeds and get acceptable results than would be possible without. For some people, those who have problems controlling shake, it can change what they do. For those who do not, I think it expands what you can't do. With film the 1/focal length golden rule for shutter speed made a lot of people learn the limits where they could take a shot. SR to some extent allows you to push the envelope quite a bit. Now you think, why not take the shot, where as before it was a waste of time/film Part of this is perhaps also the change to digital, where a shot costs nothing, but part of it is that you simply CAN take more shots

07-01-2014, 06:41 AM	#36
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	Originally posted by Lowell Goudge For some people, those who have problems controlling shake, it can change what they do. For those who do not, I think it expands what you can't do. With film the 1/focal length golden rule for shutter speed made a lot of people learn the limits where they could take a shot. SR to some extent allows you to push the envelope quite a bit. Now you think, why not take the shot, where as before it was a waste of time/film Part of this is perhaps also the change to digital, where a shot costs nothing, but part of it is that you simply CAN take more shots IN digital you already paid for your film, your only choice is whether or not you're going to use it, or leave it sitting in the camera when it dies.

07-01-2014, 10:57 AM - 1 Like	#37
bdery Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Quebec city, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,357	Mine is always on (except when doing long exposure with tripod of course). I consider it one of the perks of Pentax and cannot believe how many people say they "turn it off". Nikon forums have been ablaze with people complaining that the 24MP sensor in the D7100 is not as sharp as the older 16MP sensor... Just because of camera shake. It's not only a matter of illness and shaky hands, it's a matter of getting the most out of your equipment.

07-04-2014, 07:42 AM	#38
Bagga_Txips Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Waterford Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 454	Using SR, and with a dying battery that gave silly settings, I have had acceptable results at 1/6 of a second, hand-held. In the daytime! Not bad for a 66 year old...

07-04-2014, 02:14 PM	#39
Sagitta Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Maine Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,081	One thing it allows is the ability to get shots like this. Handheld, 1/15 of a second on a 50mm f/1.4 wide open. Rivulet; Peaks-Kenny State Park; Dover-Foxcroft, Maine by Jody Roberts, on Flickr

07-04-2014, 06:47 PM	#40
Bagga_Txips Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Waterford Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 454	Wow. Purple rain, purple rain...

07-10-2014, 11:34 AM	#42
ecky Forum Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: Rovaniemi, Finland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 76	The SR is really great if one wants to shoot video. One can use old cheap manual primes with good focus rings. It's also nice feature when using LiveView and manual focus.