Camera Labs

I have a sony a100 which has built in IS.

what the longest reasonable shutter speed that can be used is while hand holding my camera?

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Tobywuk personal website || My Flickr
Gear: Sony a700! || CZ 16-80mm! || Sony 75-300 || bag: Crumpler PB xxxl / Lowepro slingshot 200

I don't have an answer, but remember that focal length plays a part in it too.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

I think it depends on your ability to hold the camera steadily. Some people pretend to get sharp shots with 1 sec exposure with build in IS on.
My limit is 1/15 sec for a landscape shot at the shortest focal length (42 mm on my lens).

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I've shot a second exposure with hand-held with my A100. It worked and everything was in focus, but it depends on where you are, how you can control your body movement, your focal length, and the shutter.

On average, shutter speeds of around 1/5th can potentially be achieved but it again, it just depends on your shooting style and your subject/location.

I've experienced some issues with my built-in IS system. Sometimes it just seems like it's not doing anything at all, when I know that the camera is steady.

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I think I might have hit a personal best earlier today. Handheld sharp image at 1/8s with at 300mm focal length! link

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

1 second at 18mm with my Sony A200 and the kit lens. Was fairly impressed but I don't think I could do that again. Was a very very lucky shot.

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PhilipGoh.com

Oh geez

With my 18-55 I can hand hold about a 1/15th sec at 18mm, at 55 and over a 1/30th, but even then its still a little blurry.

I just stick to using a tripod.

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Eric D.
Nikon D90 | 18-200 VR
"Less is the new Black"---Chase Jarvis
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25947744@N03/

There's a guide called the Rule of Thumb:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/sho ... hp?t=90686
http://www.cameralabs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6995

But it depends heavily on the shooter. Popo's 1/8s @300mm (450mm of film equiv) is a good example.

Cheers,
Tony

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GALLERY

The general rule is that to play safe (with a non-stabilised system), you need to use a shutter speed that's 1 / the equivalent focal length.

So let's say you have the 18-70mm zoomed-out on your A100. The equivalent fl is 27mm, so the advisable shutter speed to avoid camera shake is 1/27, or approx 1/30.

If the stabilisation gives you two stops of compensation, then 1/30 becomes 1/8. If you get three stops, then 1/30 becomes 1/4.

Now of course different people and different conditions mean you could handhold steadily at slower speeds, or indeed require faster ones. If it's cold and you're shivering, or being buffeted by wind, or if the camera and lens are very heavy and you're beginning to strain, then you will inevitably shake more and require a faster shutter speed.

With some careful wedging of my elbows, I've managed to handhold a 17mm lens (acting at 28mm) with IS at 1 second before, but this was a very rare success for me! That's effectively saying the IS system and I achieved 5 stops of compensation over conventional wisdom...

At other times though, tough conditions and heavy equipment have meant I've needed quicker speeds.

It's all about knowing your gear and your own capabilities. The 1/ fl is just a guideline. Most people should easily achieve one stop better than that.

Good advice Gordon. I'll add a little more by mentioning breathing techniques. There are a few ways that can help steady the camera before taking an image, and then during an image. Those techniques will be down to personal preference. And to complicate things a little, heavy equipment for some can mean better handholding. I find I can handhold a 4kg set-up 2 stops longer than a D40 with kit lens in the same lighting conditions.

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Nikonian

http://www.edtangphotography.com
http://journeysintophotography.blogspot.com/

Definitely - posture, breathing etc, all really helps.

So Gordon say the rule of thumb is: minimum shutter speed = Tv_min = 1/(FL in 35mm). Sounds very interesting … I have been thinking about getting wide angle lens. Yet I have been a little reluctant due to the lack of image stabilization systems. They are usually 22mm and below meaning that the worst: Tv_min = 1/(22mm*1.6) = (1/35.2). This is quite a long Tv so I guess this mean that an image stabilization system is basically unimportant on WA lenses, or?