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General discussion

Holding Your Camera Steady - An Observation

Aug 15, 2004 12:57AM PDT

It seems that camera movement, while taking photos, really raised its ugly head about the time that digital cameras appeared.

With the film camera you would hold the camera to your eye and compose the shot.

With the digital camera you extend you camera in front of you with your arms and compose the shot in the LCD.

We didn't realize it, but the head makes a pretty good tripod. Your head will have less movement than your extended arms.

I recently experimented with this with a 10X zoom camera. By using the viewfinder instead of the LCD, I got excellent shots at 10X.

Just make sure that your hands and camera are touching your face/head.

You can further steady the shot by leaning your shoulder against a building, tree or post.

Comments encouraged .........

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Discussion is locked

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Re: Holding Your Camera Steady - An Observation
Aug 15, 2004 1:33AM PDT

The same effect is seem in film cameras and as the zoom increases then so does the need to stabilize the camera. What we are seeing is the digital camera makers are beginning to offer image stabilization just like it made its way into camcorders.

If I'm using the 10X zoom in less than full sunlight (higher speed due to higher ISO helps!) then I know to take care to lean against a post so I don't wobble too much.

Bob

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That's true of all shots, it's just less noticeable when
Aug 15, 2004 4:44AM PDT

the photo details are not well defined. For example, an extremely close macro shot will be ruined if the camera moves. It gets worse in low light when the shutter must stay open longer.

I have a Nikon 4500, so I can brace the camera against my body while looking in the LCD. It's still very difficult to hold the camera motionless. I use a tripod or other fixed support whenever possible.

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Re: Holding Your Camera Steady - An Observation
Oct 14, 2004 2:11PM PDT

I agree with everything you'd said. I've been taking pictures for 20+ years but I got a digital just 4 years ago. I'm so used to looking into the camera's viewfinder that I use the LCD only about 10% of the time. It feels odd to me.

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Re: Holding Your Camera Steady - An Observation
Nov 4, 2004 10:57PM PST

Absolutely. I've never understand why people use the LCD display for taking pictures (except that it's a little more wysiwyg. The display washes out in bright light and is a battery hog. I usually turn mine off, except to review pictures and in dim light. The viewfinder is a much more natural and stable way of framing a shot.