Combatting shakes

Dizzle

I suffer from Graves Disease which tends to make my hands shake pretty bad at times.

Shrt of a tripod for EVERYTHING (not likely to work all the time) do you good folks have any suggestions on techniques to try to combat hand shakes while shooting hand held?

I've thought about a monopod, that may be a bit easier to work with than a tripod. Thoughts?

TIA!

rosselliot

there are always the image stabilized lenses that may help a lot.

when you're shooting handheld, I don't know how bad your case of Graves is, but if you tuck your elbows really close to your sides and almost use them as a sort of tripod to steady your hands, that may help a lot as well.

lean up next to a wall and put your elbow right up next to it and place your hand right up to the wall as well and shoot like that. columns work well for this purpose too...

if you can, squat and place your elbows on your knees when you shoot, that will definitely stabilize it a lot.

hope that helps!

- Ross

saurora

Hi Tiffany! I'm shaky with a camera, too, and my best shots come with lenses that are IS. I tried a monopod, but it just didn't work for me. I would suggest before spending money on one, that you visit a local camera shop and bring your camera. Ask if you can try a monopod, shoot a few frames (with your flashcard) in the store and shoot some without the monopod for comparison. I would also shoot with some IS lenses doing the same thing. Shoot some with IS turned on and some with it turned off. Then you can view your results at home on your computer screen, zoom in, and it will give you a better idea of the results you can expect.

Dizzle

Thanks Ross and saurora! Excellent ideas. I wish it wasn't snowing like crazy or I would run over to Wolf Camera and give a monopod a try. I know that Walmart has an inexpensive one ($20 or so) that I was going to give a try to see if I liked it, if so there is a Bogen one with swivel head that I was eyeing.

I will take some of Ross' suggestions and give them a try this week while out shooting.

saurora

Ah! Snow!!! It's like hot as heck here in California and dry desert winds! I'm sure Walmart would let you return the monopod if it doesn't work out. I just despise having to return things and usually end up keeping them!!! One thing about the monopod, is that it keeps camera jitters from occuring in an "up and down" motion, but you still have the "side to side" motion to contend with. I guess that's where the tripod rules.

SloYerRoll

Use a flash. The pulse of a flash is about 1/10,000th of a second. While you will have a bit of blur. Everything that was captured with the flash will appear still. That's how you get action shots that seem like they are motionless. You can jack up the shutter speed to get the same thing, you'll most likely underexpose your shot though.

-Jon

rosselliot

also - buy fast lenses, I see from your signature that you don't have any REALLY fast lenses - 1.2 or 1.4....buy the fastest lenses you can afford.

try increasing the ISO or the exposure - anything to make the shutter speed shorter and decrease the chance of blurriness.

Dizzle

Yes, lens upgrades are coming soon. I will definitely be getting some faster glass.

I plan on purchasing a 580EXII at the end of the month with a nice diffuser. The on camera flash is so intrusive at times, but I do understand how it helps with shakes/blur.

Keep the ideas coming, I appreciate it a ton!

wxwax

Unfortunately, you have a potentially expensive dilemma.

As others have noted, you have limited choices.

1/ Raise your shutter speed as high as possible. This means expensive fast glass, Image Stabilization or VR, and a body that delivers clean files at high ISO.

2/ Use a tripod for everything. As you noted, that's impractical at times. I'm curious whether a monopod will help. I'm somewhat doubtful, I'm afraid. You could also carry a small beanbag around with you. And use every opportunity you get to use walls, lampposts etc. as supports.

3/ Flash. Again, impractical at times.

If you're fortunate enough to be able to afford option#1, I'd say that it's your best strategy, assuming your tremors aren't too severe.

Good luck.

Dizzle

Option #1 is my best option for sure. The glass I have now has been to see what I like before dropping the big coin on IS glass. I am pretty sure I know what I like and use most now so I have no problem buying faster/IS glass.

I am also loking at buying a 40D for the better image quality at higher ISO...thinking Christmas gift to myself.

I am not sure the monopod will help much either, but for a $20 spot I will give it a try at least

pathfinder

One suggestion that has not been made, is the poor man's tripod/monopod.

Take a five or six foot piece of non- stretchable cord, cotton, sisal, but not nylon or poly, and affix it to the bottom of your camera - a 1/4 x 20 eyebolt is ideal for this ( they will know what a 1/4 20 eyebolt is at Home Depot )

Now, when you are ready to shoot, drop the free end of the cord to the ground, step firmly on it with one foot, pull the cord tight by pulling upwards, and use this to help stabilize your camera. This may help quite a bit. Cheap and easy too:D

Another technique that might help, is to place your left hand on the top of your right shoulder, with your left elbow pointing at your subject. Place your camera lens in the angle of your left elbow while holding it also with your right hand. Now you can use your left elbow to help stabilize your camera when you shoot. SQEEZE the shutter - do not stab it with your finger, just gently ROLL your finger across the shutter release.

dmmattix

pathfinder wrote:

One suggestion that has not been made, is the poor man's tripod/monopod.

Take a five or six foot piece of non- stretchable cord, cotton, sisal, but not nylong or poly, and affix it to the bottom of your camera - a 1/4 x 20 eyebolt is ideal for this ( they will know what a 1/4 20 eyebolt is at Home Depot )

Now, when you are ready to shoot, drop the free end of the cord to the ground, step firmly on it with one foot, pull the cord tight by pulling upwards, and use this to help stabilize your camera. This may help quite a bit. Cheap and easy too:D

Excellent suggestion. The monopod technique (at least MY monopod technique) is to grab the grip and let your weight pull down on the pod, hence steadying the entire system. Path's suggestion is the same except to pull up. You would have to use the pressure from your left arm strength to do it as opposed to gravity but it should work. I need to put something together like that to put in my kit so when I get to a great shot opportunity and the tripdod/monopod is back in the truck I can use this technique.

Again, excellent trick.

Regards,

Mike

Grainbelt

pathfinder wrote:

Now, when you are ready to shoot, drop the free end of the cord to the ground, step firmly on it with one foot, pull the cord tight by pulling upwards, and use this to help stabilize your camera. This may help quite a bit. Cheap and easy too:D

That is awesome, and will fit easily in my tank bag on the bike!

Excellent suggestion, pathfinder.

zacker

you can try using "The Bush Hawk" looks almost like a Rifel with a camera on it, but no barrel, just a lens.. it looks pretty damn stabel and will prolly be better than a mono pod but, a monopod does come in handy as a walking stick, weapon, safety tool.

Scott_Quier

Another idea that I've used at times - doesn't work for every situation - is to brace the camera body directly against something that doesn't move, like a tree, or the side of a building, that sort of thing. This will remove at least one degree of freedom from the camera motion and maybe two.

pathfinder

Grainbelt wrote:

That is awesome, and will fit easily in my tank bag on the bike!

Excellent suggestion, pathfinder.

On a bike, a small, cheap tripod for P&S can be just set down on your tank bag, seat, whatever, using your bike itself as the major part of the tripod.

I have even sat my P&S on top of my helmet, which was sitting on the ground, and used the timer on my P&S to trip the shutter. This is a great way to shoot yourself and someone else for a snapshot.

cmason

The Joby Gorilla Pod is really handy...you can attach it to nearly anything, fence post, door frame, etc. its small and lightweight, easy to toss in your bag:

http://www.joby.com/products/gorillapod/slrzoom/

jeffreaux2

I find my monopod to be a very useful tool. I doubt that you could use one for a few minutes in a camera store and get an adequate picture of how well it really works. I found mine to be cumbersome at first, but have developed my own techniques for using it. The one I own is a Manfrotto 682B, and I also bought the 486RC ball head. I do not use the pod in pefect verticle position, but will lean on it while taking photos in any direction...even propped sideways to help steady myself. The ballhead enables me to do this. My particular model also has tripod feet inside that can be attatched in a minute or so to provide an emergency tripod....although I have never used this feature. It is very heavy duty. My first thoughts when I removed it from the box was that I wouldn't have to worry about camera theft with this thing in my hands as it feels weaponlike......from the weight, and nice black anodized finish. Mine is not a lightweight flimsy thing. I wanted to be sure it would support anything I might ever own.

I use it for about 90% of my photos where I would never have used a tripod that often.

I think it cost around $170 for the monopod and head. This included a quick connect bracket that is definately the way to go for actaully attatching the camera to the thing

I also believe that it is a must have unless all you do is macro or landscape in which case a tripod would be a must have. It has definately sharpened my images, and is not so cumbersome that I would rather leave it in the car than set it up....which WAS the case with my tripod.

Added benifit....it will add stability to any camera lens combination.

jpbeal

TNicole wrote:

Option #1 is my best option for sure. The glass I have now has been to see what I like before dropping the big coin on IS glass. I am pretty sure I know what I like and use most now so I have no problem buying faster/IS glass.

I am also loking at buying a 40D for the better image quality at higher ISO...thinking Christmas gift to myself.

I am not sure the monopod will help much either, but for a $20 spot I will give it a try at least

another thought not yet mentioned. since you are eyeing the 40d, it has a 'live view' mode, which will let you steady the camera and compose using the lcd monitor on the back. since you won't necessarily have to get your eye to the viewfinder, other options at propping and steadying the camera open up.

Dizzle

jpbeal wrote:

another thought not yet mentioned. since you are eyeing the 40d, it has a 'live view' mode, which will let you steady the camera and compose using the lcd monitor on the back. since you won't necessarily have to get your eye to the viewfinder, other options at propping and steadying the camera open up.

Well 40D is in my future, maybe not Xmas, but birthday is in February so hopefully then. I am looking at picking up an XTi in the next week, a small step up, but better than nothing and will make a good back up body wen the time comes.

Plan on buying a monopod next week to try it out. I looked at the one posted above, but will go a bit cheaper for my testing purposes.

Thank you so much for all the suggestions!

dangin

i suffer from (usually) mild tremors and this is obviously not conducive to the wedding photography i shoot. i combat this a few different ways:

1) cable release. using a wired remote, wrapped around one hand, and holding the camera with another. i find that i concentrate more on shutter hand (as i'm right handed) and clicking the remote tends to yield better results. cable releases can be found for cheap (in most cases) on ebay.

2) a large camera bracket. i use the stroboframe pro-rl. this thing is big and heavy. it's size and heft tends to absorb a bit of the shake.

3) shoot in 3's. when shooting at longer shutter speeds (i.e. 1/15, 1/30), i set my camera (d200) to 5fps and hold the shutter down for 3 shots. the first will likely be blurry while the 2nd and often 3rd shots come in fine.

4) buy some really fast glass.

Miguel Delinquento

Unipod II
Go to REI tomorrow and pick up a Unipod II. It is similar to the gorillapod, but stiffer.
http://www.rei.com/product/411006?vcat=REI_SEARCH

I have three them for each of my camera bags. It will fit your DSLR just fine. Just brace it against your chest, relax and learn to control your breathing a bit, and you will have a steady shot. Very light weight, cheap enough to not fret over losing. You can also bunch the three legs together and use the attached velcro loop to tie onto a vertical pole, like a tree branch, for self portraits.