How to Reduce Camera Shake (11 Powerful Techniques)
Camera shake is a huge problem. It’s the reason why beginners (and even experienced photographers!) often end up with soft, blurry, forgettable photos.
Fortunately, there are a few powerful methods you can use to ensure that your photos never suffer from camera shake again! So here are my 11 favorite techniques for avoiding camera shake and achieving tack-sharp images – no matter what.
Let’s do this!
Camera shake solutions: the basics
All cameras shake (if only microscopically). But as long as your camera is relatively steady and your shutter speed is fast enough, this shake won’t be noticeable and your images will turn out sharp.
Problems arise, however, when you combine two factors:
1. An unsteady camera
2. A slow shutter speed
If your hands are swaying back and forth and your shutter speed is too slow, you’ll end up with a blurry image. But if you can stabilize your hands or increase your shutter speed, you can often eliminate the problematic shake and capture a tack-sharp photo.
Therefore, this article presents two broad categories of techniques to handle camera shake. The first type relies on technical changes (i.e., changing your camera settings or purchasing special equipment). The second type relies on physical changes (i.e., adjusting your posture to stabilize your camera).
How to prevent camera shake: technical solutions
If you’re noticing lots of blur due to camera shake, then consider making these adjustments to your camera setup:
1. Increase your shutter speed
The faster your shutter speed, the less likely it is that camera shake will lead to blur. So if you’re noticing a lot of shaky images, your shutter speed may just be too slow.
How slow is too slow? It depends on the situation. If you’re using a long lens and you’re in a very unstable position, you’ll often need a shutter speed of 1/500s or more. However, if you’re using a short lens and solid handholding technique, you can often shoot at 1/80s – or lower – without issue. I’d encourage you to experiment with different shutter speeds and frequently check the images on your camera LCD and computer. Over time, you’ll determine the necessary shutter speed for different situations. Read More…
