Shutter speed / lens focal length

[Martyn]

I've often heard the advice that the minimum shutter speed for hand held shooting should be equal to or greater than the focal length of the lens, ie for a 50mm lens the shutter speed should be at least 1/50th sec, and for 200mm at least 1/200th sec.

 

How does this advice stand with the use of cropped sensors? I use a Nikon D5100, do I multiply the focal length of the lens by 1.5 to get a recommended minimum shutter speed, ie 50mm x 1.5 = 1/75th sec and 200mm x 1.5 = 1/300 sec.

 

 

 

 

[ChrisLumix]

It's much more complicated now Martyn - there's also OIS to take into account, which can make shutters speeds usable up to 3 speeds slower than without it. Not to mention constantly having to re-think your minimum shutter speed each time you use a zoom lens.

 

I would map it out for yourself and come to your own conclusions about what - for your camera / lens combination - is the slowest speed you can get away with.

 

I'd also suggest that a crop factor of 1.5 is insignificant : it means the difference between 1/80 and 1/125 second, which is really not a great deal - not when you factor in OIS, zoom, your steadiness of grip on a given day, subject movement, are you using a support e.g. wall or tripod, and everything else.

[kev7d]

I have heard the same advice many times too Martin. I can just never remember it.

[fuzzyedges]

Does this help
http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/2014/04/25/minimum-shutter-speed-handheld-camera/
 
Especially the paragraph from the above article
There is an easy way to work out the minimum shutter speed for handheld photography, based simply on the focal length you’re using (or effective focal length, if you’re using a crop sensor camera,

[Martyn]

Thanks for the replies guys, I think Fuzzy's reply nailed it with the comment, "effective focal length".

 

Many of the pictures I've taken lately have been right on the edge of what me and the camera are capable of. I've taken risks with shutter speeds, iso and processing in order to try and make a shot work. What I'm trying to do is get a clear understanding of how each element of  taking a photo works, so that I can make better decisions on how to shoot. If I know how slow I can go with the shutter speed at a certain focal length I have a starting point. Next in the equation comes subject movement; a shutter speed that leaves a guitarists or fiddlers right hand blurry is ok, but blurry eyes are not ok.

 

At the root of these questions is my experience at the Old Time Music Festival I attended a few weeks ago. I had free access to all areas, but only one chance to capture the moment. I'm gutted that some of the shots that would have made brilliant pictures are out of focus, blurred or far too dark. I've been into photography nearly two years now and have had a great deal of beginners luck, but if I want to continue to develop my skills and work on my style I need to have a clear understanding of how my camera works and how to get the best out of it.

[kev7d]

Does this help

http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/2014/04/25/minimum-shutter-speed-handheld-camera/

 

Especially the paragraph from the above article

There is an easy way to work out the minimum shutter speed for handheld photography, based simply on the focal length you’re using (or effective focal length, if you’re using a crop sensor camera,

 

Nice one. 

[Paul]

Have a look at this - might help:

 

http://www.camerablur.com/

 

 

Paul.

[ChrisLumix]

On my new camera I've just learned about AFF, which seems to me to be preferable to AFS (the normal method). With AFF, the camera doesn't lock focus with a half-press of the shutter, but keeps focussing right up to taking the shot. That means, if you're using S mode, and have picked quite a slow speed and are using OIS to prevent camera shake, you can still rely on getting 

1) a properly focused shot

2) desired movement blur (e.g. from a fiddler's arm).

 

Hope that helps.

[fuzzyedges]

On a canon it is Al servo

Which is why I use back button focusing and set my camera on Al servo

Half press on shutter release sets exposure

one press on back button sets focus

constant press on back button has constant focus

Wether that would freeze a guitar players hand is debatable what it does do is predict where to focus on a moving object such as a footballer or car etc

[ChrisLumix]

On a canon it is Al servo

Which is why I use back button focusing and set my camera on Al servo

Half press on shutter release sets exposure

one press on back button sets focus

constant press on back button has constant focus

Wether that would freeze a guitar players hand is debatable what it does do is predict where to focus on a moving object such as a footballer or car etc

 

Well, that would depend more on the actual shutter speed chosen

[fuzzyedges]

Well, that would depend more on the actual shutter speed chosen

Frozen was probably the wrong word as this is one extreme where no detail blur is the other

What you wont is inbetween and yes the shutter speed will give you this where as any focus system probably wouldnt whether its auto focus flexable or auto focus continious, which is why I said it was debatable

[cuilin]

On my new camera I've just learned about AFF, which seems to me to be preferable to AFS (the normal method). With AFF, the camera doesn't lock focus with a half-press of the shutter, but keeps focussing right up to taking the shot. That means, if you're using S mode, and have picked quite a slow speed and are using OIS to prevent camera shake, you can still rely on getting 

1) a properly focused shot

2) desired movement blur (e.g. from a fiddler's arm).

 

Hope that helps.

 

sorry, but i don't think aff (auto focus flex i think) has anything to do with camera shake blurriness which is what the shutter speed and focal length formula is for.  all aff does is keep the focus continually hunting rather than lock in on the subject.  

 

2 scenarios:

you're taking a photo of a dog, the dog is sitting still and happily waiting for you to focus and take a photo.  you'd use afs.

you're taking a photo of a dog, the dog is running around, across the frame, towards you and away from you.  you'd use aff.

both of these scenarios could come out blurry due to a focusing error.  the second scenario could come out blurry due to motion blur (the subject moving).  but if you use 1/(your effective focal length) for the shutter speed then neither image should come out blurry due to camera shake.

Edited March 10, 2015 by cuilin

[ChrisLumix]

sorry, but i don't think aff (auto focus flex i think) has anything to do with camera shake blurriness which is what the shutter speed and focal length formula is for.  all aff does is keep the focus continually hunting rather than lock in on the subject.  

 

2 scenarios:

you're taking a photo of a dog, the dog is sitting still and happily waiting for you to focus and take a photo.  you'd use afs.

you're taking a photo of a dog, the dog is running around, across the frame, towards you and away from you.  you'd use aff.

both of these scenarios could come out blurry due to a focusing error.  the second scenario could come out blurry due to motion blur (the subject moving).  but if you use 1/(your effective focal length) for the shutter speed then neither image should come out blurry due to camera shake.

 

No, I do realise I was kind of off topic. However, I've discovered that AFF is far better for me taking close-ups of flowers for example : the slightest movement of the camera fore or aft, and the locked focus becomes suddenly irrelevant, which I've found happens quite a lot. Having the camera focus at the moment of capture - especially with today's superfast accurate focusing - seems much better than locking focus with the release. (There's actually a third method - I think it's AFC'ontinuous'? - which covers your 2nd scenario).

 

However, it does mean I'll have to find a new method of locking focus then recomposing when the subject is off centre. I think I will dedicate the AE/AF button to be AF only, then I can lock focus with that if I need to.

 

Now I'll let everyone get back on topic with shutter speed / focal length!