Question on focal length vs format vs handholding

[drake336]

Ok guys,

Need to find out if my principles are sound or if I have gone completely bonkus during my hiatus from photography.

For medium and large formats, we relax the handholdable guideline of 35mm right (you know, the 1/focal length rule). This is because our film sizes are larger, and if we print out to the same size as 35mm film, any camera shake will not be as obvious when compared to the 35mm counterpart cos we magnify less to get the same print and the magnitude of the shake is amortized over our larger film area...

i.e. a 50mm focal length lens
general handhold guideline:
1/75s for APS sensor
1/50s for 35mm film
1/30s for MF

Pls tell me I haven't gone mad...

[blurblock]

Originally Posted by drake336 Ok guys, Need to find out if my principles are sound or if I have gone completely bonkus during my hiatus from photography. For medium and large formats, we relax the handholdable guideline of 35mm right (you know, the 1/focal length rule). This is because our film sizes are larger, and if we print out to the same size as 35mm film, any camera shake will not be as obvious when compared to the 35mm counterpart cos we magnify less to get the same print and the magnitude of the shake is amortized over our larger film area... i.e. a 50mm focal length lens general handhold guideline: 1/75s for APS sensor 1/50s for 35mm film 1/30s for MF Pls tell me I haven't gone mad...

A guideline is just that a guideline, it does not matters what camera you are using :P ..... are you going to tell me the hand held speed for a 8 x 10 Large format will be 1 second for a 50mm lens? :P .... hehehehe ......

[student]

Originally Posted by drake336 Need to find out if my principles are sound or if I have gone completely bonkus during my hiatus from photography. Pls tell me I haven't gone mad...

You have gone bonkers and is suffering from serious delusions.

You need to see a shrink!

[Wisp]

bigger film format= heavier equipment= going to gym is rather more worthwhile pursuit rather than trying to handhold.

Leave the handholding for the 35mm format. That's what is meant to be used for.

[sabrewolf]

With medium just use the same guidline with the focal length.True, that since you won't be magnifying it as much as a 35mm film you might not notice the shake as much in the printing , but when viewing the scanned image in the computer you will notice the same amount of camera shake it since they will be viewed with the same bias, that is pixel size

[drake336]

Originally Posted by Wisp bigger film format= heavier equipment= going to gym is rather more worthwhile pursuit rather than trying to handhold. Leave the handholding for the 35mm format. That's what is meant to be used for.

I forgot to mention, assume there is no weight difference between cameras, i.e. don't say MF and LF bigger / heavier so harder to handhold...

Why I am saying this is comparing 35mm with dSLR APS size sensor, in this case, both camera same size...

[sabrewolf]

If its digital camera it should not make any difference between 35mm size chip and APS size chip (at the same shooting position), after all you are getting virtually the same picture but slightly less picture area in the case of APS size sensor (remember, its cropping not magnification).

Otherwise those point and shoot digital camera with their 'puny' size sensor will be having a hard time getting a sharp shot.

[drake336]

Originally Posted by sabrewolf If its digital camera it should not make any difference between 35mm size chip and APS size chip (at the same shooting position), after all you are getting virtually the same picture but slightly less picture area in the case of APS size sensor (remember, its cropping not magnification). Otherwise those point and shoot digital camera with their 'puny' size sensor will be having a hard time getting a sharp shot.

Isn't that why the focal length of their lenses are usually like 6-21mm? (for example ixus)

[fuwen]

My view is the 35mm hand shake guideline 1/focal length has to do with magnification of the lens. What I practice with medium format is to use the equivalent angle of view as the guideline (so I treat 80mm on 6x6 same as 50mm on SLR). However personally I felt that the guideline does not work well with lens beyond 200mm. When using a 500mm lens for example, 1/500 not necessary guarantee sharp hand held picture much depending on your skill.

[catchlights]

Ok,a guild is just a guild, nothing more than just a guild, and who is going to guarantee you hand held camera at the the 1/focal length rule, photos will be come out sharp?

For an example 80mm is the std lens for a 6×6 camera, but the focal lens is still 80mm, not 50mm, so are you going hand held 1/50s or 1/80s?

[sabrewolf]

handheld at 1/80s, do it according to focal length, a 200mm lens on a medium format will give you the same image in the center as a 200mm lens on 35mm format, thus the same amount of shake and movement

[drake336]

In case this turn into the other thread in Newbies Corner I am gonna close it...

My conclusion, handhold at any speed you like...

Ahh... this is giving me a headache...