Shutter Speed 1/focal length?

[Shin Howard]

Hi CSers,

Do you usually use shutter speed 1/focal length to prevent camera shake?

I came across this recently on canon web that
http://www.canon.com/camera-museum/camera/lens/ef/data/ef-s/2006_ef_s17~55_f2.8_is_usm.html

** For "1/ (focal length x 1.6)" second, which is the lowest shutter speed for shooting photos without camera shake

Does this mean that for 1.6x crop frame users, they gotta shoot at a minimum shutter speed of (focal length x 1.6) to prevent blur?


Shin.

 

[catchlights]

it is just a guild, a recommendation, does not mean you shoot at 1/focal length Shutter Speed you will be free from handshake.
for some people hands are steady, can go lower than that, for some they can't, have double it. no hard and fast rule.

 

[2evans]

That sounds right as a guide.

But it's just a general rule, some people can achieve goods shots with slower shutter speeds while others, need even faster shutter speeds.

 

[blazer_workz]

Yeah..its oni a guide.

Find ur own guide..start from maybe 1/60 learn to master at this speed..then progress further..like 1/30-1/8...i noe some can really steady their camera and go as slow as 1/4..

 

[Daedalus Trent]

like the rest said, it's really just a guide that shouldn't be followed blindly

With steady hands you can pull off 1/100s at 200mm! (300mm actually, on a crop-sensor)

 

[Shin Howard]

Thanks for the reply, while my main quiry was on the crop sensor like the 1.3x crop or the 1.6x crop. If they are using a 200mm lens w/o IS.

Does it mean for the 1.3x crop they are suppose to shoot at 1/260s min. shutter speed
and for 1.6x crop 1/320s min. shutter speed?

 

[catchlights]

Thanks for the reply, while my main quiry was on the crop sensor like the 1.3x crop or the 1.6x crop. If they are using a 200mm lens w/o IS.

Does it mean for the 1.3x crop they are suppose to shoot at 1/260s min. shutter speed
and for 1.6x crop 1/320s min. shutter speed?

you still don't get it, don't you?

if you can only get a sharp image at 1/400s with 200mm lens, why bother about should you shoot at 1/320 or 1/260?

 

[jeremyteocx]

Thanks for the reply, while my main quiry was on the crop sensor like the 1.3x crop or the 1.6x crop. If they are using a 200mm lens w/o IS.

Does it mean for the 1.3x crop they are suppose to shoot at 1/260s min. shutter speed
and for 1.6x crop 1/320s min. shutter speed?

think they didn't exactly answer your question. lemme try. if im not wrong, even on a crop 1.3 or 1.6, the same rule applies, i.e. the recommended 1/50 shutter speed for 50mm primes apply to both FF or crop cameras.

i forgot exactly where i read this, and i really dunno how true is this, but here's a v brief explanation. what crop cameras do is juz crop the image size due to a smaller sensor, and it does not in any way affect concerns to focal length etc. so all the 'crop action' is happening within the camera, and handshake does not really affect. *ok after reading this, i realise i didn't exactly describe it the best, but hope u roughly understand*

 

[ditikolon]

you still don't get it, don't you?

if you can only get a sharp image at 1/400s with 200mm lens, why bother about should you shoot at 1/320 or 1/260?

heh :bsmilie:

 

[Shin Howard]

think they didn't exactly answer your question. lemme try. if im not wrong, even on a crop 1.3 or 1.6, the same rule applies, i.e. the recommended 1/50 shutter speed for 50mm primes apply to both FF or crop cameras.

i forgot exactly where i read this, and i really dunno how true is this, but here's a v brief explanation. what crop cameras do is juz crop the image size due to a smaller sensor, and it does not in any way affect concerns to focal length etc. so all the 'crop action' is happening within the camera, and handshake does not really affect. *ok after reading this, i realise i didn't exactly describe it the best, but hope u roughly understand*

Jeremy, thx for the reply. That's what I'm looking for.
I was confused by the sentence from Canon web.

Appreciate all who reply to this thread, sorry for not phrasing my question properly.

 

[ditikolon]

think they didn't exactly answer your question. lemme try. if im not wrong, even on a crop 1.3 or 1.6, the same rule applies, i.e. the recommended 1/50 shutter speed for 50mm primes apply to both FF or crop cameras.

i forgot exactly where i read this, and i really dunno how true is this, but here's a v brief explanation. what crop cameras do is juz crop the image size due to a smaller sensor, and it does not in any way affect concerns to focal length etc. so all the 'crop action' is happening within the camera, and handshake does not really affect. *ok after reading this, i realise i didn't exactly describe it the best, but hope u roughly understand*

are you sure?

 

[An drew]

Thanks for the reply, while my main quiry was on the crop sensor like the 1.3x crop or the 1.6x crop. If they are using a 200mm lens w/o IS.

Does it mean for the 1.3x crop they are suppose to shoot at 1/260s min. shutter speed
and for 1.6x crop 1/320s min. shutter speed?

Actually if you were to apply the "1/focal length" rule of thumb then it would be correct to say that for 1.3x crop and 1.6x crop, the shutter speeds should be 1/260 and 1/320 respectively.

The crop factor is effectively a magnification of the image, especially comparing the same megapixels (but not if the pixel density is constant). The required shutter speed is actually dependent on the magnification of the subject or image, for example using a 50mm to shoot macro would require a faster shutter speed versus using a 50mm to shoot landscape. Focal length is a key factor to the image magnification and thus, to simplify matters, it is used in the reciprocal rule.

 

[ditikolon]

Actually if you were to apply the "1/focal length" rule of thumb then it would be correct to say that for 1.3x crop and 1.6x crop, the shutter speeds should be 1/260 and 1/320 respectively.

The crop factor is effectively a magnification of the image, especially comparing the same megapixels (but not if the pixel density is constant). The required shutter speed is actually dependent on the magnification of the subject or image, for example using a 50mm to shoot macro would require a faster shutter speed versus using a 50mm to shoot landscape. Focal length is a key factor to the image magnification and thus, to simplify matters, it is used in the reciprocal rule.

exactly.

 

[jeremyteocx]

are you sure?

no i am not sure, if you read my reply i said 'if im not wrong' and 'im not sure how true'. but i wanted to provide TS an answer from what i've read, as no one was exactly answering his main concern.

if you do have a link or reasonable argument, do provide it. but so far from my 1.6 crop shooting experience, the general rule works. or maybe my handshake issue is juz improving?

 

[jeremyteocx]

Actually if you were to apply the "1/focal length" rule of thumb then it would be correct to say that for 1.3x crop and 1.6x crop, the shutter speeds should be 1/260 and 1/320 respectively.

The crop factor is effectively a magnification of the image, especially comparing the same megapixels (but not if the pixel density is constant). The required shutter speed is actually dependent on the magnification of the subject or image, for example using a 50mm to shoot macro would require a faster shutter speed versus using a 50mm to shoot landscape. Focal length is a key factor to the image magnification and thus, to simplify matters, it is used in the reciprocal rule.

thanks for clarifying, although i do have a question. wouldn't then it be extremely difficult to shoot with a telezoom lens with a 1.6 crop, as you need as least a 1/320. this would be almost impossible indoors, unless u have a flash gun. also quite scary how 300mm focal lengths would require a minimum of 1/480 shutter speed!

 

[Shin Howard]

thanks for clarifying, although i do have a question. wouldn't then it be extremely difficult to shoot with a telezoom lens with a 1.6 crop, as you need as least a 1/320. this would be almost impossible indoors, unless u have a flash gun. also quite scary how 300mm focal lengths would require a minimum of 1/480 shutter speed!

I think that's why you need IS on telelphoto lens and hi ISO capabilities.

 

[Daedalus Trent]

thanks for clarifying, although i do have a question. wouldn't then it be extremely difficult to shoot with a telezoom lens with a 1.6 crop, as you need as least a 1/320. this would be almost impossible indoors, unless u have a flash gun. also quite scary how 300mm focal lengths would require a minimum of 1/480 shutter speed!

I think that's why you need IS on telelphoto lens and hi ISO capabilities.

You also need have incredibly shaking hands :sweat:

Honestly, 'almost impossible indoors' ? Then i suppose the hundreds of photographers in Singapore alone must be working miracles? Like i said, don't follow the rule blindly. Imho, it's a stupid and misleading rule :sticktong

 

[jeremyteocx]

You also need have incredibly shaking hands :sweat:

Honestly, 'almost impossible indoors' ? Then i suppose the hundreds of photographers in Singapore alone must be working miracles? Like i said, don't follow the rule blindly. Imho, it's a stupid and misleading rule :sticktong

when i said 'almost impossible indoors', of course i meant it in the context of the rule on 1.6 crop we were talking about. of course i know many photographers have done that already ... but that aside, yes main point is that there's not a need to always strictly follow the rule ...

 

[Daedalus Trent]

when i said 'almost impossible indoors', of course i meant it in the context of the rule on 1.6 crop we were talking about. of course i know many photographers have done that already ... but that aside, yes main point is that there's not a need to always strictly follow the rule ...

haha, yea


Cos i remember for a brief spell i (stupidly) followed the rule without thinking.
As a result, i shot at unforgivingly high ISOs so all practically all my pictures were crappy

 

[Shin Howard]

haha, yea


Cos i remember for a brief spell i (stupidly) followed the rule without thinking.
As a result, i shot at unforgivingly high ISOs so all practically all my pictures were crappy

I prefer going for hi-ISO rather than low shutter speed due to the fact that if the object is moving then it may be OOF. Whereas for the grainy pics I still can remedy a bit via Noice reduction software.