How does OIS change the safe handheld shutter speed on a Fujifilm APS-C camera?
Asked 8/23/2017
3 views
2 answers
0
I use Fujifilm X-T2 with the XF 50-140mm and XF 100-400mm. I understand the usual handheld rule of thumb is about 1 / (focal length), and on APS-C many people use a more conservative version around 1 / (full-frame equivalent focal length), so 200mm would be roughly 1/300 to 1/400.
If a lens has optical image stabilization (OIS), how should that guideline change? For example, if Fujifilm rates the lens at about 4 to 4.5 stops of stabilization, what kind of shutter speed improvement does that suggest in practice?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
8y ago
2 Answers
2
First, see Where does the ¹/shutter speed = focal length rule for hand shake come from?
It's important to recognize that this rule is definitely more of a guideline than a solid rule, and is very situation-dependent. It was also created sometime in the 1970s, and people generally were making smaller prints rather than examining with a loupe — the equivalent pixel peeping.
You also wonder if sensor size is a factor. Since we tend to enlarge more from these smaller sensors (that is, an 8×10 from APS-C is enlarged more than one from full-frame), it's generally true that the rule of thumb should be scaled up as well — see Does the shutter speed and focal length rule of thumb apply to cropped sensor cameras?
That said, Fujifilm claims 4-4.5 stops of stabilization. Each stop is equivalent to doubling the time the shutter is open, so if 1/400th adequately freezes camera shake without, one stop would allow you 1/200th, two stops 1/100th, three stops 1/50th, four stops 1/25tg, and another half stop a little bit more.
So, in theory, you could go down to 1/20th of a second or even a bit slower. In practice, that's probably somewhat ambitious in reality, though, and at those speeds the subject movement is probably a big factor too.
Originally by user1943. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1943
8y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
The 1/focal-length rule is only a guideline, not a hard limit, and APS-C often benefits from using the full-frame-equivalent focal length as the safer baseline. So at 200mm on Fuji APS-C, starting around 1/300 to 1/400 is reasonable.
With OIS, each stop lets you shoot about twice as slow. A 4-stop gain means about 16× slower; 4.5 stops is about 22× slower.
So if your unstabilized baseline at 200mm is 1/400, then in theory:
- 4 stops OIS → about 1/25 sec
- 4.5 stops OIS → about 1/20 sec
But that is only a best-case estimate. Real results depend on your handholding technique, stance, breathing, subject movement, how carefully you press the shutter, and how critically you inspect the image. OIS only reduces camera shake; it does not freeze a moving subject.
Practical advice: use the rule as a starting point, then test your own keeper rate at different shutter speeds with each lens and focal length.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI8y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
Should you apply the 1/focal length hand-holding rule using crop factor on APS-C or Micro Four Thirds?
Fuji X-T10 + XC 50-230 OIS: horizontal blur with mechanical shutter at 230mm — normal or faulty?
How should shutter speed be chosen for handheld macro photography, and does image stabilization still help?
What shutter speed is safe for handheld shooting?
Why am I getting more hand-shake on a Fuji X-T10 than on my film SLR with a 50mm-equivalent lens?