Why am I getting more hand-shake on a Fuji X-T10 than on my film SLR with a 50mm-equivalent lens?
Asked 11/6/2017
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I’m comparing handheld sharpness with a 50mm-equivalent field of view. On my Fuji X-T10 with the XF 35mm f/2 (no OIS), I get reliable sharpness only around 1/125s; 1/60s is hit-or-miss and 1/30s is usually blurred. But with my Nikon film SLR and 50mm/85mm manual-focus lenses, I can handhold much slower shutter speeds consistently.
With the Fuji 18-55mm zoom at 35mm, the optical stabilization lets me shoot much slower, so the issue seems to be specifically the unstabilized prime. I also suspect the X-T10 shutter button feel may be affecting my technique, because its detents make it harder to press smoothly than the release on my Nikon FM3a.
Is this normal for digital mirrorless cameras? For a 50mm-equivalent lens without stabilization, what handheld shutter speed is realistic, and could the shutter-button action or camera handling be the cause?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
8y ago
2 Answers
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A very rough rule of thumb is the maximum shutter time in seconds is the reciprocal of the 35mm-equivalent focal length in mm. That means, for example, that you should keep the shutter speed at 1/50 s or faster for a 50 mm lens (or 1/80 s if you are using a crop sensor so that the 35mm-equivalent focal length is 80 mm).
Of course many things can alter that tradeoff. If you can lean your body against something solid, you can use a lower shutter speed. If you can lean the camera against something solid, you can use a even lower shutter speed.
Your own skill matters too. Yes, taking slow pictures without much blur is something you can learn and get better at. You hold your body and arms just right, breath just right, slowly squeeze as apposed to push the shutter button, etc.
There is always some random variation and chance. At slow shutter speeds, take several pictures of the same thing. Some will have more wobble than the others, even though you think you did everything the same.
Originally by user7603. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user7603
8y ago
0
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A good rule of thumb is to use a shutter speed at least as fast as the reciprocal of the 35mm-equivalent focal length: about 1/50s for a 50mm-equivalent lens, or faster if needed. That’s only a starting point, though.
Your results can vary a lot based on technique, support, and camera handling. Leaning your body or camera against something solid can buy slower speeds, and steady handholding is a learned skill.
From the answers, your issue does not sound like “digital cameras are worse” in general. It sounds more specific to how the X-T10 is being operated in your hand. Since you don’t see the same problem with the X-E2 or your Nikon SLR, the shutter-button feel and the way pressing/releasing it affects camera movement are plausible causes.
Your continuous-low test supports that: if the middle frames are sharper than the first and last, the motion from pressing and releasing the shutter is likely contributing to blur.
So yes, around 1/50s is the usual expectation for a 50mm-equivalent lens without stabilization, but some cameras and shooting styles may require faster speeds unless you refine the press technique or add support.
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