What gets you a slower shutter speed?

[Darshan]

Hi all,

I have now shot a few rolls through my M4 and I really like the RF experience. I have noticed that I am getting reasonably sharp pics up to about 1/15 but shots slower than that are mostly blurred. Now, I am not saying that I routinely shoot at 1/15 or slower, but there are times when I wish I am able to do that considering the max aperture and film as limiting factors. If I mimic the same shooting experience with my GF1 (using the same settings), I do get blurry shots but I can quickly remedy it by shooting another frame; hard to do that with film 😱. Please, I am not trying to start flame wars between FvD but trying to get your opinions to enhance my photo-taking experience.

I have come up with the following options to the best of my knowledge, please feel free to add your comments even if they differ from these options.

1. Tripod-simple way to get the slowest shutter speeds, but shooting my kids in poorly lit rooms with a tripod is impractical (even if they stay still for the time being).
2. Softie-this is a cheap option too, but does it really help?
3. Half-case
4. "I am steady as a rock and can hand hold with whatever shutter speeds I want to!!" Well, not me...😀
5. "You are crazy to think you can go slow!!" I promise I will not be offended 😉.

Now, please take the reference point of a slow shutter speed relative to your experience, I know some people can routinely hand hold with 1/8 or 1/4, but then your answer should be based on speeds even slower than that.

 

[Alpacaman]

I find taking the shot when I have just finished breathing out, and not quite breathed in yet, makes it a lot steadier. It may be partially placebo, but it works.

 

[segedi]

I just use faster film to keep the shutter happily above 1/60th. ISO 400 is my staple. And an ND filter to deal with my Leica's 1/1000th top speed. Like the Bessa R4A for AP and it's 1/2000th shutter.

 

[Darshan]

I find taking the shot when I have just finished breathing out, and not quite breathed in yet, makes it a lot steadier. It may be partially placebo, but it works.

This is a pretty common technique floating on the internet and I have tried it too, but somehow it does not work for me. On the other hand, I am still having trouble mastering my breathing during a swim...after all those years. :bang:

 

[Darshan]

I just use faster film to keep the shutter happily above 1/60th. ISO 400 is my staple. And an ND filter to deal with my Leica's 1/1000th top speed. Like the Bessa R4A for AP and it's 1/2000th shutter.

I appreciate your response, but what do you do if you already have a slower film loaded in your machine?

 

[ferider]

I find taking the shot when I have just finished breathing out, and not quite breathed in yet, makes it a lot steadier. It may be partially placebo, but it works.

This works for me: slow down your heart rate by breathing in deep a couple of times, slowly breathing out and shooting while you breathe out. Elbow against chest, if possible. For example, this was at 1/4 or so:

http://ferider.smugmug.com/Picture-a-Week/PAW-2010/0810-C/Scan-100831-0049/990403969_RkzqW-L.jpg

Wide angles make it easier.

I advise against soft releases. I had them on all my Leicas, until I bent a release shaft accidentally - this is frequent I was told by my repair man.

 

[Darshan]

http://ferider.smugmug.com/Picture-a-Week/PAW-2010/0810-C/Scan-100831-0049/990403969_RkzqW-L.jpg

http://ferider.smugmug.com/Picture-a-Week/PAW-2010/0810-C/Scan-100831-0049/990403969_RkzqW-L.jpg

Nice pic there.

I advise against soft releases. I had them on all my Leicas, until I bent a release shaft accidentally - this is frequent I was told by my repair man.

Thanks for the caution.

 

[samuelphoto]

I find taking the shot when I have just finished breathing out, and not quite breathed in yet, makes it a lot steadier. It may be partially placebo, but it works.

Yep, that is exactly what sharpshooter are taught to do. It works.

 

[Alpacaman]

Yep, that is exactly what sharpshooter are taught to do. It works.

That is exactly where I picked it up myself - rifle shooting 😎

 

[Darshan]

You rifle shooters are making me envious now. 😀

 

[Sylvaticus]

Ancient wisdom says shutter speed number larger than lens focal length. 50mm and minimum 1/50s, 135mm and 1/150s, and so on. Just how solid a rock you are varies individually and crumbles with age.

 

[oftheherd]

When I was I was being trained to be a good shot, I was told to take a deep breath, hold it momentarily, breath out and back in just a little, then hold it. That was for the rifle team. Things you can do in the field (and with a camera), brace the camera on something, brace the camera tight against your head and your head against something, or your shoulder and have your elbows tight against your body (always a good idea anyway if you can), sit down, brace your elbows against your knees, and all the above with the aforementioned breathing technique. When I was younger and in better shape, I could get down to as low as 1/2 or even 1 second using a combination of those techniques. Especially the bracing my head against something and the camera tight against my head.

Try all those things to see what works best for you.

 

[Darshan]

I could get down to as low as 1/2 or even 1 second

Holy Christ...😱😱😱

 

[Darshan]

On a different note...

I can shoot with both my eyes but prefer to shoot with the right eye as it keeps my left eye free and I can advance the film faster after a shot. People who can shoot with both eyes, have you noticed any difference in stability by shooting with the left eye? Theoretically, it should get you a slower shutter speed as the camera is anchored against a larger surface area of your face.

Your thoughts...

 

[sepiareverb]

Usually turning the dial on the top of the camera to a lower number gets you a slower shutter speed. At B you can hold the shutter button down and count.

 

[Alpacaman]

Usually turning the dial on the top of the camera to a lower number gets you a slower shutter speed.

Really? Up until now I have had a piece of string tied to my second shutter curtain, and I hold the shutter open with it for slow speeds :angel:

I will have to try this... dial.

 

[Darshan]

Really? Up until now I have had a piece of string tied to my second shutter curtain, and I hold the shutter open with it for slow speeds :angel:

I will have to try this... dial.

ROFLMAO!!!

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Depends on the lens in use as well.

The steadiest that I've used is tripod with the camera triggered using the self-timer.

 

[kxl]

A Gorillapod works very well and can be used in different ways:

1) As a small tripod - put it on a table and use a cable release or self-timer.

2) Wrap the legs around something to hold it up.

3) Brace the legs against your chest and/or shoulders.

 

[Brian Legge]

A habit I picked up using an SLR was to brace the camera against my shoulder and not use my arms to support it when I really needed the extra speed. This worked surprisingly well for me.

I haven't really gotten in the habit of it with rangefinders though as I tend to the smaller ones where this would be trick. Putting a 35RC on your shoulder just feels odd. 🙂