HANDHELD SHOOTING VS TRIPODS
Tripods are a nuisance. Do we even need them any more? Rod Law ton explains when handheld photography can take over but also explains those times when you do still need a tripod
Why do we use tripods at all? Traditionally, it’s been to keep the camera steady during the exposure so that we don’t get blurry shots. However, over recent years there have been huge improvements in camera sensors and high-ISO image quality that allow much faster shutter speeds in low light. Not only that, many cameras now have in-body stabilisation to reduce the effect of camera movement, so that camera shake can be eliminated even with slower shutter speeds.
What this means in practice is that there are almost no everyday circumstances in which we can’t expect to get a sharp, good-quality handheld shot, even in dimly lit interiors, even after dark. It’s a win-win. We can keep shutter speeds up by increasing the ISO and get shake-free shots even at slower shutter speeds.
So, what’s the catch? Well, although high-ISO image quality has come on in leaps and bounds, you do still pay a price in image quality when you shoot at higher ISOs. It might not be enough to matter, and it might even be hard to see, but it’s still a consideration.
And while IBIS systems can be very effective at combating camera shake, they are not a guarantee, any more than so-called ‘safe’ shutter speeds are a guarantee. They certainly increase your chances of getting a sharp shot at much slower shutter speeds than normal.
It’s safe to say, though, that for a lot of low light or long-range shooting, modern camera technologies have made tripods look redundant. But that doesn’t necessarily mean they are. We might not need tripods to reduce camera shake in the way that we used to, but there are many areas and styles of photography where they still make a difference.
So, let’s take a closer look at how handheld and tripod photography compares for practicality and image quality, and whether we can ditch the tripod once and for all.
How long an exposure can you do handheld with IBIS?
In-body image stabilisation can be remarkably effective. I remember being present at the launch of the Olympus OM-1 Mark II, where photographers were capturing sharp handheld exposures of 1 second, 2 seconds or longer as darkness fell. Everyone was amazed. The truth is, though, that not everyone is good at steady handholding. I’m pretty poor, so I didn’t get the same long-exposure results the other photographers did.
So, when camera makers quote a compensation figure for their own stabilisation systems, think of this as the advantage that you might gain over your own ‘safe’ shutter speeds and not as any
