Quick ? Re Focal Length vs Shutter Speed

[NicoleScraps]

Someone told me in a thread recently that when you are hand holding the camera the shutter speed should be in a certain ratio with the focal length to get a crisp image. I can't remember which thread it was and I didn't write it down in my journal of tips.
Was it
Shutter Speed=Focal Length
or Shutter Speed= Focal Length x2

Thanks!

[IABoomer]

Rule of thumb is 1/focal length. You might get by with a bit slower if you can brace the camera/yourself against something or use an image-stabilized lens.

[NicoleScraps]

Originally Posted by IABoomer

Rule of thumb is 1/focal length. You might get by with a bit slower if you can brace the camera/yourself against something or use an image-stabilized lens.

Thank you!

[inkista]

Yup. Basic rule of thumb is 1/focal_length (i.e., with a 200mm lens, shoot at 1/200s or faster), but some folks throw in the crop factor as well (i.e., 200mm lens on a 1.5x body => 1/300s). And all of this presupposes good handholding technique (good two-handed grip, controlled breathing, stance, etc.)

Also, this doesn't include stabilization (IS, VR, a monopod, tripod). Most VR or IS effectiveness is described in stops, as in "x-stop stabilization." That means you can multiple the speed by 2^x. So, a 200mm lens with two-stop stabilization could (theoretically) be handheld at around 1/50s.

And there's definitely a lower bound. Most folks tend to only be able to handhold an unstabilized lens down to about 1/30s without any camera shake blur. Even if you're using an 8mm lens, you won't actually be able to handhold shake-free down to 1/8s.

[zetson]

Originally Posted by inkista

but some folks throw in the crop factor as well .

I guess I used to be one of those folks