Shutter Speed, Handholding & Stability

Safe handheld shutter speed

The old rule is 1/focal length. For sharper results, halve it: shutter = 1/(2 × focal length). So a 200mm lens → 1/400 s; a 24mm → 1/50 s.

Freezing motion

Fast human motion needs 1/500 s or faster. For general action, 1/250–1/1000 s.

Tripod technique (Ian Worth)

• Work out the composition handheld first, then set up the tripod.
• Mark the spot; measure height using your body as a reference.
• Use an L-bracket to keep the camera position when switching orientation.
• Raise the centre column a few cm before adjusting legs, for fine height tweaks.
• Two legs downhill for stability; set up low in wind.

Turn stabilisation OFF on a tripod

When the camera is already still, SteadyShot (the in-body system and the lens's Optical SteadyShot / OSS) can introduce tiny corrections that cause blur — worst at macro distances. Turn SteadyShot Off (MENU → Camera Settings 2 → SteadyShot → Off) — this covers both the body and an OSS lens. Leave it on only if there's genuine vibration (wind, flimsy tripod, or you keep touching the camera without a remote).

Kill the last of the vibration

• Self-timer (2–5 s) or a remote release.
• Electronic Front Curtain Shutter (Sony: e-Front Curtain Shut.): on to remove shutter shock (turn it off only for very fast shutter speeds with fast-moving subjects).
• Silent Shooting (fully electronic shutter) for absolute vibration elimination — but avoid under artificial light (banding), and note Flash, Auto HDR and Picture Profile are disabled.
• After re-framing, let the setup settle a second before firing.

Consolidated from notes: Camera shake; Safe shutter speeds for handholding; Shutter speed Fast human motion 1/500+; Tips for using a tripod; Settings A6400 SteadyShot and Silent shooting; Sony FE 90mm Macro on a tripod