"RPS" wrote in message
...
What is the maximum telephoto length you would be comfortable shooting
handheld, with IS as well as steadying your arm with elbow on a railing
etc, but no tripod? Thanks.

I have occasionally managed to do a handheld 400mm shot, but there are other
days (and subjects) that have noticable camera shake blur much lower than
that. So I would say that the upper limit will depend on the photographer,
the subject, the lighting conditions and what kinds of "supplemental
stabilization" (IS and/or steadying object) are available.

The rule of thumb I have heard is that the shutter speed needs to be 1 over
the FL of the lens or faster for a fully hand held shot. Depending on the
stability of your hands and the type of supplemental support you may be able
to halve the shutter speed, but not much more than that. If conditions won't
allow you to get to that target shutter speed, you may be out of luck. Of
course you will have to experiment for yourself to see how your personal
shooting style and "stability of hands" will effect the target speed.

Randy

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Randy Berbaum
Champaign, IL