Why Anti Shake is Important

Anti shake (also known as "image stabilization") is used to counteract camera shake.

When you attempt to hand-hold a camera and take a photograph using a slow shutter speed, you will probably wind up with a somewhat blurred photo, resulting from camera shake.

That means that it is extremely difficult to hold a camera steady enough for a long time period (typically longer than 1/30th of a second). For pictures requiring long exposure times, a tripod should always be used. But, what if you don't have one available?

In the past, that meant you were just out of luck. However, camera manufacturers like Canon and Nikon developed image stabilization (anti shake) technology which allows photos taken with a hand-held camera at slow shutter speeds to produce a clear picture.

This is accomplished by stabilizing either the lens or image sensor to effectively reduce camera shake when using a slow shutter speed on your camera. Higher-end zoom or telephoto lenses for digital SLR cameras often come with image stabilization. Also, digital cameras with large zoom lenses often come with image stabilization or similar anti-shake capabilities.

Typically, image stabilization technology helps you take hand-held photos almost two stops slower than with a comparable camera set up without anti shake.

For example if you would require a shutter speed of 1/500 th of a second to shoot a particular scene, you should be able to shoot the same scene at only 1/125 seconds (4 times slower) with image stabilization technology. This is very useful when shooting moving subjects in low light or when using long focal length lenses.

But what do you do if a photo opportunity presents itself when your tripod is safely resting in your garage, and you don't have anti-shake ANYTHING? Here are a few less than ideal, but better than nothing, solutions:

• Find a solid object upon which you can rest the camera. Once relatively secure, take the picture using the highest shutter speed possible.

• Place the camera on the ground, or another solid object, and use the self-timer to trip the shutter. This completely removes any human element from the equation.

• Use as high an ISO setting, as possible (without producing digital noise). This will allow the use of a faster shutter speed than the lower ISO would. Of course, any or all of these tips can be used together to produce a desired outcome.

Oh, one final thought... caffeine can produce terrible anti-shake effects, so watch your intake before shooting.

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