| If ever you have seen a picture that is blurred, it is | | | | mounted on tripods always tend to eliminate camera |
| most probably because the camera was shaken while | | | | shakes and give sharp results. |
| the picture was taken. With traditional photographic film | | | | A great feature in most high-end digital cameras |
| cameras, it was evident only after the negatives and | | | | available nowadays is image stabilization (IS). IS is an |
| positives were made. However, with digital camera, | | | | anti-shake and vibration reduction technology and is |
| the captured image can be seen immediately on the | | | | common in digital cameras with long telephoto zooms |
| LCD screen, and if the image has shaken, then it can | | | | of 10X and 12X. With IS, sharp images can be obtained |
| be discarded for a new shot. | | | | even if the camera shakes a little, a slow shutter |
| Digital camera shakes are common with new users. | | | | speed is used, shooting is done in low light conditions, or |
| This is primarily because, new users have not fully | | | | a tripod is not used. IS was originally developed for |
| understood that the shutter-release button must not be | | | | video cameras. It is now available in interchangeable |
| pressed twice, but pressed two steps down. The first | | | | lens, consumer and professional digital cameras, which |
| step locks the focus and exposure while the second | | | | use optical image stabilization. Sports and wildlife |
| step takes the photo. This pressing of the button has | | | | photographers use a tripod and IS technology together |
| to be smooth, otherwise the digital camera shakes and | | | | to get the maximum sharpness of their photographs; |
| a blurred picture is the result. | | | | however, many other photographers turn the IS |
| The shutter speed also plays an important role in | | | | feature off while using a tripod. |
| blurring the picture. The shutter speed is the amount of | | | | Digital camera shakes can be eliminated or minimized |
| time the shutter remains open to allow light to reach | | | | by the utilization of the above techniques. However, |
| the digital camera sensor. It is measured in seconds or | | | | the fundamentals of taking a good shot prove to be |
| fractions of a second. An image is exposed by the | | | | most effective in avoiding camera shakes, in the |
| combination of the lens aperture and the shutter | | | | absence of tripods, or IS technology. |
| speed. A slow shutter speed needs a small aperture | | | | The basics of good photography should be followed. |
| (large F-stop number) to avoid over exposure. With a | | | | You should hold the digital camera with both your |
| slow shutter speed below 1/60th of a second, over | | | | hands. You should keep the legs apart with the knees |
| exposure is adequately controlled, but the digital | | | | slightly bent forward. Your elbows should be braced |
| camera is likely to vibrate more, giving a shaky picture. | | | | with your body and your body braced with some |
| A tripod is extremely useful to eliminate digital camera | | | | support, if possible. You should generally frame and |
| shakes. It is generally used by sports photographers | | | | compose the picture with the viewfinder and not the |
| who use long telephoto lens, as it helps in close-ups, | | | | LCD screen. You should not jab but lightly press the |
| landscape and panning shots, for timed exposures, for | | | | shutter release button two steps down, and during that |
| shooting at slow shutter speeds, and for taking | | | | time, it would be beneficial to hold your breath to |
| photographs in low or dim light conditions. Shooting a | | | | prevent any movement of the chest and hands. With |
| fast moving subject, like athletes, or wildlife, tests the | | | | this basic technique of good photography, you can be |
| photographer`s skill and the equipment. In such cases, | | | | sure that your digital camera will not shake and no |
| camera shakes are most likely to happen, and thus a | | | | picture will be blurred. |
| monopod or a tripod is always used. Digital cameras | | | | |