Open up your aperture as
wide as it will go, hike-up
the ISO and leave your
tripod at home
Handhold
in low light
Wide apertures are a miracle in low light,
especially when you need to shoot handheld,
because they allow you to keep the shutter
speed as fast as possible to reduce the risk
of camera shake or subject movement.
The type of lens you have can make a big
difference. A 50mm prime lens is brilliant inlow light – as well as being small and light, it
also has a super-wide maximum aperture of
f1.8, f1.4 or even f1.2. So, for example, if your
zoom has a maximum aperture of f4 and
the fastest shutter speed you can manage
is 1/4sec, a 50mm lens at f1.4 in the same
situation would give you a shutter speedof 1/30sec, which is fast enough to shoot
handheld. Add to this the fact that the latest
digital cameras offer fantastic image quality
at ISO 3200, 6400 or beyond, and with a
fast lens at its widest aperture you can take
handheld shots in situations that used to be
completely out of reach.1
Set the ISO adjust the iso to what you think is a suitable level. The
‘faster’ your lens is, the lower the iso, so if you’re using a 50mm f1.8
wide open, you can use a lower iso than if you’re using a 24-70mm f4
zoom, and maintain a decent shutter speed.5
Convert to black & white shots taken at
an extreme iso often don’t work in
colour due to noise and poor colour rendition.
converting to black & white will solve this
problem and produce stark, gritty images.
silver efex pro was used for this shot.2
Take a test
shot This
shot suffers
from camera
shake because
the shutter
speed with
the iso set to
3200 was too
slow for safe
handholding –
just 1/15sec
at f2.8.
increasing the
iso to 25600
increases the
shutter speed
to 1/125sec,
which gets rid
of camera shake.3
Adopt a stable stance This reduces the risk
of camera shake when handholding in
low light. stand with your back straight, feet
slightly apart and elbows tucked into your side.
cup the lens with your left hand, then squeeze
the shutter release rather than jabbing it.4
Retake the shot With a higher iso and
faster shutter speed, the shot is nice and
sharp. it’s noticeably grainy due to the high
iso noise, but not too bad considering that
it was taken at iso 25600! if you like grainy
images then you’ll be happy with this.3
Techniques
Open up your aperture as
wide as it will go, hike-up
the ISO and leave your
tripod at home
Handhold
in low light
Wideaperturesarea miracle in low light,
especiallywhenyouneed to shoot handheld,
becausetheyallowyou to keep the shutter
speedasfastaspossible to reduce the risk
ofcamerashakeorsubject movement.
Thetypeoflensyou have can make a big
difference.A50mmprime lens is brilliant inlow light – as well as being small and light, it
also has a super-wide maximum aperture of
f1.8, f1.4 or even f1.2. So, for example, if your
zoom has a maximum aperture of f4 and
the fastest shutter speed you can manage
is 1/4sec, a 50mm lens at f1.4 in the same
situation would give you a shutter speedof 1/30sec, which is fast enough to shoot
handheld. Add to this the fact that the latest
digital cameras offer fantastic image quality
at ISO 3200, 6400 or beyond, and with a
fast lens at its widest aperture you can take
handheld shots in situations that used to be
completelyoutofreach.1
SettheISOadjusttheisotowhatyouthinkisasuitablelevel.The
‘faster’yourlensis,thelowertheiso,soifyou’reusinga50mmf1.8
wideopen,youcanusealowerisothanifyou’reusinga24-70mmf4
zoom,andmaintainadecentshutterspeed.5
Converttoblack&whiteshotstakenat
anextremeisooftendon’tworkin
colourduetonoiseandpoorcolourrendition.
convertingtoblack&whitewillsolvethis
problemandproducestark,grittyimages.
silverefexpro was used for this shot.2
Takeatest
shotThis
shot suffers
from camera
shake because
theshutter
speedwith
theiso set to
3200 was too
slow for safe
handholding –
just1/15sec
atf2.8.
increasingthe
iso to 25600
increases the
shutter speed
to 1/125sec,
which gets rid
of camera shake.3
Adoptastablestance Thisreducestherisk
ofcamerashakewhenhandholdingin
lowlight.standwithyourbackstraight,feet
slightlyapartandelbowstuckedintoyourside.
cupthelenswithyour left hand, then squeeze
theshutterreleaserather than jabbing it.4
Retaketheshot Withahigherisoand
fastershutterspeed,theshotisniceand
sharp.it’snoticeablygrainyduetothehigh
isonoise,butnottoobadconsideringthat
itwastakenatiso25600!if you like grainy
images then you’ll be happy with this.3
Techniques