USING BARNACK CAMERAS AT SLOW SHUTTER SPEEDS HANDHELD
Before the M cameras and their faster lenses, or today's astronomic digital ISO numbers, photographers had to contend with the same low light conditions as now, but with slow film speeds and lenses with smaller apertures. Yet they did pretty well with their older cameras. One of the ways they did this was by steady handholding at slow shutter speeds.
The older model SM Leicas had slow speeds which were quiet and smooth in action, and the smaller camera bodies allowed the backs of both hands to be held close together tight against the face. Without a large viewing window to be avoided at the left end, or a winding lever sticking out on the right, the smaller camera bodies allowed more ways for the backs of the hands to be pressed tightly against the face to keep the camera just as steady as the head could be held still. 1/20th of a second was a normal handholdable speed with a normal lens in those days. On the earlier cameras there was a gap between 1/2oth and a less hanholdable 118th, which often meant a small tripod.
However later SM cameras from the 1940 Ille onward had smooth intermediate slow speeds of 1/3oth, 1/2oth, 1115th, and 1110th selected by clickstops on the front slow speed dial which could be changed and reset by feel while shooting in low light. That smooth 1/10th speed was a very useful speed for the slow short focal length 28 and 35mm lenses of the day, and made those lenses effectively a full stop faster hand held than they had been with the older cameras at 1/20th. But those slower speeds were also useable in low light with 50mm lenses, as seen here.
Leica Ille with 50mm Summar at a 30th at f/2
For horizontal framing, right or left eye, glasses or not, just find a way to press the backs of both hands or thumbs firmly against the face while releasing the shutter. It can be a particularly steady handhold when using an accessory finder in the central shoe. For vertical framing a good hold is with the camera’s winding end down, which keeps both arms low, and with the right thumb on the shutter release.
If I can press my luck and hold an exposure of 1/10th at f/2 steadily, I will get about the same exposure as I used to get with my big old black M3 and Noctilux combination at 1/30th! Yet the Illc with collapsible f/2 lens which made these pictures is usually carried around in a little belt case in the car, or in a pocket.