handheld

UK/ˈhændˌhɛld/US/ˈhændˌhɛld/

adjectiveB2+Occasional — familiar, but not everyday · #11,307 of 15,258leans written

Handheld means filmed without a stand, so the picture moves slightly. Handheld camera, shot handheld, a handheld sequence.

The movement reads as immediacy and documentary truth, which is why drama uses it deliberately — and why too much of it makes audiences ill. Stabilisers give the movement without the shake. Note handheld as a noun, meaning a device held in one hand.

Definitions of handheld

1adjectivehandheldFilmed without a stand, so the picture moves slightly.B2+
“The film was shot with a handheld camera, which made the chase scenes feel real.”

handheld is a filming style.

Where it comes from

hand-held comes from hand + held.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA

Practised in Photography & Film

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handheld in the wild

The handheld is slightly thicker, taller and has a smaller screen than its immediate predecessor, the Game Boy Pocket, but is significantly smaller than the original Game Boy.
Game Boy Color
A handheld game console, or simply handheld console, is a small, portable self-contained video game console with a built-in screen, game controls and speakers.
Handheld game console
In 1976, Mattel introduced the first handheld electronic game with the release of Auto Race.
Handheld game console
The Game Gear is a handheld game console developed and marketed by Sega.
Game Gear
The Nomad was the last handheld console released by Sega.
Genesis Nomad

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From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. These sentences were written by other people about their own subjects; they are here to show the word at work, not as anybody’s opinion.

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