Hi Folks:
Have read in magazine articles you should turn off IS when using a tripod ~ what is the proceedure ?. . . TIA . . . Gus
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Hi Folks:
Have read in magazine articles you should turn off IS when using a tripod ~ what is the proceedure ?. . . TIA . . . Gus
I keep it always on
Giulio
It depends on the lens, older IS systems don't detect tripods and you should turn it off (i.e. 300f4IS, 100-400IS), newer lenses do detect it and you can leave it on (300f/2.8IS, 500f4IS, 600f4IS).
What it comes down to is the IS mode. If your lens, like the supertelephotos, offers IS mode 2, you can switch it to that (mode 2--and leave it there forever) and use it on a tripod. If you don't have a mode switch, then it's the original type of IS and you will want to keep it turned off on a tripod. What can happen with IS on a tripod is that the IS mechanism tries to counteract forces that aren't actually occuring, so the result can be a strangely blurred image. It doesn't always happen, but it can. IS mode 2 doesn't suffer from this problem. However, for shorter lenses with IS that offer mode 2, I would still probably turn IS off as the benefits of IS on a tripod-mounted short lens are minimal, but the battery-drain will remain constant.
Hey Gus!
I looked at what you use in another forum and see you are shooting with a Olympus E-510. I looked it up and see it has IS built into the camera you are using, not the lenses. I would guess that Olympus designed their cameras to be used both hand held and on a tripod so unless they say not to in their literature I would leave the IS on.I would double check with this however, perhaps Olympus has a tech support line and best to ask them since most of us use Canon or Nikon.
I am not sure you can even shut it off, is there a switch?? :confused:
Thanks George: It has an Off switch, # 1 Full IS, and #2 which is used when panning in the horizontal direction to acheive a blurred bacjground. There is a whole page, and as you suggested I read it I found it to say: "When using a tripod: set Image Stablizer to off. You and Bill Gates are right on the money weith, "RTFM" :D Also, if I hold the IS button down when previewing a picture I can see what it looks on or off . . . Appreciate you always right on help . . . . Gus
Hi Folks:
Thank you very much for answering my question . . . comfirms to me that a lot of lens & cameras have varied settings.
Asking the question had a great bonus with Alex's link to his photos ~ outstanding!
Best regards
Gus
That manual is a great resource! :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Gus Hallgren
I learned something too about the switch,great news you found the answer.
My practice has been with both Nikon and Canon gear is to leave the VR/IS on when on the tripod if the head and tripod collar are not locked down. If locked down I turn off VR/IS. I have not had any problems with blurring because of oppositional forces causing conflicts in the anti vibration system of either Nikon or Canon.
Jim
I don't mean to contradict anyone but I have my Canon 500 mm F4 manual in front of me. IS mode 2 is for panning on a moving subject like a car or "when following subjects that are moving erratically" like maybe flying birds. IS mode 2 only stabilises on one direction- perpendicular to the direction of the pan. I see nothing in this description which suggests that mode 2 would be useful on a tripod.
With a long lens, few tripods are absolutely rock solid so I keep my IS on and set to mode 1 so that it corrects all directions of camera shake. If I happen to be set up rock solid then the manual says that the IS system detects this and turns itself off automatically.
John and other Canon users,Quote:
Originally Posted by John Chardine
In 1999, tripod detection was added to Canon's IS super-telephoto lenses with the 300mm f/2.8L IS USM through 600mm f/4L IS USM so IS could be used on a tripod with IS 2 enabled. Two years later a new version of the Image Stabilizer was added to the 70–200 mm f/2.8L IS USM with reduced startup time amount of stabilization to three stops. Recently introduced the 70–200 mm f/4L IS USM allows up to four stops of stabilization.
Canon recommends IS Mode 2 for the following lenses. If your lens is not on the list, no IS. For example, the 100-400mm should not have IS on. I might have missed a few below as I believe I had a more comprehensive list I will try to find. Canon, to the best of my knowledge, does not have a comprehensive list. Corrections/additions appreciated.
o EF 300 mm f/2.8 USM L IS
o EF 400 mm f/2.8 USM L IS
o EF 400 mm f/4 USM DO IS
o EF 500 mm f/4 USM L IS
o EF 600 mm f/4 USM L IS
o EF 70‐200 mm f/2.8 USM L IS
o EF 28‐300/3.5‐5.6 L IS
o EF 70‐300/4.5‐5.6 DO IS
Interesting Robert. I wonder why Canon does not make this clear in the owner's manual for the lenses? Mode II it is then!
Hi John,Quote:
Originally Posted by John Chardine
Robert gave you an excellent and detailed explanation. Here is an article you might want to read (page four has a list of tripod compatible IS lenses).
http://cpn.canon-europe.com/content/...abilisation.do
Cheers,
Philippe.
Thanks Philippe, an interesting article. Still can't find any mention of only using IS mode 2 with a tripod though.
Initially my only long lens with IS was the Canon 300mm F4 L IS USM. I read in the manual that IS should be switched off when using a tripod. I never switched off the IS as I thought the Manfrotto tripod was flimsy. At times I used a bean bag, even folded towel, and at times I used the lens with the monopod, and all the time the IS was on. I never found any issues with sharpness.
My Canon EF 400 2.8 L IS USM lens says, it can detect the tripod. So no issues. I have used the 70-200 F2.8 L IS USM lens with IS on, at times with 1.4 xII and at times with the 2x II converter. With the 2x Converter, I find sharpness is an issue at f5.6, but I cant attribute it to IS being on.
I only find issues with sharpness, when I hand hold the lenses. I guess it is due to user error.
Good one Peter. I hadn't thought about it that way. I do shoot static with the tripod but as you imply, a lot of tripod work involves panning with a moving subject. I hate to belabor the point but all this still does not prescribe IS mode 2 all of the time while on a tripod.
