Hi Folks:
Have read in magazine articles you should turn off IS when using a tripod ~ what is the proceedure ?. . . TIA . . . Gus
How important to turn off IS when using a tripod?
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:
Last edited by George DeCamp; 05-22-2008 at 07:47 PM.
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! :DOriginally 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,
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,
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.
Last edited by Philippe Collard; 05-28-2008 at 07:55 PM.
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.
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