IS/VR/OS fears

[Overread]

OK we all know that if a lens is mounted on a tripod then its IS/VR/OS off and if its handheld its turn it on. That is all straight forward and simple to get, but what about all the other times?
What about using on a monopod, or braced against a fence, or leaning against a tree? Just how much movement is needed for it to be worth using the feature and how much stability is needed before the feature starts to adversly affect image quality.
and further more just how bad is its softening effect anyway?

 

[Big Mike]

Some of the newer lenses can detect when they are on a stable support and automatically disable the stabilization.

Some lenses, like the 70-200 F2.8 L IS, have two IS modes. Mode 2 is meant to be used when on a monopod or when panning because it only stabilizes motion in one axis.

 

[davebmck]

When I use my 100-400mm on a tripod, I turn the IS off if I am taking a steady shot and I am not moving the camera in any way. Sometimes when I am shooting with my ball grip released I will leave it on, as I can still have some shake in this condition.

I did an experiment the other day where I set up the tripod, zoomed to 400mm on a sign about 100 feet away, used my remote release and the release timer. I took two shots, one with the IS on and one with it off. Looking through the viewfinder while it was counting down, I noticed when the IS was on, the camera/lens seemed to be moving down slightly. I though my ball grip was too loose, but it was the IS trying to compensate for something. It didn't move when the IS was off.

Viewing the two raw images as shot at 100%, I was hard pressed to see a difference in sharpness. If I had to pick one it would be the one with the IS off, but with normal sharpening applied, you would not notice the difference. 1/125, F11, ISO 400.

 

[uplander]

When I use my 100-400mm on a tripod, I turn the IS off if I am taking a steady shot and I am not moving the camera in any way. Sometimes when I am shooting with my ball grip released I will leave it on, as I can still have some shake in this condition.

I did an experiment the other day where I set up the tripod, zoomed to 400mm on a sign about 100 feet away, used my remote release and the release timer. I took two shots, one with the IS on and one with it off. Looking through the viewfinder while it was counting down, I noticed when the IS was on, the camera/lens seemed to be moving down slightly. I though my ball grip was too loose, but it was the IS trying to compensate for something. It didn't move when the IS was off.

Viewing the two raw images as shot at 100%, I was hard pressed to see a difference in sharpness. If I had to pick one it would be the one with the IS off, but with normal sharpening applied, you would not notice the difference. 1/125, F11, ISO 400.

yeah with the 100-400 you need to turn it off otherwise it does just as you described. It will slowly move down and over to a point and then stop. Others like my 400 f/2.8 senses the tropod and shuts off.

I have my IS turned on unless on a tripod.

 

[manaheim]

OK we all know that if a lens is mounted on a tripod then its IS/VR/OS off and if its handheld its turn it on. That is all straight forward and simple to get, but what about all the other times?
What about using on a monopod, or braced against a fence, or leaning against a tree? Just how much movement is needed for it to be worth using the feature and how much stability is needed before the feature starts to adversly affect image quality.
and further more just how bad is its softening effect anyway?

Are you just concerned that there isn't a way to disable it? mmmm... on the Nikon lenses you can simply flip a switch on the lens and it turns the VR on or off.

 

[Big Mike]

When I use my 100-400mm on a tripod, I turn the IS off if I am taking a steady shot and I am not moving the camera in any way. Sometimes when I am shooting with my ball grip released I will leave it on, as I can still have some shake in this condition.

I did an experiment the other day where I set up the tripod, zoomed to 400mm on a sign about 100 feet away, used my remote release and the release timer. I took two shots, one with the IS on and one with it off. Looking through the viewfinder while it was counting down, I noticed when the IS was on, the camera/lens seemed to be moving down slightly. I though my ball grip was too loose, but it was the IS trying to compensate for something. It didn't move when the IS was off.

Viewing the two raw images as shot at 100%, I was hard pressed to see a difference in sharpness. If I had to pick one it would be the one with the IS off, but with normal sharpening applied, you would not notice the difference. 1/125, F11, ISO 400.

Real world testing, that's probably the best way to determine the difference, so thanks for letting us in on your results.. I'd like to hear your results with a slower shutter speed. 1/125 is probably fast enough to freeze the movement of the IS system.

 

[Overread]

my worry is not really on tripods but more when you using other forms of support and yet reamining handheld - basically its wondering how stable the setup has to be for IS to start being counter productive.
Big Mike you make a good point about shifting modes to panning mode when on a monopod - I assume that similar would also apply were one to be resting on a fence or other similar support.

 

[davebmck]

Real world testing, that's probably the best way to determine the difference, so thanks for letting us in on your results.. I'd like to hear your results with a slower shutter speed. 1/125 is probably fast enough to freeze the movement of the IS system.

I'll try it this weekend and post results.

 

[davebmck]

my worry is not really on tripods but more when you using other forms of support and yet reamining handheld - basically its wondering how stable the setup has to be for IS to start being counter productive.
Big Mike you make a good point about shifting modes to panning mode when on a monopod - I assume that similar would also apply were one to be resting on a fence or other similar support.

MY opinion and what I do is keep the IS on unless the camera is solidly mounted and unmoving.