Panning w/ 70-200 f/2.8L IS - ???

[keith204]

How much difference does it make to use Panning IS versus NO IS? I can see the Canon 70-200 f/2.8L IS in the near future (maybe in the next month if I sell some unused gear).

Auto racing season is beginning to start. Ability to pan is major. I am at the point, where (with my Sigma) ambient lighting is at 1/60, f/2.8, 1600ISO. However, at 1/60, my panning technique only allows for 20% of the photos to be clear enough. Bumped up to 1/80th, the images are a bit dark, but I get an 80% keeper rate. So, if PANNING IS will help get more of those 1/60th panning shots, that would be super!

 

[Peanuts]

There are two IS options on this lens, 1 and 2. 2 is specifically meant for panning.

 

[Sw1tchFX]

VR helps a great amount when panning.

 

[keith204]

There are two IS options on this lens, 1 and 2. 2 is specifically meant for panning.

Yes. My 17-85 only has mode 1, and only hurts panning.

VR helps a great amount when panning.

Great. Thanks!

 

[DeadEye]

Mode 2 is for panning , I tryed it for birds in flight and did not like results so I turned it off.

 

[keith204]

I would imagine Mode 2 would work best when everything is moving in the same direction (car going from right to left) rather than birds with wings flapping and kids running with moving legs and arms.

Can somebody give input on this aspect?

 

[soylentgreen]

I have used the Mode 2 for running animals with decent results. All it does is limit the IS to a degree so it will work faster for panning since it is only a single steady pass as oppose to a full gyroscopic gymbal for fluttering birds. Mode 2 does not work too well as I mistakenly discovered for general IS use.