Image Stabilization - DPChallenge Forums

01/18/2007 01:29:16 AM · #1

In this thread the question was asked is IS/VR really useful or is it more or less awaste of time and money. I was at work today bored as usual so I decided to see for myself how much difference there was in hand held with and without IS. Here are the photos. You decide if it is beneficial or not. These were shot at 420mm F5.6 with a shutter speed of 1/5 second.

No IS

IS

Message edited by author 2007-01-18 02:03:00.

DjFenzl

01/18/2007 01:58:43 AM · #2

well the results seem to contradict each other so based on that test it seem hit or miss.

01/18/2007 02:04:17 AM · #3

Originally posted by Megatherian:

well the results seem to contradict each other so based on that test it seem hit or miss.

Glad you pointed that out because I labeled the first 2 backwards. Sorry

01/18/2007 02:07:38 AM · #4

Why not show a tripod shot too?

Sigma 35mm f1.4 dg hsm for Canon

01/18/2007 02:12:17 AM · #5

Originally posted by Niten:

Why not show a tripod shot too?

Unless someone kicks it or there is an earth quake, what's the point? You know it don't move.

DjFenzl

01/18/2007 02:15:06 AM · #6

I don't want to sound negative, honestly I'm starting to see some value in IS for certain situations.

Are these really real world situations though? Are you really going to come across a situation where you need to be shooting this kind of stuff at 420mm hand held?

Ubersteiny

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

01/18/2007 02:15:53 AM · #7

Originally posted by Niten:

Why not show a tripod shot too?

..a tripod defeats the whole purpose of the image stabilization

01/18/2007 02:22:27 AM · #8

Originally posted by noisemaker:

Originally posted by Niten:
Why not show a tripod shot too?

..a tripod defeats the whole purpose of the image stabilization

And the manufacturers recommend that you turn IS off when it's on a tripod. So IS and tripods aren't even designed to go together. And as dicussed before, tripods aren't always an option.

01/18/2007 02:22:33 AM · #9

But it would give you a comparison.

"I'm starting to see some value in IS for certain situations" I would agree to that and I'm the anti IS guy. As long as you know when to use it and go up on ISO instead of using IS if you can. Never use it if you have plenty of light.

01/18/2007 02:28:24 AM · #10

Originally posted by Niten:

I suppose so. But why would you want to incorporate noise into the photo by jumping up the ISO if you didn't have to? I don't use the IS on my lenses when mounted on a tripod or I'm using shutter speeds equal to or faster than the focal length.

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

01/18/2007 02:36:27 AM · #11

I believe you are better off with a noisy sharp picture than a soft picture.

Never use IS on a tripod. My point was you could show these other shots compared to a perfectly still camera shot.

TechnoShroom

Canon EOS-30D

01/18/2007 02:36:56 AM · #12

Originally posted by NstiG8tr:

And the manufacturers recommend that you turn IS off when it's on a tripod. So IS and tripods aren't even designed to go together.

Depends on which lens you have. Third generation Canon IS doesn't need to be turned off when on a tripod.

01/18/2007 02:42:07 AM · #13

Which ones are 3rd generation? The 300mm F4 L IS I just bought says to turn it off when used on a tripod. And if I'm not mistaken so does my 24-105 IS

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

01/18/2007 02:50:30 AM · #14

Originally posted by Megatherian:

Are you really going to come across a situation where you need to be shooting this kind of stuff at 420mm hand held?

Yes. Today I was shooting eagles that were shaded by a cliff side. My 300mm coupled with a 1.4x extender wouldn't get me a fast enough shutter speed to hand hold in my opinion without bumping the ISO up. So I used mode 2. Alot of the new lenses come with 2 IS modes on them. Mode 2 option stabilizes images while panning with a moving subject.

From Canons website: Stabilizer Mode 2 which steadies the image during horizontal or vertical panning. Mode 2 detects the panning direction automatically.

Message edited by author 2007-01-18 02:55:51.

TechnoShroom

Canon EOS-30D

01/18/2007 02:55:32 AM · #15

Originally posted by NstiG8tr:

Which ones are 3rd generation? The 300mm F4 L IS I just bought says to turn it off when used on a tripod. And if I'm not mistaken so does my 24-105 IS

These have tripod mode

EF28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L IS USM
EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM
EF70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM
EF300mm f/2.8L IS USM
EF400mm f/2.8L IS USM
EF400mm f/4 DO IS USM
EF500mm f/4L IS USM
EF600mm f/4L IS USM

01/18/2007 03:06:23 AM · #16

Try this tomorrow, On a tripod with both shots take one shot at 300mm then add the 1.4 converter. Crop the 300mm shot to make the subject the same size as the one w/converter and compare.