Question about IS on the 100-400L

THE TOUCH

Quick question...

The book says not to use IS when mounted to a tripod. Why is this? What are the effects? What if I'm shooting sports on a monopod?

Thanks!

ziggy53

THE TOUCH wrote:

Quick question...

The book says not to use IS when mounted to a tripod. Why is this? What are the effects? What if I'm shooting sports on a monopod?

Thanks!

Kevin,

Stabilization technology is "tuned" to work within very specific design parameters. Typically, the stabilization in Canon and Nikon and Minolta is designed to reduce the effects of hand-held photography. A tripod or monopod changes the nature of the shake and alters both the shake frequency and the way the shake occurs by physically limiting motion in one or more axes. This has a major impact on the sensors that have to detect and help direct the mechanism to counteract the shake.

Having the IS switch ON while mounted on a tripod or monopod can actually produce blurry images when the IS correction over reacts to the different kind of shake.

Some Canon lenses do have a seperate mode (I believe Mode 2) said to be effective when used with a tripod or monopod.

ziggy53

THE TOUCH

ziggy53 wrote:

Kevin,

Stabilization technology is "tuned" to work within very specific design parameters. Typically, the stabilization in Canon and Nikon and Minolta is designed to reduce the effects of hand-held photography. A tripod or monopod changes the nature of the shake and alters both the shake frequency and the way the shake occurs by physically limiting motion in one or more axes. This has a major impact on the sensors that have to detect and help direct the mechanism to counteract the shake.

Having the IS switch ON while mounted on a tripod or monopod can actually produce blurry images when the IS correction over reacts to the different kind of shake.

Some Canon lenses do have a seperate mode (I believe Mode 2) said to be effective when used with a tripod or monopod.

ziggy53

Wow! That's pretty cool! Makes sense too.

As for Mode 1 & 2, the book said that 1 was for stationary subjects in low light condition and 2 was for continuous shots of a moving subject and/or an erratically moving subject - but nothing about a tripod in the two descriptions.

In the warning section, it just says that the IS should be off in the following situations: shots using a tripod and shots using Bulb.

Thanks Ziggy - I'll keep it off when hooked to the monopod.

Blurmore

Mode 1&2
Mode 1 is vertical and horizontal stabilization
Mode 2 is vertical only for panning

1st gen image stabilizers did not have a sensor to tell the gyros not to work if mounted on a tripod. The could cause blur if not turned off. New generation IS has a sensor which deactivates the IS if mounted to a tripod. I only know because it mentions it specifically in my 17-55 manual, how it knows??? I don't know. I don't think the modalities have anything to do with being mounted or not.

THE TOUCH

Blurmore wrote:

Mode 1 is vertical and horizontal stabilization
Mode 2 is vertical only for panning

1st gen image stabilizers did not have a sensor to tell the gyros not to work if mounted on a tripod. The could cause blur if not turned off. New generation IS has a sensor which deactivates the IS if mounted to a tripod. I only know because it mentions it specifically in my 17-55 manual, how it knows??? I don't know. I don't think the modalities have anything to do with being mounted or not.

Thanks!

I remembered reading somewhere about a lens shutting off IS automatically. With my luck, Canon will come out with a new lens next week!