Wednesday, 9 September 2015

At what focal range does it make sense to have Image Stabilization turned on when using a Tripod?


I was always under the impression that one should turn off the Image stabilization when using a tripod but when I see lenses with long focal length (300mm, 600mm etc...) comes with IS on them. Obviously these lenses are too heavy to be used without a tripod so I believe that there should be a focal length beyond which it becomes necessary( or acceptable ) to use IS along with a tripod.


What would that focal length be?



Answer



It is not so much the focal length as it is the individual design of each lens and IS system. Some of the earliest IS lenses didn't do well on tripods, and that is where the idea to "always" turn off IS when using a tripod came from. It really is lens specific.


Most of the Canon Super Telephoto lenses have IS Systems designed to be used with a tripod. The "II" series even has some lenses with an IS mode that is specifically designed to counteract vibration from the mirror so that mirror lockup, and the accompanying delay, does not have to be used.


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