IS ... when do you need it?
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Darryn
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IMO IS is a great addition to pretty much any 100mm+ lens...
All it really does is attempts to reduce the effects of camera-shake during exposure, all an f2.8 lens will do is allow for faster shutter speeds to be used, therefore, less time to be affected my camera-shake...
There are times when you want/need a longer shutter time, to allow for natural subject/background motion blur. In these conditions your options are to use an improved support or us IS. A tripod will offer the best support method, but, there are situations when this will be too restricting, a Monopod will offer some support, but, again you may find this too restrictive and finally IS... IS can allow you to use (with practice) quite slow shutter speeds on quite long lenses and still get nice sharp images.
Some lenses combinations would be pretty much unusable without IS... This Setup would give an effective 1092mm at f5.6, you would struggle to keep the shutter speed as fast as 1/1000th second even in the brightest of conditions, therefore to yield anything useful the IS has to be used...
This is all based on my experiance and reading, Im more than happy for anyone who knows more about this to come and tell me im wrong...
All it really does is attempts to reduce the effects of camera-shake during exposure, all an f2.8 lens will do is allow for faster shutter speeds to be used, therefore, less time to be affected my camera-shake...
There are times when you want/need a longer shutter time, to allow for natural subject/background motion blur. In these conditions your options are to use an improved support or us IS. A tripod will offer the best support method, but, there are situations when this will be too restricting, a Monopod will offer some support, but, again you may find this too restrictive and finally IS... IS can allow you to use (with practice) quite slow shutter speeds on quite long lenses and still get nice sharp images.
Some lenses combinations would be pretty much unusable without IS... This Setup would give an effective 1092mm at f5.6, you would struggle to keep the shutter speed as fast as 1/1000th second even in the brightest of conditions, therefore to yield anything useful the IS has to be used...
This is all based on my experiance and reading, Im more than happy for anyone who knows more about this to come and tell me im wrong...
stevewestern
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I am not an expert, but having a couple of IS lenses I ought to reply...
I can take pictures at way slower shutter speeds with IS than without - so, using a 70-200 2.8 IS I can take portraits at 1/30th or 1/15th of a second with no camera shake - without it, I struggle at 1/125th. So, do you need it- depends on what you take pictures of. Also, there is the issue of buying once and not wanting something you later find you want - I bought a slower lens (70-300 f4.5) and it just didn't do what I wanted - nothing wrong with it, but for my uses, no good - I sold it on at a loss, then I had to pay out a shed load more money for the right lens, but it does what I need it too.
Think hard about what you want the lens for, then add in a little unknown - second hand, you may find it worth buying and trying, then selling on what is not right - that's what I have been doing recently, and it has amazed me just how different what I thought I needed and what I do need have been...
I can take pictures at way slower shutter speeds with IS than without - so, using a 70-200 2.8 IS I can take portraits at 1/30th or 1/15th of a second with no camera shake - without it, I struggle at 1/125th. So, do you need it- depends on what you take pictures of. Also, there is the issue of buying once and not wanting something you later find you want - I bought a slower lens (70-300 f4.5) and it just didn't do what I wanted - nothing wrong with it, but for my uses, no good - I sold it on at a loss, then I had to pay out a shed load more money for the right lens, but it does what I need it too.
Think hard about what you want the lens for, then add in a little unknown - second hand, you may find it worth buying and trying, then selling on what is not right - that's what I have been doing recently, and it has amazed me just how different what I thought I needed and what I do need have been...
stevewestern
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Huh - Dreeder has said it better than me - no surprise really !
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I agree with the above. It's great for hand held shots in low light or at slower shutter speeds. When I bought a canon 100 - 400L a few weeks ago, I tried out the IS on the berrys on a Rowan tree form about 30 yards away. Two shots hand held at 1/30, one with IS on and with it off. The difference was very obvious, much sharper with the IS on, which is essential if you're going to crop into a shot in PP.
I didn't keep the pics so sorry I can't show you them.
I didn't keep the pics so sorry I can't show you them.
DiddyDave
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Minor point to bear in mind (and yes, everyone 'needs' IS), although you can get away with a slower shutter speed as suggested above, your subject can not
Shooting something that needs to be shot at 1/250th to get it sharp because it moves, won't be sharp when using IS at 1/60th. Although you've stopped YOU introducing blur from camera shake, you still get motion blur from a subject moving too quickly for the shutter speed used
IS is then best placed for shooting subjects in poorer light that DON'T MOVE or at least don't move much - i.e. Bride & Groom, "Stand still NOW" on a dull evening, or a building (which you needn't shout "Stand still" at)
Shooting something that needs to be shot at 1/250th to get it sharp because it moves, won't be sharp when using IS at 1/60th. Although you've stopped YOU introducing blur from camera shake, you still get motion blur from a subject moving too quickly for the shutter speed used
IS is then best placed for shooting subjects in poorer light that DON'T MOVE or at least don't move much - i.e. Bride & Groom, "Stand still NOW" on a dull evening, or a building (which you needn't shout "Stand still" at)
Foggy
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Depends on what you are shooting - with an F4 you arent going to be able to get the fast shutter speeds needed for some subject matter (fast moving animals, low light stuff, etc) that you can with 2.8, but at the same time, if you are shooting slightly longer exposure times at the zoomed distances you will get a sharper image from the F4 with IS.
I think.
I think.
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As well as still things, IS can help with panning - where the vertical sharpness is provided by the IS and the horizontal by panning. This can help get interesting shots of animals - where the head is sharp and the legs/wings are blurred or planes where the propeller blur can be seen.
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I find that IS on moving targets is only really useful if the target is maintaining a fairly constant distance from you. If the target is closing and crossing then the IS is not really a benefit. In this scenario, you are simultaneously pulling the zoom and have AI servo working...IS is of little use. On a long prime it fares better as there is no change in focal length to cope with.
Bob
Bob