Hi all,

I've got one of these beasts and would like some advise please.

I'm pretty sure I read, perhaps in Michael's review of the lens, that you can use the IS whilst on a tripod (mounted via a Sidekick).

The lens instruction book appears to contradict this.

Question is, should you use the IS whilst on a tripod, or not?

Cheers

Bob

The newer IS does not care if the lens is on a tripod -- If you have a first-version IS it can help to turn IS off.

Regardless, it is easy to test for yourself -- just shoot the same image at slow shutter speeds with IS on and off and see if there is a difference. Likely there won't be.

Thanks Jack,

I was more worried about doing damage than the image quality...

Bob

You certainly won't damage IS leaving it "on" with the lens mounted on the tripod -- the only concern is degredation of image quality due to the minor vibrations the tiny IS gyro motors can cause.

Bob: in the past year I purchased the 500mm f4L IS, and the instruction book also says not to use IS while on a tripod. I inquired here at the time, and was assured if the lens was the newer type, it is OK to use IS on a tripod. It works fine, yielding sharp photos at lower shutter speeds.
Dave

http://www.cps.canon-europe.com/kb/detail.jsp?faqId=1130

With the IS super-telephotos (300/2.8L IS, 400/2.8L IS, 500/4L IS and 600/4L IS) .... it's OK to leave IS turned on when the lens is mounted on a tripod.

I did some tests last night with my 70-200, I saw no visible difference in quality on a sturdy tripod.

Many thanks to one and all, I guess I'll need to do some tests but as it seems no damage will be done and also the fact that I'm using it on a Sidekick mount which is not always locked down, I think it will probably be IS on.

Again thanks for your comments

Bob

From my 70-200 F2.8L IS manual pg.9 (Lens purchased Nov-2005)

"Set the STABILIZER switch to OFF when you are taking pictures with a tripod.
* Even if the STABILIZER switch is set to ON, the IS function does not operate because the electronic circuits in the lens automatically detect that a tripod is being used. However because electrical power is still being supplied to the image stabilizer unit, battery life is roughly 20% shorter than it would be with the switch set to OFF"


Steve.

I have used my 500L IS on a tripod.
when I tried it for night photography I found I had to wait a second or two for the stabilizer to stop otherwise I got blurry images with trails.

dr gary

I just bought a 300 F2.8 Non IS. Do you have a need to a front lens cap to replace the factory SOCK/Lens cap from Canon?
Send me an email to donzeck@comcast.net if you wold like some details.