IS on big tripod-mounted lenses (1 Viewer)

Dear all,

I'm just curious on how would be the best way to use IS on Canon's large telephoto primes that would normally be so large as to generally restrict their use to monopods or tripods (e.g. the EF 400mm F2.8L IS and above).

I have also read a variety of differing opinions on the use of full-time Mode 1 IS and how it affects picture quality when a lens is fastened onto a tripod. I understand that the latest generation of lenses have a third "tripod mode" that only activates IS when the shutter button is half-depressed to overcome the IS limitations (if any) as stated above.

Can anyone enlighten me on this?

Thanks.

Regards,

Hor Kee

p.s. I shoot without an IS lens i.e. a 400mm F5.6L lens.

Hi Hor Kee, you are right about the latest generation of super teles having a 3rd I.S. mode but as far as I know no one has tried it as the new lenses have not been released yet.

As for the current crop of 'big whites' they are all OK to use I.S. on a tripod except a few very early I.S. lenses like the 100-400 (anything first realised after 2000 will be tripod sensing)

According to the digital picture review of the 300/2.8 "The IS version on this lens is tripod-sensing. The Canon EF 300mm f/2.8 L IS USM Lens knows that a tripod is being used when vibrations go below a certain level. Keep IS turned on when mounting this lens on a tripod to take advantage of the secondary IS mode - reducing mirror slap, shutter and tripod vibrations."

This is also supported by Canon's Chuck Westfall who states that using I.S.on a tripod is actually beneficial for the tripod sensing lenses "In 2000 Canon released the next generation IS professional lenses. These lenses feature a "tripod-detection" mode which means that there is no problem using IS on a tripod. Even more than that - IS will correct vibrations caused by the mirror operations of the camera".

I personally use to leave the 300/2.8 on I.S. mode 2 when on a tripod and it always worked great.

Thanks Roy. I got the initial doubts about IS on a tripod from my sister's use of her 300mm F4. Guess that is due to its early-generation IS characteristics. Have you tried the non-IS super-teles in the past? I'm wondering how their picture performance compares to those with IS.

I am a lazy guy, I only use a Tripod on some occasions, and mainly with my 300 f2.8 + 2X, I almost never use the tripod with my other lenses including the 300f4 IS, 1-400L IS and Sigma 150-500 OS. I always leave the IS in mode 1, which I use it for Handheld shots, and didn't notice any change in IQ (or may be because I haven't tried out the other mode.)

Hor Kee said:

Thanks Roy. I got the initial doubts about IS on a tripod from my sister's use of her 300mm F4. Guess that is due to its early-generation IS characteristics. Have you tried the non-IS super-teles in the past? I'm wondering how their picture performance compares to those with IS.

Click to expand...

Yes, the 300/4 has also got an old I.S. which is not tripod sensing.
The only birding lens I have at the moment is the 400/5.6 which is non I.S. of course( I have sold my 300/2.8 I.S. lens). Its fine as long as you keep the shutter speed up or use a tripod but the beauty of I.S. lenses is that you can hand hold them at slower shutter speeds. With good support and light then a non I.S. lens like the slow 400/5.6 is right up there in terms of IQ IMO.
I think that using I.S. when on a tripod helps a bit when shooting distant birds that are small in the frame where every little bit of stabilisation helps to get a pin sharp image that could be cropped heavily if required.

i have IS on most of the time tripod or monopod even at 1/2000 sec and faster even though at those speeds IS is not really going to help.
BUT what it does do is stablise the image your looking at makeing it easyer to keep on the subject .
Rob.

The last lens mentioned(sigma 150-500mm os)is not tripod sensing sigma recommend that the os is switched off when mounted on a tripod.
Steve.