To wobble or not to wobble?
Nikon call their anti wobble lenses VR (Vibration Reduction)
Canon call them IS (Image Stabilisation)
Sigma refer to them as OS (Optical Stabilisation)
Pentax and Sony (I think) build this into the camera.
They are very useful and effectively ‘buy’ around 2 stops of light (manufacturers will claim 3 stops) so that it becomes possible to hand hold the camera/lens and, with the function switched on, get sharper shots. BUT…
I am amazed by the number of photographers who leave/put their lenses (or cameras) into anti camera shake mode when they are on a tripod, or beanbag or something similar. Why do this? The tripod IS an image stabiliser. To leave the function on just wastes battery power, wears out the little gyro or stabilising motors and, in some cases, actually softens the photograph.
Also, some folk leave the switch on when shooting at around 1000/sec. How much camera shake do we think we are going to get at 1000th of a second – are we convulsing??
There – that told you!!
🙂
Judi L
Sure did!
I have to admit that although I always turn my OS/IS off when the camera is on the tripod, I have not thought about turning it off when using a fast shutter speed – so that’s told me too!
Dan Santillo
With the Canon IS, unless you have a high end lens with different IS modes, leaving IS on whilst using a tripod usually generates a feedback loop in the electronics, causing it to compensate heavily and giving you very blurred photos.