I have heard opposing arguments on whether to have IS turned on while on a tripod. I always keep it on because sometimes I must either zoom all the way in or quickly remove my EX1 and go hand held. Zoomed 90-100%, even my Sachtler FSB 6 isn't as stable as I'd like, in case anyone was wondering about my reasoning.

However, what happens when you pan with IS enabled? I have never seen an issue with my footage, but maybe I have not looked hard enough.

Thoughts?

Leaving IS activated on a tripod causes it to fight the intended movement of a pan or zoom, creating a feedback loop which is most often manifested as a bump, a hiccup or a slight slide in the image at the end of the intended move. Not sure if it's been discussed on this board but we must have a dozen threads about this issue on a variety of other camera boards here on DVi.

I posted in this forum because the way the IS works is different between manufacturers and models. At least that is how the still camera world is (ie, Canon's IS varies between lenses and so does Nikon's VR). Also, Canon or Nikon has an IS setting for panning.

And I was wondering if Sony/Fujinon's implementation is designed to work on tripods. For example, I think its Canon that has a setting on some lenses for tripod shooting to combat shutter slap.

I sometimes leave IS on if the camera is locked down. It seems to help prevent wind movement or movement from people walking nearby on porches, etc. I don't leave it on while panning or tilting because it makes the image drift slightly.

Also, Canon or Nikon has an IS setting for panning... On still photo lenses -- not video.

I tried panning and tilting with stabilizer on, and noticed no bothersome drifting or rebounding. So now it's ON full time on my EX1, even on a big Sachtler tripod. I do lots of whip pans and snap zooms, even with IS on. With other cameras on a tripod, pans with IS on was very unpleasant. I love the EX1 stabilizer, I think it's uniquely "mild" by comparison.

After some initial intensive testing almost 3 years ago, I switched the IS on my EX1 on and haven't turned it off ever since.

With my style of shooting, I found no problems when shooting from the tripod. And for hand-held shooting, at least it's always ready.

Thanks guys. This is EXACTLY what I was looking for - it sounds as though the IS on an EX1 is designed to work on tripods.

I would be a little cautious.

I once left IS on when shooting a birds nest with my EX1R zoomed all the way in on a tripod, and I forgot to turn it off.

Whenever the birds flew into the frame the whole image shifted. And when the wind moved the branches around the nest, the image shifted a little as well. Luckily I caught the the problem and reshot while still there. And w/o the image stabilization on the shot was perfect.

So there are times when it does not work well, in my experience. And I always turn it off when on sticks, dolly or jib. But I always have it on when on the shoulder, StediCam or fig rig.

My experience is that IS does affect camera moves - when you start a slow pan or tilt, there is a noticeable lag before the image starts to move and at the end it catches up. That said, it may actually smooth the start and end of the move but you have to accept that the final framing is not the same as where you end the pan. Definitely agree that if it is windy or the tripod is not on firm ground, IS helps.

Always on for all my cameras. No problems that I can see.

John

Sounds to me that it's possible that the IS on the EX cameras corrects far more for vertical than horizontal movements. This would make sense as this is what's needed most for handheld shooting.
On the Canon HJ40 lens you can turn pan and tilt IS on and off independently, but for me unless it's locked off in the wind then it's a waste of time.
Steve

on my old dvcam 150, I never left IS switched on on a tripod, pans were impossible with IS switched on. on my EX3 it is not as bad, but sometimes I notice that IS is activated when panning. Not that it bothers me so much, but I notice that the move is not exactly as made it.... Then I switch it off.
All in all, it is much more subtle than it used to be in the pd 150 style cameras where pans were terrible with that jumpy stabilizer on.

I recently forgot to turn off IS when putting the camera back on the tripod, the result was several ruined panning shots. Bummer. I might try it when locked down in the wind though, that's an interesting idea.

That's the only time I ever use it Mark (on the HJ40). At 1000mm+ it can make a big difference, but as soon as the subject moves you have to turn it off or you start to feel sea-sick!
Steve

Your camera battery will probably last a little longer with OIS turned off if you don't need it. It used to make a difference with my SD tape-based cameras.

- Don

Whenever the birds flew into the frame the whole image shifted. And when the wind moved the branches around the nest, the image shifted a little as well.

Very interesting. Does this mean that the EX1 optical image stabilizer is actually an electronic stabilizer then? I always thought an optical stabilizer mechanically moved a prism or lens element opposite of subtle camera motion, and isn't affected by what the camera is "seeing."

I'm pretty sure it's an optical element mechanically moved based on image comparison with previous buffered frames.

Whenever the birds flew into the frame the whole image shifted. And when the wind moved the branches around the nest, the image shifted a little as well. Luckily I caught the the problem and reshot while still there. And w/o the image stabilization on the shot was perfect.

Ok, this does not sound right. Image should not shift if the camera is locked on a tripod. Today I set up my EX1 on a tripod, focused and zoomed in on something far away, then moved foreground images around with stabilizer on. I tried in vain to make the image shift. Nothing happened. I cannot see how the image would shift if the camera is locked down. Can anyone duplicate Olof's claim?

You're right IMHO.

The OIS only reacts to (specific) physical camera movements; the gyro (re)action is inertia-based.

Reacting to a change in the image content is the EIS domain.

Of course we might be wrong - Olof?

I haven't seen this with the EX1, because I keep IS off unless I really need it, but I have had it happen with a V1U. When I'd first got my V1 I left IS on all the time because, well, I really didn't know any better. One day I had done some locked down food shots, when I went to edit them that evening I found that on a couple the image was slowly sliding vertically up and down the screen. Very strange. The next morning the camera went back to Sony to be checked out, and I posted the problem on the V1 board here. The consensus was that the weirdness was the result of IS being left on while the camera was on a tripod. Live and learn...

I shoot with a Z1, V1 and EX1 and can clearly see whether IS is on when I pan and tilt on a tripod because of the 'resistance'. It is worst on the V1 (I wonder if that means the V1's stabilization is best when handheld). I always assign IS to one of the programmable buttons so that I can have it off when on a tripod and when I have to jump up and run around with the camera, IS is only a click away.

I am on a shooting trip right now, in Kentucky and Arkansas. When I get back to the studio I will try to find the and post the footage of the birds. I am pretty sure I kept even the bad footage. If not I will shoot a similar setup and post that.

I have been shooting a comedian for one year, and when I begun, yes, I had trouble with shaky-cam. I am almost always on full tele.

My solution to shaky-cam was proper tilt and pan friction tweaking. I didn't even use any friction on the tripod in the beginning, because I thought it was just getting on my way when doing subtle pans and tilts. The truth is, one thing is making a pan in wide angle and one very different thing is making it in full tele, something I obviously wasn't accustomed to.

In my case though, the problem was mostly about keeping the camera perfectly stable, at Z99, pointing slightly down, for 2 hours... with no friction, it was impossible. And I'm not even counting the people moving around, laughing, hitting the flor and shaking everything.

Today, whenever I set my VERY BASIC Manfrotto tripod, I spend a couple of minutes moving around the camera and making very subtle adjustments to the friction wheels to make sure everything is allright. This, combined with being relaxed and just holding very gently the handle with my fingers (not always using my whole hand) gives me very good results.

If your friction wheels are too loose, instead of just placing your finger for a little counterweight you will have to actually hold the handle to keep the head in place, therefore increasing shakyness. If your friction wheels are too tight, then your pans and tilts will be too rough.

The point of my not-in-camera-IS post is that, precisely, in my case I learnt that "image stabilization" with a tripod must also be calibrated on the tripod itself.

I hope someone finds my experience useful.

Always OFF!

I have to say as well: Always off.
It has never helped on a tripod, only ruined shots when I forgot to turn it off. I also keep it off in most handheld situations, as I find it sometimes make "unatural" looking footage. That´s me though

I tried to find how to program the IS on say button 4 but IS isn't an option to assign to a button...or is it? How to assign on the EX1R?

Thanks

On an EX-1 its in the viewfinder - just toggle it on & off with the joystick.

BTW I have often accidently shot with it on while on tripod and never had a serious issue, but occasionally I have seen drift after a pan and after a few minutes thinking my head is bad I remember to check the OIS.

I know how to toggle it off with the joystick and/or menu but can we assign IS to a button - much faster...

Yeah I get that, I think I've looked for a button and couldn't assign one. If you figure that out let us know.

I shoot with a Z1, V1 and EX1 and can clearly see whether IS is on when I pan and tilt on a tripod because of the 'resistance'. It is worst on the V1 (I wonder if that means the V1's stabilization is best when handheld). I always assign IS to one of the programmable buttons so that I can have it off when on a tripod and when I have to jump up and run around with the camera, IS is only a click away.

Just wondering how to do, if can do, on the EX1R...I guess not.