IS / VR & Tripods

[jbee]

I posted this on another thread but as that was model specific I thought I might re-post it here for any other newbies like me that might be interested, and making the same mistakes as me.

On the weekend I was playing with my remote release and the new tripod to get used to them, I was using LiveView for a change instead of the viewfinder because I wanted to try the 10x zoom on the screen in LiveView to see what bit was focused. I was using my 7d and 70-200 IS f4L lens.

I noticed that using the LiveView zoom in what looked like a stable image through the viewfinder or not zoomed in on the LiveView was drifting around a bit, I checked all the tripod locks and ball head locks and all were tight. plus the tripod was outside on solid ground.

I went in to look through my manuals and the first one I read was the lens manual which said you MUST switch Image Stabilisation IS off when tripod mounted. So I went back out using the same settings and watched it with the IS on and it wandered, and Off and the image went rock solid.

I know for the experts this is obvious, but I think for any beginners out there like me it's worth sharing as there are that many settings on these things that there is a lot to take in at first and its easy to miss something. Maybe for some this might be a cause, especially on close range stuff, for the focus not being where you thought it was or slightly blurry images.

NB - you can only see this when using LiveView and zooming the Live View screen, just through the view finder or normally on LiveView it all looks steady as the motion produsced by the IS is very small.
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[kiwi]

Most of the newer pro grade lenses with VR or IS actually have a tripod mode now

[vk2gwk]

Most of the newer pro grade lenses with VR or IS actually have a tripod mode now

Mine don't... and I regularly forget to switch IS off (and switch it on again after I switched it off). It is one of those things..... I have trained myself to check settings very regularly. It is not only the IS but also when switching between Av, Tv, M, a custom setting or P and when you have the focus or light sampling mode or ISO changed....

Also make it a habit to reset all settings at the end of a shoot or a series to your "standard" setting (for me that is P, One Shot, Evaluative metering ISO 100 FEC +2/3). Next time you grab the camera for a quick shot you should not have to do the reset.

And then again: check before you shoot to see if you did not forget your good intentions....

[Cheach]

Thank you Jbee for sharing this information. I didn't know that IS must be off for tripod.

Again another thing i learnt for being part of AP.

[kiwi]

You guys should read the manuals

[jbee]

You guys should read the manuals

Is that the reason for your Poll Kiwi

But seriously my 70-200L is probably what you might call a Pro lens, and some reviews even say it has Tripod detection, Canon don't however and mine definitely does not, and it's brand new. I think if I had not tried the zoomed in Live view I would never have noticed this issue or seen why they say to turn it off.

Cheers - john

[kiwi]

I actually went searching for official canon data but I can say that after my eyes started burning and my skin peeling there was a definate lack of data re is and tripod as you say

And yes, you were the poll prompter, seemed a good question to me