Blaster34 Loc: Florida Treasure Coast

Everything I read points to turning off stabilization (OS) when using a tripod. However, presuming the electronic shutter works by turning the sensor on and off again and is supposedly silent, ie, without the moving parts of a mechanical shutter, then should it really matter if the camera's OS is turned off or not while on a tripod? Does that technique also apply to lenses with built-in stabilization? Cheers!

BebuLamar

If the mechanical shutter caused vibration then it stabilization should be used even on tripod. The idea of turning off stabilization is that it may work even though there is no vibration and actually causes the image to be less sharp. So if you turn off stabilization when using tripod then do it with electronic shutter too.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

You couldn't possibly have read 'everything' as all modern technology can / will sense a tripod and not cause a problem. If your conclusion is opposite, 'everything' you're read is wrong.

Blaster34 Loc: Florida Treasure Coast

So, you say its the actual stabilization system that may cause vibrations? But if there is no movement (ie tripod) sensed, should stabilization even be actuated? So, while on a tripod, the idea is to prevent any possible stabilization input, it should be turned off?

BebuLamar

I said it might but in my opinion a good stabilization system shouldn't do anything if there is no vibration and thus you never need to turn it off. But I think those say you should turn it off when used on tripod are afraid that it may works and cause vibration when there is no vibration not because they think of the little vibration from the shutter.

Blaster34 Loc: Florida Treasure Coast

I believe I said everything "I" read, not that I read "everything" possible on all modern technology AND..... I also believe I never concluded "anything."....just asking a question on the technology and the reasons why.

Blaster34 Loc: Florida Treasure Coast

ricardo00

There are many potential causes of vibration even when using a tripod which could benefit from the image stabilization of a lens and camera being on, including the movements of the shutter, wind moving the lens, your pressing the shutter button, etc However in the "early days" of image stabilization one could see that turning off this system would result in a sharper photo (I actually did some tests a number of years ago and saw this) when the unit was on a tripod. However with the newer image stabilization systems this is not very common.

Orphoto Loc: Oregon

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Blaster34 Loc: Florida Treasure Coast

Thanks Ricado, especially with technology improving at warp speed I can see it may/may not make a difference with these new mirrorless cameras.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

This topic comes up a lot. The CORRECT answer varies by camera brand and model! Stabilization systems are NOT standard. Is yours in the lens? In the body? In both? How many axes of movement are involved? Three? Five?

Some cameras automatically turn on stabilization when there is camera movement and turn it off when there is none. Others can't discern that, so they require the user to turn it off when the camera is on a tripod. Consult your full operations manual for the details. Older cameras are more likely to require your intervention to avoid movement CAUSED by the stabilizer(s).

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

petrochemist Loc: UK

Exactly!
Many web articles or manufacturers recommendations date back to the times when stabilization was prone to causing issues. It's not a major problem even with my older stabilized cameras (like the 2006 Pentax K100d), but I'm quite willing to believe it could cause some loss of sharpness with that.
I found the loss of sharpness far less than me forgetting to turn stabilization on again, which has also been the case when using a stabilized lens using this with IBIS on a system the doesn't coordinate the two is rather like not having any stabilization.

Blaster34 Loc: Florida Treasure Coast

Concise and crystal clear, thanks Burk...

goldstar46 Loc: Tampa, Fl

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Dear Blaster-34 ...

I am a Canon user and currently own the EOS R5... I too, have continued to struggle with the same question

Being the 'Geek' that I am, I decided to perform my own 'ad-hoc' test by doing the following...

1- Set my camera w/ my RF 100-500mm @ 500. setup in my residence office, point across the street
2- Tripod was a Mammer-Jammer $ 1,200/ Gitzo, carbon fiber, w/ a $ 350 Gembal head..
3- Set my shutter speed to 1/10 second, and using the display monitor on the back of the camera
4- I then 'focused' on an 'element' across the street @ 500mm and set AutoFocus 'Off'
5- At this point, I used the 'zoom' function of the camera to 'zoom' in 16x, to test this at extremes.

..... Yes, the above is effectively 8,000mm (500x16) but, after all, you want to see the results

With the above, after taking all 'hands-off' the equipment... one can see "NO movement" of the image.
..BUT, if you 'switch' "IS" on, and take 'hands-off' ... you will see distinct 'Image Drift' in the camera display

. Just saying... and that is only "MY TEST" for my purpose and consideration...
..The above are 'real life facts' and not just some 'theory' or 'guess' or unverified 3rd party information ???
...I do most of my work in landscapes... and after all, what can it hurt to turn off 'IS" if you are on a tripod??

As a result of the above, I have made the personal decision that when I use a tripod, me personally, I will turn off the "IS" as a matter of personal choice, and a 'extra measure' to guard against 'sensor drift'

I offer the above only as info... and to each his own...
...... I am not professing that is this the right way to do things or not the right way

Just information for consideration


Cheers
Goldstar46
George Veazey
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