Sigma APO 150-500mm f5.6-6.3 lens: I have purchased this lens from my wife. I note it has two Optical Stabilizer features (OS1 & OS2). OS2 detects vertical camera shake and overcomes...

Modnar Loc: Batley' West Yorkshire, UK

I have purchased this lens from my wife. I note it has two Optical Stabilizer features (OS1 & OS2).
OS2 detects vertical camera shake and overcomes blurring. But what does OS1 do?

gsconsolvo Loc: Ruidoso, New Mexico

Modnar wrote:

I have purchased this lens from my wife. I note it has two Optical Stabilizer features (OS1 & OS2).
OS2 detects vertical camera shake and overcomes blurring. But what does OS1 do?

If your purchased it new it should come with a large white instruction sheet in several different languages. Under the heading "About OS (Optical Stabilizer) Features" It says "Set the OS (Optical Stabilizer) switch to Mode 1. Press the shutter button halfway down, confirm the image in the viewfinder is stable then take the picture"

I would say that the meaning is that Mode 1 does not have the vertical camera shake or blurring feature. Not sure what that would really be for because it also says to NOT us OS when using a tripod.

Not sure if this helps you any at all.

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

Use mode 1 when hand holding. Use mode 2 when on a monopod or panning a moving subject. Turn it off when on a tripod.

gsconsolvo Loc: Ruidoso, New Mexico

MT Shooter wrote:

Use mode 1 when hand holding. Use mode 2 when on a monopod or panning a moving subject. Turn it off when on a tripod.

MT you said it much better than I did

Modnar Loc: Batley' West Yorkshire, UK

Many thanks MT. Short, sharp, succinct reply explains all. It's a pity Sigma didn't say that on the otherwise most informatry information sheet in a Babel tower of languages.

TimS Loc: GA

So...should I get the Sigma or the new Tamron 150-600?

chaprick

MT Shooter wrote:

Turn it off when on a tripod.

...which would be about 99% of the time for me.

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

chaprick wrote:

...which would be about 99% of the time for me.

That depends entirely on the user. Mine has never been used on a tripod as it is meant to be a hand-held lens and that's the only way I use mine.

MtnMan Loc: ID

MT Shooter wrote:

That depends entirely on the user. Mine has never been used on a tripod as it is meant to be a hand-held lens and that's the only way I use mine.

I too use mine handheld most of the time and find the OS awesome.

I have a question for you as the photographer I respect the most on UHH. There has been a recent thread on shutting OS off at higher shutter speeds. I'd appreciate your opinion on that. Some are quite passionate about turning it off.

I currently have the view it doesn't hurt to leave it on, even if it doesn't do much for the image above about 1/500 shutter speed on the 150-500, but it none-the-less stabilizes the viewfinder.

Part of my reasoning includes the fact that I have never seen a camera or lens manufacturer suggest that you turn it off at high shutter speed, while most tell you turn it off on a tripod (except for lenses with tripod aware VR). I presume that if it were important they would tell you like they do about use on a tripod.

I'm open to having my current view changed by someone like you.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

Modnar wrote:

I have purchased this lens from my wife. <snip>

Just wondering if she gave you a good deal or if she made a profit when she sold it to you?

I know my wife would have charged me double. :lol: :?

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

MtnMan wrote:

I too use mine handheld most of the time and find ... (show quote)

I regularly turn the OS off on my Sigma 150-500 in very good light conditions where I know I will be shooting at least 1/1000th sec or faster shutter speeds as I find it tends to speed up the AF in those conditions. I always leave it in mode 1 when I am shooting slower shutter speeds or am just not sure due to changing light or shadow conditions, it is extremely effective.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

MT Shooter wrote:

I regularly turn the OS off on my Sigma 150-500 in very good light conditions where I know I will be shooting at least 1/1000th sec or faster shutter speeds as I find it tends to speed up the AF in those conditions. I always leave it in mode 1 when I am shooting slower shutter speeds or am just not sure due to changing light or shadow conditions, it is extremely effective.

Experience matters. If MT uses 1/1000 as a rule for this, I will add that to my list of rules.

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

dsmeltz wrote:

Experience matters. If MT uses 1/1000 as a rule for this, I will add that to my list of rules.

I cannot call it a "rule" per say, just a guideline that I use in the field.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

MT Shooter wrote:

I cannot call it a "rule" per say, just a guideline that I use in the field.

I'll start it as a rule and change it to a guideline when I have used it a while. ;)

MtnMan Loc: ID

MT Shooter wrote:

I regularly turn the OS off on my Sigma 150-500 in very good light conditions where I know I will be shooting at least 1/1000th sec or faster shutter speeds as I find it tends to speed up the AF in those conditions. I always leave it in mode 1 when I am shooting slower shutter speeds or am just not sure due to changing light or shadow conditions, it is extremely effective.

Thanks. I'll try the same.

I too have found it amazingly effective.

I hadn't thought about the effect on autofocus speed. I keep my D800 set to not fire until it is happy with focus and so far only on BIF has that been a bit of an issue. But I use it on continuous shooting in those cases and when I get my tracking on it fires. I get a few partial birds but not many.