patcam Loc: chelmsford essex uk

I recently bought a Panny gx7 with 14-45 0is and 45-200 ois lenses, my problem is do i turn off stabiliser in the camera and just use the stabiliser in the lens, or use the stabilise in the camera and turn off the lens stabiliser, or maybe leave them all switched on ?

rjaywallace Loc: Wisconsin

You use both and let the camera decide (seriously).

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

If you use a tripod, you may want to check to see if they recommend turning it off. Check the Manual.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

The GX7 has the earliest implementation of Panasonic's in-body image stabilization. Leave both stabilizers on when not using a tripod. Turn both OFF when using a tripod. You may wish to experiment with one, then the other, then both stabilization systems, with each of your lenses, to get a sense of how much stabilization you can get (how slow can you go?). Your results will vary with your physical condition, caffeine intake, mood, etc. (!).

Generally, in-body image stabilization is best with lenses shorter than 100mm. In-lens stabilization is best for use in longer lenses. This is why some manufacturers don't put stabilization in their shorter lenses.

Both Olympus and Panasonic have excellent in-body stabilizers in their very latest cameras. Most older Panasonic lenses that have OIS will be updated with new firmware that supports the Dual IS II in the new G85 and GH5 cameras. That system is good for up to 5.5 stops of shake reduction!

patcam Loc: chelmsford essex uk

thanks for your help

Delderby Loc: Derby UK

Hi Bill - have you a moment to expand on the above? As a Panny user with 14-45 and 45-150 would you advocate my shutting off IOS altogether? Del.

johneccles Loc: Leyland UK

Use the in camera stabiliser and turn the lens stabiliser off, never use both stabilisers at the same time.

Linckinn Loc: Okatie, SC and Edgartown, MA

Thank you for all your excellent knowledge and willingness to share it so often on UHH. This stabilization issue has intrigued me since I saw the Olympus OM1 Mark 2 announced with 5.5 stops of IS. I shoot with a GX8 (similar to your GH4) and some Panasonic and some Olympus lenses. I find the image quality excellent and the stabilization (and thus sharpness of detail in the image) unbelievable. But I don't know whether it translates to 1 or 2 stops, or 4 or 5 approaching the OM1 M2. I like my GX8 so much, I don't want to buy the Olympus; but if it gained 2 or more stops in IS (along with all the other accolades it has received) I would probably do it. From your comments above, it sounds like I am already at or close to that standard, which would conform to my subjective feeling of the results.

Concerning your comment above, I am one model back from the GH5 and G85, but still do have the dual system, which works wonderfully. So do I hear you correctly in saying I already have all or most of the IS of the OM1 Mark 2? Great news if true, and it wouldn't surprise me as it is hard to believe I could improve on what I have.

Thanks.

Warbird Loc: Sweden

Actually, the newer Panny´s, camera and lens, are designed to work together with IS active on both.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

As rjay said, leave them both turned on. A Nikon article I read recommended turning off only one of them, and always the same one, when you want to disable stabilization. If you turn both of them off, you may forget to turn both back on. I leave my lenses switched on and use the switch on the camera for VR on/off.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

If your lens is compatible with Dual IS or Dual IS II, AND your camera has one of those features, leave both camera IS and lens IS on unless you're using a tripod.

A few older Panasonic lenses with Mega OIS are not compatible with Dual IS. Use them with lens OIS OR body IS, but not both. Your camera manual should list the incompatible lenses.

Many older lenses will get a firmware update later this year to make them compatible with Dual IS in the G80/85 and GH5.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

On recent Panasonics with Dual IS and Dual IS II, the in-body and in-lens stabilization systems are programmed to work IN TANDEM. Only a few older lenses with Mega OIS won't work that way.

If your lens has no internal IS, it will work with in-body IS on Panasonic Dual IS or Dual IS II bodies. Third party lenses without internal IS will work with the in-body IS as well. Third party lenses with internal IS should have their internal IS OFF, unless the adapter you use will power their electronics.

Olympus' few lenses with internal IS will NOT work in tandem with the Dual IS or Dual IS II systems. The OIS in Panasonic lenses will NOT work in tandem with Olympus bodies with IBIS. This is one of the annoyances of Micro 4/3 — Not all features of bodies and lenses are cross-brand compatible, even though all the lenses fit all the bodies.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

The GX7 has Dual IS... the very first implementation of it on a Panasonic body. You can use the in-body stabilization alone, with Olympus and other brands of lenses. You can use the in-body stabilization IN TANDEM with later models of Panasonic lenses with Power OIS. The two systems work together to provide maximum shake reduction.

Panasonic, Canon, Olympus, Nikon... All have slightly different IS systems.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Tricky question... I wouldn't give up a GX8 just to get a stop or two more image stabilization. From DPReview: "Panasonic says that the Dual IS system is 3.5x and 1.5x more effective at wide-angle and telephoto, respectively, compared to the GX7 that preceded it. It's worth noting that much of the improvement at short focal lengths is due to the fact the GX8's in-body stabilization can counter translational movement and the GX7 could not. ...In our tests we found that the GX8 gives you about 3 stops of stabilization at telephoto focal lengths (200mm equiv. in this case). In real-world terms that means you still get the majority of shots in-focus at ~1/60 sec with IS compared to ~1/320 sec without it. That's not quite as good as the 4 stops we measured on the Olympus PEN-F."

From what I've read, the GX8 combined stabilization is almost on par with the original Olympus OM-D EM-1 (NOT the Mark II) IBIS. The G85 and GH5 should be on par with the Oly OM-D EM-1 Mark II IBIS.

The only reason I'd upgrade from a GX8 would be to get a better shutter. With the recent firmware upgrade, the GX8 switches to electronic shutter mode to avoid its inherent shutter shock between about 1/60 and 1/320 second. Electronic shutters are not for every photographic situation, as they tend to have "rolling shutter effect" when the camera is panned. The G85 solved that with a different shutter. However, unless you photograph lots of action, it probably doesn't matter.

Stabilization beyond 5 stops is probably marginal, anyway. There aren't many photographic situations where you truly need more than that much help, because any motion in the scene gets blurred at a certain point (which depends on many factors). My GH4 isn't stabilized, but my lenses are, and so far, I haven't encountered situations where I truly needed Dual IS. I get 2.5 to 3.5 stops of stabilization, depending on focal length and how much coffee I've consumed.

Like all cameras, it isn't perfect, but the GX8 is a fine machine. I'd probably skip a generation before updating.

I have a GH4, and while the GH5 is a HUGE upgrade from that, I may wait for the GH6. Hmm... that's probably three years away... GAS will probably get me before then, especially if the price comes down to $1600 or so. Of course, if Trump puts a lot of tariffs on foreign goods, that won't happen... Ahh, risk!

When I upgrade, it won't be for any one feature, it will be for an overwhelming lot of them.

Linckinn Loc: Okatie, SC and Edgartown, MA

Thank you very much. That confirms my hopes, and leaves me my plan that I can forget about the Olympus and continue with my GX-8. I agree with skipping a model and not upgrading for a few years until a GX-10 comes out. As you say, though, hard to believe GAS won't get me before then.

Many thanks for your help.