"Dumb IS" and monopods

[mattsartin]

out of curiosity, what are you shooting? in my experience of people using monopods, they're shooting sports, wherein IS would be useless. If there's another use where it would be helpful, then i apologize.

[photosurfer]

well i often shoot drumlines, and the competitions are usually in the evenings in places where the lighting is usually slim to nonexistent, so the slow shutter speeds mean i have to use IS, monopod, or both. Although i'm sure you do get a lot of people here trying to use IS at 1/2000 while sports shooting so i see what you're saying lol

[Bill W]

My IS is turned on 100% of the time when I'm not using my tripod.


I find IS makes it easier for me to track (keep the crosshairs on the subjects eyes/ head) my subject, i.e. birds flying, people running, which I found very difficult w/out IS.


I also use it on fast moving automobiles.


If you got it....use it. []

[Sinh Nhut Nguyen]

Keep IS on, a monopod only minimizes movement, it does not eleminate it completely.

[btaylor]

I'm in the "majority" boat by the looks of things as I use IS all the time except when mounted to a tripod (or when using a lens without IS [] )

Although i'm sure you do get a lot of people here trying to use IS at 1/2000 while sports shooting so i see what you're saying lol

I understand that IS doesn't add any benefit in terms of camera shake once you reach high shutter speeds, but will leavingIS on while shooting at high shutter speeds actually be detrimental to the shot?


At what point (shutter speed) does IS become useless?


Cheers.

[Ehcalum]

Depends on how steady you are. I rarely shoot below 250 for sports and have no IS.


I find that IS also tends to shorten battery life.

[Daniel Browning]

will leavingIS on while shooting at high shutter speeds actually be detrimental to the shot?

In addition to the battery drain, it can cause its own blur if you happen to take the picture while the I.S. lens group is moving.

At what point (shutter speed) does IS become useless?

I turn it off for anything above 1/500.





"Because it tends to be counterproductive above 1/500. Everyone seems
to think that VR has an infinite cycling time. It doesn't. It's
sampling frequency is just above 1/500. Most pros turn it off for
sports. "


http://www.bythom.com/discipline.htm



"VR off. In fast action, there is no time for the VR to settle, and
it will still be "VRing" while you're taking the picture. Fighting you,
rather than helping you. "
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1034&message=31828838

[btaylor]

Thanks Yoda! [Y] Can always count on you for an answer Daniel. I'll have to do some field testing and see the differences for myself.