70-200 IS --- IS on or off for motorsports pictures?

[BDL Motorsports]

I am soon going to try take some action shots. I have a 30D and 70-200 f/2.8 IS lens and planning to do some road course shots ( not super fast driving speeds - small track ) next weekend. I hear the IS works from shutter speeds under 1/500th and wondering whether anyone using this lens for motorsports photo's leaves the IS on ( in mode 2 - panning ) or turns it off.

Learning more and more every day and every shot.



Thanks, Brian

[boom]

I'm no expert, but I leave it on. I don't have the smoothest panning technique, so I'll take any help the lens will give me.

[Picturesports]

Brian - Personally I leave it on. There are more than a couple of threads on here about settings for motorsport but 1/320 or 1/400 should do as a shutter speed

[BDL Motorsports]

Brian - Personally I leave it on. There are more than a couple of threads on here about settings for motorsport but 1/320 or 1/400 should do as a shutter speed

Thanks... I will leave it on

I just wanted to get some heads up as the event coming up happens only once a year.... I may take some pictures nearby a freeway this week and mess around ( hopefully not cause an accident! )

Nice thing about digital... mess around / try settings and delete IF needed...... wouldn't do that with my old film camera.

Brian

[DavidW]

If you're panning, you should switch to Mode 2 if you're going to use the IS. If you leave the lens in Mode 1, the IS will attempt to counteract your panning. I know you'd put this in brackets in your original post, I just wanted to emphasise it.

I'd try with IS Mode 2 before turning IS off. Leaving IS in Mode 1 may be disastrous, or may just make it awkward to pan.



David

[Lenzflair]

David W is right what he says for panning it should be in mode 2, for monopod work on mode 1 for tripod work off. All you will do by using it in mode one is use up you battery more quickly and it will not improve image quality. With good panning technique though you should be able to soot eaily at 1/100th second at 200mm without IS and get good results.
This rally shot was taken with a 70-200mm @ 180mm @1/80thsec