How can I tell if IS is working?

[MegaHurtz]

I just bought a Canon lens today (used, from this board), and I want to verify that ths IS is working. Not that I don't think it is, just because I paid good money for this lens, and I want to make sure everything is in working order.

The lens is an EF-S 17-85 IS USM.

Thanks!

[LightRules]

1) Audibly: go to a silent room, put your ear to the lens, half press shutter...you'll hear it engage.
2) Visually: zoom in to 85mm, look through the VF, focus on some static object, try it with the IS on then off a few times, you can see the difference.

[basroil]

1) Audibly: go to a silent room, put your ear to the lens, half press shutter...you'll hear it engage.


this is the prefered way to tell, just because IS is pretty noisy (odd sounding hum, and clicks when it starts and stops). not nearly as noisy as a telephoto IS, but you can still hear it w/o putting your ear next to it.

other way (other than looking though the lens while @85mm) is to just feel it. while IS is on, the camera will move oddly when you pan it around. may sound odd, but you can just tell when it's on... as long as you made sure that IS is on with that little switch...

[ibdb]

With the 17-85, I'd actually vote for option 2. The IS on the 17-85 is much quieter than on my 70-300.

[RodneyCyr]

Take some pictures with and without IS at slow shutter speeds. Compare them.

[MegaHurtz]

I can definitely hear it. Sounds kinda scratchy? When it turns on and off, sounds like the sound an aperture makes when it opens/closes

[basroil]

that's it

[MegaHurtz]

The scratchiness isn't a bad sign? Or is that just cuz I'm holding it so cloe to my ear?

[LightRules]

The scratchiness isn't a bad sign? Or is that just cuz I'm holding it so cloe to my ear?

The latter; you're fine. Your IS is working just right.

[CRE@TE]

Scratchy means it's working.

[MegaHurtz]

thanks :)