Does my IS work???

[mikekiwi]

Hi,

I bought a used 28-135IS a while ago, it wasn't in brandnew condition (the price was low, I must admit) and now I wan't to know for sure if the IS is still fully functional.
Of course I did some simple tests by looking through the viewfinder with the lens @135mm and both IS on and of, but I can't see any very noticeable difference.

Can anyone think of a foolproof way to test if the IS-system is working or not?

Thank for your help,

Michael

[PeterS45]

Make zome picture if full Tele with a shutter speed of 1/30 or 1/15 with both the IS on and off and check for differences. If the pictures taken with the IS on show motion unsharpness......... be afraid, be very afraid :cry:

[Belmondo]

Make zome picture if full Tele with a shutter speed of 1/30 or 1/15 with both the IS on and off and check for differences. If the pictures taken with the IS on show motion unsharpness......... be afraid, be very afraid :cry:

I would only add that you should take a few pictures each way, and make sure they're handheld. Look for a trend among each group. The IS shots should 'tend' to be sharper. Shooting off a tripod will prove nothing.

If you half-depress the shutter release while holding the lens next to your ear, you should be able to hear the IS operating, but only picture quality will demonstrate if it's working properly.

[evilenglishman]

you should hear a slight noise when the shutter button is half way down. If you wave the camera around slightly you should see through the viewfinder if its working.

[mikekiwi]

Damn...I'm not hearing any sounds that it works, I can't see it work through the viewfinder...

I soend the past hour making about hundred of test shots. Always series of three; three with IS, three without. Next subject: three with IS, three without. It's hard to see a trend as sometimes two out of three with IS are good and sometime the non-IS sreie got two out of three good too.

I got down to 1/2 sec. and still got sharp results with IS off (maybe I don't need IS or maybe the swith is broke so every shot is with IS.

I'll continue testing, but it still not clear whether it is working or not... :shock:

[defordphoto]

Don't waste shutter actuations on seeing if it's working or not. Turn it on and partially press the shutter and you should hear a slight whirring sound. If you don't, it's broke. That simple.

[mikekiwi]

So Jim, you mean that no sound is definitely no IS? The only thing I hear is the focusing mechanism and after focus lock the only thing that's left is the sound of silence...

The tests do not bring any clarity, so I think I'm going to look for another 28-135IS owner in my neighbourhood and try to compare the lenses.

I had another problem with this lens on my D60 as it produces every once in a while a Err01 on the D60. I only have to detache the lens and attach it again and the problem is gone for about 60 shots, but then it returns.
So I think there's some electronical malfunction within the lens... Does anybody have any idea on what the cost of an eventual repair by Canon will be?

Thanks for your help sofar...

[Sonex305]

I just got my new 28-135 IS and when I started using it I thought the same thing. Mine makes no noticable noise when the IS kicks in either.

Try looking through the viewfinder with IS off and move left and right an inch or two and see how it looks while doing that. Then, turn IS on and focus on something and do the same thing moving left and right. My manual for the lens says it can take 1 sec. for the IS to start working. Do that a few times and if all is working correctly, you should notice a difference in what you see. Good luck!

Craig

[defordphoto]

There's a gyro in there. It will make a faint whirring sound. And as said before when it's working and you move the camera up and down, the IS will delay the movement in the viewfinder. The lens has to "catch-up" with the actual camera movement.

[mikekiwi]

The only differnece I seen between IS on and off is that when IS is on, de image in the viewfinder shifts a bit to the side when I depress the shutter halfway. That doesn't happen when IS is off.

I cant' see any sign of delay when moving the camera up and down, so I think I've got a problem... :?

[thomascanty]

My 28-135 doesn't make any noise when the IS activates, either (well, not a noticeably discernable noise, anyway -- my 75-300 is a noisy bastard, though!). I can see that the IS is working by moving the camera back and forth a little while the shutter is half depressed. When I do that the picture in the viewfinder will jerk back and forth as the IS tries to catch up.

The only differnece I seen between IS on and off is that when IS is on, de image in the viewfinder shifts a bit to the side when I depress the shutter halfway. That doesn't happen when IS is off.

Sounds like it's working to me.