Image Stabilisation

Hi Guys. Just found this site and looks to be chock full of information for a relative newbie like me.

Bought my first DSLR about 8 months ago (650D) and must say I am loving it. Not a serious photographer like some of you guys but just a keen jpeg shootin' amateur.

To my question. The kit lens, EF-S 18-55 ISII, that came with my camera is my first experience with image stabilisation. When I tried it at slow shutter speeds etc it seemed to take pretty good images, but I am also fairly good at holding it still. Then I purchased another kit type lens, EF-S 55-250 ISII. Suddenly with this lens at slow shutter speeds I can hear and see the IS working, especially at the longer lengths. Now with something to compare to I realise that I cannot hear nor see any IS workings in the 18-55 lens. Is it possible that it has never worked on this lens or is just quieter and I am not noticing due to the reduced focal length?

Turn it off and take the same picture. Look for differences. I'd imagine it is working.

Note that you don't even need to take photos. With IS on or off, it's enough to look through the viewfinder with the lens at the longest possible focal length.

By the way - have you tried to put your ear to the lens and listened when half-pressing the shutter button? After the initial sound from focusing the lens, there should be a bit of humm left from the IS system. I don't own a 18-55 so I don't know exactly how silent it is.

Another thing to remember is that the need for IS increases with focal length. So your 18-55 doesn't need to work so very hard.

pwm2 wrote in post #17069166
Another thing to remember is that the need for IS increases with focal length. So your 18-55 doesn't need to work so very hard.

This is what I thought maybe. As I said I don't notice it working, visually or audibly but it is very noticeable both ways with the 55-250. I might try the ear on the lens suggestion though.

Heya,

Shake and shutter speed is exacerbated at long focal length, and minimal at shorter focal length.

Very best,

put your camera into live view...hit the zoom button, so you're at 10X zoom, and then half press the shutter, you should easily see it stabilize

DreDaze wrote in post #17069476
put your camera into live view...hit the zoom button, so you're at 10X zoom, and then half press the shutter, you should easily see it stabilize

Thanks, never thought of that. Haven't really messed with live view yet.

66FAIRLANE wrote in post #17069107
Not a serious photographer like some of you guys but just a keen jpeg shootin' amateur.

get yourself a raw editing software like lightroom, or photoshop and shoot only in RAW. You’ll be amazed how much you can edit your photos to make them look better that you cannot do in jpeg..

bk2life wrote in post #17069599
get yourself a raw editing software like lightroom, or photoshop and shoot only in RAW. You’ll be amazed how much you can edit your photos to make them look better that you cannot do in jpeg..

Yeh that might happen. But I sit in front of a computer all day at work. When I get spare time I generally like to be doing something else. A lot of my stuff is just family snapshots anyway. Although I should do it for travelling pics etc.

The IS in my 18-55 is remarkably quiet. I once thought it didn't work then I saw it stabilize the lens in the viewfinder. But I have never heard it working and I have tried very hard to hear it.

bk2life wrote in post #17069599
get yourself a raw editing software like lightroom, or photoshop and shoot only in RAW. You’ll be amazed how much you can edit your photos to make them look better that you cannot do in jpeg..

That won't help with motion-blur.

Some lenses are louder than others, the 70-200 f/4 IS sounds like someone spilled a hundred metal beads on the floor every time the IS revs up.

Just checked again using the live view method as suggested, then through the viewfinder. Had to deliberately get a bit of a vibe up. Yes it is working. Just harder to spot due to the short focal length and is absolutely dead silent unlike my other lens. Thanks for the responsse guys.