To shoot or not to shoot.....with IS

Yeah,

Just wondering about that. A friend was telling me that sports photographers don't shoot with their IS on. What's your take?

If I am panning with a slow shutter speed to show motion, then I use IS. If I am going for a stop-action shot, then I leave IS off.

Why use it? Most of the time I am using fast shutter speed to stop action so IS is irrelevant. In fact, most the lenses I use for sports don't have IS.

If the shutter speed is at like 500, would the IS being on mess with that?

I use it on my 300. I paid for it damit, I'm going to use it.

Dan-o wrote in post #9117478
I use it on my 300. I paid for it damit, I'm going to use it.

ROFL!!!! same here..


I use it if I think that i am at a brink where it could be useful

If your shutter is faster than your focal length there is no point using it...

MJPhotos24 wrote in post #9117984
If your shutter is faster than your focal length there is no point using it...

exactly but I was referring to those times where it is close... 1/320th-1/400th on my 300.. etc...

canonnoob wrote in post #9118189
exactly but I was referring to those times where it is close... 1/320th-1/400th on my 300.. etc...

Psh, who shoots at that speed with a 300 or 400?

(Answer: I do in baseball very often dropping it to 250 when shooting a still batter so I can drop the ISO - and yes IS is on, ha - night bad lighting obviously)


Use it enough to have to had pay for it, probably not but nice to have it when you need it - and CPS wasn't, or maybe still isn't (they made changes), servicing the old lenses without it.

I have the 100-400L and don't use the IS.
I actually found it annoying when I first got the lens and it has been turned off ever since...that was five years ago.

As a result, when I bought my 700-200/2.8 and 300/2.8 I specifically sought out the non IS versions because I don't use it.
And I go down to shutter speeds as low as 1/10th sec when doing things like panning and other arty shots.

Remember Image Stabilizer is not designed to stop movement in a subject on the move and is simply an aid, not a fix-all.

I shoot mainly motorsport, but also do Aussie Rules, netball, cricket, rugby etc.
As far as I know, the other 'togs I shoot with also don't use it either and some of them even have the IS switch taped over so it doesn't inadvertently get switched on.

You could argue that an IS lens will have a better resale value than non IS, which is probably true, but given that I have no intention of selling either the 70-200 or 300 then that is a moot point.
I see no point in spending an extra $600-800 dollars for something I dont use to maybe get maybe an extra $300-400 sometime down the track.

Forgive me for asking this question but...How does IS interfere with sports shooing?

I am just wondering because I would possibly like to use the 70-200 for weddings, portraits, etc.

lespaulowner wrote in post #9124170
Forgive me for asking this question but...How does IS interfere with sports shooing?

At least for me, when I'm out in the field all day, the last thing I need is IS eating up my battery usage.

Dave

OK, Kiddies here's one of my real world camera set up tips to using IS and Super Tele's while shooting sports - YMMV

If you camera can be set via CF to allow for 2 registered shooting styles (eg. Mark III) and these shooting styles can be assigned to the back buttons.

- set up your primary back button for the style that you'll use the most depending upon the current sport & lighting conditions

- set up the secondary back button for a 2nd style ( I usually have the 2nd set up to be able to capture portraits with spot metering, etc.)

OK - so now this is the "Image Stabilazition" part.

Through the CF I assign the Focus Stop button of a Super Tele to activate the "IS".

OK so one minute I can shoot fast action with a high shutter speed without the "IS" by using my primary back focus button and the next if I want to capture a portrait I just move my thumb from the primary to the secondary and if I also need "IS" all I have to do is press the Focus Stop button on the Super Tele.

Best of both worlds.

Fast action & slow shutter speed portraits with "IS"

Palladium wrote in post #9124437
OK so one minute I can shoot fast action with a high shutter speed without the "IS" by using my primary back focus button and the next if I want to capture a portrait I just move my thumb from the primary to the secondary and if I also need "IS" all I have to do is press the Focus Stop button on the Super Tele.

Best of both worlds.

Fast action & slow shutter speed portraits with "IS"

Great plan, Palladium, thanks for the tip.

Dave