List of lenses with strong Image Stabilizer

If you want to see the "strength" of your 18-55 stablizer, then zoom to 55mm and focus on an object. Turn on live view and zoom in to 10X. It'll be super shaky. Now half press the shutter and let the IS kick in. Then you'll REALLY see how "strong" it is.

airfrogusmc wrote in post #10112418
The 200 2Ls IS is amazing. Heres a hand held shot at 1/25 of a sec. I can't hand hold my 85 at 1/25 of sec.
here the 200 2L at 1/25 of a sec.

That is impressive for 1/25 and hand held... One might have a hard time getting that shot at 1/200 with a non-IS lens.

Tadaaa wrote in post #10112675
That is impressive for 1/25 and hand held... One might have a hard time getting that shot at 1/200 with a non-IS lens.

remember he used a FF camera....but it's nevertheless a great demonstration of the usefullness of IS.

ed rader

ed rader wrote in post #10112288
was the plastic mount a clue....or was it the price ?

ed rader

hahahah hahahaha

airfrogusmc wrote in post #10112418
The 200 2Ls IS is amazing. Heres a hand held shot at 1/25 of a sec. I can't hand hold my 85 at 1/25 of sec.
here the 200 2L at 1/25 of a sec.

Great photo, but 1/25 off of a 200mm lens is about 3 stops, right? Pretty much any of the Canon IS lenses can do 3 stops. I'm more amazed that she stood that still for 1/30 of a second. That's my biggest problem with using IS for people shots. Seems like you need 1/100 anyway because people fidget and breathe.

tkbslc wrote in post #10113054
Great photo, but 1/25 off of a 200mm lens is about 3 stops, right? Pretty much any of the Canon IS lenses can do 3 stops. I'm more amazed that she stood that still for 1/30 of a second. That's my biggest problem with using IS for people shots. Seems like you need 1/100 anyway because people fidget and breathe.

I shoot consistently at 1/60 and slower with this lens all the time candids of people at corporate events. You couldn't do that with any non IS 200mm lens and its sharper and at least on stop faster that any of the zooms with 200 in the range.


Canon says 4 stops thats as good as any IS on any Canon lens better than most.

Here see for yourself and check the MTF chart. The only chart better is the 400 2.8 and its about even with the 300 2.8.

http://www.usa.canon.c​om …egoryid=153&mod​elid=16357

Canon 55-250 has good IS, four stops I believe. Sigma 150-500mm also had a great stabilizer.

jxs1984 wrote in post #10112376
with the 18-55mm sometime I can't get a decent shot when shooting slower than 1/30. I would have to do burst shots and pick the best one.

that's not the lenses fault...you need to work on your technique if you can't get off 1/30 with IS on...

picturecrazy wrote in post #10112642
If you want to see the "strength" of your 18-55 stablizer, then zoom to 55mm and focus on an object. Turn on live view and zoom in to 10X. It'll be super shaky. Now half press the shutter and let the IS kick in. Then you'll REALLY see how "strong" it is.

Yep! Agreed!

picturecrazy wrote in post #10112642
If you want to see the "strength" of your 18-55 stablizer, then zoom to 55mm and focus on an object. Turn on live view and zoom in to 10X. It'll be super shaky. Now half press the shutter and let the IS kick in. Then you'll REALLY see how "strong" it is.

hmm... look like the IS in my 18-55mm isn't working because I'm not seeing anything stabilizing through live view zoomed at 10x. no wonder I can't get a decent shot slower than 1/30.

edit: i assigned the 'IS on' to the dof button and IT WORKS! why won't it activate when I half press the shutter? it worked when I tried the 70-200mm IS at the store.

jxs1984 wrote in post #10114663
hmm... look like the IS in my 18-55mm isn't working because I'm not seeing anything stabilizing through live view zoomed at 10x. no wonder I can't get a decent shot slower than 1/30.

yeah...if you put the lens at 10X view, and half press the shutter you should be able to easily notice it start to stabilize...sorry about questioning your technique earlier...i assumed you didn't have a bad lens

jxs1984 wrote in post #10114663
hmm... look like the IS in my 18-55mm isn't working because I'm not seeing anything stabilizing through live view zoomed at 10x. no wonder I can't get a decent shot slower than 1/30.

edit: i assigned the 'IS on' to the dof button and IT WORKS! why won't it activate when I half press the shutter? it worked when I tried the 70-200mm IS at the store.

I am having the same problem. I've had this problem since I first got this lens. It's a shame.

DreDaze wrote in post #10114680
yeah...if you put the lens at 10X view, and half press the shutter you should be able to easily notice it start to stabilize...sorry about questioning your technique earlier...i assumed you didn't have a bad lens

I got it to work by manually assigning the 'IS on' to the DOF button and I can definitely see the image stabilizing... but it doesn't work when I half press the shutter button. Now I'm amazed that I can take photos at 1/10!

Austin.Manny wrote in post #10114688
I am having the same problem. I've had this problem since I first got this lens. It's a shame.

I wonder how many people didn't realize this. The wierd part is when I put it on the tripod and do long exposure with the IS on, the photo comes out blurry which means the IS is working.