Terence Danks wrote: > I am not sure I know where this thread is going. No one is more convinced of the > efficacy of, or is more enthusiastic about IS technology than myself. However, > after several attempts, I came to the conclusion it just does not really do much > for a lens/camera in rapid motion, as in panning in either mode 2 or mode 1. > When IS is engaged and I am trying to follow a moving object, I find the image > seems to lag behind the motion, making it very hard to follow it. The object > seems to then ""lurch" forward in the viewfinder as it attempts to catch up. In > one attempt the lens began a "screeching" sound and I quickly turned it off! > All very disconcerting and, I repeat, "worse than useless" for me personally in > this particular application. I only have experience with the EF300/2.8L IS in > this respect. While I also have the EF600/4L IS, I have not done any panning > with it and, rather obviously, do not hand hold it when shooting. > I still think the question raised earlier needs to be answered. Why have a > switch at all if the lens operates as suggested? Still makes no sense. > > My understanding is that the IS works in two directions at 90 degrees . . . > usually perpendicular and parallel to the horizon. In normal "landscape mode" > panning, mode 2 would be engaged. The lens would stabilize in the direction > perpendicular to the direction of panning with no effect in the other direction. > It seems obvious that IS can not possibly be effective in the direction of > panning. Trouble is, in my application, I am always panning at an oblique angle. > I don't see how IS can be of help here. And my personal experience has borne > this out. Perhaps a simple panning operation, with a well behaved object, like a > sports car, mode 2 might be effective. I have not had such cooperative subjects
One last thing from me to really confuse the issue. Six months ago, Arthur Morris said that he preferred Mode 1 for general Birds in Flight images. He said that in most situations, the swing was inadequate to engage mode 2. I think he means that unless the subject is at 90 degrees and you are moving your lens fairly rapidly, mode 2 may not perform as promised. This is not a quote. I'm speaking from memory. I think we all should test our own lenses and come to our own conclusions. I'll be glad to share my experiences when I get time to experiment. I urge others to do the same. I think this is an interesting thread. The owner's manual does not address any of these issues. I've found very little information on the internet. One of the problems is the advancement of IS from the first lens to the last. There have been at least 4 different versions: the original, the 100-400 adding mode 2, the super tele's with tripod enabled IS and finally the new 70-200 f/2.8 IS with 3-stop improvement. Who knows what's next? Ray Amos -- All outgoing mail is Virus scanned by Norton 2002 Anti Virus * **** ******* *********************************************************** * For list instructions, including unsubscribe, see: * http://www.a1.nl/phomepag/markerink/eos_list.htm ***********************************************************
