Does IS help with tracking focus

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vchaney

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I'm looking at witching systems from Olympus to Canon and have been looking at the lens line up. I mainly shoot mountain sports and some wildlife (including my rather fast moving dog!).

I have been looking at a 7D and the 70-200mm f4 lenses but was wondering whether or not the IS actually helps focus tracking. As the stabilisation happens in the lens I can see that it could help keep the AF point on the target. Does anyone have experience to suggest this might be the case? If not, I think I will go for the non-IS version to save a few pennies.

Cheers,

Vince
 
IS is a problem with panning/tracking as it can fight against intended movement. Many lenses have an IS-2 mode that switches out the IS in the direction of movement, and the very latest lenses have an IS-3 mode that take this a step further (if you have a few grand to spend).

When you're shooting action though, you need good light to keep the shutter speed up anyway (IS does not correct subject movement, only camera movement) so IS is either unnecessary or much less beneficial.

Another very good alternative is to use a monopod. Does the same thing as IS, possibly better, and works in all situations.
 
IS = image stablizer in Canon's term or VR for nikon, OS for sigma and VC for tamron etc.

Someone will correct me if i'm wrong on this but i always have the understanding that stablizer only help you and improve any camera shake when using a slow shutter. Of course it need to be reasonable slow shutter, i.e the IS won't help you much if your shutter is 30 sec ....... says you shooting at 200mm at f4 and in theory you can hand held at 1/100 sec but you need be steady, but IS will help you on that.

Weather you need IS or not if up to you, i personally will have it if fund is allow otherwise i can work without IS.
 
I thinK IS will help mostly when shooting wildlife (still) from a distance, when lighting isn't ideal, i.e it would allow a slower shutter so you can have lower ISO, less wide apeture etc.

As others have said there is the 2 modes on some lenses, one for panning and one for general.
 
Thanks guys.

I understand what IS does, I've had it in my past few cameras, just built into the body, not the lens.

I take a lot of shots of animals/bikes etc moving towards the camera and at longer telephoto range camera shake during focus can be an issue (the focus point is harder to keep on the subject). What I am wondering is whether having IS in the lens is of any benefit. I also understand the IS modes piece.
 
I have a 7D and a 5D2 and use them both with my 70-200 f4 non IS and I don't miss IS at all with the lens. I shoot wildlife, BIF and basically everything else and my most used lens is my 70-200. It focusses fast, its light and easily handled and it does give fantastically sharp images. I would of gone for an IS version if I'd had the money at the time, but now I've used it for a while I wouldn't get rid of it just to get an IS one. Maybe, if someone offered me a swap for an IS version for my non IS I would want to take a few shots first before saying yes as mine gives exceptional IQ.
 
I just had a quick play with my 70-200 and couldn't see an awful lot of benefit panning with IS. Odd, as I thought it would help.

I think the only thing it could help with is possibly removing vertical shake while panning horizontally (so better pics of cars etc with the background blurred out more smoothly) - and perhaps locating your target in the first place.
 
vchaney said:
Thanks guys.

I understand what IS does, I've had it in my past few cameras, just built into the body, not the lens.

I take a lot of shots of animals/bikes etc moving towards the camera and at longer telephoto range camera shake during focus can be an issue (the focus point is harder to keep on the subject). What I am wondering is whether having IS in the lens is of any benefit. I also understand the IS modes piece.
Click to expand...

Yes, in-lens IS is better with longer lenses, though there's not much in it. The other benefit is in-lens stabilises the viewfinder which makes life easier for both the photographer and the camera's AF to lock on.

Edit: BTW, the IS versions of the Canon 70-200s are not the same as the non-IS in a few ways. Different and better optics, plus weather sealing and circular aperture blades. That's where most of the extra cost goes, not just on the IS.
 
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Thanks guys, very helpful. Think I'll stump up the extra if I end up switching.
 
I found that when shooting horse jumping I was using a fast enough shutter speed to eliminate the need of is/vr so turned it off.
 
vchaney said:
As the stabilisation happens in the lens I can see that it could help keep the AF point on the target. Does anyone have experience to suggest this might be the case?
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Well, yes, that's what happens, but I find that it's not really such an issue with a 200mm lens. Try hand-holding a 500mm or 600mm, and the IS can be invaluable for getting the focus point on the target.
 
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