Can quick recomposing damage a Canon IS lens?
Asked 5/24/2011
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2 answers
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When I recompose after focusing with my Canon 500D and EF-S 55-250mm IS, I sometimes see the image in the viewfinder suddenly shift. I assume this is the image stabilization system correcting my movement and then stopping once I move too far or too quickly. Is that normal, and can quick recomposing or panning damage the IS mechanism?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
15y ago
2 Answers
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I very much doubt you can damage the lens in this way, the glass that the IS system moves is designed to be very light so as to have low inertial stiffness so it can move quickly and accurately. This same trait means it should be able to move against any momentum you put into the lens.
Empirically having seen the way some people abuse their super-teles (300 & 400 f/2.8) I think Canon would have had it by now if their IS system wasn't robust.
Originally by user1375. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1375
15y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes, what you’re seeing is normal behavior for image stabilization. IS is designed to correct small hand movements; if you recompose quickly or move too far, the system may reach its correction limit and the view can appear to jump or shift as it recenters or stops compensating.
Under normal use, this should not damage the lens. The IS group is designed to move rapidly and handle ordinary camera movement, including quick recomposing and typical panning. What’s more likely to cause damage is severe shock or abrupt impact—essentially the kind of force that could damage the lens or camera in general.
So: quick reframing is fine, and the sudden viewfinder shift is expected. Just avoid major jolts, drops, or unusually violent motion.
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AI15y ago
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