Does Av mode consider image stabilization when choosing shutter speed or ISO?

Asked 7/20/2011

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When shooting in Aperture Priority (Av) on a Canon DSLR with Auto ISO, does the camera take lens image stabilization (IS) into account when selecting shutter speed and ISO? In other words, if a stabilized lens could let me hand-hold at a slower shutter speed, will the camera lower shutter speed and ISO accordingly, or do I need to do that manually?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

15y ago

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I can't speak for what a particular make/model does, but a camera shouldn't take IS into account when choosing a shutter speed. This is because the camera doesn't know if you're shooting a moving subject or not.

If you're using a 24mm zoom with a three stop stabiliser the camera could potentially choose a shutter speed of 1/3s which would be fine for a still life, but if shooting people would almost certainly result in motion blur of the subject.

Originally by user1375. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user1375

15y ago

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Generally, no. Av mode meters for exposure and selects shutter speed/ISO based on the light and your settings, but image stabilization is not part of the exposure calculation. IS helps reduce blur from camera shake; it does not change the amount of light reaching the sensor.

That’s why the camera typically won’t assume it can use a slower shutter speed just because IS is available. It also can’t know whether your subject is moving, and a shutter speed that’s fine for a static scene may still blur people, animals, or action.

So yes, in some situations you may be able to get a cleaner image by manually choosing a slower shutter speed and lower ISO than the camera picked in Av, especially for still subjects. But that only works when subject motion isn’t the limiting factor.

A common guideline is the hand-holding limit of about 1/focal length, with IS sometimes letting you go several stops slower, depending on conditions.

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15y ago

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