Should image stabilization be turned off on a tripod, especially with long telephoto lenses?
Asked 3/13/2013
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I’ve often heard that image stabilization (IS/VR/OS) should be turned off when shooting from a tripod. But many long telephoto lenses, such as 300mm or 600mm models, include stabilization and are often used on tripods or monopods. Is there a focal length where it makes sense to leave stabilization on when the camera is tripod-mounted, or does it depend on something else?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
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It is not so much the focal length as it is the individual design of each lens and IS system. Some of the earliest IS lenses didn't do well on tripods, and that is where the idea to "always" turn off IS when using a tripod came from. It really is lens specific.
Most of the Canon Super Telephoto lenses have IS Systems designed to be used with a tripod. The "II" series even has some lenses with an IS mode that is specifically designed to counteract vibration from the mirror so that mirror lockup, and the accompanying delay, does not have to be used.
Originally by user15871. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user15871
13y ago
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There isn’t a specific focal length where IS suddenly becomes necessary on a tripod. It mainly depends on the lens, the stabilization system, and how stable your support actually is.
Older IS systems could misbehave on a tripod, which is why the old advice was to turn it off. Some newer telephoto lenses are designed to work well on tripods, and certain models even have tripod-specific stabilization behavior.
If your tripod setup is very solid, IS usually isn’t required no matter how long the focal length is. But if there’s vibration from wind, shutter/mirror movement, or a less-stable tripod/monopod, stabilization may help—if your lens supports that kind of use.
So the rule is:
- No universal focal-length cutoff
- Check your lens manual and IS modes
- Leave IS off on a tripod unless you’re seeing vibration that the system can help correct
- On monopods or less-rigid support, IS is often more useful
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