floating image with new 500f4/L IS

I have had the pleasant opportunity to shoot for the last few days with a friend who shoots semi-professionally with Canon equipment. My friend has the new 500f4/L IS lens, and I noticed she does not use the IS function very much. My primary lens is the 300f4/L IS lens, and I almost never use the lens without the IS functin turned on. when I asked her, she said the image floats in the frame and bothers her, so she does not use it much. I used it today, and to my surprise, the image did float slightly in the frame, as if it were slippery.(this is the only way I can think to descdribe the appearance of the 'float') The image would slide around slightly without any noticable consistant direction. I would like to purchase one of these lenses, and am VERY concerned about this problem. Has anyone experienced this or heard of this problem?

Are you using the IS while on a tripod?

yes, the IS was being used on a tripod. The new IS lenses are meant

to be used on a tripod with the IS function turned on, unlike the

earlier versions, which if on a tripod the IS function is not to be

turned on.

I thought that was the way they were supposed to work. My 28-135 seems to do this with IS turned on. (hand held of course) How else will the image be stabilized? Doesn't the 300 f:4 IS do this, or is the effect just less with the shorter lens

Jim, when I use my 300f4 IS with the IS turned on, handheld, the

image locks in place and totally stabilizes. There is no movement at

all once the stabilizer kicks in. I guess I just expected this to be

the case with all the IS lenses. I would think that if the image

moves AT ALL in the viewfinder, then this would also be recorded on

film, since what we see in the viewfinder is just a mirrored (sp)

image of what will be recorded on the film when the shutter is

released.

The reason I asked about tripod use was that there was always

conflicting infromation about new IS use on tripods. Canon's <a

href="http://www.usa.canon.com/camcambin/cameras/eflenses/ef600-4.html

">product info</a> mentioned use with a <i>monopod</i>, but not

tripod. <a

href="http://www.usa.canon.com/insight/00005.html">elsewhere</a> on

the same site, they state, "Even more impressive, the IS is now

<b>fully functional even when using a solid tripod</b>, correcting the

effects of mirror �slap� and shake in the critical 1/30th - 1/2 second

range." So, there was always question about how effective IS would be

with tripod use. Maybe contact Canon and see if there's a problem

with your sample, or if this is what it's s'posed to be doing?

I found an article in one of the EOS magazines issue 14ish, although

this did refer to the 75-300 consumer lens, that states something

like "do not us IS on a tripod as this will confuse the IS system and

make it oscillate.

 

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From the UK, not sure of your country, if you call Canon on

0990143723 they are very helpful.

I found the article now, as follows:-

 

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EOS Magazine, Issue 11 page 346

 

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"WHEN NOT TO USE IS

 

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Image Stabilization should not be used when the camera is mounted on

a tripod. As well as being unnecessary, it can confuse the system and

cause it to shake continuously."

As pointed out above (but clearly needs repeating) the new IS

telephotos (300/2.8, 400/2.8, 500/4 and 600/4) are designed so that IS

can be used when the lens is mounted on a tripod. The older 75-300 IS

was not.

 

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Since I have not yet used one of the new IS telephotos, I can't

comment on the "floating image" problem.

Arthur Morris is logging up the miles with these newest IS lenses, so

you might try e-mailing or calling him for his input.

Have not used one myself yet (waiting for a 300mm f2.8)....BUT.......

I would assume that the amount of IS correction (and consequent 'image

float') will be proportional to the amount of user-induced shake. As a

500mm will magnify a shaky hand far more than a 300mm, does it not

follow that the images from the former will exhibit a more 'active'

image as the IS function tries harder to compensate?

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I have been using the 500f4/L IS for three months and I never switch

off the IS. The performance has been fantastic--shooting with the

doubler off an undersized tripod (Bogen 3221) and car window mount

(Rue Groofwin Pod). I hold my face tight to the eyecup, right hand on

the camera grip and left hand above the tripod mount. The one time I

tried to go "hands off" with a cable release, however, I did

experience "floating" and it freaked me out. But I had forgotten

about it until now. I'll check further to find out what's going on. I

suspect that the IS system needs to detect some kind of movement in

order to work properly.