100-400 L IS

[gordon_kraeger1]

What version of IS is on the current production of these lenses? Is the

tripod caution of turning off the IS applicable to a monopod also?

[marknagel]

I think it is the new because it has both modes. I shoot with it on a tripod on and off, I notice no problems whatsoever. It helps on the tripod and does not show any drifting.

 

m

[mark_chappell]

I don't think Canon has ever revised the 100-400 (never heard of 'Mark I' or 'Mark II' versions

of this lens, unlike many other Canon lenses). It has an early generation of IS and the

recommendation is to turn IS off on a firm tripod. That said, I frequently use my 100-400

on a tripod and frequently forget to turn of IS, and there haven't been any problems with

image sharpness due to IS drift.

 

Monopods are generally not stable enough to warrant switching IS off, in my experience.

[franklin_polk]

I'm almost 100% sure its the Second-gen IS. For a monopod, I think the general consensus is keep the IS on becasue there's still a fair amount of movement. I'm not sure whether the 100-400 needs to have its IS turned off when on a tripod.

[awindsor]

There are no official generations but this is the IS that Canon claims is good for 2 stops, has two modes, and is supposed to be turned off on a sturdy tripod. The 100-400 was the first L zoom lens to come with IS. The latest "generation" is found in the 70-200/2.8 IS, the 70-300 IS, and presumably in some of the DO lenses. It is rated for 3 stops, starts up faster, and auto senses tripods.

[mwaks]

I bought mine Oct 2004. I find that using IS on a tripod causes bluring.

As for the monopod question, ......do a test, if it blurs with the IS on, turn it off. It depends how steady you are with a monopod.

[steve_dunn2]

<p>Canon has never updated the version of IS in a lens; whatever version it had when it was first released is the version it still has.</p>

 

<p>The 100-400's IS is the second generation. Its startup time is about a second (vs. about half a second for some newer ones); it gives about two stops of extra steadiness (vs. about three stops for some newer ones), it has mode 2 for panning, and it does not have tripod mode.</p>

 

<p>All IS lenses work very well on a monopod. Even those, like the 100-400, which lack tripod mode are happy on a monopod, as there is still enough motion for them to detect and correct.</p>

[yakim_peled1]

<p> <i> </i> </p>

<p> <a href="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00BiQt">http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00BiQt</a> </p>

<p> HTH.</p>

 

<p> Happy shooting, <br>

Yakim. </p>

[michael_riggs]

If the camera is mounted on a sturdy tripod, why bother with the IS? You're just wasting battery power.