how to check EF-S 18-55 IS working?

[law321]

Hi there,

I am a newbie and just bought the 400D and a EFS 18-55 IS version lens. Read quite a number of articles recommending this IS version but when I checked my test photos with and without IS they almost the same (as in sharpness).

Please help telling me how to check if the IS is working!!

Thanks and happy new year 2008 to all!

[aloyyolaaloy]

Originally Posted by law321 Hi there, I am a newbie and just bought the 400D and a EFS 18-55 IS version lens. Read quite a number of articles recommending this IS version but when I checked my test photos with and without IS they almost the same (as in sharpness). Please help telling me how to check if the IS is working!! Thanks and happy new year 2008 to all!

question...
-did you use the EFS 18-55 to compare with the EFS 18-55 IS or did you just switch
the IS on and off? because if you use the same lens the sharpness should be the same with or without the IS.

[coolsigg]

Originally Posted by law321 Hi there, I am a newbie and just bought the 400D and a EFS 18-55 IS version lens. Read quite a number of articles recommending this IS version but when I checked my test photos with and without IS they almost the same (as in sharpness). Please help telling me how to check if the IS is working!! Thanks and happy new year 2008 to all!

to test, shoot the same subject say at 1/8 or 1/15 shutter speed with and without IS. The IS is supposed to give you up to 3 stops advantage and hence should produce sharper pics at low shutter speed.

[law321]

Originally Posted by aloyyolaaloy question... -did you use the EFS 18-55 to compare with the EFS 18-55 IS or did you just switch the IS on and off? because if you use the same lens the sharpness should be the same with or without the IS.

Thanks for the quick reply.

Yes, i was using the same lens just switched on and off.. does it mean that's a redunctant switch?

However, does it any method to check the IS function whether working fine?

[law321]

Originally Posted by coolsigg to test, shoot the same subject say at 1/8 or 1/15 shutter speed with and without IS. The IS is supposed to give you up to 3 stops advantage and hence should produce sharper pics at low shutter speed.

Pardon for my ignorance... what does 3 stops mean?

[law321]

Thanks Coolsigg and aloyyolaaloy for the quick reply.

I checked using Coolsigg's method, it seems alright . Here the comparison :

how to post the pictures...? :P

[law321]

All ISO 200

[cherkel]

technically u can feel it..
press the shutter putton with IS off, then hold the button and on the IS...
u will feel the IS working in the lens, and see difference in ur view finder...
get smeone to help u, i know is tough to do that...hehehee....

learn from a reputable shop saleman..
well, it works for me...

[law321]

Originally Posted by cherkel technically u can feel it.. press the shutter putton with IS off, then hold the button and on the IS... u will feel the IS working in the lens, and see difference in ur view finder... get smeone to help u, i know is tough to do that...hehehee.... learn from a reputable shop saleman.. well, it works for me...

You mean... view from your viewfinder will be "stablilized"? or you could hear some "mechanical sound" ?

[cherkel]

u will see a slight sudden movement from the viewfinder..
u cant hear any sound...
but u can feel the IS working on the lens...
but sometime even if it is spoilt, u can still feel the IS moving...

[law321]

Originally Posted by cherkel u will see a slight sudden movement from the viewfinder.. u cant hear any sound... but u can feel the IS working on the lens... but sometime even if it is spoilt, u can still feel the IS moving...

Ok, will try that too Thanks

[parhjin]

used another lens with IS once. you can tell whether the IS is ON or OFF just by looking through the viewfinder.

1. Look through viewfinder at your scene. (and 1/2 press shutter?)
2. move your camera slightly to centre on another subject.
3a. If IS is OFF, the view changes directly according to your movement.
3b. If IS is ON, you will see a slight lag as the view "drifts" to the new view.

quite fun to see.
of course the better way is to ust compare shots as you have done.

tip: turn IS off when on a tripod. otherwise the IS tries to compensate for non-existent vibration and end up blurring up the shot. (some new IS avoid this behaviour)

[aloyyolaaloy]

Originally Posted by law321 Hi there, I am a newbie and just bought the 400D and a EFS 18-55 IS version lens. Read quite a number of articles recommending this IS version but when I checked my test photos with and without IS they almost the same (as in sharpness). Please help telling me how to check if the IS is working!! Thanks and happy new year 2008 to all!

The sharpness mentioned in the reviews compares the 18-55 lens to the 18-55 IS lens..
your IS seems to be working fine
btw.. can i know how much is the 18-55 IS now?

[allakazoo]

Looks like your IS is working fine.

Originally Posted by law321 All ISO 200

[law321]

Originally Posted by parhjin used another lens with IS once. you can tell whether the IS is ON or OFF just by looking through the viewfinder. 1. Look through viewfinder at your scene. (and 1/2 press shutter?) 2. move your camera slightly to centre on another subject. 3a. If IS is OFF, the view changes directly according to your movement. 3b. If IS is ON, you will see a slight lag as the view "drifts" to the new view. quite fun to see. of course the better way is to ust compare shots as you have done. tip: turn IS off when on a tripod. otherwise the IS tries to compensate for non-existent vibration and end up blurring up the shot. (some new IS avoid this behaviour)

--> Good tip! Thanks for sharing

[law321]

Originally Posted by aloyyolaaloy The sharpness mentioned in the reviews compares the 18-55 lens to the 18-55 IS lens.. your IS seems to be working fine btw.. can i know how much is the 18-55 IS now?

OP S$250 no box. Already updated the lenses price guide

[ceecookie]

Originally Posted by law321 Pardon for my ignorance... what does 3 stops mean?

The number of stops means the number of division u can subject the shutter speed required for no blur.

First,a old rule of thumb to prevent handshake is to have 1/(focal range) shutter speed.
That said, if ur focal range is 50mm(ur lens current zoom value) u need to have at least 1/50 or faster to prevent handshake.

3 stop means u can set the shutter speed slower by 1/2 for 3 times.So instead of 1/50 required u can now have blur-free images at 1/6

[elmzarcega]

Originally Posted by ceecookie The number of stops means the number of division u can subject the shutter speed required for no blur. First,a old rule of thumb to prevent handshake is to have 1/(focal range) shutter speed. That said, if ur focal range is 50mm(ur lens current zoom value) u need to have at least 1/50 or faster to prevent handshake. 3 stop means u can set the shutter speed slower by 1/2 for 3 times.So instead of 1/50 required u can now have blur-free images at 1/6

just to be safe from camera shake... your focal length should be equal to 35mm format... so your 55mm should be multiplied by 1.6 crop factor for canon users... thus giving you 88mm..

[ceecookie]

Originally Posted by elmzarcega just to be safe from camera shake... your focal length should be equal to 35mm format... so your 55mm should be multiplied by 1.6 crop factor for canon users... thus giving you 88mm..

All the while i been multiplying from APS-C size

[frametology]

Originally Posted by elmzarcega just to be safe from camera shake... your focal length should be equal to 35mm format... so your 55mm should be multiplied by 1.6 crop factor for canon users... thus giving you 88mm..

hmmm. what do you mean?

how i interpret it is:

for a shot with a 100 mm lens on a 400D, the shutter speed should be 1/160s and above?
not 1/100s and above. yes??

thanks and a very happy new year to one and all!