Maximum Shuttter Speed Safe to use Image Stabilization

[XtJerry]

I read that on some cameras that a faster shutter speed using image stabilization can actually cause blurrier images that not using it.  If this is so for Fuji X series lenses, then what is the maximum shutter speed that it is safe to use image stabilization?  I assume that this could vary either with focal length or ...?

 

Jerry

[CRAusmus]

I'm no expert, but I'd say this is entirely dependent on focal length and how you shoot.  And why would you be asking what's the maximum shutter speed you can use OIS?  Above a certain shutter speed, OIS isn't doing anything for you and is just draining battery life.

[haroldp]

Nikon's OIS sensors operate at 1 khz so at any SS above 1/500 sec., in theory it would not help. In practice, if your vibration pattern is steady, IS might help at higher speeds, but it is a crapshoot.

 

I always turn it off t anything faster than 1/500.

 

Since it is unlikely that either Nikon or Fuji manufacture piezo sensors, they are likely very similar.

[darknj]

I have yet to notice anything like that with my 18-135 or 10-24.

Edited March 30, 2016 by darknj

[flysurfer]

It's depending on the focal length, the shooting conditions and the individual photographer's ability to make a decision about when the point the OIS becomes a burden (as opposed to a feature) and should be switched off. A competent user will use these factors to make an informed decision about what OIS mode/setting to select (on/off, mode 1/2). That's also the reason why there is no simple auto on/off or auto mode. The camera can't make this decision, because it doesn't know all the factors. The user does, or at least he should.

 

There are situations where I will leave the OIS on when shooting from a tripod (mode 1). There are also situations where I will leave it on when shooting with a shutter speed of 1/2000s or even faster (mode 2). These are special circumstances (windy day and tiny tripod with long FL, or heavy traffic causing ground vibrations, or shooting from a small helicopter with strong high-frequency vibrations), but nonetheless such situations do exist, so Fuji wouldn't be well-served to implement an "Auto OIS" that decides when to recluse itself simply based on focal length and the selected shutter speed. It's better to leave this decision to the user, but this only works when the user is making an informed decision based on experience and external factors.

Edited March 30, 2016 by flysurfer

[CRAusmus]

I hadn't even considered all those circumstances Rico.  I apologize to the OP for my misleading post, and reading back it seemed condescending....Sorry Jerry...

 

Obviously there is a lot I don't understand about OIS and the conditions in which it can aid your shooting...

[XtJerry]

Thanks all. 

 

Rico,  I have been using the "Nikon 1/500"  rule to turn off OIS since  Nikon is where  I come from.  Do you tend to be sure that it is off at slower shutter speeds than 1/500?  Being 82 my hands aren't the steadiest anymore.

 

I also leave it on in unusual circumstances on tripod. When I do leave it on on tripod, I usually back up with some shots on and some off just in case.  However, so far I can't tell which is which. 

 

CRAusmus - no apology needed.  We are all at various levels of information re: different aspects of photography and i appreciated your honest effort to be helpful.  You actually had hit on my concern by implying that at a certain shutter speed it wouldn't help.  I was looking for that certain shutter speed.

 

Jerry R

[XtJerry]

Nikon's OIS sensors operate at 1 khz so at any SS above 1/500 sec., in theory it would not help. In practice, if your vibration pattern is steady, IS might help at higher speeds, but it is a crapshoot.

 

I always turn it off t anything faster than 1/500.

 

Since it is unlikely that either Nikon or Fuji manufacture piezo sensors, they are likely very similar.

 

 

The Fuji site (  http://www.fujifilm.com/products/digital_cameras/xf_lens/about/optical_image_stabilization/ ) states that the checking frequency is 8000 times per second. does that imply that OIS is okay up to 1/4000 when hand holding?

 

Jerry

[erwiurewurwehu]

It's depending on the focal length, the shooting conditions and the individual photographer's ability to make a decision about when the point the OIS becomes a burden (as opposed to a feature) and should be switched off. A competent user will use these factors to make an informed decision about what OIS mode/setting to select (on/off, mode 1/2). That's also the reason why there is no simple auto on/off or auto mode. The camera can't make this decision, because it doesn't know all the factors. The user does, or at least he should.

 

There are situations where I will leave the OIS on when shooting from a tripod (mode 1). There are also situations where I will leave it on when shooting with a shutter speed of 1/2000s or even faster (mode 2). These are special circumstances (windy day and tiny tripod with long FL, or heavy traffic causing ground vibrations, or shooting from a small helicopter with strong high-frequency vibrations), but nonetheless such situations do exist, so Fuji wouldn't be well-served to implement an "Auto OIS" that decides when to recluse itself simply based on focal length and the selected shutter speed. It's better to leave this decision to the user, but this only works when the user is making an informed decision based on experience and external factors.

The problem is that the user can't really make informed decisions based on the available information. It's also hard to perform tests to figure things out.

[erwiurewurwehu]

The Fuji site (  http://www.fujifilm.com/products/digital_cameras/xf_lens/about/optical_image_stabilization/ ) states that the checking frequency is 8000 times per second. does that imply that OIS is okay up to 1/4000 when hand holding?

 

Jerry

In the end it's guesswork in my opinion. I have started turning it off at 1/500 or 1/1000 since theoretically you should be able to handhold at that speed. I have done some experiments with a tripod which were pretty inconclusive. Sometimes the OIS makes tripod pictures worse, sometimes it seems better.

[LocalGhost]

It's all about training and experience. A friend of mine who's a retired marine sniper rarely uses any IS :-) Most of his shots are pretty sharp, even handheld with really long FLs :-)

Edited March 31, 2016 by LocalGhost

[flysurfer]

The problem is that the user can't really make informed decisions based on the available information. It's also hard to perform tests to figure things out.

 

I find tests not difficult. I even performed them in the helicopter right after take-off, and I had results 5 minutes later, before we had arrived at the volcano.

[flysurfer]

In the end it's guesswork in my opinion. 

 

It's pretty clear that the OIS doesn't help when there's no vibration that can interfere with the selected shutter speed. So when there's effective vibration, the OIS should be useful.

 

For example, with a small travel tripod on a sidewalk next to a street with heavy traffic on a windy day, the OIS can probably be beneficial (as long as the shutter speed isn't too slow). However, in a studio on a heavy tripod, the OIS can be switched off.

[flysurfer]

The problem is that the user can't really make informed decisions based on the available information. It's also hard to perform tests to figure things out.

 

Well, we know when to prefer mode 1 or mode 2 (there's even a tip about this in my books), and as for on/off, it's also not rocket science: When the OIS can't contribute to the sharpness of a shot (because the shooting situation and shooting parameters already guarantee a sharp result), turn it off (just to be on the safe side).

[erwiurewurwehu]

Well, we know when to prefer mode 1 or mode 2 (there's even a tip about this in my books), and as for on/off, it's also not rocket science: When the OIS can't contribute to the sharpness of a shot (because the shooting situation and shooting parameters already guarantee a sharp result), turn it off (just to be on the safe side).

 

I don't want to make this into a useless fight but I have tried to do some experiments with and without tripod, with and without OIS and couldn't not get reproducible results that confirmed any theory. Sometimes OIS improved pictures taken on a tripod, sometimes it made them much worse but I couldn't find a rule where I could predict if OIS on or off will be better in a situation.

 

What you are saying sounds reasonable and I use the OIS in pretty much the same way but from an engineering point of view we are just making guesses.