Shake reduction

Do you turn it off when photographing moving subjects?

Mike.

No.


Search the forum for a broader response.

No.

And thrice . . . No. Got it?

NO

Sorry to disagree with some of the site heavyweights here, but sometimes YES!!

What exactly are you photographing that's moving?

For instance, if you are trying to take photos of a bird in flight, then SR won't help get you a sharper image of the bird relative to a moving background.

The best way to get sharp images in that instance would be a fast shutter speed. Even if SR would let you use a slower shutter speed, then there may still be subject blur in the birds wings for instance, which might not be what you want.

SR is most useful for static subjects in my experience.

Oh, and don't use SR when trying to pan a moving subject
(Seem to remember this somewhere in the manual!)

As long as the camera is still - use SR.
If the camera is not still then don't use SR
Matt

Don't you mean the other way around?

If you think about it, the SR system is designed to combat CAMERA shake, and try to stabilise the sensor so that images have a better chance of being sharp. SR cannot stabilise or remove shake from the SUBJECT.

So, in my humble opinion;

Camera on tripod (a good one that doesn't shake in the wind!), and still subject = SR OFF

Camera on tripod, and moving subject = SR OFF

Camera hand held, still subject = SR ON

Camera hand held, moving subject = SR OFF (I can foresee instances where you would have it ON, but that's your choice depending on subject and background and the technique you're using (panning etc))

In all cases where the camera is rock solid still, why would you need SR?

Tooks,
No, I meant it that way round - but you're correct as well

1) Solid tripod - no SR
2) Hand held keeping camera still with static subject - SR
3) Hand held keeping camera still with moving subject - well, either, but slow shutter speed may not be what you want!
4) Panning (either hand held or on monopod) a moving subject - SR off

When you try and pan a moving subject the SR tries to compensate for the camera movement and understandably gets it a bit wrong! After all the SR is assuming you are at least trying to keep the camera steady!

Does that make more sense?!
Matt

It does now!

It's just that you said 'As long as the camera is still - use SR.', but that's when you should turn SR Off.

Anyway, what you've just posted should hopefully clear up any confusion on anybodys part!

Sorted

Thinking back to the old days, as long as your shutter speed is higher than 1/f shake reduction should not be necessary. After all, it was introduced to allow exposure at longer shutter times (3 - 4 f-stops).

You wouldn't, but hand held is never rock solid still. A heavy tripod might be.

I think it might if your panning is not perfectly smooth and has some jerks in it.

The camera should not realise that it is moving in a particular plane once there is no acceleration or deceleration in that plane - in other words just after you have started to pan and are up to speed.

So for example if the bird was flying evenly from left to right and you were panning well except for some up and down wobbles, I think the camera should not be fooled by the panning but should compensate for the wobbles. It should work with diagonal panning as well.

Indeed, which is why I made the point that handheld, SR should be ON if your subject is still.