FZ 18 Stabilizer Mode 1-2

Is there (besides while panning) a good reason for selecting Mode 1 instead Mode 2, or is Mode 2 the best standard configuration for the stabilizer?

Joli-

The better time to use Mode 1 is when composing shots at the long end of the zoom, as it stops your subject from jumping around the screen due to hand shake.
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Regards,
Steve

If you find it difficult to hold the cam steady enough to focus on a small area at full zoom, Mode 1 will stabilize the image.

Thanks for your info. I'll try this out in the field.

Mode #1 only stabilizes the image on the LCD, And has little affect when actually pressing the shutter to take a picture. Certainly not effective for stabilizing at any amount of zoom, or low light.

Mode #2 is less affective when viewing the LCD, but has its affect when pressing the shutter for an exposure. This is the one you want with zoom, and low light shots.
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Steve Owen. (TZ1) (Two Fujis)
http://steveslandscapes.50webs.com
http://s3.excoboard.com/exco/index.php?boardid=5546

Mode 1 stabilizes the image by stabilizing the moveable lens element while you're pre-focusing, AND during the shot. Mode 2 stabilizes the lens element ONLY during the shot. Supposedly Mode 2 is "better" technically because possibly the controlled lens element needs to make less of an excursion before starting the "stabilizing period," i.e., during exposure. But in practice, especially using the LCD at long zoom, which for me is less stable than using an EVF at long zoom, I've gotten better results with Mode 1, and I'm sure it's stabilizing during the shot too. My OIS experience with this goes all the way back to the FZ1, where there was no "mode" selection, just effectively "Mode 1" all the time.
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Just cruisin' ...



EffZeeThirty (Got the Gull), EffZeeEighteen, TeeZeeThree

referring to the statement of this Lumix site:

http://panasonic.co.jp/pavc/global/lumix/fz18/mainparts.html
see right side for details of "image stabilistation"
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Greetings from Austria!
Arnold

John_Reed said:

Mode 1 stabilizes the image by stabilizing the moveable lens element
while you're pre-focusing, AND during the shot. Mode 2 stabilizes the
lens element ONLY during the shot. Supposedly Mode 2 is "better"
technically because possibly the controlled lens element needs to
make less of an excursion before starting the "stabilizing period,"
i.e., during exposure. But in practice, especially using the LCD at
long zoom, which for me is less stable than using an EVF at long
zoom, I've gotten better results with Mode 1, and I'm sure it's
stabilizing during the shot too. My OIS experience with this goes all
the way back to the FZ1, where there was no "mode" selection, just
effectively "Mode 1" all the time.
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Just cruisin' ...



EffZeeThirty (Got the Gull), EffZeeEighteen, TeeZeeThree

Click to expand...

The information I gave is exactly as Panasonic gives it. If people would read the camera manual, all the information for operation is in there. Then they would not have to ask these DUMB questions, and stop getting confused by mixed information.

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Steve Owen. (TZ1) (Two Fujis)
http://steveslandscapes.50webs.com
http://s3.excoboard.com/exco/index.php?boardid=5546

Just read the enlg. manual (again) and at page 81 they state:
Mode1: it operates continuously
Mode2: jitter is compensated when the shutter is pressed.

Therefore: jitter is also compensated (contin..) at Mode 1 .... and it is seen at LCD, but also in real life the jittering of the lenses is compensated.

Do you speak of another manual?
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Greetings from Austria!
Arnold

you read the manual again yourself. Carefully this time.

Mode 1 works well throughout the entire zoom range and stabilizes the image aswell during composition.

Mode 2 is usually a little bit more effective, but lacks the stabilized LCD/EVF during composition.

In other words, I agree with the others.

Panasonic is pretty notorious for having incompetent people writing their manuals, no telling what you will see from one manual to another.

My statement came from my manual (TZ1), and also from my sons (FZ7). I also have seen some comparison shots using the two modes of IOS, on some review sites. Plus my own experiments with it.

Before we even go there, all Panasonic cameras use the same OIS, so it dose not! matter which model we are talking about.

All the above show mode #2 being far superior at stabilizing images. Mode #1 in stabilizing the LCD view, but far less when the shutter is pressed.

If you want to see your LCD view really shake, rattle, and roll. Just try it with all stabilizing modes off.

--,
Steve Owen. (TZ1) (Two Fujis)
http://steveslandscapes.50webs.com
http://s3.excoboard.com/exco/index.php?boardid=5546

steve owen said:

Panasonic is pretty notorious for having incompetent people writing
their manuals, no telling what you will see from one manual to
another.

Click to expand...

Ok, so first you write that we should start reading our manuals more before asking questions, now Panasonic has incompetent people writing those same manuals, meaning, we shouldn't trust everything we read there. So what will it be?

steve owen said:

Before we even go there, all Panasonic cameras use the same OIS, so
it dose not! matter which model we are talking about.

Click to expand...

Oh ok.

Then let me quote from the FZ7 manual

"Mode1: The stabilizer operates continuously and can assist during photo composition.

Mode2: The jitter is compensated for when the shutter button is pressed. There is a greater stabilizing effect."

Now surprise surprise, my FZ18 manual says the exact same.

steve owen said:

All the above show mode #2 being far superior at stabilizing images.
Mode #1 in stabilizing the LCD view, but far less when the shutter is
pressed.

Click to expand...

I suggest you read through some more reviews about these 2 modes.

For example the review on the FZ7 you mentioned here on dpreview. It clearly states that mode 1 can sometimes be less effective, sometimes just as effective, sometimes more effective. Mode 2 has the edge normally, but you were stating the following:

steve owen said:

Mode #1 only stabilizes the image on the LCD, And has little affect when > actually pressing the shutter to take a picture. Certainly not effective for > stabilizing at any amount of zoom, or low light.

Click to expand...

Which is flatout wrong.

Sou should all FZ18 owners pick up a TZ1 and FZ7 manual so that we can learn how to use our new cameras? ;-)

Here's how it works.....

http://www.panasonic.ca/English/audiovideo/camerascamcorders/digitalstill/megaOIS.asp

All mode 2 does is give you a better chance of getting the lens block into perfect position by starting in the center. You could get lucky and get a better shot in Mode 1 if the lens block happens to be closer to the position it needs to be in for a clear shot while it's doing it's feedback loop, but most likely it will have to travel further (and take longer to get there) in Mode 1.

In so many words. You're preaching to the choir, mostly, we just had a quibble with Steve's construal of how it works.
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Just cruisin' ...



EffZeeThirty (Got the Gull), EffZeeEighteen, TeeZeeThree

There you go Steve. This was taken at 29x with Mode 1, hand held, and the buildings are 6.5 km away. The AF box was wavering at least the width of the main building.



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RicM
Thursday's child...

I'm not sure if my question was as dumb (as Steve has indicated) since your reactions have delivered more than one point of view. Anyway, it not due to not-reading carefully the manual. I've read it over and over, since I bought the camera last week (so I'm new to Panasonic and FZ18). In time, and after a lot of practice, I hope to shoot some nice BIF, whether in mode 1 or mode 2. Maybe, while you have to (spot)focus on the BIF, mode 1 will be easier to work with. Thanks to you all for your contributions.

By the way: We spent our summerholidays without a camera. Earlier this year, prior to our holidays, I was intended to buy a Sony H9. The forumdiscussions on DPR about that camera, and somewhat later the test, have made me to decide not to buy that camera. So we have no pictures of this years holidays, but meanwhile I'm glad I have waited and picked up a FZ18 last week (I couldn't resist any longer). Although DPR untill now does not have published a test of the FZ18, I'm pretty convinced that the FZ18 will do better than the H9. DPR and their discussionfora are very informative and a big help. Thanks!

Just bought a new Nikon TC-E17ED to mount on the FZ18 (still have to wait for the LA3 adapter to arrive though). I hope it makes a good combo for shooting birdpictures (gave up digiscoping after my CP4500 broke down).

Shooting birds, especially in flight, mode 1 might be more helpful in keeping the bird within the frame.

Also, switch the camera to high speed focusing (either of the 2 focus modes with the big "H"), to speed up the focus significantly.

A small point that I have not seen posted is a little battery savings in mode2.

I appreciate this thread and have reset my fz18 to mode 2. When I can't keep the subject in the lcd I'll use my mono or tri pod.
Old jim

Yes, that is effectively what you were saying. I guess we engineers stick together.

Thinking about it, panasonic engineering was being rather clever when they invented Mode 2, as they gave the stabilization a probabilistic advantage of getting the lens into as close to perfect position as possible.