RF 100-500 Image Stabilization Mode for Birds??

Robert Krawitz wrote:

Distinctly Average wrote:

Nimonus wrote:

IS on the lens is obsolete.

IS, or an IS switch? Optical IS still has its place and in combination with IBIS we get a lot of stops stabilisation to play with. Not sure we are fully there yet with IBIS to do away with OIS but yes, the day may come.

Not likely for long lenses. The required movement of the sensor would simply be too great, since the magnification of the lens magnifies camera shake by the same proportion. On the flip side, there are some forms of stabilization that can only be done in the body, such as rotational. OIS and IBIS are different things, for different purposes.

Thise are my thoughts too.

It has nothing to do with convenience by feeling. It's simply because they cannot do it decades ago. We are used to the flaws, that's it.

Nope, it is not a flaw. Many including myself like having the switches. You still don’t answer why you want them removed, why you dislike them. You simply cannot say “Because they reduce waterproofing” with no engineering knowledge and more importantly, data to back that up. Any problems with switches have been dealt with decades ago.

It isn't hard to design a completely waterproof switch (at least in principle -- I'm not a mechanical engineer). One obvious way to do it would be for the mechanical switch to contain a small permanent magnet, while inside the switch there are spring-loaded magnetized pins that effectively sense the switch position. There are surely better ways of doing it; that's just off the top of my head.

We can use capacitive touch, or Hall effect sensors (a Hall effect sensor used a magnet in the switch like your idea, but the other end is not a mechanical contact but an electronic one. Named after the physicist Edwin Hall IIRC) one of many other methods. Or as is now you can use seals. Most Canon lenses the part with the switches is a modular assembly. It is changes as a complete, sealed, unit. My job is as an IT specialist these days but I studied physics and electronics and have been involved in electronics design and testing in previous careers. The switch part I understand, but the optics no, that is a very different specialty that I have very little knowledge of. The switches are IMO not the weakest link with regards to waterproofing although nothing is truly waterproof, water always wins. The weak points are the interface between camera and lens, zoom mechanism, joins there rotating controls are. Zoom lenses have to suck in are to extend.