low end tripod - turn on IS?

[skipcooney]

The manual for my EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS lens says "When you use a tripod, the Image Stabilizer should be turned off to save battery power." However, I have a low end tripod, Silk U9000, and I know there is slight camera shake when the shutter releases, even using a cable release. I saw this shake when I taped a laser pointer to the camera. I figure I should just keep the IS turned on when using the tripod. Anything wrong with this approach?

 

[Steve Grodin]

Do you use mirror lock up when making your exposures on the tripod?

You have a lens that costs around $1,000 plus camera. Why use an inexpensive tripod that doesn't seem to be able support the weight. If necessary save up your money and buy the most expensive tripod you can. I'm sure you will be adding to and upgrading your photo equipment in the future. A sturdy tripod will be useful then.
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[bigjohn]

Sure. Any time you're shooting and there is perceptible movement of camera and lens -- whether from a weak tripod, hand-holding, monopod-mounting, or similar -- the Image Stabilization will help you get sharper pictures. With most of the newer Canon IS lenses, if you're on a really solid tripod, you should turn the IS off, but if you don't, it will in effect turn itself off to avoid possible problems if you shoot at slow shutter speeds.

Cheers!

 

[yongbo]

When the mirror flips, it will cause the shake. Turn off the IS and use MLU and see what happens.
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[skipcooney]

I am alway learning something new from this forum. I'll try MLU with my cheap tripod and see what happens.

 

[skyliner]

In my experience, mirror lock-up can make camera shake WORSE. Because it automatically changes the timer delay to 2 seconds instead of 10, mirror lockup can really only be used with a remote shutter release. If you are pushing the shutter button on the body, that will introduce a lot of shake. Using MLU, the camera is usually still shaking from the button press and the mirror flip 2 seconds later when the shutter opens. The best way to use MLU is with a remote control and NOT using the timer. Press once to flip up the mirror, then wait at least 10 seconds before pressing the remote again to open the shutter.

I have a decent tripod, but no remote control, and I find I get better results by engaging the standard 10-second timer without MLU than by using MLU. It's really too bad there's no option to keep the timer at 10 second while using MLU.

 

[Steve Grodin]

In my experience, mirror lock-up can make camera shake WORSE.
Because it automatically changes the timer delay to 2 seconds
instead of 10, mirror lockup can really only be used with a remote
shutter release. If you are pushing the shutter button on the body,
that will introduce a lot of shake. Using MLU, the camera is
usually still shaking from the button press and the mirror flip 2
seconds later when the shutter opens. The best way to use MLU is
with a remote control and NOT using the timer. Press once to flip
up the mirror, then wait at least 10 seconds before pressing the
remote again to open the shutter.

I have a decent tripod, but no remote control, and I find I get
better results by engaging the standard 10-second timer without MLU
than by using MLU. It's really too bad there's no option to keep
the timer at 10 second while using MLU.

Silly me. I just assumed that everyone that used a tripod used a remote release, or in the case of film cameras a cable release, or a air shutter with a barrel lens.
skyliner wrote:
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