Please comment briefly on your experience with IS lenses and whether they have proven to be beneficial to your work.

Please comment briefly on your experience with IS lenses and whether they have proven to be beneficial to your work.
Very important and I would make a purchasing decision based on the lens having this feature.
64% (74 votes)
Not important. I prefer getting a lens with a faster maximum aperture at all focal lengths.
25% (29 votes)
Does not apply because I have IS built into the camera body I own.
11% (13 votes)
Total votes: 116

COMMENTS
Richard S.  Mundy's picture

I like the Canon DSLR's because IS is built Into the lens unlike Nikon is built Into the camera but both cam's are very well made products. It just my choice for the Canon as I have been using them for more then 40 years.

Hooligan's picture

I guess I'm just old school. I like fast, single focal length lens best. Nothing wrong with IS lens other than being all zooms that I am aware of and slow. If the manufactures get smart, they would make a fast 35mm, 50mm, & 85mm F2+ with the IS. Then I would be interested.

Pete Arnold's picture

Thay make a very noticeable difference.

Robert's picture

I don't have the steadiest hands, so it helps out a lot when needed.

Marland Miller's picture

I have one IS lens but haven't noticed what the differences are.

Photoburner's picture

It is important on long lenses, over 200mm. On shorter lenses it's not very important.

Lewis Kemper's picture

IS is valuable, especially for travel photography!

Dick Cheatham's picture

I have it on several lenses, but I never turn it on. I don't think my pictures are as sharp when I use it.

Chuck Pine's picture

The stabilization built into my Sony (and previously Minolta and Konica/Minolta) bodies does the trick. Another trick, though, is that three-legged photo assistant—the tripod!

Tom Nelson's picture

I shoot sports, mainly baseball, hockey ,soccer, and golf, an IS lens is not something I want or ever need. Would not help me at all but the added weight would hinder my work.

Paul Grigsby's picture

I generally am more concerned re subject movement in low light lever situations than I am about camera movement.

Paul Hinrichs's picture

IS is important but is only one of (not the only) the factors I consider in whether to purchase a particular lens.

George P.'s picture

Not a problem for Pentax owners. All those "heritage" lenses - back to the original Tukamars now have IS.

KM Enterprises's picture

I have worked for over 40 years and have never felt the need for IS. I have a couple of L-series lenses that have it but I don't really use it much anyway.

Len Lipton's picture

Definitely helps- I do a lot of available light and birds flying. Both benefit greatly.

Cathy's picture

Its helped in situations where hand holding alone would not work - I love it.

Carole Gordon's picture

Gotta have it!

Tedd 's picture

The larger physical size and weight of the new DSLR cameras and lenses plus the focal length multiplier created by the smaller-than-standard 35mm sensors, these cameras have become unwieldy and IS technology has become very important. With the ability to turn off IS (especially when tripod mounted) IS should be an important consideration in any lens purchase.

Andrew's picture

Image stabalizing technology has substantially improved my ability to obtain great images even as an relative novice.

Jim Liessmann's picture

I have hand tremors so it is very important.

Sid Georgiou's picture

I can shoot with my Nikkor 18-200 VR II IS at 1/30 and still feel secure in the knowledge that there will be a solid, stable image. It is no longer a gamble.

Paul Sheridan's picture

Any lens that includes magnifications equal to a "Normal" lens to longer focal length must have IS in my estimation.

Alan's picture

Comment applies to general purpose standard and fast telephoto zooms only. I would buy wideangle zooms and most (shorter) primes only WITHOUT IS feature.

Bill's picture

I use my Canon EF 24-70L sparingly because it does not have stabilization. The older I get the more I need the stabilization.

Mike K.'s picture

I buy only lenses with image stabilization in them.

Jack Joseph Sr.'s picture

This is very important to me. This is particularly true as my age increases.

Tribelhorn's picture

Higher ISOs now available make larger apertures less important.

sqjaw's picture

Its either you have a camera with IS built in or a lens with IS built in, that has proven to very useful in times of grab a quick shot. But it does have its limits.

Dennis's picture

Vibration reduction is not a game changer for me. First I go for quality, then speed, then Vibration Reduction if I have money left over.

Judy Kaspar's picture

My hands aren't as steady as they should be, so having IS on my lens is extremely helpful for me.

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