Turning Off Image Stabilisation?

[Mike Farley]

Just when you thought it was safe to leave the house with your camera gear, this comes from LensRentals via Thom Hogan.

http://www.dslrbodies.com/newsviews/an- ... nd-is.html

There is a suggestion, and it is no more than a suggestion at present, that leaving image stabilisation switched on while the lens is transit can cause it to fail. The theory is that the moving parts of the IS* unit are not locked in place and can break as a result of uncontrolled movement. To guard against this, LensRentals now ship all their lenses to customers with IS turned off.

The situation differs between Canon and Nikon. It seems that for the latest Canon lenses the IS unit is locked automatically when the camera is turned off, regardless of the IS switch's position. (It is unclear whether Canon has implemented a similar feature on older lenses or if this is a recent design change.) In other words, removing the lens with the IS enaged and the camera on might result in the IS remaining in its active position. Changing the lens with the camera turned on is considered poor practice anyway as it is thought that the sensor could attract dust due to a static charge being created when it is powered up.

For Nikon it is uncertain whether the IS should be turned off before the lens is removed from the camera; no one seems sure whether this has a beneficial effect or not. While LensRentals has noticed a small decrease in Canon failures since it changed its shipping procedures, those for Nikon remain unchanged. The latter could simply be due to the lower number of lenses rented by customers not being sufficient to provide evidence one way or the other. Whatever the brand, and this includes stabilised lenses from manufacturers other than Canon and Nikon, those of a cautious disposition are advised to turn off IS while the lens is on a powered up camera.

It should be noted that rental items are subject to more abuse than most lenses as they regularly go through the rough and tumble of being shipped to and from customers who might not treat them with the same care as their own equipment. The lens in your camera bag leads a much more cosseted life by comparison.

* The Nikon equivalent is known as VR.

[Peter Boughton]

Can't remember properly, but I think my big Sigma came with a note about switching OS (Optical Stabilisation) off because it might confuse it - but also that this was a temporary state, not permanent damage.

[davidc]

The situation differs between Canon and Nikon. It seems that for the latest Canon lenses the IS unit is locked automatically when the camera is turned off, regardless of the IS switch's position. (It is unclear whether Canon has implemented a similar feature on older lenses or if this is a recent design change.) In other words, removing the lens with the IS enaged and the camera on might result in the IS remaining in its active position. Changing the lens with the camera turned on is considered poor practice anyway as it is thought that the sensor could attract dust due to a static charge being created when it is powered up.

Can you link to evidence for that? I've never seen that mentioned or anything conclusive - I certainly don't bother turning the camera off when hot-swapping lenses! Would be good to see what people have tested & proven to see if I've been inadvertantly knackering my kit.

[Mike Farley]

The situation differs between Canon and Nikon. It seems that for the latest Canon lenses the IS unit is locked automatically when the camera is turned off, regardless of the IS switch's position. (It is unclear whether Canon has implemented a similar feature on older lenses or if this is a recent design change.) In other words, removing the lens with the IS enaged and the camera on might result in the IS remaining in its active position. Changing the lens with the camera turned on is considered poor practice anyway as it is thought that the sensor could attract dust due to a static charge being created when it is powered up.

Can you link to evidence for that? I've never seen that mentioned or anything conclusive - I certainly don't bother turning the camera off when hot-swapping lenses! Would be good to see what people have tested & proven to see if I've been inadvertantly knackering my kit.

Sorry, I have heard it mentioned in various places, including magazines possibly, but I am not aware of anyone doing a conclusive test. Google might be your (tax dodging?) friend if you want to do your own research. I have never been entirely sure how much basis there is for it, especially as the shutters on DSLRs leave the sensor covered although I believe it is exposed by some mirrorless systems. For me it has always been a precautionary measure, but then I was brought in the days when hot swapping electrical devices was never a good idea.