Speaking of lens stabilization, what works?

[Les Dittert]

I'm interested in purchasing a good stabilized lens, wide to medium length.

Is there a list of known working stabilized lenses?
Examples:
Canon 24-105 f4.
Canon 17-55 f2.8
Simga 17-50 f2.8
and the brand new Canon 18-135 f3.5 STM ( Has flyby wire focus, unlikely red will ever support? )
--- This last lens has canons new dynamic IS designed for video with more dynamic range of motion---

I'm looking for something for handheld use, run and gun, developing world hardship conditions

 

[Les Dittert]

Nobody uses these ?

 

[paul schefz]

i can only talk about the canon 17-55 2.8 which vignettes a touch at the wide end at 5K, has a terribly small focus ring and a not very smooth zoom ring but is a great great great lens that never leaves my scarlet.....IS works very well, it's so good you can't shoot any lens with it ever again unless you like tripods....it works so well you can afford not to like tripods....
if i would only shoot 5K, i would go with the 24-105, which was my go to lens on the canons...i prefer the range but on 4K it gets a little tight on the wide end......there is absolutely nothing extraordinary about this lens...plenty of "shortcomings", it could be sharper, have less CA, be smaller,bla, boa,....but in the end it is another perfect lens....i am hoping canon comes out with an update in spring (rumors, rumors,...) if there is one lens anyone should have for canon mount this is it....like i said: the only reason why i use the 17-55 is that with the crop at 4K, the 24 gets a little tight....
i wish i knew if the new tamron 24-70 IS works on red....but then again, 24 is a little tight at 4K and the extra range up to 105 is SO nice to have and i am not sure how much better it is compared to the 24-105 canon....

 

[Les Dittert]

Thanks Paul,
I bought the Tamron 24-70 2.8, and while I like the sharpness that holds pretty well even to the edge at 2.8, it was the stabilize that I really wanted to work.
I'm thinking of returning it, and getting the Canon 17-55 IS or the 24-105 IS instead.
By 'tight' do you mean the corners are getting dark at 24mm ? I care about border sharpness mush more that corner darkening, myself, as I can fix that easier in post.
Is one of these better than the other for steadiness ?

Thanks for the input !

 

[paul schefz]

the 24-105 covers FF, so even 5K is no problem at all....it's just that with the crop factor, the 24 at 5K turns into a 30 and at 4K into a 38....
one thing i like best about the 24-105 is that the lens always performs well....wide open (which isn't that much) at f4, across the entire frame, the whole range until you start getting diffraction at around f11....it is not the sharpest lens but it performs well and you really don't have to think about it much....
the 17-55 is obviously one stop faster (which does not mean much to me, i shoot mostly at 5,6 or 8) and might be a little sharper (a tiny tiny bit) but it is a cropped sensor lens and there is cut off at 5K (more at 17, none at 55) it is no problem at all, an easy crop, you don't lose much at all.....and you get a 22mm at 5K and a 27mm at 4K....i always wish it was a little longer.....but since i need the wider end more then i need the longer end, i use it 95% of the time....and if i need something longer i usually go straight to the 70-200....
i don't see a difference between the IS system, the lenses are both about the same size and weight so not much difference there either.....
i don't think either are as sharp as the tamron btw....so the IS did not work?
if red announces the dragon update tomorrow and lets me have the first spot in line, the 24-105 will replace the 17-55 as my main lens....the extra sensor size will demand a FF lens and the 24 wide end will turn into a 28?29? and i could live with that.....hope this makes sense....
unless of course you clue us in about your 4K magic

 

[Timur Civan]

I use my 24-105 all the time. The stabilization is great. And I agree, it's performance is quite good. I have compared against other 24-105s, the one I have is a "good" one. Make sure you get a good one, This is the case with all canon lenses.

 

[Les Dittert]

Well, I guess I'll shop for the 17-55 then. What is the 'hit ratio' on getting a good one these days ?

I called RED today and spoke to my 'Bomb Squad' guy, Clyde. I asked him to find out about the Tamron 24-70 IS not working. He put me on hold for a bit, so he could talk to someone else. When he returned, he said that all IS should work by default.
I explained that it does not, and there are other users here who have also reported this. I guess they missed those posts.
I will call again on Wed to see if I can get more info on the matter. Talking to an engineer one on one is fairly hard to get happening, I guess they have enough things to worry about and are isolated from 'little users' like me.
Also I asked about the side handle not keeping the camera powered when the power plug is pulled. This problem seemed like news to my rep. From surveys here on R.U. it seemed that almost all uses have the loss of power issue. I'm not sure what to make of my calling experience, honestly.
Are bomb squad people just order taker/ sales people, should I ask for tech support instead?

 

[Terry VerHaar]

I am still confused by this question of IS "working." It is my understanding (and would love to know if I am wrong) that IS/OS, in at least most electronic lenses, is totally a phenomenon contained within the lens. There need be no interaction with the cameras as this is optical stabilization, not digital stabilization. If I am right, that would explain the explanation from the BS rep that "all IS should work by default." I have a few IS/OS lenses - Canon, Sigma - and they all seem to work just fine. Like I said, if there is something I am missing, I'd love to be educated. :huh:

As for the Side Handle, mine has always worked just fine when hot swapping batteries or even when disconnecting the AC adaptor. If yours isn't doing this, I'd file a ticket with RED Support.

 

[William Robinette]

I use my 24-105 all the time. The stabilization is great. And I agree, it's performance is quite good. I have compared against other 24-105s, the one I have is a "good" one. Make sure you get a good one, This is the case with all canon lenses.

I have a tack sharp 24-105 and it never leaves my camera. Great lens - more like a f/5 ish on the long end, and yes, it gets a bit "tight" in 4k but it's livable. For a walk around lens at 4k it's great.

 

[Les Dittert]

Terry,
I think the camera body has to tell the lens to start stabilizing, and it seems on this new lens it's not doing that. It's definitely not working.
It works correctly on a Canon body however.
It's going to get even more complicated with the new versions of stabilization Canon has, Including dynamic stabilization, where there are different modes for video versus still photography.
Then there's the question of the new stepper motor STM flyby wire focus, I don't know if RED will ever support that. The focus ring is only telling the camera what direction and how much you're moving it, it's not mechanically Coupled to the lens element anymore.

I am still confused by this question of IS "working." It is my understanding (and would love to know if I am wrong) that IS/OS, in at least most electronic lenses, is totally a phenomenon contained within the lens. There need be no interaction with the cameras as this is optical stabilization, not digital stabilization. If I am right, that would explain the explanation from the BS rep that "all IS should work by default." I have a few IS/OS lenses - Canon, Sigma - and they all seem to work just fine. Like I said, if there is something I am missing, I'd love to be educated. :huh:

As for the Side Handle, mine has always worked just fine when hot swapping batteries or even when disconnecting the AC adaptor. If yours isn't doing this, I'd file a ticket with RED Support.

 

[jorge krausch]

Any reply from them on the IS of the tamron?