My 50mm prime has no image stabilization.
- Thread starter ironpony
- Start date
roxics
Veteran
Are you using an APS-C camera? My understanding is that most people use wide angles on steadicams. Myself included. If you're shooting with an APS-C camera that 50mm is equal to about 80mm, so you will see the shakiness more even if it had IS. Personally I would pick a lens between 16-20mm for APS-C and then set the aperture at f5.6 or higher.
morgan_moore
Major Contributor
you dont need IS on a Steadicam.
While you might not "need" IS on a stabilizer, I've found that for 38mm equivalent focal length on a Canon APS-C the EF 24mm f/2.8 IS to be an amazing lens. The IS in that lens works so well that it makes virtually every shot come out perfect. In fact I like it so much that my 24mm f/1.4 L II lens is for sale. I'm over the concept that I need to be some incredible stabilizer operator and have just resorted to using the best tools available. Add IS to your stabilizer shots and just enjoy a much higher percentage of shots that are usable.
To the OP, go wider for your stabilizer shots and it will be much easier for you. 24mm is as tight as I'd ever be willing to use. You'd have to be a super hero with a stabilizer to shoot 50mm on an APS-C cam
Cheers,
Pete
To the OP, go wider for your stabilizer shots and it will be much easier for you. 24mm is as tight as I'd ever be willing to use. You'd have to be a super hero with a stabilizer to shoot 50mm on an APS-C cam
Cheers,
Pete
I'm saying it's nearly impossible to shoot anything on a stabilizer at anything above a 35-40mm equivalent focal length. It has been done, but it is extremely difficult regardless if you have IS or not. Only the kit lenses and the 17-55 f/2.8 EF-S lens have IS you could use at that focal length for Canon ASP-C cams. A 24mm lens on an APS-C cam does not have distortion unless you get to within about 18". At normal filming distances of 3 - 10 feet it is more like a normal fov on the 1.6x crop. Cheers, Pete
Samuel H
Major Contributor
The canon 50mm f/1.2L, 50mm f/1.4, and 50mm f/1.8, all lack IS. If you want 50mm with IS on a Canon lens, you might have to go for one of the few zooms that cover 50mm and have IS (at least two for APS-C and one for FF). Then again, on a steadycam, I'd go for a wide angle (15-22mm on APS-C, 24-35 on FF).
+1 on going wider. 50mm is way too long for a stabilizer. Remember: the longer the lens, the more even the smallest movements are magnified. Also, a properly-balanced stabilizer is image stabilization by design, so needing a lens with IS might indicate that your stabilizer isn't set up correctly or that you still need practice. Last, stabilizers are not plug-and-play, and it's too often that we see folks buy them thinking they can get awesome shots out of the box; these things take hours upon hours of practice before the operator is ready to fly in the real world.
If you don't want barrel distortion, try 18mm or 24mm.
If you don't want barrel distortion, try 18mm or 24mm.
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Pay attention to what's been written in the responses above, ironpony. You DO NOT NEED IS ON A PRIME. Especially not on a wider prime with a stabilizer (Glidecam, Steadicam, etc.).
Agree with Alex, the reason there isnt IS on current 50mm Primes or lower is that its so easy to hold them steady and take a shot. I have never heard of professional steadicam users using IS on rigs. Wouldn't the IS fight with you if you tried to pan a shot quickly? I know you can get some unpleasant effects if you try to use IS lenses on cameras on tripods when you pan. the IS can "snap" the image sometimes.
Although i dont normally use my slr for Video, i did try a quick shot on my 6D with the 24-105 L. Using Liveview and the lenses IS, I was able to move around a room, panning, and the recorded Image was very steady. it isnt a steadicam but it was very steady, maybe a workaround?
Although i dont normally use my slr for Video, i did try a quick shot on my 6D with the 24-105 L. Using Liveview and the lenses IS, I was able to move around a room, panning, and the recorded Image was very steady. it isnt a steadicam but it was very steady, maybe a workaround?
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If you have a Canon, go rent or test drive a 24mm f/2.8 IS on your stabilizer. It's an amazing difference in image and quality. Just because pro's have never used IS means nothing. They've never had any IS primes to work with before these new Canon EF lenses came out.
Cheers,
Pete
Cheers,
Pete
This is not true. Canon has the 24mm 2.8 IS.
Prime has nothing to do with it. An argument could be made for focal length. But as has been stated Canon has IS on a 24mm prime.
When hand holding (NOT Steadicam) IS is useful. I recently acquired a cheap kit lens which had IS in a deal and used it for a few days. That IS helped immensely. If you are not using a shoulder rig or Steadicam IS removes tons of jitters. Now I haven't really used my Steadicam much but it would seem if you are using it correctly (which takes a lot of practice) which is like using it on a tripod you would turn off IS. You don't use IS on a tripod. Even Canon tells you to turn it off.