AC130: OIS - Am I expecting too much?

[tmuss]

That clunk is typical with almost all mechanical OIS systems. When the OIS motors are unpowered the movable lens elements are free to move on their gimbals. Very few lenses have a power-down lock system on the OIS.

Interesting. I've never taken one of these lenses apart and have no idea how they actually work. Does the Sony FX1000 OIS work better than the Pany because it's not a mechanical OIS? If so, is there any advantage to a mechanical OIS? Nothing feels or sounds loose on the Sony and Canon when powered down and they do stabilize better than my older tape Pany's.

 

[Mike Warren]

Does the Sony FX1000 OIS work better than the Pany because it's not a mechanical OIS?

I've never handled a FX1000 so I can't answer specifically, however I expect it's either mechanical or combination mechanical/digital.

If so, is there any advantage to a mechanical OIS?

Yes, digital systems will usually have lower resolution since they need to crop the sensor, and also, with CMOS sensors, digital stabilisation will not help skew.