When NOT to use SR?

Jimfear · 11-09-2011, 03:08 PM

Originally posted by Jeff Charles

My understanding from reading the manual is that SR is a menu item. It also looks like it can be switched on and off in the Control Panel. Is that correct?

How long does it take SR to stabilize after a half press?

Jeff

Yes, sadly it's a menu item (I would have liked to have the physical switch that some older Pentaxes had). But you can reach it fairly easy by the "info" button, the camera also remembers the last used funciton so you don't have to select SR every time.

As Gimbal says the SR takes something under a second to stabilize, but it can be as long as two seconds or more if you try to shoot instantly after turning on the camera.

**fs999** · 11-10-2011, 06:28 AM

Originally posted by RioRico

SR compensates for back-and-forth (X-Y axes) motions at normal focus distances. Close-up, your shaking fore-and-back (Z axis) becomes significant and SR can't compensate for that.

But there is no problem using it, I suppose. Because I am making back and forth movements for focusing...

RioRico · 11-10-2011, 03:01 PM

Originally posted by fs999

But there is no problem using it, I suppose. Because I am making back and forth movements for focusing...

The problem is that it won't do any good. My K20D manual dryly says that SR "may not perform as expected when shooting at close ranges." And in macro range with a not-fast shutter and no flash, you'll want to be on tripod anyway -- and tripodding means, turn off SR. All this is easy to test. Snap a few and see!

aliengrove · 11-12-2011, 08:00 AM

It's a good idea to switch SR off if you are using a lens with in-built stabilisation (unless you switch it off in the lens).

reeftool · 11-12-2011, 10:04 AM

A shutter speed of 1/125-1/180 will likely show some motion blur of runners. Also panning while shooting a moving subject is mentioned in the K10D manual as an instance when SR should be turned off. A little motion blur can be a desirable effect in sports shooting but it is difficult to get just right. To freeze the action, go at least 1/500 or faster.

ChrisA · 11-12-2011, 10:31 AM

Originally posted by aliengrove

It's a good idea to switch SR off if you are using a lens with in-built stabilisation (unless you switch it off in the lens).

More than just a good idea, I'd have thought - essential, really.

If the lens IS is on, the image should arrive at the sensor effectively still. But the body is still experiencing the same shake that the lens is.

So if you leave SR on, the camera will then put back the shake that the lens has removed.

pentup · 11-13-2011, 06:29 AM

One user error I've committed too often: Forgetting to turn off the camera when changing lenses. That can leave you with SR that's not set right for your lens:

Originally posted by RioRico

When to use SR: The rest of the time, as long as you've dialed-in the correct focal length.

I was trying to photograph people running in Central Park, with motion blur, with a 21mm lens, and I got a crazy amount of what looked like camera shake blurring everything, at speeds that should have frozen everything but the jogger, and which would have been hand-holdable even without SR. My only explanation is that I neglected to turn off the camera when I switched from a telephoto zoom to the wide angle.

Since the OP insists that there was shake induced blur appearing, not just failure to freeze the runners, I wonder if the same error might have happened here.

reeftool · 11-13-2011, 07:33 AM

The in camera shake reduction works quite well most of the time. I have had some not too steady looking shots at times because I likely got sloppy with my shooting. SR will only compensate so much.

11-09-2011, 03:08 PM	#16
Jimfear Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Uppsala, Sweden Photos: Gallery Posts: 576	Originally posted by Jeff Charles My understanding from reading the manual is that SR is a menu item. It also looks like it can be switched on and off in the Control Panel. Is that correct? How long does it take SR to stabilize after a half press? Jeff Yes, sadly it's a menu item (I would have liked to have the physical switch that some older Pentaxes had). But you can reach it fairly easy by the "info" button, the camera also remembers the last used funciton so you don't have to select SR every time. As Gimbal says the SR takes something under a second to stabilize, but it can be as long as two seconds or more if you try to shoot instantly after turning on the camera.

11-10-2011, 06:28 AM	#17
fs999 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Luxembourg Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,645	Originally posted by RioRico SR compensates for back-and-forth (X-Y axes) motions at normal focus distances. Close-up, your shaking fore-and-back (Z axis) becomes significant and SR can't compensate for that. But there is no problem using it, I suppose. Because I am making back and forth movements for focusing...

11-10-2011, 03:01 PM	#18
RioRico Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Limbo, California Posts: 11,263	Originally posted by fs999 But there is no problem using it, I suppose. Because I am making back and forth movements for focusing... The problem is that it won't do any good. My K20D manual dryly says that SR "may not perform as expected when shooting at close ranges." And in macro range with a not-fast shutter and no flash, you'll want to be on tripod anyway -- and tripodding means, turn off SR. All this is easy to test. Snap a few and see!

11-12-2011, 08:00 AM	#19
aliengrove New Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Doha Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11	It's a good idea to switch SR off if you are using a lens with in-built stabilisation (unless you switch it off in the lens).

11-12-2011, 10:04 AM	#20
reeftool Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Upstate New York Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,555	A shutter speed of 1/125-1/180 will likely show some motion blur of runners. Also panning while shooting a moving subject is mentioned in the K10D manual as an instance when SR should be turned off. A little motion blur can be a desirable effect in sports shooting but it is difficult to get just right. To freeze the action, go at least 1/500 or faster.

11-12-2011, 10:31 AM	#21
ChrisA Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: London Posts: 393	Originally posted by aliengrove It's a good idea to switch SR off if you are using a lens with in-built stabilisation (unless you switch it off in the lens). More than just a good idea, I'd have thought - essential, really. If the lens IS is on, the image should arrive at the sensor effectively still. But the body is still experiencing the same shake that the lens is. So if you leave SR on, the camera will then put back the shake that the lens has removed.

11-13-2011, 06:29 AM	#22
pentup Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Flushing NY Photos: Albums Posts: 413	One user error I've committed too often: Forgetting to turn off the camera when changing lenses. That can leave you with SR that's not set right for your lens: Originally posted by RioRico When to use SR: The rest of the time, as long as you've dialed-in the correct focal length. I was trying to photograph people running in Central Park, with motion blur, with a 21mm lens, and I got a crazy amount of what looked like camera shake blurring everything, at speeds that should have frozen everything but the jogger, and which would have been hand-holdable even without SR. My only explanation is that I neglected to turn off the camera when I switched from a telephoto zoom to the wide angle. Since the OP insists that there was shake induced blur appearing, not just failure to freeze the runners, I wonder if the same error might have happened here.

11-13-2011, 07:33 AM	#23
reeftool Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Upstate New York Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,555	The in camera shake reduction works quite well most of the time. I have had some not too steady looking shots at times because I likely got sloppy with my shooting. SR will only compensate so much.