[Gimbal]

Another thing to consider is that setting the SR switch to ON doesn’t mean that every picture taken will have the SR system engaged. If one doesn’t wait for the little SR-icon to stop blinking one will be shooting without SR. And when panning one certainly don’t have the time to check for blinking icons.

Perhaps the good ones where shoot before SR kicked in, or was it the bad ones?

[dsport]

My experience is when panning, turn off SR. SR on won't do any help but would cause a higher possibility of blurring the object.

[ManuH]

FWIW, some of the best BIF shots I've ever seen were taken with SR *on*. And I never remember to turn it off myself and I've done about as well as I could reasonably expect given my limited experience. Which is of course not proof of anything, but it does suggest that if SR is detrimental while panning, it can't be *too* bad.

For BIF shots you're usually using long lenses and SR becomes critical here.

I have no definitive answer for the OP's question but on the K20D you can see the effects of SR in Liveview. Subjectively I would say that panning works well with SR on. Maybe the camera automatically detects panning? I know that Olympus has a special mode for panning so I don't know if panning detection is actually possible.

[EricT]

Just a note about autofocus. I usually use manual focus when panning. Prefocus on the spot you want to shoot, and then stop worrying about focus. I've found that the continuous AF often lags a bit behind the action when panning.

[dsport]

Prefocus on the spot may only be one time one shot. So, I used AFC + drive mode for all pannings. Just following the target, and then shoot two or three pics for the sweet spot.
The time and decision to press the shutter is very important to me.

[mike3legs]

I must admit to leaving SR on virtually all the time.

This was a shot with SR on. It is totally uncropped and I was more then happy with it.

[falconeye]

I have no definitive answer for the OP's question but on the K20D you can see the effects of SR in Liveview.

Yes. And it is easy to see what is happening in panning:

The sensor is shifted as much as possible to the edge opposing the turn -- and stays there (as if there were panning mode detection). This is about 2mm shift. Because rotation is detected, the sensor cannot come off the edge.

So, when the shot is taken, the sensor is only able to move freely in one direction which minimzes blur. A good thing if the lens' image circle had this extra 2mm.

As soon as the panning stops, the sensor crawls back to center.

There may be issues with panning if it is too slow, though.


EDIT:
I may be wrong for the following reason:
Without LV, the sensor is moved by SR only at the moment an exposure is started. So, it is shifted to the edge and the photo is spoiled. My consideration may still be ok for images taken in 21 fps burst mode

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Last edited by falconeye; 05-25-2009 at 09:59 AM.

[nanok]

great idea to check it with liveview (at the time of starting this thread, i was using the gx10 (k10d), so no live view for me).

i will try to do some tests too, to see how much i can "jerk" the panning before the sr is fooled into thinking it should compensate.

now, to figure out how to use liveview on the k20d.. (nope, never used it, guilty as charged)

[EricT]

Prefocus on the spot may only be one time one shot. So, I used AFC + drive mode for all pannings. Just following the target, and then shoot two or three pics for the sweet spot.
The time and decision to press the shutter is very important to me.

Yes, of course it depends on what you are shooting. For motorsports, the cars often are in more or less exactly the same spot every round, so this tactic works. If you use the AF button to focus and a quick-shift lens, you are even prepared to quickly switch between the two techniques whenever necessary.