[farfisa]

Three seconds?

You'd need a chicken for that.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-dslr-discussion/46343-your-camera-...d-chicken.html

[GeneV]

Also, be sure the SR is actually engaged at the time you shoot. A thread a while back was a real eye-opener for me when I found out that locking the AF with the AF button for quicker shutter releases does not allow the shake reduction to engage. Be sure that the shutter button was half-pressed long enough for the SR icon to light in the viewfinder. I saw a significant difference in my shots after paying attention to the SR icon.

[arbutusq]

I think of SR as improving the odds of getting a sharp picture. For me it gives 1.5-2 stops of guaranteed improvement and as I get slower the # of good shots goes down, but still it is better than no SR. By 4 stops I am at about 50%. If you can brace your camera against a pole or something else SR becomes a godsend.

[Terje-L]

I absolutely love the SR in my K200D. The effect is clearly visible for handheld shots and does provide 2 - 3 stops improvement.

The old rule of thumb still applies, without SR use a minimum shutter speed of the reciprocal of the focal length (i.e. for a 50 mm lens, use 1/60 s or shorter). With SR switched on, you can get away with 1/8 s and still have an acceptable shot.

My understanding is that the same SR mechanism is built into all the newer Pentax cameras (K100D up to K20D and K-m). So there should not be any difference in the SR effect between these cameras.

[Jewelltrail]

Terje-L My understanding is that the same SR mechanism is built into all the newer Pentax cameras (K100D up to K20D and K-m). So there should not be any difference in the SR effect between these cameras.

While researching the K20 last year, I found several reviews which claimed the Image Stabilization in the K20 is better than that in the K10. Below, in blue is an excerpt of a discussion from Popular Photography last year. You can access the entire review here: Camera Test: Pentax K20D - - PopPhotoMarch 2008

You will find similar claims if you read the K20 reviews by other reviewers.


"According to Pentax, the K20D has a sensor-shift mechanism similar to the K10D's, and offers up to 4 stops' advantage. But our tests confirmed that minor modifications and faster processors have improved the image-stabilization system by about half a stop over the K10D. Now, when shooting with a 200mm lens, you can expect a 2.5-3 stop advantage in shutter speeds compared to handholding the camera without image stabilization. With wider-angle lenses, the benefit decreases, and with longer focal lengths (or heavier lenses) the benefit may increase."

[kevbirder]

I too thought that SR did not have much effect in my limited tests. That was until I accidentally left my K10D set up for a 50mm lens, but swapped it for my 500mm mirror lens. I had the SR switched off and ISO 100 set. The lens is officially F8, but in practice has a light gathering power nearer to f11.

Half asleep I started snapping away at some birds without even checking the shutter speed. After I'd taken a good number of pictures I noticed that I had forgotten to switch on the SR, so I duly switched it on in the hope that it might just help the occasional picture.

I continued snapping away still half asleep and then noticed a rather strange number 20 in the viewfinder. 20 what? Then I suddenly realized that it was 1/20th second shutter speed. Now I was hand holding a 500mm lens that is 750mm equivalent in 35mm terms and strictly should have been using 1/500th or 1/750th shutter speed. I immediately bumped the ISO up to 800 and started paying attention to the selected shutter speed.

The results were very interesting. You won't find it surprising that the pictures at ISO 100 and no SR and shutter speeds of 1/30th and 1/60th were completely blurred with camera shake. The surprise was that some of the shots with just the change of SR enabled were not actually too bad. The EXIF showed 1/60th second on the best ones. The pictures dramatically improved from the moment I switched on SR. Had I been paying attention I never would have even tried 1/60th second with that lens. Previous inconclusive tests I had done were at around 1/250th which I thought might be pushing it for a 500mm lens.

Of course once I put the ISO up and also adjusted for a small overexposure, everthing started to look even better with shutter speeds of 1/350th and SR enabled.

[pentaxmz]

I have been wondering about the the Shake Reduction feature on the K20D. Now I know more about it, thanks to the following FAQ.

Shake Reduction (SR) Questions and Answers

What is the PENTAX-original Shake Reduction system?
It is an image-sensor-oscillation-type system installed in the camera body.

Is there any existing Pentax lens that is not compatible with the Shake Reduction system?
No, all lenses are compatible with this system as long as they can be mounted on PENTAX DSLR bodies. (Some lenses require the user to set the focal length.)
What is the effective compensation range (or, how many shutter-speed steps)?
The effective compensation range is equivalent to approximately 2.5 to 4 shutter-speed steps. The actual effect may vary depending on the photographic conditions, including the lens used. Some lenses may offer more than two stops of compensation.

What is the purpose of the Shake Reduction (SR) system's on/off switch?
To allow the user to select SR according to shooting conditions such as when the camera is fixed on a tripod, deliberate shooting for image blur, and conditions where camera shake other than by hand is expected.

Does battery life change while the SR system is engaged?
No, battery life remains the same whether the SR system is turned on or off.

Does the SR system's shifting of the image sensor beyond the lens image circle lower the performance of the lens?
No, shifting the sensor doesn't negatively affect the performance.

How does the SR system control hand shake?
By calculating a correction value from the amount of shake detected through the gyro sensor, the system shifts the image sensor at high speed, by magnetic force, to vertically or horizontally compensate for the shake.

Does the SR system work in slow sync mode, with strobe lights?
Yes, it does work in this shooting mode.

What are its advantages over other shake reduction systems developed by your competitors?
1. No special shake reduction lens is required. This means that all PENTAX lenses that can be mounted on PENTAX DSLR bodies will work with this system.;
2. New lenses can be designed compact and lightweight, because the system makes no restrictions on lens design.

How many existing PENTAX lenses are compatible with this SR system?
There are approximately 24 million compatible lenses, as of March 2006. This figure is a total of all lenses sold by PENTAX since the M42 screw-mount lenses.

Does the SR system work during pan shots of moving subjects?
Yes, it does work, but switching the SR function off is recommended. In shooting conditions where there may be camera shake more than by hand, the SR system may not appropriately compensate for the shaking.

Does the SR system effect the shutter lag time?
No, it does not.

Does the SR system work in bulb mode?
No, it does not. The SR system is shut off when bulb mode, remote control shutter release, self-timer, or wireless strobe is used.