Need help with panning

[Gado]

Hey
I was wondering if VR/IS should be turned off when using the panning technique.
It seems like the VR/IS counters any small movements you would make. If I were shooting a car going from left to right it wouldn't the VR/IS counter that by trying to go right to left. I am so confused.

[teaking]

Have a quick check on your camera image stabilisation features if your using those, some have the ability to only stabilise the image up and down and allows you to pan, it usualy comes up panning on the IS features. Not sure if lenses with IS have this apparantely some canon lenses are able to detect if there being panned if yours does not then turn off image stabilisation.

Also check the article on paning which was on this site a few days ago full of great tips and advice.

[Dirt_Bike_Ryda]

i leave my VR on all the time.. and i have no trouble getting a good panning shot. i think its more a technique thing then anything

[Rubey84]

IS is only going to help so much. I recently had to do a panning shot for an assignment and i just left my IS on and pulled my shutter speed down to 1/10sec

heres my fourth shot at panning:

i think the IS may have helped a bit, there was a bump in the road as you can see with the front wheel

[BBenson]

Practice, practice, practice! Learn to judge speed and how to track it panning. I shoot at race tracks a couple dozen times a year and leave IS on. When I first got the IS lens, I could feel it working, I wasn't tracking near as well as I thought. Now, last weekend, don't feel a thing, except the car noise, 120-150mph passing at 20-30 meters, shots the drivers liked

[Gado]

OK thanks to all for the replies.
I was not sure if the VR/IS was helping or hurting the panning.

[sunnykalsi]

With Canon lenses: there are 2 IS modes, 1 allows for panning the other doesn't.

Some of the lenses I have owned have 2 modes, some don't. I know the 70-300 F4-F5.6and the 70-200 F2.8 IS do have both. The 24-105 has only one (from memory).

I would concur that it is more about technique than equipment: you could use a monopod and pan on a central pivot point - this would eliminate the need for IS.

[minimidge]

When I'm taking panning shots I usually leave IS off when under bright day light. When it gets darker or I want more blur than usual I'll turn IS on, but I set it to only stabilize up/down movement.

And on top of that it's mainly a lot of practice that helps. I think it was the third race I attended that I started getting pictures I really liked.
As sunnykalsi said, a monopod really helps and eliminates the need for IS.