Image Stabilization or lack thereof on Panasonic GF1

[ashleynicole]

Hello,

I'm considering purchasing a Panasonic GF-1, but I am very new to photography and need the advice of people who know what they are talking about.

The camera itself doesn't have image stabilization, but some of the lenses do. I know I do want a particular lens that doesn't have O.I.S, however. If I were to use this camera and a lens with no stabilization, does it most come into play in low light settings only? If I'm taking pics in broad daylight, does image stabilization make a difference? If I want to take low light settings, can I just use a tripod to make up for the lack of image stabilization?

Alternatively, does anyone have experience with the LUMIX 20mm f1.7 lens, and if so, has it been positive?

Thanks so much!

[ravncat]

Image stabilization is useful when you want a longer shutterspeed and you're handholding the camera. It doesn't help when using faster shutterspeeds. It can come into play in daylight.

The 20mm 1.7 is a beautiful lens, I am glad I purchased it for my ep-1

[inkista]

Stabilization comes into play when you need to use a shutter speed below your handholding threshhold (without a tripod or other form of support) and your subject matter isn't moving. The rule of thumb (and this does vary with individual skill levels) is that to eliminate camera shake blur from a shot while handholding the shutter speed should be 1/focal_length or faster.

That means, with a 50mm lens, you want to shoot at 1/50s or faster. With a 100mm lens, 1/100s or faster. There is, however, a lower bound. Most folks can't go slower than 1/30s no matter how short the lens is.

Some folks throw in the crop factor, too, or multiply by 2 (which with the GF-1 would be the same thing). Some folks don't.

But what stabilization does is to lower this shutter speed limit. This stabilization capability is generally given in stops--which would be how many times you could double the shutter speed. So, if the stabilization is effective for two stops, then with a 50mm lens, that means you could handhold down to 1/12s without camera shake blur in the photo.

But. Using a longer shutter speed is still likely to have subject motion blur register in the photo. So, if you're taking pics of small children running about, 1/12s isn't going to be much of a help. If, however, you're taking a shot of a building at night, then it might.


Canon 5D Mark II. EF 24-105 f/4L IS USM.
@24mm. iso 6400. f/4. 0.3s. Handheld. Shot RAW, processed in Lightroom 3.

Without stabilization (and good basic handholding technique), I could never have gotten that shot handheld, but I could also have gotten it with a tripod. So, how vital stabilization is going to be depends on what you want to shoot and how you want to shoot it.