f2.8 w/Image Stabilization = f1.4 ?

[Bstanley]

I was dreamily envisioning taking piles of dark ride photos during my upcoming visit to The World and my first thought was "use the 50mm f1.8 of course", but:

1. I don't like the 50mm at f1.8 - it's kinda soft and the depth of field is thin enough you can get a paper cut from it. I use it at f2.0 and am much happier with the results.

2. The 50mm doesn't have IS and the claim on the 17-55mm is that it has '3 stops' of IS. So doesn't that make it equivalent to an F1.4?

I.E. - instead of shooting Grim Grinning Ghosts at f1.4 and 1/60 I could shoot them at f2.8 and 1/15?

I understand that the IS doesn't help me if whatever I'm shooting is moving itself - a parade for example.

 

[thomas998]

I don't think it is going to work quite the way you think. The stabilization is to account for small jiggling that happens when you try to take a photo, so if you are standing and taking a photo the added stabilization will allow you to take pictures using a slower shutter speed because it counteracts some of your jiggling... But you are going to be on a moving ride so having a slower shutter speed isn't going to help you it will increase the motion blur... You are right that the parades because they are moving will be a problem but you are forgetting that on dark ride you are moving and never be still so it is still like taking pictures of a moving parade.... How fast of ISO can your camera shoot before the noise becomes a problem... I would probably recommend you bump it up as high as you can without mega noise so you can keep the shutter speed as fast as possible.

 

[NateNLogansDad]

I still go cross eyed sometimes when I try to figure all this out so I'm only posting this in hopes that someone will correct me.


If my math is correct, to go from F1.4 to F2.8 is 2 stops.

From 1/60 to 1/15 is 2 stops.

The IS is supposed to give you 3 stops so, in comparison, your image will be slightly underexposed if you use the same ISO. Bump up the ISO a notch and you're on it.

Granted, like the PP said, unless the ride breaks down with you in front of the GGG's, you will have more motion blur because of your car moving.

 

[WDWFigment]

Dark ride vehicles move.

 

[VVFF]

I was dreamily envisioning taking piles of dark ride photos during my upcoming visit to The World and my first thought was "use the 50mm f1.8 of course", but:

1. I don't like the 50mm at f1.8 - it's kinda soft and the depth of field is thin enough you can get a paper cut from it. I use it at f2.0 and am much happier with the results.

2. The 50mm doesn't have IS and the claim on the 17-55mm is that it has '3 stops' of IS. So doesn't that make it equivalent to an F1.4?

I.E. - instead of shooting Grim Grinning Ghosts at f1.4 and 1/60 I could shoot them at f2.8 and 1/15?

I understand that the IS doesn't help me if whatever I'm shooting is moving itself - a parade for example.

You are somewhat correct. However if you are actually talking 3 stops of IS a F2.8 lens could be considered a F1.0 lens...buuuuut this is in a "dream world".

In reality there are positive and negatives that don't quite make this true. IS can allow you to hand hold up to 3-4 times slower than normal. But as you slow down the shutter speed if there is any inherent movement in the scene, that will not be compensated for. In the case of most rides, IS can't compensate for the movement of the ride vehicle...or the movement of the animatronics/cast members.

In these cases a F1.0 lens would deliver a significantly better result than a F2.8 lens with IS because the shutter speed would be significantly faster and therefore motion blur would be reduced.

The downside of a F1.0 lens is that it would have less depth of field. So you would have to pick and choose exactly what you wanted to focus on.

I hope this helps.