On Wed, 27 Jun 2001 01:13:25 GMT, Steve Hoffmann wrote:

>Does the use of a tripod or monopod defeat optical image stabilization?
>Do you need to turn off image stabilization when you use these types of
>supports?

Depends on the stabilization... With Sony, I leave the
stabilizers on, and they absorb minor bumps and vibrations
fairly well without ill effects; with the Canon XL-1, a
bump to the tripod with the stabilizer on would result
in the image "swimming"... Try it first with the stabilizer
on to see if it helps/hurts - and learn to ease the motions
to a stop to allow the stabilizer (and tripod legs, with
a stiff fluid head...;-) to settle along with the camera
movement - otherwise you may see brief reverse-motion in
the image, especially with the lens zoomed long...

>Do you need a huge heavy tripod and fluid head to get good
>image quality at 15 to 20X zoom magnification?

Yes, darn it! ;-)

>It looks like the optical
>stabilization of Canon's GL1 just may not cut it at 20X and tired
>arms....:^)

I have trouble holding steady (or even aiming reliably)
a VX-2000 zoomed long...