You Say I Should Use Image Stabilisation — Then Why Oh Why Would I Ever Turn It Off?

Send us Fan Mail 🎙️ Turn on image stabilisation, they said. It'll save your photos, they said. Nobody mentioned you'd need to turn it off again. You've been told to always leave image stabilisation switched on. But put your camera on a tripod, and that same advice flips completely. In this episode, I explain exactly what image stabilisation does, how many extra stops it can buy you, and the moments where it can actually work against you. Whether you're shooting handheld, on a tripod, or panning a moving subject, this one's for you. 📸 **🔧 What's In This Episode** ●        What Image Stabilisation Actually Does — the one job it's built for, and nothing more. ●        How Many Extra Stops It Buys You — the genuinely useful benefit, explained properly. ●        Why It Fights You On A Tripod — and why the advice to switch it off makes total sense. ●        Two Different Places Stabilisation Can Live — in the lens, the body, or both. ●        The Panning Exception — the one time you move the camera on purpose and it still helps. ●        Video Needs More Help Than Stills — why your settings shouldn't be identical for both. ●        It Runs Your Battery Down Faster — the practical cost nobody mentions. **📖 Read the Full Blog Post** Read the blog post here **🔗 Related Episodes** Episode 235 — Do I Really Need a Tripod? Really? Why Rick, Why? — start here if you're still deciding whether a tripod is worth carrying at all. Episode 224 — Why Are My Photos Blurry? All the Reasons and How to Fix Them — image stabilisation is only one piece of the blur puzzle. Episode 234 — Oh No. Another Blurry Photo. Here's How to Stop It Right Now. — a practical follow up on camera movement generally. **⏭️ Next Episode** Everyone teaches the exposure triangle. I barely use it. Find out why in episode 242, out Friday 25th September 2026. **🎥 More From Rick** Find me on YouTube by searching Rick McEvoy. rickmcevoyphotography.com for everything else — courses, resources, and my weekly email. Courses: rickmcevoyphotography.com/courses Resources: rickmcevoyphotography.com/resources Support the show **Get your question answered** This is what my podcast is all about: answering your photography questions. Just head over to my shiny new website to find out more about me, my podcast and my photography. Thanks very much for listening Cheers from me Rick