Stabilisation

As far as I can say the way I understand it is that when the stabilisation is 'active' the camera is expecting an element of movement and as such makes certain compensations. So when the camera is on a tripod ( an item I have 2 really superb examples but very rarely use!!) with stabilisation active it is still anticipating movement and therefore feels it should introduce some compenstion.......don't fully understand it, but that is the way I understand it to be. So when it is turned off, which mine is the majority of the time, you are playing with the bog standard camera you were used to before all this technology.....otherwise known as progress

Sorry, couldn't afford the cost of a postcard and stamp........

I'd agree with the above thay with lens stabilisation, if it's fixed on a tripod, the moving lens elements are anticipating and looking for movement that's not there, thus making the images a bit less sharp than they otherwise would be with it turned off.

More recent systems, like Nikon's VR II lenses are getting very sophisticated with switching options on how it works and they claim their system gives an additional 5 stops you can hand hold at lower shutter speeds. 1/8th of a sec at 200mm hand held is easily achievable with the 70-200 f2.8 VR II lens.