Calling all VR nikon lens owners
Discussion
Just got my 70-200mm VR lens and am getting to know her in reddiness for a wedding on sat where my mate wants me to get lots of impromptur "couple" shots from afar. (he has also got our "pro" friend doing the "pro" stuff.
I am sitting in a quiet room playing with the VR on and off, and it makes a rether loud (not really but you know what I mean) whurring/buzzing noise when you press the shutter with VR on. (not with it offf)
Also, when you are looking through the finder, the image seems to jiggle around inside the viewfinder.
Can't really seem to get much of a difference between it being on and off when taking pics handheld in my study across the room. (about 1/1.6 or 1/2 secs VR on seems a bit sharper but I would not say that its 3 stops sharper as the bumpf states.
Does this sound normal?............
Fankoo. Greg
I am sitting in a quiet room playing with the VR on and off, and it makes a rether loud (not really but you know what I mean) whurring/buzzing noise when you press the shutter with VR on. (not with it offf)
Also, when you are looking through the finder, the image seems to jiggle around inside the viewfinder.
Can't really seem to get much of a difference between it being on and off when taking pics handheld in my study across the room. (about 1/1.6 or 1/2 secs VR on seems a bit sharper but I would not say that its 3 stops sharper as the bumpf states.
Does this sound normal?............
Fankoo. Greg
Canon whore here, but for what it's worth, it sounds similar to the behaviour of my 24-105 IS L. You can feel the IS working and see it through the viewfinder as well. Great feature but, no, not better than stopping down for that sweet spot. Low light and fast moving subjects, great...portraiture, candids? Nah.
Sounds like itsd working (from the sound..)
It should give you 2-3 fstops more control.
be it that you can whack the appature up f5-f9 or whatever or drop the shutter speed.
If you can handhold fine at 1/500 it should give you 1/125 etc.
So it realy depends on conditions & your ability etc.
It should give you 2-3 fstops more control.
be it that you can whack the appature up f5-f9 or whatever or drop the shutter speed.
If you can handhold fine at 1/500 it should give you 1/125 etc.
So it realy depends on conditions & your ability etc.
Yep, sounds like mine. It makes more of a difference than you can imagine.
To demonstrate, try turning VR off, zooming the lens all the way to 200mm and while handheld, look through the viewfinder and (with AF enabled try and your shutter button half-depressed) keep a very specific and sharp visual point (a corner of a television screen perhaps?) smack in the middle focusing bracket. Not easy, huh?
Now turn VR on (Normal mode), and try the same thing. Watch how the same point magically seems to stay put in the middle focusing bracket, as the lens compensates for camera shake.
Quick tips: On a sturdy tripod, turn VR off, as it will try and compensate for movement when there is none. Use Active mode only when you not only have camera shake from your hands, but when your very foundation is shaky (e.g. while shooting from a boat).
To demonstrate, try turning VR off, zooming the lens all the way to 200mm and while handheld, look through the viewfinder and (with AF enabled try and your shutter button half-depressed) keep a very specific and sharp visual point (a corner of a television screen perhaps?) smack in the middle focusing bracket. Not easy, huh?
Now turn VR on (Normal mode), and try the same thing. Watch how the same point magically seems to stay put in the middle focusing bracket, as the lens compensates for camera shake.
Quick tips: On a sturdy tripod, turn VR off, as it will try and compensate for movement when there is none. Use Active mode only when you not only have camera shake from your hands, but when your very foundation is shaky (e.g. while shooting from a boat).
-DeaDLocK- said:
Use Active mode only when you not only have camera shake from your hands, but when your very foundation is shaky (e.g. while shooting from a boat).
Now it's my turn to be dumb... I've never shot from a boat... but in case I ever do, how do you get a VR into active mode? (I've read the FM but lost the FM)
On my 80-400 I have two modes:
Off - is off!
Mode one - the first "on" position - is on only when the shutter release happens, but not in the viewfinder.
Mode two - the second "on" position - is on in the viewfinder when you half depress the shutter. I guess this is "active" mode.
Mode two is useful but kills the battery. Haven't used the lens enough to decide which I prefer.
Off - is off!
Mode one - the first "on" position - is on only when the shutter release happens, but not in the viewfinder.
Mode two - the second "on" position - is on in the viewfinder when you half depress the shutter. I guess this is "active" mode.
Mode two is useful but kills the battery. Haven't used the lens enough to decide which I prefer.
Edited by _dobbo_ on Friday 21st July 11:51
yea but no but ...
This from the nikon site... The first bit I get (like what you said)... it's the second bit - how do I change to 'active mode?:
......................................................................
What are the differences between the two VR modes of the Nikon 80-400mm VR lens
In mode 1, VR system starts when the cameras shutter release button is lightly pressed and allows the user to see that any camera shake is reduced by looking through the viewfinder. Of course, VR operation carries on during exposure
In mode 2, to conserve battery power VR operation is only executed during taking of the image. You cannot see the VR operation through the viewfinder in this mode. This mode is designed for those who feel uncomfortable with compensated viewfinder images caused by the vibration reduction mechanism and conserves battery power. Actual photo results are the same as for mode 1.
What is the difference between the Normal and Active VR modes ?
Normal mode on the Nikon VR lenses reduction camera shake, the lens will automatically detect if you pan the camera horizontally and only vibration in the vertical axis is reduced.
Active mode should be used when taking images from a moving vehicle or vessel. The frequency of camera shake experienced during handheld shooting is different from that encountered when trying to shoot from a moving vehicle or vessel. The VR active function is designed to be able to compensate for severe vibrations encountered when you're in a car, boat, on a train or airplane, and even aboard a helicopter. The active mode does not automatically distinguish panning from camera shake unlike normal mode. If you wish to pan it is recommended you use normal mode.
This from the nikon site... The first bit I get (like what you said)... it's the second bit - how do I change to 'active mode?:
......................................................................
What are the differences between the two VR modes of the Nikon 80-400mm VR lens
In mode 1, VR system starts when the cameras shutter release button is lightly pressed and allows the user to see that any camera shake is reduced by looking through the viewfinder. Of course, VR operation carries on during exposure
In mode 2, to conserve battery power VR operation is only executed during taking of the image. You cannot see the VR operation through the viewfinder in this mode. This mode is designed for those who feel uncomfortable with compensated viewfinder images caused by the vibration reduction mechanism and conserves battery power. Actual photo results are the same as for mode 1.
What is the difference between the Normal and Active VR modes ?
Normal mode on the Nikon VR lenses reduction camera shake, the lens will automatically detect if you pan the camera horizontally and only vibration in the vertical axis is reduced.
Active mode should be used when taking images from a moving vehicle or vessel. The frequency of camera shake experienced during handheld shooting is different from that encountered when trying to shoot from a moving vehicle or vessel. The VR active function is designed to be able to compensate for severe vibrations encountered when you're in a car, boat, on a train or airplane, and even aboard a helicopter. The active mode does not automatically distinguish panning from camera shake unlike normal mode. If you wish to pan it is recommended you use normal mode.
Edited by GetCarter on Friday 21st July 12:09
Yeah that's the blurb.
Ben, on your lens there appears to only be one "mode" - Normal, in 70-200 parlance. With the 70-200, VR is always active the moment the shutter button is depressed halfway, unless VR is turned off altogether. There is no setting to only turn it on at the point of shutter release. I think Nikon improved power consumption on the later-generation VR, which is why they probably did away with the option your lens has.
Active VR is a mode that expects more shake and provides greater dampening. I've not actually used this and my attempts at trying to experiment with it haven't really gotten me anywhere, so for me it's Normal or nothing.
Ben, on your lens there appears to only be one "mode" - Normal, in 70-200 parlance. With the 70-200, VR is always active the moment the shutter button is depressed halfway, unless VR is turned off altogether. There is no setting to only turn it on at the point of shutter release. I think Nikon improved power consumption on the later-generation VR, which is why they probably did away with the option your lens has.
Active VR is a mode that expects more shake and provides greater dampening. I've not actually used this and my attempts at trying to experiment with it haven't really gotten me anywhere, so for me it's Normal or nothing.
-DeaDLocK- said:
Yeah that's the blurb.
Ben, on your lens there appears to only be one "mode" - Normal, in 70-200 parlance. With the 70-200, VR is always active the moment the shutter button is depressed halfway, unless VR is turned off altogether. There is no setting to only turn it on at the point of shutter release. I think Nikon improved power consumption on the later-generation VR, which is why they probably did away with the option your lens has.
Active VR is a mode that expects more shake and provides greater dampening. I've not actually used this and my attempts at trying to experiment with it haven't really gotten me anywhere, so for me it's Normal or nothing.
Ben, on your lens there appears to only be one "mode" - Normal, in 70-200 parlance. With the 70-200, VR is always active the moment the shutter button is depressed halfway, unless VR is turned off altogether. There is no setting to only turn it on at the point of shutter release. I think Nikon improved power consumption on the later-generation VR, which is why they probably did away with the option your lens has.
Active VR is a mode that expects more shake and provides greater dampening. I've not actually used this and my attempts at trying to experiment with it haven't really gotten me anywhere, so for me it's Normal or nothing.
yea but no but yea but no but...
The blurb from Nikon is referring to his (and my) lens - It tells us when to use active or normal mode...but we don't have a button.
I WANT A BUTTON
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