boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

Is it just me? I find that the only thing that will illiminate camera shake (blurred photos) is high enough shutter speed. Whether or not if I have IS on or off makes no difference. I have a tremor in my left hand. In poor light I must use some kind of support to make sharp photos. So, is the much more expensive IS lens worth the extra money? Again is it just me or do others find this true.

bleirer

My experience is limited to Canon, but it seems to work for me. They claim up to 4 stops, but I'll for sure get 2 without worry and don't really push to see what the limit really is.

Maybe a monopod would help?

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

It works up to a point, which may be an immeasurable point.

CO

It makes a difference. Look through the viewfinder without pressing down the shutter button. Then, continue looking through the viewfinder and half-press the shutter button. That will activate the stabilization. You should see the image in the viewfinder become more stable.

melismus Loc: Chesapeake Bay Country

Stabilization works over a narrow range of camera movement. It probably cannot handle tremor.

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

When film SLR cameras prevailed in past decades. There were no VR or IBIS, that I can remember. You had steady hands or a tripod. Yes, to avoid blur, a higher shutter speed is recommended. I found that out when I did my first High School football game a while back. I find that VR is necessary on longer focal range lenses, 300mm or above. Anything less than that, should not be needed. IMO. Unless, it is a heavy lens.. But, VR does cost more. A Nikon AF-P 70-300mm VR lens cost just $50 more than the non VR. So, it may be best to spend the extra $50. You never know, when you may need it someday. I don't have any cameras with IBIS.

CO

In situations where you can't use a tripod, a stringpod works well to stabilize a camera. I have one that I made. I think it stabilizes a camera better than a monopod does. I've used monopods and there always seems to be side to side motion. All you need is a 1/4"-20 eyelet bolt and a piece of rope.

Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV

I routinely hand hold my 200~500 at 500. Wouldn't happen if it wasn't a VR lens. I agree that around 200mm and below VR is a waste of money, depending on the photographer.

olemikey Loc: 6 mile creek, Spacecoast Florida

Once you hit a fairly fast shutter speed, it doesn't seem to have any effect (as Longshadow notes, it works up to a point), it will also become ineffective once you drop into the fairly slow shutter speeds. It helps to greatly reduce the affect of vibration/shake/movement of the camera/lens combo, but does not help with subject movement (that is what fast shutter speed is for).

I find it very helpful when I'm on the move, shooting as i go, no set-up time, all handheld, often my body is moving as I try to get the shot, watching so I don't trip over roots, slip in mud, etc. chasing critter/target, sometimes even one-handed. You say you have tremor in the left hand (you are lucky with that, both would make this hobby very tough) so I'd concentrate on eleminating the effect the left hand induces, that will require thinking out of the box.

I don't know the exact "moot point for use/fast shutter speed" but if I'm shooting a 300mm lens (example) at faster than say 1/500 I don't use it.... but do for low light and speeds all the way down to about 1/15 - 1/20th on a day when I'm steady, on a day when I'm not so steady, it is probably more like 1/50 or a bit faster. If shake/vibration are a "normal" problem for you, then I'd suggest a change in shooting style, use added support (monopod, bi-pod, tri-pod, or something).

We are all different, so I'd suggest finding that range of shutter speeds where you can handhold and get a good shot, then turn to IS/VR for action that allows for slower shutter speeds, and note where that seems to fail you. From there, avoid the shutter speed ranges where shake will kill the shot, or turn on IS/VR/VC.

I have many lenses with IS/VR/VC, and I have many that do not..... maybe just me, but I go for the best reach/IQ combo and use external stabilization if I can't shoot at a fast enough shutter speed, and often am out by the water (wherever) with an older telephoto, no image stabilization, and sometimes screw drive AF, and get many photos I'm quite happy with - but again, I'm employing some form of external stabilization, and shooting at a faster shutter speed.

Image Stabilization is a very helpful tool....but there are other ways to compensate. Can you shoot as well without it - Yes you can, you just have to adjust your methods to compensate. I have the AF-P 70-300 in both the VR and non-VR version, both will get the shot. The VR works well, but then so does the non-VR version, it just taks a little more effort if things are moving (photog and camera).

I still search for older, long lenses without IS, I'll buy one in a heartbeat....if it happens to have IS, fine, but not a deal killer. I've rambled on a lot here, hope it is somehow helpful....

olemikey Loc: 6 mile creek, Spacecoast Florida

External stabilization !!! A great example!!

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

Do you just feel like it doesn't make a difference, or have you actually done tests at different shutter speeds to find out? It does give me at least a 2 stop difference.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

If you have a bad tremor in your left hand, than unfortunately it probably is you. Depending on a number of factors I can usually get around 2-3 stops with IS lenses handheld. You do realize that lens stabilization is intended for static subjects only, correct? It is not effective for moving subjects. With IS enabled, I am able to get a significant percentage of sharp images handheld as slow as 1/10 of a second, and occasionally even slower. I'm also very careful about using a rigid stance which helps a lot.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

Shortly after I got my Pentax Q-7 with IBIS, we made a trip to visit our daughter who lived in San Diego at the time. Within a very short time, I found myself using the Q-7 for indoor shots even though I also had a Canon Rebel with a sensor three times as large in each linear dimension. That should be backwards - I should have preferred the Rebel for indoors - but at slow shutter speeds I very quickly preferred IBIS over the nothing I had with the Rebel. I cannot speak to Nikon's "VR" however.

BebuLamar

Although I don't own any Nikon VR lenses but my Nikon F5 does support VR. And still to this day I own no VR lenses. For what I read I am missing out a lot for not having VR.

CO

Some lenses will detect panning motion and will compensate only in the vertical direction. My Nikon 80-400mm lens does that.