rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

Don't forget proper camera-holding technique. This is something that you can actually practice. What I sometimes do is attach a laser pointer to the camera's hot shoe, then aim the pointer at a spot on the wall (or any small object at a distance) and try to keep it steady as I release the trigger... and repeat this over and over again. It surprises me how few photographers ever bother with practice exercises such as this to increase the effectiveness of their technique.

bleirer

You might consider if a harness that lets you pull against your body in a 3 point set up, to stabilize the camera with the body a bit, might be worth a try.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?setNs=p_PRICE_2%7c0&Ns=p_PRICE_2%7c0&sortType=default&ci=4093&fct=fct_belt-harness-type_2936%7cchest-harnesses&srtclk=sort&N=3656173705&

flyboy61 Loc: The Great American Desert

OMY YES! VR/IS is a goodness, and string pods aren't far behind!

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

If, you have survived without VR lenses, like you, and many others, nothing has been missed. One of my lenses is the Nikon kit lens, 18-55mm with VR. I really don't need to have VR on such a lens. That's what came with the camera. My other VR lens is the DX AF-P DX 70-300mm. The rest are non VR.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

IS/VR eliminates tiny movements and vibrations. I you have larger movements that can be measured in fractions of an inch that you can see it can't handle that kind of movement so then only a high SS will help. Better yet if possible a monopod or tripod or some good solid rest or brace.

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

IS does it's job for me, I think it works excellent, big difference in shots without and with it!

IDguy Loc: Idaho

I particularly like VR on wide angle focal lengths when doing landscapes. It lets me do landscapes handheld with much lower ISO. Higher shutter speeds demand higher ISO for the higher fstops needed for landscapes...causing noise.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

My experience is limited to Nikon. Things have definitely improved in recent years.

When I got my first DSLR, I didn't have any lenses with VR. Eventually I got a D3, full frame, so I had to get some FX lenses. One of them was a 70-200/2.8, which had VR. I played around with it and it sort of worked but not enough to be remarkable.

Bumbled along until 2015, when I got a 200-500/5.6. Tried out the VR and it really was remarkable. When I brought it home it was raining, so I took it to the basement, where I played with it a bit. Sharpness was good. I was able to read the microprinting on a $50 at a distance of about 20 ft. Then I thought I'd try the VR. I took the lens off the tripod and aimed it at the target. Naturally the image in the viewfinder bounced around, just as I expected. Then I turned on the VR. Initially I was a bit confused. Instead of seeing an image bouncing around in the viewfinder, it was jumping around. It would hold still, then suddenly jump to a new position. I finally decided that what I was seeing was the VR holding the image steady until the lens moved enough that it hit the edge of the range within which the VR would work. It then jumped to a new position and stayed there until my unsteady hands moved the lens out of the range again.

So eventually it stopped raining and I was able to use it outdoors and found it did extremely well. I took it to a concert, and hand holding it from the back of the balcony, I tried a couple shots at 500mm, 1/10 second hand held. They came out pretty well. Not perfect, but way better than I had expected.

I upgraded my 24-70 and 70-200 later. The old 24-70 did not have VR, the new version does have it and it works well. I don't think it's really necessary below around 40-50mm, but it's nice to have on the long end. Given the new VR on the 200-500 and the 70-200, I estimate that it gives me 4-5 stops of improvement where the old VR was good for maybe 0.5-1 stop.

I do a lot of event shooting, and it makes a difference being in low light situations and being able to use a reasonable shutter speed.

BebuLamar

Without VR my solution is to have a camera that performs well at high ISO but still sometimes I wonder if I should have VR.

olemikey Loc: 6 mile creek, Spacecoast Florida

There are a lot of situations where it is very helpful. As you have seen, some folks just about won't do without it. I would suggest a decent VR lens from somewhere that you can return it if you don't like it....doesn't have to be top tier for a tryout... A 70-300, or 55-200 or 55-300, something like (or better, up to you) and see how you like it. They can make up for a lot of movement/vibration.

MW

IS IBIS VR. All work up to a point. When movement is normal, mild shakiness they do a good job. Shake caused by wobbly footing, shivering, contact with vibrating surfaces etc not so much. Best situation is when you can hold for a sharp image at say 1/100 -but you really need to expose at 1/50, 1/25 or 1/12.

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

If VR works for you, and can lower the ISO you have to use, then it's worth it.

BebuLamar

That would be better but I don't feel like buying new lenses. I do think the VR works though although I have never used it.

RichardTaylor Loc: Sydney, Australia

For my Canon and Olympus cameras, it works great for me.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

This was taken at 1/25 sec. 600mm, F8, ISO 400. Hand-held, stabilization on.

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