Confirmation: body irrelevant to Nikon VR? I was practicing hand holding my Nikon 200-500 with poor results. I’ll be doing a more careful experiment and posting a few examples with...

Rab-Eye Loc: Indiana

I was practicing hand holding my Nikon 200-500 with poor results. I’ll be doing a more careful experiment and posting a few examples with some questions. For now, I’m just looking for confirmation that because the VR is in the lens, the body is totally irrelevant vis a vis the VR. My D300s was close at hand so I was using that body instead of my D500. Doesn’t matter, right?

cjc2 Loc: Hellertown PA

Correct. VR is lens based on Nikon's.

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

Rab-Eye wrote:

I was practicing hand holding my Nikon 200-500 with poor results. I’ll be doing a more careful experiment and posting a few examples with some questions. For now, I’m just looking for confirmation that because the VR is in the lens, the body is totally irrelevant vis a vis the VR. My D300s was close at hand so I was using that body instead of my D500. Doesn’t matter, right?

Essentially correct. However I have noticed VR works slightly better when using a heavier pro type body than with an entry level plastic body. No scientific proof, just my observation from using hundreds of different lenses on hundreds of different bodies while buying/selling them in my store.
My guess is the heavier all magnesium pro bodies balance the longer lenses better, but its just my guess. But my onservations have been very consistent over the years.

Rab-Eye Loc: Indiana

MT Shooter wrote:

Essentially correct. However I have noticed VR works slightly better when using a heavier pro type body than with an entry level plastic body. No scientific proof, just my observation from using hundreds of different lenses on hundreds of different bodies while buying/selling them in my store.
My guess is the heavier all magnesium pro bodies balance the longer lenses better, but its just my guess. But my onservations have been very consistent over the years.

Makes sense. Thank you.

Rab-Eye Loc: Indiana

cjc2 wrote:

Correct. VR is lens based on Nikon's.

Great. Thank you.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

"I was practicing hand holding my Nikon 200-500 with poor results." If you had a high enough shutter speed you would have done better. VR is excellent to control the movement of the hands but at certain speeds, depending on the type of VR, it is totally useless. With a lens like the 200-500 VR speeds beyond 1/500sec. or better if shooting at 1/1000sec. DO NOT NEED using VR. You do not want to shoot wildlife at slower shutter speeds anyway.
My point, some VR are better than others. I have never been able to understand what "4 stops more" of allowed shutter speeds means.

Bill_de Loc: US

camerapapi wrote:

I have never been able to understand what "4 stops more" of allowed shutter speeds means.

Doubling or halving the shutter speed = one stop. If you need to be at 1/500 to hand hold a particular lens without VR, with VR you should be able to hand hold at:

1/250 (1 stop)
1/125 (2 stops)
1/60 (3 stops)
1/30 (4 stops)

HTH

--

LouR

Excellent explanation, Bill ! Many thanks.
Lou

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Rab-Eye wrote:

I was practicing hand holding my Nikon 200-500 with poor results. I’ll be doing a more careful experiment and posting a few examples with some questions. For now, I’m just looking for confirmation that because the VR is in the lens, the body is totally irrelevant vis a vis the VR. My D300s was close at hand so I was using that body instead of my D500. Doesn’t matter, right?

I sold my 300 2.8 and 200-400 4 because the 200-500 was that good. I shoot on the D500 hand held using Group Auto Focusing. I nail anything that moves.I strongly suggest you call Nikon at 1-800-Nikon-us.

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

MT Shooter wrote:

Essentially correct. However I have noticed VR works slightly better when using a heavier pro type body than with an entry level plastic body. No scientific proof, just my observation from using hundreds of different lenses on hundreds of different bodies while buying/selling them in my store.
My guess is the heavier all magnesium pro bodies balance the longer lenses better, but its just my guess. But my onservations have been very consistent over the years.

Also, some cameras have better mirror damping and shutter braking than others. I’m not sure how VR handles those issues.

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

Rab-Eye wrote:

I was practicing hand holding my Nikon 200-500 with poor results. I’ll be doing a more careful experiment and posting a few examples with some questions. For now, I’m just looking for confirmation that because the VR is in the lens, the body is totally irrelevant vis a vis the VR. My D300s was close at hand so I was using that body instead of my D500. Doesn’t matter, right?

Hand holding takes skill and practice. You also need to apply some principles that are necessary when using a long lens. Keep your shutter speed as high as you can and your ISO as low as you can as long as the shutter speed is at least the inverse of the focal length. In other words, if you are shooting at 500mm, you should have a minimum of 1/1000th shutter or more. This doesn't guarantee a sharp image because your hand holding technique also plays into things. But keeping the shutter fast is important until you master the technique of hand holding a large lens. I use a 500mm lens all the time and get most of my keepers when shooting at 1/2000th but at the end of the day when the sun is going down, I can get a few keepers when my shutter has dropped as low as 1/300th or so. I have fewer keepers and have to shoot a longer burst but when the light is low, you do what you have to do to get the shot.

Rab-Eye Loc: Indiana

camerapapi wrote:

"I was practicing hand holding my Nikon 200-5... (show quote)

With all due respect, you’re making an incorrect assumption. I said I would soon post a follow-up with images and more information after doing a more careful test. I was shooting handheld at 1/1000 and 1/2000 and was unhappy with my results.

Rab-Eye Loc: Indiana

billnikon wrote:

I sold my 300 2.8 and 200-400 4 because the 200-500 was that good. I shoot on the D500 hand held using Group Auto Focusing. I nail anything that moves.I strongly suggest you call Nikon at 1-800-Nikon-us.

Perhaps I will at some point, but it would be premature now. Thanks.

Rab-Eye Loc: Indiana

jeep_daddy wrote:

Hand holding takes skill and practice. You also n... (show quote)

Exactly why I will take the time to do a more careful test. I was shooting at 1/1000 and 1/2000 with auto ISO. I have no doubt that my lack of experience handholding that lens is a factor. Even in my casual test, I saw that left hand position affects the sharpness. I have a long way to go before I blame anything other than my technique, including testing on a solid tripod. Thanks!