Noobie question on using VR (or your camera's equivalent)

[jbeanv]

Just got my first SLR last week and I've been shooting everything with VR on (I have a 18-55 and 55-200 lens). Is there any situation where you'd turn it off? Does it have a "negative" effect on the image at all?

Thanks!

 

[itznfb]

it can have a negative effect when the camera is perfectly still.
i turn it off when i get above 1/500sec

 

[Josh66]

You will want to turn it off any time you have the camera on a tripod.


I'm not 100% sure on this, but - doesn't it lower your resolution?
I know some VR/IS systems do, but I don't know how the Nikon system works.

 

[jbeanv]

Thanks for the input! I'll check if it does anything to my resolution.

 

[Big Mike]

VR/IS won't lower your resolution...these are lens based systems that are basically independent of the camera. I'm not sure about the sensor based systems though.

As mentioned, you should turn it off when shooting on a tripod and maybe when the shutter speed is fast enough that it's not needed.

I do know that with some lenses, the IS system can get burned out with over use...so it's best to keep it tuned off unless you are using slow shutter speeds and really need it. The canon EF-S 17-55mm F2.8 IS, is such a lens.

 

[Josh66]

VR/IS won't lower your resolution...these are lens based systems that are basically independent of the camera. I'm not sure about the sensor based systems though.

I must have been thinking of the sensor based systems...

 

[LarryD]

You also don't need it if you are panning with a subject, or shooting action as you are constantly moving the camera and counter-acting it's attempt to stabilize.......

Some higher quality lenses have two settings, normal IS and panning IS... in those cases you need to choose your mode.

 

[farmerj]

VR in the Nikkor Lenses. For that matter any vibration dampening system.

It looks for and tries to dampen any motion that the camera may be subjected to. If the camera is stationary like on a tripod, it will still attempt to move the VR system to detect motion.

So you turn off your VR/IS/ dampening system.

When panning, you might want to have it stabilize the vertical motion, but if you have it on for horizantal, it is likely to get confused and will reduce the sharpness.

As was mentioned, Some systems allow you to turn the horizontal VR/IS/Dampening off.

If your shutter speed is fast enough, it's likely VR/IS/Dampening will only give you the benefit of running your battery dead faster.

So those are three of the times you don't need/want VR/IS/Dampening.