Frustrated with my Nikon 24-70mm 2.8G

[TheLost]

What are you taking pictures of in low light? Your original post didn't say..

VR/OS/VC will help steady the camera so you can use a lower shutter... But its not going to force your subject to hold still. If your shooting anything that moves a slow shutter won't help, and neither will vibration control (including a monopod/tripod).

IMHO... you have three options..
1) Only use primes (and hope 1.4/1.8 is enough)
2) Upgrade to a better ISO handling Body (FX)
3) Learn how to make it not so dark.. Strobist

 

[bribrius]

pent up energy. I live on coffee, and im like that even without it adhd big time. Do you think it is you or the lens? If it is you. what helps, oddly enough, is physical exercise. Lots of physical exercise. you will sleep better, me more stable and less jumpy and nervous. you will feel better. Reflexes will be quick but smoother. Your muscles will flow rather than jump and shake. Eating correctly helps as well, make sure you are getting your vitamins, fruits and vegetables.. If all else fails. Usually a little liquor will level you out. I know five drinks im steady as a rock especially if I did a lot of physical activity through the week. Other thing is, you do a lot of physical activity. Go pick up and move some cement blocks or something around. The 3lbs will feel light as a feather. But now we are off the main subject......................

 

[yioties]

I still think the Tamron 24-70 VC is a better buy. Go test it out at henry's and see how you like it.

 

[yioties]

I've seen his work and his images are amazing. I just think the lens doesn't suit your style and needs.

 

[jaomul]

To OP. As I was saying it could be the best lens ever but just may not suit you. I think you may have an attachment due monetary value or the fact it is "supposedly" the bees knees. I can understand that, but I could not like, nevermind love a lens that does not give me the pictures that I really love. Sure you can set up tripods and other items but if you shoot in extremely low light and struggle to handheld at 1/100th second in places where the shot just appears, you probably need some kind of stabilisation help. That is as said before if that speed is fast enough to capture your subjects.

You mention fullframe eventualities but it might be an ideas to buy for the now. Some options for crop cameras that have fast apertures and stabilisation are half the size and half the cost of your Nikon lens. Lighter plus stabilisation may help your cause. I would imagine that selling that Nikon won't give you much loss. A sigma 17-59 2.8 is is relatively cheap as is a sigma 17-70 f2.8/4. Later these could likely be traded or sold for little loss.

A complete alternative is siggys New 24-105 f4. 1 stop slower than your Nikon but 4 stops os. The right tool for you may be different than for others. That Lens is only a tool.

 

[goodguy]

What are you taking pictures of in low light? Your original post didn't say..

VR/OS/VC will help steady the camera so you can use a lower shutter... But its not going to force your subject to hold still. If your shooting anything that moves a slow shutter won't help, and neither will vibration control (including a monopod/tripod).

IMHO... you have three options..
1) Only use primes (and hope 1.4/1.8 is enough)
2) Upgrade to a better ISO handling Body (FX)
3) Learn how to make it not so dark.. Strobist

99% of my pictures are of standing still objects, never really found it too interesting to shoot moving stuff because they are too well...............quick to move LOL
As I said my oltimate goal is to move to an FX body but not now, the D610 is great but the AF system is inferior to that on the D7100 and the D800 is too expensive for me so I will wait to the replacement of the D610.
Your advise on using only primes is perfectly resonable but that means the 24-70mm is unneeded so I will sell it which I really dont want to do.

This camera shake issue is something I struggle only with this lens, my other lenses are ok, my only long lens other then the 24-70mm is the 70-300mm and I also can see in the view finder the frame is jumping all over the place but once I press the shutter realese bottom half way the VR kicks in and the frame is becoming as steady as sleeping sloth so I don't experience this issue on that lens.
If the 24-70mm has a VR like the Tamron equivalent then I wouldn't have this problem.

pent up energy. I live on coffee, and im like that even without it adhd big time. Do you think it is you or the lens? If it is you. what helps, oddly enough, is physical exercise. Lots of physical exercise. you will sleep better, me more stable and less jumpy and nervous. you will feel better. Reflexes will be quick but smoother. Your muscles will flow rather than jump and shake. Eating correctly helps as well, make sure you are getting your vitamins, fruits and vegetables.. If all else fails. Usually a little liquor will level you out. I know five drinks im steady as a rock especially if I did a lot of physical activity through the week. Other thing is, you do a lot of physical activity. Go pick up and move some cement blocks or something around. The 3lbs will feel light as a feather. But now we are off the main subject......................

You really does sound like my wife LOL

I do 3-4 times a week special exercises to strength core muscles and do daily walks.
Not a big fan of booze, might take a shot here and there but nothing more then a single shot per day.

 

[bribrius]

What are you taking pictures of in low light? Your original post didn't say..

VR/OS/VC will help steady the camera so you can use a lower shutter... But its not going to force your subject to hold still. If your shooting anything that moves a slow shutter won't help, and neither will vibration control (including a monopod/tripod).

IMHO... you have three options..
1) Only use primes (and hope 1.4/1.8 is enough)
2) Upgrade to a better ISO handling Body (FX)
3) Learn how to make it not so dark.. Strobist

99% of my pictures are of standing still objects, never really found it too interesting to shoot moving stuff because they are too well...............quick to move LOL
As I said my oltimate goal is to move to an FX body but not now, the D610 is great but the AF system is inferior to that on the D7100 and the D800 is too expensive for me so I will wait to the replacement of the D610.
Your advise on using only primes is perfectly resonable but that means the 24-70mm is unneeded so I will sell it which I really dont want to do.

This camera shake issue is something I struggle only with this lens, my other lenses are ok, my only long lens other then the 24-70mm is the 70-300mm and I also can see in the view finder the frame is jumping all over the place but once I press the shutter realese bottom half way the VR kicks in and the frame is becoming as steady as sleeping sloth so I don't experience this issue on that lens.
If the 24-70mm has a VR like the Tamron equivalent then I wouldn't have this problem.

pent up energy. I live on coffee, and im like that even without it adhd big time. Do you think it is you or the lens? If it is you. what helps, oddly enough, is physical exercise. Lots of physical exercise. you will sleep better, me more stable and less jumpy and nervous. you will feel better. Reflexes will be quick but smoother. Your muscles will flow rather than jump and shake. Eating correctly helps as well, make sure you are getting your vitamins, fruits and vegetables.. If all else fails. Usually a little liquor will level you out. I know five drinks im steady as a rock especially if I did a lot of physical activity through the week. Other thing is, you do a lot of physical activity. Go pick up and move some cement blocks or something around. The 3lbs will feel light as a feather. But now we are off the main subject......................

You really does sound like my wife LOL

I do 3-4 times a week special exercises to strength core muscles and do daily walks.
Not a big fan of booze, might take a shot here and there but nothing more then a single shot per day.

Well that's good. How about nutrients? Its good for you.
im bad that way. embarrassed my wife last week sort of going to a upscale restaurant. waitress comes over to take orders. I said "I need nutrients, im lacking something. I can feel it. I'm missing something. what do you have high on nutrients?" Wife gave me that "look" like here we go again. so I said "what? That's what food is for. If they can offer me something in need for nutrients why eat at all here?"
I thought my wife was going to hide under the table. But fourteen years, she is getting used to it.
Thing is I usually order a drink too with whatever healthy I can get, which really confuses people.

 

[goodguy]

To OP. As I was saying it could be the best lens ever but just may not suit you. I think you may have an attachment due monetary value or the fact it is "supposedly" the bees knees. I can understand that, but I could not like, nevermind love a lens that does not give me the pictures that I really love. Sure you can set up tripods and other items but if you shoot in extremely low light and struggle to handheld at 1/100th second in places where the shot just appears, you probably need some kind of stabilisation help. That is as said before if that speed is fast enough to capture your subjects.

You mention fullframe eventualities but it might be an ideas to buy for the now. Some options for crop cameras that have fast apertures and stabilisation are half the size and half the cost of your Nikon lens. Lighter plus stabilisation may help your cause. I would imagine that selling that Nikon won't give you much loss. A sigma 17-59 2.8 is is relatively cheap as is a sigma 17-70 f2.8/4. Later these could likely be traded or sold for little loss.

A complete alternative is siggys New 24-105 f4. 1 stop slower than your Nikon but 4 stops os. The right tool for you may be different than for others. That Lens is only a tool.

The range of the 2 Sigmas you proposed is not a favorable range for me, I usuaslly shoot 50mm and up.
The 24-105mm is nice but even though it has VR it is too slow for me, I just want low ISO and primes will give me all that so primes are a very viable option for me, from my experience I get amazing results with them so I think my main concern is basically if to keep my 24-70mm or not.
Yes I am attached to the lens, maybe I need to fall out of love with the lens to sell it and move on, I am sure in time I will know what is the best thing to do.
Thank god as I said it not like I don't have an option its just that I really do want to keep it but at the end of the day of this lens doesn't give me the results I want and I cant find the right technique to work with it then I will simply go with primes where I feel right at home.

 

[goodguy]

I still think the Tamron 24-70 VC is a better buy. Go test it out at henry's and see how you like it.

We shall see, I see Aden camera is selling it for a reasonable price so I might go and do more research into this lens.

I've seen his work and his images are amazing. I just think the lens doesn't suit your style and needs.

Thank you for the very kind words

 

[bribrius]

if it still works on a tripod. im trying to figure out why you want to get rid of it. It still has a purpose and is usable. Maybe add a lens, but why get rid of one you "love", if it is usable. This is the part of this thread, im totally missing. Seems like there are other options.

 

[jaomul]

The 17-70 gives more range than the 24-70

 

[astroNikon]

I used to shake alot - and that wasn't because I was a musician dancing around either.

Then I started practicing in my basement (read low light) with my VR lens - with the VR on .. then OFF ... I still had issues.
I knew the only way I was going to get the lenses that I wanted was to go the AF-D route which has no VR.

Now, I'm pretty steady but it's been a long road.
This was the start of the road with the help of TPF members
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...-making-yourself-tripod-versus-using-one.html


fyi, after a while I became fairly steady even with my 500mm. Before that I was all over the place.
One the larger lenses I've found that you have to support the lens FIRST and not the body first.

 

[astroNikon]

another solution I can think of is for you to send me your 70-200/2.8 and ...

 

[robbins.photo]

Hi, a couple of questions.

1) Are you a coffee drinker? I ask because caffeine will cause the jitters and will adversely effect your hand holding ability.

2) Are you using a grip? The D7100 is a fine camera but it may not have the mass to balance out all of that glass sticking off the front. The problem with camera shake in this respect is that if the balance point is too far forward then most of the weight is being supported by the left hand, which is usually a person's weakest. You could work out to strengthen that arm -which wouldn't hurt- or you could add weight to the camera body. Adding mass also helps in this respect because -according to Newton- more mass requires more energy to move the object. In other words because the heavier the camera the harder you have to shake to move it.





Bonus question. Are you also practicing good breathing techniques? If not try breathing in deeply and slowly releasing your breath then press the shutter button after you've started the exhale. Shooting a camera is much like shooting a rifle so most of the good advice applies to either.

Good luck!

I drink one coffee a day, never more so I doubt its due to coffee.
I don't use a grip, just the camera and the lens.
If I really am slowing down and low my elbow as I said I almost completely prevent camera shake but first I dont always get the chance to slow down, many time the picture is there and I need to be fast about it and also it really is uncomfortable for me all these techniques.

I would advise ditching this lens. It may be great but if it does not suit your needs then it's no good to you. F2.8 is nice but not the holy grail either.

Good luck

If nothing else will work I just might have to sell it

There's no point in keeping something in your stable that's not working for you, but I rather think that if you're getting camera shake using this lens, you really need to work on your technique. I can easily hand hold this lens at 1/40 if I'm careful; it really is just a matter of technique (One photographer I know routinely hand-holds shots at 1/15 while shooting 200mm+!), so you may want to work on that rather than be disapointed later on when you have the same problem with another lens. As for primes vs. zooms, it's another Ford/Chevy debate.

I am not ready yet to throw in the towel, as I said I love this lens, I was waiting too long for it to just quit on it and sell it.
I will continue to look for another way, I must tell you when I hold the camera and just look through the view finder I can see the view just jumping all over the place, I never knew I was this shaky, its not so obvious with shorter lenses but with this one I can see it quite well

Well low light you need a 1.8 or a 1.4. Since you have a dx body look at the 35mm, its not bad. I like the 50 1.8 D lens.

If you look at my signature you will see I already have 2 fast primes the 50mm 1.4D and 85mm 1.8G

Well until you get your technique down it might not be a bad idea to maybe invest a couple of bucks in a monopod - that should do the trick for you nicely. Not quite as convienient as shooting handheld I know, but something to consider my friend.

 

[bribrius]

looking at what astro linked. (awesome by the way) what about hanging the camera upside down around your neck. her link has me thinking about it now. Granted, it wont work good for angles.....