How useful is VR on a nikon lens

[puyjapin]

I am still planning to get a 300mm lens at some point. The top of the list would be the 70-300 VR from nikon. But then the sigma is a lot cheaper but no VR. Does the VR make a massive difference? Also will the sigma or tamron AF on a D40?

 

[LuckySo-n-So]

The Sigma will autofocus on the D40.

 

[Village Idiot]

I am still planning to get a 300mm lens at some point. The top of the list would be the 70-300 VR from nikon. But then the sigma is a lot cheaper but no VR. Does the VR make a massive difference? Also will the sigma or tamron AF on a D40?

At longer focal lengths, it can, but keep in mind that it won't stop motion blur from using a slower shutter speed and trying to capture a moving object.

 

[m2v]

I have a Nikkor AFS Micro 105VR. It comes to be very useful that in dim light conditions - you can really slower the shutter speed to 3 stops more than your normal hand shaking point. My normal hand shaking point is about 1/60s for the mid range lens. I've taken pictures at 1/20s and still sharp and crisp.

This is better than uising large aperture because the latter limit your control in depth of field.

When the focal length goes up to 300mm, safe shutter speed should be around 1/300s unless you have extra steady hands. VR comes in useful at these range.

 

[epp_b]

Short answer: yes.

 

[AlexColeman]

Yes. But, you have to look at a real telephoto. The 70-200 is so much better, you will want to use it.

 

[hankejp]

If you go with the Sigma 70-300, make sure you get the one with the HSM motor. This is the built in motor on the lens.

 

[chadsdphoto]

Yes, VR helps a lot, but you still need to have good technique to use it. I'm a pro shooter and shoot a lot, so was pretty practiced at holding still before VR came around.

Once I had VR lenses, it was tempting to think it was going to save a lot of shots and let my technique slide. I'm here to tell you it doesn't fix everything.

However, the times I have been convinced that VR really helped me and I was getting a much larger percentage of good shots were while riding in the back of a four-wheel-drive truck chasing buffalo. Even though I knew that shutter speed was going to need to be as high as I could get, I still don't think I would have had as many keepers without VR. See the shots here - Dakotagraph: Buffalo Roundup.

 

[Village Idiot]

Yes. But, you have to look at a real telephoto. The 70-200 is so much better, you will want to use it.

$1600 vs. $300... :er:

 

[Katier]

In short it depends on the shots you are doing.

Doing work on a tripod - no benefit.
Allways working at high shutter speed - no benefit.
Finding your pushing the shutter speed down and hand holding - that's where you'll benefit.

For example the general guide is you can't hand hold below 1/focal length ( so 1/300th at 300mm ) - more likely 1/250th. So if you find yourself at 1/125 or 1/60th a lot then VR is a benefit. You could probably hand old 1/30th even with VR active.