His tone while talking about zooms through the entire article sounds like Derrel talking about Nikon, photographers that aren't him, and everything. He doesn't recognize that although zooms don't generally compare to prime lenses in quality, that there are high quality zooms out there and that some photographers need the funtion of zooms over primes.
Your personal hard-on for me is showing through, VillageIdiot. I do not appreciate you bringing my name up in such a negative manner, just out of the blue. What exactly *is* your problem with me V-I? Is it because back in 2009 and 2010, I suggested Speedotron pack and head flash systems to you, for months, and you swore you'd NEVER have the same equipment as I do? And now you find yourself using the same exact type and brand of Speedotron equipment I suggested you buy? I find the irony in that situation rich. Village Idiot, I'll ask you right here and now to behave better and more-politely toward me from here on out. Okay?
I have been shooting photos with 35mm type cameras since 1974...I believe that VR is a HUGE advancement in lens design. It is in fact, as big of an advancement as lens multi-coating. A VR or IS or OS lens works in situations where a tripod will NOT stabilize the camera...it is an almost magical solution to many common problems, like shooting when out of breath, when shooting while slowly walking backwards at a press conference or other social event, when shooting one-handed, and when shooting in gusty,windy conditions, and when fishing from both small sport boats and larger charter type boats. VR is perhaps the single BIGGEST improvement in PANNING that has ever been invented--better than a tripod, by far. Of course, the guy who wrote the original article was probably yet another 20-something guy who knows very little about what things used to be like, or who gas no grasp of the types of photography where a stabilized lens is very helpful, such as when doing slow-speed, stopped-down work on landscape and travel types of scenes, where a tripod is simply a giant PITA to transport, or is not even allowed by law without a permit. People who do not understand how to use VR are quite numerous. Just as there are many people who say things like "flash photos suck." And, "I only shoot in natural light." We know what those things mean; namely, an inability to utilize the technology, due to limited vision, lack of experience, or just plain ignorance of what the possibilities actually ARE!
The thing about VR and IS is this: there are real,significant differences in the various implementations of the fundamental technologies, plural. Some systems have multiple settings that are user-switchable, while others have auto-detect systems. Some systems DO work on tripods, while others do NOT work on tripods. Some lenses can auto-detect deliberate panning of the camera, while some of the earlier Canon IS lenses had to be manually switched to do panning. The earlier Nikon systems were horrible on tripods with the head locked down, but the newer VR-II is supposed to work better. Nikon's NORMAL and ACTIVE VR modes are different. A critical fact to remember is that stabilization is not a 100 percent GUARANTEE; the key in difficult situations is to shoot MULTIPLE FRAMES, using one, single shutter release press, with the camera on Continuous firing mode. At the very worst speeds, like 1/3 to 1/6 second, perhaps only 1 out of five or six frames might be acceptably be sharp; however, at 1/15 second, the rate of success can easily be twice that good, or better. "It all depends. On everything."
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