Tripod vs VR

[Rick58]

There's a discussion going on over in the General Gallery regarding sharpness issues. It was mentioned to the OP to turn off VR when using a tripod. Being I'm fairly new to digital, I've never heard this before. Can someone explain this farther to me? I'm curious how VR on a tripod can actually make a photo soft.

 

[ann]

The VR or IS system "Hunts" for movement and corrects for that motion. On a tripod it still hunts and trys to correct, which in it's self creates blur.

 

[Rick58]

The VR or IS system "Hunts" for movement and corrects for that motion. On a tripod it still hunts and trys to correct, which in it's self creates blur.

Interesting...thanks

 

[SCraig]

VR can indeed induce a lack of sharpness when no motion is present, such as when the camera is used on a tripod. All VR lenses have a switch to allow VR to be turned off when needed, and the instructions all state that when using a tripod is one of those times. Some lenses have two positions of VR, one being for normal use and the other for use when panning on a tripod. The latter setting causes the VR mechanism to work only in the vertical direction and ignores any horizontal movement.

Thom Hogan has a good article on VR Here

 

[Rick58]

Thanks Scott. This 'ol dog is still learning. It's funny how you need to strap the training wheels back on when beginning digital. Even after decades for film under your belt.

 

[SCraig]

Thanks Scott. This 'ol dog is still learning. It's funny how you need to strap the training wheels back on when beginning digital. Even after decades for film under your belt.

We didn't grow up with a lot of these features. It would have been nice, but we didn't. VR works great in many circumstances but is a hindrance in others. Much like shutter speed, aperture, and ISO it's just something that has limitations and capabilities depending on the circumstances. It's just something else we need to know when to use and when to disable.

 

[greybeard33 5]

VR needs a little time to lock in and depending on the lens you are using it may take more time than others. When one shoots hand held, the 1/2 press on the shutter release to let the camera focus usually is enough time for the VR to settle in. Often when shooting from a tripod, the focus is done manually and when the actual exposure is made, the photographer doesn't give the VR time to settle inand causes blur.

 

[Mully]

I had a problem with VR as I can hold a 300mm steady and VR has messed me up on several occasions ... I only use manual focus lenses for jobs as I don't need to find out in post that mose of the images are soft

 

[KmH]

Most Nikon lens that have VR, have a part of their users manuals where it says that VR has to be turned off when the camera'lens is mounted on a tripod.

Some newer Nikon VR lenses have a VR tripod mode.

Nikon VR explained

 

[molested_cow]

VR is a lens feature, not a "digital vs film" difference. You can use VR lens on film cameras too!

Personally I'd describe VR to be similar to those anti-sway devices that highrise buildings use to counter the energy from earthquakes, except that in the case of VR, the lens actively counters the hand motion. When the camera isn't moving, that counter motion becomes the very motion that makes the image blur.

I was trying to find the video that shows what the mechanism of a VR lens when it's doing its job but can't find it. Here's a video that gives you a similar idea.

 

[Rick58]

This is all good to know folks, thanks. I also checked out a couple other clips from our resident Molested Cow, showing VR in action. Amazingstuff! The Tamron zoom I received from PixMedic makes the perfect Tripod zoom. I don't need to remember to turn off VR since it doesn't have it

 

[480sparky39 38]

Since I 1.) grew up without VR and 2.) shoot mostly on a tripod anyway, I rarely use VR. They're all turned off except for you 70-300, and I rarely use that lens anyway. When I do, it's usually hand-held so the VR is turned on. Only if I tripod mount it do I turn it off.

 

[Derrel]

VR is super-handy for use in windy,gusty conditions--such as those encountered at the seashore or along big rivers, when photographing things like surfing, wind surfing, boating, fishing, or other outdoors pursuits. VR is also very useful when aboard moving platforms, like boats, tour buses, in cars, or when shooting when out of breath (huffing and puffing, as while hiking, etc.). VR is also fantastic for shooting smooth panning photos at slow shutter speeds; VR eliminates accidental up-and-down camera movement, which can spoil the effect quite badly. All of these scenarios that I have described are the ones where I have personally found VR to be better than a tripod. The two things, VR, and tripod-mounting, are entirely,entirely different "technologies". The two are NOT interchangeable, really, since they are fundamentally different approaches. VR is dynamic, and based on constantly changing things, and tripod mounting is 100 percent STATIC.