Jay968 Offline Upload & Sell: Off
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I've been experimenting with the lens using both a D810 and a D750 at various shutter speeds and both with and without a monopod. I do not have a grip for either camera.
Here are some observations;
D810 - VR is basically useless between 1/60 and 1/180 and actually makes matters worse. It does very very little at the higher shutter speeds but if I have to pick from my results, I would say that it's better to leave it on at high speeds (1/1000 or faster) than off. At 1/30 and slower, the VR helps but I wouldn't shoot at those speeds with this lens without using a tripod or at least a monopod anyway. While the VR helps, results are pretty unacceptable to me at those speeds. A monopod does help at 1/125 but it seems to make no (or extremely little) difference whether VR is turned on or off.
D750 - Improved VR between 1/60 and 1/180. Here the VR actually does its job and results look better than with it turned off. At 1/1000 and higher VR does help with this camera but differences are subtle. So, pretty much the same results as the D810. Interestingly, when used with a monopod, the D750 does seem to produce a bigger difference between using VR and turning it off. The difference isn't big but images definitely look better with it turned on.
Question -- if people are basically suggesting that the D810 needs to be made heavier by using the grip or an L-bracket or something else that weighs it down a bit, then why is it that an even lighter camera (D750) seems to work a bit better with the VR in this lens? Is it not necessarily the overall weight but the combination of weight, damping ability, shutter and mirror that are coming into play?
So far, I am basically concluding that with the D810, the lens is basically a 1/250 and higher shutter speed capable lens and VR helps a bit. At anything slower, it needs a tripod or monopod and VR should be turned off. With the D750, it works more as it should and can be used at slightly slower speeds with VR, but I think the best results are probably left to using it the same way as I had mentioned for the D810.
So, as far as spending an extra $600 on this lens instead of the older 300, I would say what you are really essentially paying for is a smaller lighter version of the 300. To me, this is worth it as the difference in size and weight is very very nice. It's sharp when used correctly and I would take it in a heartbeat over the older lens.
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