Will VR help this?

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Archive 2009 · Will VR help this?

pnmd
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p.1 #1 · Will VR help this?

Did a photoshoot with my Nikkor 85mm f/1.8D and about 15% pics had motion blur from handheld shooting. I have a Manfrotto tripod but it's not always practical. And increasing the shutter would help but I often shoot in low light. I just got my 85/1.8 from Adorama and still have time to exchange it for a Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR.

Would the 105mm VR significantly reduce the number of motion blur shots?

An example:
Nikon D700
1/100
iso 200
f/5.6
all natural light

Edited on Nov 20, 2009 at 10:43 PM · View previous versions

Nov 20, 2009 at 10:32 PM

Erik Moore
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p.1 #2 · Will VR help this?

VR would most likely help.

What was you shutter speed for this shot?

Nov 20, 2009 at 10:36 PM

pnmd
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p.1 #3 · Will VR help this?

Erik Moore wrote:
VR would most likely help.

What was you shutter speed for this shot?

1/100
I could've increase the shutter speed but wanted to grab more ambient light

Nov 20, 2009 at 10:43 PM

Erik Moore
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p.1 #4 · Will VR help this?

pnmd wrote:
Erik Moore wrote:
VR would most likely help.

What was you shutter speed for this shot?

1/100
I could've increase the shutter speed but wanted to grab more ambient light

Nikon advertises 2-3 stops improvement with VR, and in my experience, 2 is a fairly safe bet, but 1/100th is slow even on a tripod if you're shooting a person. Your camera could have been completely still, and there's a good chance you'd get motion blur just from your subject moving slightly. Shutter speed is the best solution here, IMO. Get it with aperture or ISO if you've got room.

The old rule of thumb, 1/focal length to get a good shot should really be "1/ FL to get a usable shot". I personally go for 2x focal length for sharp and at least 3x focal length if I want critical sharpness. Some people are better at others at shooting handheld, obviously.

Nov 20, 2009 at 10:58 PM

skyvan
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p.1 #5 · Will VR help this?

Maybe try increasing your ISO. Most current NIkon's look good up to around 800, especially the 700.

Nov 20, 2009 at 10:58 PM

pnmd
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p.1 #6 · Will VR help this?

Erik Moore wrote:
Nikon advertises 2-3 stops improvement with VR, and in my experience, 2 is a fairly safe bet, but 1/100th is slow even on a tripod if you're shooting a person. Your camera could have been completely still, and there's a good chance you'd get motion blur just from your subject moving slightly. Shutter speed is the best solution here, IMO. Get it with aperture or ISO if you've got room.

The old rule of thumb, 1/focal length to get a good shot should really be "1/ FL to get a usable shot". I personally go for 2x focal length for sharp and at least 3x focal length if I want critical sharpness. Some people are better at others at shooting handheld, obviously.

Erik, great points. Never considered subject movement. I'll try 2x focal length for shutter speed.

Skyvan, I normally shoot at ISO 800 indoors. Should've probably turned up the ISO and increased the shutter speed like Erik recommended.

Hmm, do I need the 105mm VR?

Nov 20, 2009 at 11:15 PM

90 5.0
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p.1 #7 · Will VR help this?

No iso 400 would have solved that imo.

Nov 20, 2009 at 11:18 PM

yukselserdar
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p.1 #8 · Will VR help this?

Not trying to offend you, im only asking because im curious

but the picture you posted looks plenty sharp to me. Why do you care that much for "extreme" sharpness ?

great image btw

Nov 20, 2009 at 11:21 PM

DGC1
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p.1 #9 · Will VR help this?

A tripod would solve it. Can't imagine it not being usable for a portrait.

Nov 21, 2009 at 12:19 AM

Erik Moore
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p.1 #10 · Will VR help this?

DGC1 wrote:
A tripod would solve it. Can't imagine it not being usable for a portrait.

Not if the blur were due to subject movement, which, at 1/100th, could easily be the case.

Nov 21, 2009 at 12:29 AM

HerbChong
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p.1 #11 · Will VR help this?

the 100% crop shows bad motion blur by someone. at 1/100s it could easily be subject or photographer moving. looking at the background like the dark blob over her head would have told the difference even with lots of OOF blur. on an 8x10 print, the blur will be obvious and submitting this to an agency would be returned with no comment unless they took pity on you.

Herb...

yukselserdar wrote:
Not trying to offend you, im only asking because im curious

but the picture you posted looks plenty sharp to me. Why do you care that much for "extreme" sharpness ?

Nov 21, 2009 at 12:45 AM

billkoe
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p.1 #12 · Will VR help this?

I can't imagine she moved much at 1/100 sec. in this photo. I've found that these are just the situations that VR helps me tremendously. On my 70-200 I routinely shoot at 1/20 sec. with confidence that unless the subject moves a little, it will be really sharp.

Bill
photo-synthesis

Nov 21, 2009 at 01:43 AM

Avi B
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p.1 #13 · Will VR help this?

90 5.0 wrote:
No iso 400 would have solved that imo.

I agree, ISO400 @1/200th gets you the same EV and lets in the same amount of background. So why not? The D700 doesn't seem to lose much IQ at ISO400 from 200... Granted 200 is the best ISO to be shooting at for max DR, but one stop below on the D700 is not a big drop...

Nov 21, 2009 at 03:52 AM

Naude
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p.1 #14 · Will VR help this?

If you do not need the f/1.8 get the VR. a monopod could also help?

Nov 21, 2009 at 08:00 AM

Mike Holloway
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p.1 #15 · Will VR help this?

Why the 105VR and not consideration for 85 1.4 or 105DC?

Unless you need the DOF you could have done this shot at f4 and 1/200 and had plenty of sharpness with either of the above lenses. Just a thought, and for portraits either of this lenses really shine!!

Nov 21, 2009 at 01:21 PM

davidnholtjr
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p.1 #16 · Will VR help this?

I fine it's best to shot in AF-C mode and if there is any movement from you or the model then the camera will try and keep focus lock as there is movement. If you used AF-S mode then after focus lock you or the model could have moved slightly and then you have a slightly oof shot.

pnmd wrote:
Did a photoshoot with my Nikkor 85mm f/1.8D and about 15% pics had motion blur from handheld shooting. I have a Manfrotto tripod but it's not always practical. And increasing the shutter would help but I often shoot in low light. I just got my 85/1.8 from Adorama and still have time to exchange it for a Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR.

Would the 105mm VR significantly reduce the number of motion blur shots?

An example:
Nikon D700
1/100
iso 200
f/5.6
all natural light

Nov 21, 2009 at 03:04 PM

gfiksel
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p.1 #17 · Will VR help this?

Why do you need VR? So the refrigerator on the background is less blurred?

(joking)
1. Pick less distracting background
2. Shoot f/2.8 - it's 2 stops over f/5.6 already
3. Increase ISO to 400 (or 800). It's another 1 (2 stops)

Edited on Nov 21, 2009 at 03:06 PM · View previous versions

Nov 21, 2009 at 03:05 PM

Avi B
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p.1 #18 · Will VR help this?

Well he did want more background in, so perhaps that's why he did what he did, except that he could've accomplished the same thing at ISO400 and 1/200th...

Nov 21, 2009 at 03:05 PM

Smiert Spionam
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p.1 #19 · Will VR help this?

Open up the lens.

Nov 21, 2009 at 03:11 PM

Rooster L200
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p.1 #20 · Will VR help this?

yes it is not sharp, nice the 3x focal length equasion, never noticed that but that is what i do... (this morning with the 80-200 afs, i shot at 640 speed....).

Nov 21, 2009 at 04:18 PM

bakka303
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p.1 #21 · Will VR help this?

skyvan wrote:
Maybe try increasing your ISO. Most current NIkon's look good up to around 800, especially the 700.

More like 2000!

Nov 21, 2009 at 04:29 PM

Mocca
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p.1 #22 · Will VR help this?

You could also try a different handholding technique and shoot three shots at a time. The three shot thing usually works for dodgy shuttertimes. I don't think 1/100 is an unreasonable speed though...

Nov 21, 2009 at 06:30 PM

DougLee
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p.1 #23 · Will VR help this?

bakka303 wrote:
skyvan wrote:
Maybe try increasing your ISO. Most current NIkon's look good up to around 800, especially the 700.

More like 2000!

It is a D700 for crying out loud. Boost the ISO.

Nov 21, 2009 at 06:44 PM

anthjbell
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p.1 #24 · Will VR help this?

Opening up the lens would solve your problem AND put that background out of focus. Try it at f/2.8. It's a win-win situation. Your shutter speed would then be 1/400. Focus carefully.

Nov 21, 2009 at 07:02 PM

Chestnut
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p.1 #25 · Will VR help this?

My suggestion for that particular shot would've been to open up the aperture and bump up ISO, one stop each. At f/4, your DOF wouldn't have changed too much, and there should virtually be no IQ difference between ISO 200 and 400 on the D700. But with that, you've got 1/400 shutter speed, which is plenty for a nice sharp still portrait.

Nov 21, 2009 at 07:03 PM


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