I had problems with the VR option on my new 300mm f4. At around 1/200, 1/160s I just could not get sharp results when VR was turned on. Today I took the lens back to the store where I bought it.
We tried my lens and two other lenses they had in stock and the other two lenses had the same problems. Two employers of the store also tried the lens and got the same results I did.
By coincidence there was a Nikon Benelux employer in the store (but I didn't get to speak to him) and he didn't deny there was a problem with the lens.
The store took my lens back and will contact Nikon to come up with a solution. I'm supposed to hear something tomorrow or the day after.
I had problems with the VR option on my new 300mm f4. At around 1/200, 1/160s I just could not get sharp results when VR was turned on. Today I took the lens back to the store where I bought it.
We tried my lens and two other lenses they had in stock and the other two lenses had the same problems. Two employers of the store also tried the lens and got the same results I did.
By coincidence there was a Nikon Benelux employer in the store (but I didn't get to speak to him) and he didn't deny there was a problem with the lens.
The store took my lens back and will contact Nikon to come up with a solution. I'm supposed to hear something tomorrow or the day after....Show more →
Did you try other camera bodies along with those other lenses? I'm asking because if anything, this sounds like a firmware or body communication issue if it exists.
I wonder if the lens is susceptible to shutter shock at these shutter speeds. One way to confirm is to use one of the new bodies (ie. D810) and enable first curtain shutter to see it that improves the results. This could be done at any store.
hoodlum90 wrote:
I wonder if the lens is susceptible to shutter shock at these shutter speeds. One way to confirm is to use one of the new bodies (ie. D810) and enable first curtain shutter to see it that improves the results. This could be done at any store.
I seriously doubt shutter shock could do that to an image at those shutter speeds, especially when the images are sharper even at 1/15 and 1/30 as per the previous examples. The D800 isn't that bad.
I would be very surprised if these results are due to shutter shock. I tested my own lens with both my new D750 and my older D7100 with the same results. I also used the Q mode of the shutter but it didn't make a difference.
What should be noted is that the VR unit in the 300mm is probably the same one as in the newer 70-200 f4 and that lens functions perfectly fine on the VR end. The jump in the viewfinder when pressing the shutter button is also a lot smaller for the 70-200 lens.
That doesn't sound very promising. Seriously how many new things has Nikon come out with and right out of the gate a bunch have issues . D600 (oil), D750 (flare), D800 (left focus), D810 (fortunately just firmware), now potenetially a lens. They're headed where Tamron and Sigma used to be!
CanadaMark wrote:
I seriously doubt shutter shock could do that to an image at those shutter speeds, especially when the images are sharper even at 1/15 and 1/30 as per the previous examples. The D800 isn't that bad.
Images could be sharper at slower speeds, depending on the duration of the vibration from the shutter. I found issues with exposures of about 1/100". I'm not saying mirror shock is the cause, I really don't know, but as far as I can see you can't dismiss it.
CanadaMark wrote:
I seriously doubt shutter shock could do that to an image at those shutter speeds, especially when the images are sharper even at 1/15 and 1/30 as per the previous examples. The D800 isn't that bad.
I have had experience with shutter shock on various system and 1/160s is where it is always the worse. Once you go slower than 1/100s it gradually goes away.
robbertvw wrote:
I would be very surprised if these results are due to shutter shock. I tested my own lens with both my new D750 and my older D7100 with the same results. I also used the Q mode of the shutter but it didn't make a difference.
What should be noted is that the VR unit in the 300mm is probably the same one as in the newer 70-200 f4 and that lens functions perfectly fine on the VR end. The jump in the viewfinder when pressing the shutter button is also a lot smaller for the 70-200 lens.
It would be interesting to hear your results once Nikon updates the D750 with a first curtain shutter mode. The Q Mode is something entirely different.
Actually those posted results match exactly with issues caused by shutter shock.
Just do some investigations into Olympus bodies and even some Canon reports of the same thing - at certain shutter speeds (usually around 1/60 to 1/200s or so, with heavy problem areas seeming to be around 1/80-1/160 or so) you'll get blurry images with a stabilization.
It's not every user or even every shot from the same user - my tests showed that I was able to sometimes avoid it (dunno how) and other times it would appear.
hoodlum90 wrote:
I have had experience with shutter shock on various system and 1/160s is where it is always the worse. Once you go slower than 1/100s it gradually goes away.
Perhaps I should have worded that better. *I* have never experienced noticeable shutter shock in those shutter speed ranges, even with a D800, and there is nothing special about my shooting methods. My 70-200/2.8 with and without 1.4 TC can also be repeatedly shot very sharp at those shutter speeds. YMMV.
Feb 12, 2015 at 11:07 AM
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CanadaMark wrote:
Perhaps I should have worded that better. *I* have never experienced noticeable shutter shock in those shutter speed ranges, even with a D800, and there is nothing special about my shooting methods. My 70-200/2.8 with and without 1.4 TC can also be repeatedly shot very sharp at those shutter speeds. YMMV.
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I'm with Mark, I've never had any issues but that's with a D70s and a D300
My experience with the 200mm Afd F4 micro lens is that mirror slap (not shutter shock) is significant at lower shutter speeds, especially ~1/100" and easily avoided with mirror lock up. The easy check is to try the lens on a tripod, VR off, with and without MLU. That will tell you if the VR is at fault.
The shutter should not be an issue, as most of the shutter vibrations appear when the shutter comes to a stop i.e after the exposure. Perhaps a high pixel count camera could see issues from the shutter release, I have no data to support or eliminate that. The D200 and D600 seem okay with MLU.
Calling them to check.
. D600 (oil), D750 (flare), D800 (left focus), D810 (fortunately just firmware), now potenetially a lens. They're headed where Tamron and Sigma used to be!