Nikon lens question

[texag93]

OK, I am about to spend some $$$$ on a camera(and lens). The lens I am looking at is the Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 ED-IF AF-S VR DX Zoom-Nikkor. I am also finding same lens in a VR II version. Nikon website states "VR II system offers the equivalent of using a shutter speed 4 stops faster." I am camera stupid, so what does this mean and is the VR II better than the VR version? Help me out here. How in the world do you ever finally decide what to get?

[Bill M]

........... How in the world do you ever finally decide what to get?

Buy Olympus!

Sorry Jason, couldn't resist and I'm no help on the Nikon stuff.

[texag93]

I am Nikon through and through. No talking me outta that unless you are giving me your Olympus.

[Bill M]

I know, I'm safe.

[Shane]

texag, I'm no expert, but I went through the same questions a while back, and the answers I got made sense. VR, IS, VC, or whatever the manufacturer calls the vibration reduction technology is helpful if you shoot lower light STATIONARY subjects like landscapes, portraits, and such. If you are shooting sports, running animals, flying birds, or anything else that is moving, the VR technology won't "give you more f/stops". You need a fast shutter to stop motion, and if you don't have enough light you can't get a good exposure without slowing the shutter down. If the subject is moving fast, then it's going to be blurred whether you have a VR lens or not.

VR will reduce or eliminate camera shake when you hand hold it on slower shutter speeds, and the pic will be sharp if the subject isn't moving. So you have to decide what kind of shots you'll be taking mostly. If you shoot mostly moving subjects, then spend extra dollars on a faster lens (lower f/stop like 2.8 or lower). If you shoot mostly stationary subjects, then maybe the extra money spent on VR would be the better deal.

Or......you can be like MesquiteCountry Travis (Mr. Smarty Pants) and get an f/2.8 with IS too. (Yeah, I'm jealous!)

[texag93]

I'm not dropping that much on a f/2.8 any time soon. the 3.5 will do for now. I just don't know the difference in the VR and VR II versions of that lens. Really isn't any difference in price....is a sequal ever better?

[Shane]

Ah....maybe it'd help if I read your entire first post before trying to answer, huh?

I don't know the difference between the two versions of the lens.

[texag93]

Ah....maybe it'd help if I read your entire first post before trying to answer, huh?

Kinda figured you read the Cliff Notes on that one when you explained VR to me. Its OK. I need to know all I can. No more point and shoot for me.

[Bill M]

.................Or......you can be like MesquiteCountry Travis (Mr. Smarty Pants) and get an f/2.8 with IS too. (Yeah, I'm jealous!)

I think you and Travis shoot the same brand Shane so tell he needs to ship it to Abilene every third week. Tell him Don Comedy said so.

Jason I still like my 12 x 50 Nikons but use my Vortex more.

Missed you at the CS get together Friday BTW.

[texag93]

Missed you at the CS get together Friday BTW.

Yep, that 16hrs round trip didn't fit into my 1hr lunch schedule very well.

[Bluesman]

My take on image stablization is that at slower shutter speeds the lens will actually move enough to catch up to your target and freeze it as the shutter exposes the image. So something at 1/60 of a second f-11 might be considered 1/125 of a second at f-8. On handheld shots in low light you can actually see blur or camera shake in pics without the IS VR or whatever on. Turn it on and you can see a definite improvement. The lens has a motor in it that very briefly retains position long enough for an exposure even though you move the camera slightly when pressing the shutter button.
I don't know Nikon but a 4 stop claim is huge!
On the otherhand when mounted on a tripod I have to shut the IS off on my Canon stuff. If I have it on and freeze the focus by holding down the shutter button halfway I can actually see the lens moving through the view finder. This is noticable on birds that move around a lot. So a stationary camera and a moving lens doesn't work as well as a moving camera and a moving lens.
Pics with the IS on and on a tripod are usually not the best in focus. In my experience.
Besides, the instructions say to turn it off on a tripod.
Having done a lot more film SLR work than DSLR I must say that the IS is definite benefit.
It's weird seeing an image moving around in the view finder but that's sort of how it works.
Sorry.

[Casey]

Shane mentioned something key....VR/IS/OS does not do anything for a moving subject. It is designed for handholding on stationary subjects.

I have one IS lens and hope to get more in the future.

[texag93]

I don't know what I am getting!!!!

[Shane]

TRAVIS: SEE THIS POST.........

I think you and Travis shoot the same brand Shane so tell he needs to ship it to Abilene every third week. Tell him Don Comedy said so.

[cfortner]

Ok I'm still trying to put together my ultimate D40 package... With the talk of lenses here I'm back to looking again. How much difference will f/4-5.6G make over f/4.5-6.0G in the 70-300mm lense in low light situtations? The cost difference between the two is $198.00... I keep going back and forth wondering if I'll regret going the cheaper route.