Does VR work ?

[Rooz]

my WORD it does.:D

first test shots with 18-200VR @ f8, 200mm.
the first 2 photos are heavily cropped, i think it was about 85% crop.

very excited...but dang this thing is heavy ! to the other 18-200mm owners, can you run me thru real life scenarios where "active" VR is engaged ?

[rawpaw18]

It sure does work. I do not have an 18-200, but the active button is when you are in a moving vehicle or have had waaaay too much coffee.
Heavy huh?, my 70-200 which weighs in at 3 pounds, but check this lens out if you have not seen it, at a stout 33 pounds!
http://www.dcresource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29546

[Rooz]

active button is when you are in a moving vehicle. [/url]

isn't that a tad gimicky ? do people do that alot ?:confused:

[tcadwall]

isn't that a tad gimicky ? do people do that alot ?:confused:

I have never switched to Active mode.

I think maybe pitching around in a boat, or trying to get a shot from a roller coaster, some of those situations are where I might try it. Chances are, those situations are really going to be using a high enough shutter speed that it might not be quite as easy to see a difference.

[lightinsky]

Wow, the VR is really impressive. One question, what shutter speed were you using for the pics?

[LR Max]

Yes, active mode helps when on/in moving objects. My camera is a working camera (i.e. it helps me pay the bills) and I use the 18-200 VR. Yes, it is HEAVY, such that I am considering a new neck strap. Even after using the camera all the time, all day, my neck still is sometimes a little sore. When not in use, I throw the camera in the bag which has a nice soft neck strap. Sometimes I bolt up the little 18-55 lense of mine and marvel at how little my camera weighs.

Now obviously if you are running 1/500th shutter speed or more, VR doesn't do crap because of the shutter speed. But getting down around 40 or 60, the active mode makes the difference.

I do believe (I could be wrong) that the active sucks up more power than the normal mode. I think...

Anywho, here is a picture of me riding on top of a cargo bin welded to the rear of a cab truck. It was fun once I found an extra bungee cord to use as a seat belt so I could use one hand for photos. I switched to active before this shot. I love hanging out the windows/doors of moving vehicles to get a shot, thats just me.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/183/418307008_5ce19d2607.jpg

However, after talking with a lot of my other photography friends, few other photographers...hell...few other individuals end up in this kinda situation. Most people won't use active, but its there just in case you run into it.

[Rooz]

Wow, the VR is really impressive. One question, what shutter speed were you using for the pics?

1/2s i think.
i have read some people get great results from 1s exposure. i am amazed peoples hands are so steady. maybe i drink too much.:D