Any significant advantage of the 600/4 VR vs 600/4 AF-S on a tripod

<p>So I primarily use my 600/4 AF-S (usually with a TC-14E II) at 1.2X for shooting birds, primarily bald eagles diving for fish typically up to a few hundred feet away. I shoot with a D800 in CH mode and the rig is always mounted on a tripod with a gimbal head. Given that I strictly use a tripod, and try to use a high shutter speed (usually over 1/1000 sec if possible) to freeze action, does the VR version provide much of an advantage given that Nikon typically advises turning off the VR on a triopd?</p>

<p>Well if you have to have the VR off on a tripod, the VR buys you ..........................nothing.</p>

 

<p>"<em>VR buys you ..........................nothing.</em>" True at most focal lengths but not so true at focal lengths above 400mm.<br>

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At 840mm, event the smallest, most minute vibration can cause issues, especially on a D800. The lightest vibration from a tripod that is not rock solid or even the wind can send vibration to the camera.</p>

<p>Certain newer long Nikon lenses have an automatic tripod VR mode built in to them like the 200-400mm VRII. Others have to select the tripod mode manually like the 600mm f4 ED AF-S:<br /><br>

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http://www.nikonusa.com/en_US/IMG/Images/Micro-Sites/VR/technology/normal/tripod/</p>

<p>If your lens is not the version that has the tripod mode option, I still suggest you leave it on as I suspect you are moving the rig as you shoot, correct? 840mm is a lot of lens magnification and will magnify vibration you cannot see or feel.</p>

<p>If your lens does not have the tripod mode VR option, you may want to experiment yourself (which you may have already done) or call Nikon directly for their recommendation.</p>

<p>I'm currently using the 600mm F4 VR, up from the 500mm F4 Vr. Before this I had the 500mm F4 with no VR and later moved to the 500mm F4 with VR before the move to the 600. I also always shoot from a tripod (I can hardly pick the darn thing up as it is, never mind hand holding it). My keeper rate after the move to the 500 VR from no VR improved drastically. I now shoot the 600 with the switch set to tripod VR all the time, never take it off. I see no reason to take it off and can see no results that indicate the VR is a problem. </p>

<p>I only have the first generation 500mm/f4 AF-S from 1996. Its optics has been excellent on film SLRs such as the F5 and F100 as well as earlier DSLRs such as the 12MP D2X, D300, D700, etc. However, when I started using the D7000 two years ago and more recently the D800/D800E, its optics is showing its age. The high pixel density on the new DSLRs (D7000, D800) is revealing the flaws on that lens and now I try to stop down to f5.6 to get the best results.</p>

<p>If you are using a D800 and if you can afford it, I would get the new version.</p>

<p>I have a 500/4 vr and have used this lens with d7000 for 2 years, mostly with tc-14e. From my experience vr helps from tripod at slow shutter speeds such as 1/60-1/500 sec. but you must use your camera in exposure delay mode at 1-2 sec. or mirror-up mode, otherwise shutter slap blurs the pictures. Above this range, I don't think vr will be necessary on tripod, also keep in mind that these are my experiences for 700mm focal length.</p>

<p>I guess the VR 'stabilizes' the view in the viewfinder to some extent too?</p>

<p>Exp delay mode or mirror lock-up mode might be OK for very stationary targets, but fishing Bald Eagles?... Not so much....:-)</p>

<p>As Mike said, when shooting eagles in action, MU or mirror release delay would not work. That being the case, other than the VR versions slightly improved optics and Nano coating, if you are tracking an eagle in a dive for fish or better yet 2 eagles fighting over caught fish in mid-flight, would the VR help? I would think a higher shutter speed of at least 1/500 would be required. I suspect VR would help with rig vibration just prior to shutter release but I'm not sure if it could correct vibration fron mirror slap or shutter vibration. Is this correct?</p>