bill_carnicelli Posted December 4, 2007 Share Posted December 4, 2007 I searched and found a lot of info about VR lenes, but I was unable to find answers to these questions. When shooting with VR On, why does the shutter speed slow way down? I have the D80 and even when in Manual mode with shutter at 1/500 and 5.6.. still I hear the a very slow shutter. Turn the VR off and it's fast again? Does this effect my shots? Active mode has the same result. Does it matter if the subject is moving while using VR? Thanks everyone..Bill<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walterh Posted December 4, 2007 Share Posted December 4, 2007 VR has no effect on shutter speed when this is selected manually. Maybe what you hear is some VR "clack clack" effect. If you know how to read EXIF data you can check shutter speed in your images. If not you could shoot one image at say 1/50 and one at 1/500 and post theses images here the same way you posted "I'm gonna .." so that some can tell you the shutter speed of those new shots. That present shot was taken at 1/60'' as I can read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill_carnicelli Posted December 4, 2007 Author Share Posted December 4, 2007 Thanks Walter.. I just tried it again and I got the same results. Tried 1/4000 w/VR ON. pushing the shutter button down (all the way) and it sounds like the same speed as 1/13. But with VR OFF.. camera sound normal again. Maybe someone else has heard this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kohanmike Posted December 4, 2007 Share Posted December 4, 2007 I have the lens, the noise is from the VR activating, not the shutter. Rather than using a sound to guess what is happening, actually shoot two shots, one with VR on and one with it off, then use the control on the back of the camera to look at each shot with the exposure details showing, they will both be exactly the same (I just did it and it is so). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill_carnicelli Posted December 4, 2007 Author Share Posted December 4, 2007 Lets forget the sound. Michael, when you look through the view finder and you snap a shot. You see everything go black for a moment which I'm calling that the shutter. Please try this at 1/1000. VR OFF and do the same with it OFF. I notice it's dark for much shorter time with VR OFF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iancoxleigh Posted December 4, 2007 Share Posted December 4, 2007 Bill, that period of black when the mirror is up is generally called 'mirror black-out'. I have no idea if VR makes a difference in the length of time where there is mirror black-out. I'll give it a test. I have the same camera and lens combo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill_carnicelli Posted December 4, 2007 Author Share Posted December 4, 2007 I think I fixed it. I'm not sure if this was the solution but I changed the camera battery and the speed is now the same in both modes. The batter indicator was only in the middle but changing to a fully charged battery fixed it. Sorry about that! Not sure why it slows down if the battery isn't dead but.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walterh Posted December 4, 2007 Share Posted December 4, 2007 Bill no offense but I think you are confused :-) There is no way one can determine the shutter speed by hearing, smelling, shaking, watching mirror movement, or whatsoever on your D80. Mirror and shutter are two beasts:-) A 50% charged battery or a 100% charged battery should not make any difference at all. There is only one exact way and that is to measure shutter speed in a lab or repair-setup. And I see no reason go to this step until we tried number 2. The second best and this is the first thing everyone can do who has no access to a measuring device is to look at the "EXIF" data in the files and to look at the exposure. Take two shots in the same condition in good daylight with VR on and off. Compare the shutter speed in the EXIF data and compare the exposure - either by the histogram in camera or by post processing. Only if exposures seem not identical and do not agree with the EXIF data then one will start to wonder if the camera is in need of service. There is no way anybody could overlook the difference in exposure you are hearing between 1/4000 and 1/13! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill_carnicelli Posted December 4, 2007 Author Share Posted December 4, 2007 I could be using the incorrect term here but when the "length of time where there is mirror black-out"... what do you calling that? I'm calling that shutter speed. At 1/13 of a second.. there is a long ass delay and again this is related to a low shutter speed. At 1/4000 of a sec. black out time is very fast and short. My ears can tell the difference. I heard the same type of slow and fast "black out time" using VR ON/OFF. I changed the battery and POOF... I wasn't able to see or hear the difference. I changed the battery because I was not able to use the lock mirror function. Just won't work if the battery is under 50%.. Can't wait for your reply :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe_weinroth Posted December 4, 2007 Share Posted December 4, 2007 Very interesting---I have used a D70, D200 and now D300 Nikon bodies with 2 VR lens, the 70-300 and 70-200 2.8 VR and never noticed any differences in shutter speeds with the VR on or off. Of course, many times the camera was set on shutter priority as I was shooting motor racing and wanted to control the shutter speed (slower on slow turns, faster on fast turns). You can readily determine which shutter speed was used (in all settings) by simply looking at the play-back information for each photo as it is displayed on the rear LCD screen after each picture is taken. Keep in mind, that there is a small clicking sound as the VR turns on and off. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james_c._turner Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 It has already been said two or three times, look at the EXIF data, this will tell you exactly what shutter speed the data was recored at, period. This data is fact, it does not matter about noise or perceived delays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill_carnicelli Posted December 5, 2007 Author Share Posted December 5, 2007 I'm sure the EXIF data is correct. I'm not douting that it will be the same either way and when the battery runs down again, I do just that. The noise may not matter to you James but it does to me and that is a fact! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjt Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 i used the 70-200VR on D80/D200/D2x/S5 Pro and do hear the VR mechanism making its noise, as is usual. i also hear the shutter. the black-out is the same whether VR is ON or OFF - even when the battery has been much too low. quite possibly, that battery in question has expended its lifespan. http://www.batteryuniversity.com/parttwo-34.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric_mudama1 Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 Is it possible that the camera won't take the shot until the VR stabilizes? On the 70-300, it takes a while for the VR to "spin up" and stabilize the shot when you press the shutter half-way. Once it's spun up, the response should be instant. Maybe the camera refuses to take the picture until the VR has actually stabilized itself, and that's the sound delay you hear? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daniel_hennek Posted December 22, 2007 Share Posted December 22, 2007 I think Eric may have it right because I just got the lens and have experienced what Bill is referring to. I know exactly what he means. When you switch it from VR on to VR off you can notice a big difference in the way that the next shot is taken. With VR off the FPS is normal, but with VR on there is no way that my D80 shoots 3 FPS; I'd be lucky to get 2. I was disappointed to figure this out as I realize the VR will be kind of useless while taking action photos. Glad to find the answer to my question though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_davis25 Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 <p>Bill,</p> <p>I joined this site just to give you my info on this subject!</p> <p>I also have a nikon d80, and no matter what lens I am using (focal length) the VR always seems to make the "shutter" laggy after the battery drops below half charged.</p> <p>I tried to explain this to some nikon reps and they tried to assure me that nothing is wrong, and they are correct. I don't know what we are hearing, or why it stops when the battery is fully charged, but I do know that it has no effect on the exposure of the photo itself.</p> <p>My other lenses that are not VR do not have this issue. I am curious to know what exactly causes this phenomenon, and why it only happens when the battery isn't fully charged.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert_harris10 Posted May 19, 2009 Share Posted May 19, 2009 <p>I experienced the same issue with shutter speed using the Nikkor 70-300 4.5 VR mounted on a D80. I changed the battery and it was fine but, after only a few shots, maybe 100, the shutter is slowing down again. I'm starting to not like VR, much less this lens. I think too much credit goes to the 70-300 VR considering the 300 range is useless and it takes an incredibly bright scene to use a fast enough shutter speed to capture a squirrel eating a nut.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marge_g Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 <p>Hi guys,<br> I've encountered the same problem using my d80 with any VR lens (with VR turned ON of course). As Bill says, it doesn't seem to affect the actual shutter speed but does affect the 'perceived' shutter speed. The battery I was using was a generic 1800mAh battery and it was a bit more than half-full. When I changed the battery to a fully charged genuine Nikon 1500mAh battery, the problem was solved (at least for now). I'm trying to figure out where the problem may stem from...<br> - are you guys using a genuine Nikon battery?<br> - what is the mAh value?<br> Thanks,<br> Marge.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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