VRII activation - feedback?

[vincedistefano]

<p>Hoping I didn't make a big mistake here - I bought a Nikon 16-35 f/4 lens from a guy in a neighboring town, after seeing some of his image samples, researching the lens, and getting to see it and do some test shots in person. Price was right, and it definitely fills the gap in my coverage.<br>

But I never 'tested' the VR on this lens. <br>

Now, I only have one other VR lens, the hallowed 17-200 with the first gen of VR. When VR is on with that lens and I focus, I can feel and hear activation and see the image stabilize.<br>

This 16-35 is a second-gen VR lens. With VR on, it doesn't have the same 'feedback' that the 17-200 does.<br>

I'm hoping that it's the nature of VRII, or this lens in particular, and that this is normal behavior and that I didn't buy a used lens which has a busted VR mechanism.<br>

Now, the couple of shots I've taken with it so far have been at what might be relatively too high of a shutter speed? Like 1/60th or I think I tried one with 1/30th. Which I guess on the 30-35 end kind of keeps in line with what you should be able to get away with handheld anyways. <br>

Hoping somebody has some info on this, just started at work and won't have any time until late tomorrow afternoon to try this, but it's going to make me mental until then!</p>

<p> </p>

[ellis_vener_photography]

It is definitely smoother in feel. Have you tried taking a series of shots with VR turned on and turned off? You might also

put your camera on a tripod, put into live view mode, magnify the view and see if you see if the image "jumps" a little

when VR is turned on.

[hans_janssen]

<p>The VR on the 18-200 was also VRII.</p>

[vincedistefano]

<p>Hans - just realized I misspoke; I meant to refer to the VR on my 70-200 - the big f/2.8 lens. VR activation on that was very noticeable, you could feel it and hear it clunking into place. I'm sure some of that also has to with being zoomed out with a heavy lens while hand-holding; the adjustments it makes are very pronounced.</p>

[ShunCheung]

<p>There are two different Nikon 70-200mm/f2.8 AF-S VR, the earlier one has version 1 VR and the current one has the so called VR II. It is easy to tell them apart. The wording "VR" on version 1 is red, on version 2, it is in gold color. Version 2 also has the big N indicating nano coating.</p>

<center><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/12763838-md.jpg" alt="" /></center>

[chriscourt]

<p>You can usually tell if VR is activated by listening closely to the lens while you half-depress the shutter release. There is some variation in how the VR systems sound between lenses, but regardless, you should at least hear a soft whirring noise when the shutter release is pressed, and it should stop a second or so after the shutter is released. There may also be various clunking noises as the VR engages and disengages. The 105mm Macro VR for example has the loudest VR system that I have heard, while the 70-200 VR2 has perhaps the quietest.<br>

<br /> The view through the viewfinder seems much less "jittery" on newer VR systems than on older ones, so I'm not sure that I'd rely on this as confirmation that the VR is working.<br>

<br /> Also note that the AF/ON button does NOT activate VR - only the shutter release can do this.<br>

<br /> Obviously, confirm that VR switch on the lens is set to "on" - not to be condescending, but sometimes it is the most basic things that trip us up.<br>

<br /> I haven't used the 16-35, but I imagine that its VR system will produce similar sounds to others.<br>

<br /> Hope this helps.<br /> C</p>