Image stabiliser (or called VR, IS, OS, VC)
Image stabiliser is very popular nowadays. Even in the cheapest point and shoot cameras and DSLR kit lenses they have this system. It has many names, VR in Nikon, IS in Canon, OS in Sigma, and VC in Tamron. But what is it? It is a magical button which turns your blurry photos into a piece of stunningly sharp work.
What is image stabiliser?
It is a kind of system which keeps the insides of your camera steady despite your shaking. Most systems like Nikon and Canon do this by moving the lens elements. Others like Pentax, Olympus, and Sony DSLRs move the sensor. Either way there is a control system which looks for movement then counters this to compensate, and there are pros and cons to this. Click here to watch the video 'Buying your first DSLR'.
How does it help?
In order to take sharp photos, holding your camera still is a must. With image stabiliser working, it allows you to operate at slower shutter speeds. Most of these systems claim 3-4 stops of light advantage. That is to say if all other parameters are equal, your shutter speed can be 4-16x longer! Instead of changing the shutter speed, you may lower the ISO for less noise or shoot with a smaller aperture (higher f-stop). This may give you more depth of field or allow you to use a cheaper lens. It can also let you shoot in an environment with less light than would otherwise be possible.
What is image stabiliser?
It is a kind of system which keeps the insides of your camera steady despite your shaking. Most systems like Nikon and Canon do this by moving the lens elements. Others like Pentax, Olympus, and Sony DSLRs move the sensor. Either way there is a control system which looks for movement then counters this to compensate, and there are pros and cons to this. Click here to watch the video 'Buying your first DSLR'.
How does it help?
In order to take sharp photos, holding your camera still is a must. With image stabiliser working, it allows you to operate at slower shutter speeds. Most of these systems claim 3-4 stops of light advantage. That is to say if all other parameters are equal, your shutter speed can be 4-16x longer! Instead of changing the shutter speed, you may lower the ISO for less noise or shoot with a smaller aperture (higher f-stop). This may give you more depth of field or allow you to use a cheaper lens. It can also let you shoot in an environment with less light than would otherwise be possible.
Image Stabiliser OFF
Image Stabiliser ON
When does it work?
During a night of street photography, I found myself using my trusty Nikon 18-200 VR II over my other fast lens, the 50mm f/1.8. I even managed to snap a few decent photos at around shutter speed of 1/5 while standing on a moving boat!
During a night of street photography, I found myself using my trusty Nikon 18-200 VR II over my other fast lens, the 50mm f/1.8. I even managed to snap a few decent photos at around shutter speed of 1/5 while standing on a moving boat!
When doesn't it work?
No matter how still your camera is, if any part of your subject isn't, you'll wind up with rubbish. This extends to shooting sports, or animals. If you're thinking about buying a slower lens with image stabiliser rather than a faster one without, you need to consider what sort of photography you plan to do with it. If you are interested in taking photos of well lit or stationary things, slow lenses with image stabiliser are fine, but if you want to fully control depth of field or shoot less than totally still things in available light, nothing beats a nice fast lens.
Keep this in mind!
An interesting case when image stabiliser can let you down is when your camera is nice and stable. During long exposures on a tripod, you would want to turn it off, or else, the final image will actually be blurred! In this instance, the errors in the image stabiliser control system can be more significant than real shakes, and in an attempt to dampen these fake shakes, real shakes are created. But with Nikon's new technology of the VR II system, you can keep the VR (vibration reduiction, another name for image stabiliser) on even on a tripod! This is for brainless photographers, like me, who often forgets to turn the system off.
So is image stabiliser a friend or foe?
It can be either. In many situations it can let you shoot where you otherwise couldn't, particularly with cheaper, more compact equipment. It can also get in the way of optimal image quality. As long as you understand the limitations of it, image stabiliser can be a valuable tool to help you take great shoots.
No matter how still your camera is, if any part of your subject isn't, you'll wind up with rubbish. This extends to shooting sports, or animals. If you're thinking about buying a slower lens with image stabiliser rather than a faster one without, you need to consider what sort of photography you plan to do with it. If you are interested in taking photos of well lit or stationary things, slow lenses with image stabiliser are fine, but if you want to fully control depth of field or shoot less than totally still things in available light, nothing beats a nice fast lens.
Keep this in mind!
An interesting case when image stabiliser can let you down is when your camera is nice and stable. During long exposures on a tripod, you would want to turn it off, or else, the final image will actually be blurred! In this instance, the errors in the image stabiliser control system can be more significant than real shakes, and in an attempt to dampen these fake shakes, real shakes are created. But with Nikon's new technology of the VR II system, you can keep the VR (vibration reduiction, another name for image stabiliser) on even on a tripod! This is for brainless photographers, like me, who often forgets to turn the system off.
So is image stabiliser a friend or foe?
It can be either. In many situations it can let you shoot where you otherwise couldn't, particularly with cheaper, more compact equipment. It can also get in the way of optimal image quality. As long as you understand the limitations of it, image stabiliser can be a valuable tool to help you take great shoots.
Nikon's Vibration Reduction (VR) System in the 18-200mm lens
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