[gawan]

I recently read an interesting blog entry from Thom Hogan on using VR with Nikkor lenses. Thom basically advices this:

"The first and most important rule of VR is this: never turn VR on unless it's actually needed."

Looking my own practice, I notice that I have my Pentax SR mostly always on, only when using tripod and doing macro, I turn it off, if I remember. I have no conscious principle in this my self.

What do you do? Do you avoid SR until absolutely necessary or do you have mostly/always ON. Any thought on SR affecting the focusing on certain situations (see Thom's article).

[ytterbium]

I've mostly set it to on. In rare cases where i need to save battery life or know it will be all day under bright sunlight i set it to off for the whole shooting.
I never toggle it on/off frequently depending on light.

BUT, i've always thought it is automatically kept "off" when not required (e.g. shutter speed larger than 1/focal length).

If that's not true, i might start toggling it.

[kiwi_jono]

I have a K-x and I mostly have SR turned off except for when shooting in low light / indoors.

I have noticed a higher ratio of duds (apparent blur) when shooting at around 1/100 (which is often where I end up) when SR is on than off. Don't know why (maybe the mirror slap that has been talked about but who knows) but anyway seem to be getting better ratio of shots with it off.

[SpecialK]

BUT, i've always thought it is automatically kept "off" when not required (e.g. shutter speed larger than 1/focal length).

If that's not true, i might start toggling it.

That's not true.

[Steinback]

I generally leave it on unless I'm shooting with a manual zoom at more than one focal length or I'm using a tripod.

[mithrandir]

On unless I am using a tripod.

[JeffJS]

I've mostly set it to on. In rare cases where i need to save battery life or know it will be all day under bright sunlight i set it to off for the whole shooting.
I never toggle it on/off frequently depending on light.

BUT, i've always thought it is automatically kept "off" when not required (e.g. shutter speed larger than 1/focal length).

If that's not true, i might start toggling it.

That's not true.

The K7, in certain functions, will turn it off automatically. If using the timer, it is shut off. If using Wireless Flash, it is turned off. I'm not certain but I think if a wired remote is connected, it is also turned off (implying tripod use). Bulb mode Also turns it off. In Green mode, unless using the timer, it cannot Be turned off.

For the most part though, other than as noted above, mine stays on.

[Rupert]

Almost always on with my K20D...but since I got the Sigma HSM OS 17-70, forgetting to turn it off has caused some bad shots. You can't use SR and OS at the same time!

For those that might be wondering, it is my belief that the Sigma OS is slightly better than the SR. I have no definitive proof, but have done enough shooting with the Sigma to have this opinion. At any rate, the SR is very good, I use it almost 100% with my other lenses.
Regards!

[JeffJS]

Almost always on with my K20D...but since I got the Sigma HSM OS 17-70, forgetting to turn it off has caused some bad shots. You can't use SR and OS at the same time!

For those that might be wondering, it is my belief that the Sigma OS is slightly better than the SR. I have no definitive proof, but have done enough shooting with the Sigma to have this opinion. At any rate, the SR is very good, I use it almost 100% with my other lenses.
Regards!

I can easily believe that, from experience of sort. The OIS in the Panasonic FZ20 (in lens) I had far out shines the Pentax SR. There are a lot of other factors in this apples to oranges compare but even at full zoom (420mm equiv), steady looking shots were quite simple with that camera. Steady shots at 1 second exposure were pretty easy to obtain as well with the FZ20. Still though, for what it is, the body SR on our Pentax cameras is a pretty good way to go.

[RioRico]

I generally leave it on unless I'm shooting with a manual zoom at more than one focal length or I'm using a tripod.

Ditto.

One thing to consider: In THE CAMERA, Ansel Adams speaks of shooting a 135 film SLR with a 50mm lens. He tested the ROT (rule of thumb) about picking a shutter speed that's 1/FL, which in the test case would be 1/50 or 1/60 second. He did not get sharp shots. He had to go to 1/250 for acceptable sharpness. That's a 2 f-stop difference.

With SR on my K20D, I expect a gain of about 2 f-stops. So many of us are tempted to exploit that gain; OOOH, I CAN SHOOT THIS 100mm LENS AT 1/25 INSTEAD OF 1/100!! Wrong. If you want best sharpness, follow the 1/FL ROT. But if you're shooting humans in action, don't worry about it. Our human visual systems are very tolerant of less-than-crisp renditions of humanoid features. That's how we're wired.

[audiobomber]

I can easily believe that, from experience of sort. The OIS in the Panasonic FZ20 (in lens) I had far out shines the Pentax SR.

It's easier to get sharp photos at extreme zoom with my K100DS than my K20D too. Some lenses are sharp on the K100DS but soft with the K20. What you're seeing on your superzoom is low resolution; pixel peeping at 5 mp can't be compared to 12 or 14mp resolution.

[JeffJS]

It's easier to get sharp photos at extreme zoom with my K100DS than my K20D too. Some lenses are sharp on the K100DS but soft with the K20. What you're seeing on your superzoom is low resolution; pixel peeping at 5 mp can't be compared to 12 or 14mp resolution.

I did say apples and oranges. However, get sharp photos (without machine gunning the camera) at 400+mm with a 1 second exposure. 5Mp vs 14mp won't make very much difference at that point. Besides, I'm not even talking about pixel peeping (something I don't bother with then or now), I'm talking about motion blur in the photo. One doesn't need to pixel peep to see a difference. My main point was, while the SR on our cameras is decent, it can be much improved on.

The FZ20 has been gone for nearly 4 years as I knew I probably wouldn't use it anymore so it's probably a bit pointless to argue about it.

On unless I am using a tripod.

Same here. Except that even using a tripod I don't really turn it off, but usually use the 2 second timer - which turns SR off.

[Rupert]

We tend to forget what it was like before SR.....but I always recall my amazement when I went from my DS to the K10D and began to get shots that I had missed so often with the DS.
I still recall fondly the day I went out to check my propane level and had my K10D with the Bigma mounted, just in case a handsome Squirrel wandered by. As I looked up from the propane tank, I saw this Cardinal about 30 feet away and instinctively went for a shot.....even though the past DS experience told me it was pointless.......but this is what I got, and have been getting similar results ever since with SR. Is it the best? Probably not, but it is sure a huge improvement over not having it!
Regards!
1/20 Hand held ISO 560@ 500mm F6.7 Bigma
[IMG][/IMG]

[RBellavance]

Basically always on, except when it's automatically turned off by my use of the 2 self-timer (i.e. on a tripod) or wireless flash. That was also how I used it on my K10D.