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VR Slows my D80

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Brad Hill

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Greetings,

Recently updated from a D50 to a D80. When using the D80 with either the 18-200 VR or the 70-200 VR, there seems to be noticeable shutter lag when VR is turned on. Rather than a click it's more of a ca-chunk , even with a high shutter speed set. It doesn't seem to be there when VR is turned off.

When in continuous shutter mode, the frame rate is also noticeably reduced when VR is on.

So I threw the lenses back on the D50 to see if maybe I just never noticed this before, but on that body it didn't seem to make a difference as to whether or not VR is on - shutter is nice and snappy and continuous mode is ... continuous.

Has anyone else experienced this and/or does it sound normal? I'm heading to Hawaii in 12 days and I'm afraid this thing might lay an egg while I'm out there.
 
Haven't done any real testing as you have, but it seems like my 70-300VR does slow down my D70s, it's back to full speed if I replace the lens with either the 50mm f1.8 or the 18-70mm
 
....and 18-200VR are the same as yours. Big delay with VR turned on, no delay with it off.

I took a lot of handheld shots of a small item on a distant subject. The item was away from the centre of the frame more times with VR on than off. The camera seems to move a lot more with VR on due to the "shutter lag", which sort of defeats the object a little!

But, saying that, the images are generally sharper with VR on.
Allan
--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/allans/
 
Ok so maybe it's not so strange. But what about the D50 not being affected in the same way? Does anyone here with a D50 notice a difference in shutter responsiveness with VR on vs Off?
 
After reading your post I did a quick, very informal test on my D80 + 18-200 VR and observed similar behavior.

It does seem to be slightly quicker in both single and continuous modes with VR off (although the difference seems small).

Dave
 
There is also a slight delay
that is Not there with the vr off
but its no big deal - just have to account for it

****
http://www.pbase.com/dick707
 
VR does not turn on until you half depress the shutter button. Then it has to translate the data from the accelerometers and apply it to the stabilizing lens motors to constantly adjust the lens. When the stabilizer motors kick in, (It takes a fraction, of a second or so, to get going I'm sure.) I generally hear a clunk in my VR lenses also - with the shutter half pressed - it tell me it's up an working.

If you want to shoot faster than the VR can start up then turn it off obviously. Hmmm I wonder if that's why there is an off switch?

I haven't heard a single claim from Nikon saying it wouldn't slow your frames per second somewhat , and wouldn't expect it not to.

But... Maybe that's just me.
--
-Steve
===================

Dodging and burning are steps to take care of mistakes God made in establishing tonal relationships. Ansel Adams
 
sfisher, most of what you say makes sense. However the lag I'm mentioning is not at the halfway point on the shutter button, it's when I go the second half - at which point VR may have been humming about for a second or so.

Also, how would you account for the noticeable difference between the D50 and the D80 in this regard. If the VR function is specifically where the problem is and both bodies support VR lenses, why wouldn't the D50 suffer similar lag?
 
That lag has to do with focus-S versus focus-C. When in focus-S mode with VR on, the shutter won't release until there is focus lock. But in focus-C mode, the shutter goes off whether you have a focus lock or not. So try switching to focus-C and the lag should go away even the VR is on.
--
James
Photography is a learning experience.

 
Changing focus modes shouldn't have an affect on this since this happens in manual mode too. For good measure I checked and AF-S vs AF-C did not reduce the lag.
 
Their support is amazingly responsive when you dial in...

The tech tried VR on and off with the 18-200 on both a D80 and D200 they had in "the lab". He noticed the same thing and attributed it to VR locking into place immediately before actually opening the shutter. He seemed to think the speed difference there was nominal and almost hard to notice.

I guess we can put this one to bed, then. Although, he didn't have anything to say about the D50's lack of difference with VR on/off. He thought it should be irrespective of the body.
 
Mine does the same thing. Slows down quite abit. The answer is not to turn the VR off. Whats the point in having it if you turn it off? My D50 is considerably faster with this lens (VR on). This should be figured out by Nikon. Its a definate flaw if you ask me.

Cheers
--
Nikon D Fifty
Nikon Fifty mm F1.4
Sigma 24-70 F2.8
Nikon Seventy - Three Hundred VR
Nikon SB- Six Hundred
 
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