D7000 + 70-300 can it be used without tripot

[Colweb]

I have the D7000 with the 16-85 f/3.5-5.6G ED VR AF-S DX and that combination is perfect. Not to heavy and even at 1/30 my pictures come out sharp.

But I also have the AF-S 70-300 f/4.5-5.6G IF ED VR. And this is a big and heavy lens. With tripod everything is sharp, even set at 300 mm. But without I don't seem to able to keep it steady enough to get everything sharp.

Maybe I'm not holding it the right way, but with > 30 years experience I think I know how ...

Does any of you have the same experience or are you able to keep this lens steady long enough to shoot without tripod? Specially the super long distance 200 and 300 mm.

 

[ltcdata]

what was your previous DSLR?

 

[jonikon]

I don't have a problem as VR works quite well even at 300mm. Which VR setting are you using? What shutter speeds. Could you post some examples maybe?

( BTW, if you think that lens is heavy, try hand holding with a Nikkor 70-200 f2.8 VR attached!)

Best regards,
Jon

 

[Colweb]

The D7000 is my first DSLR. I used the Sony Mavica CD300 for almost 10 years (my first digital) and before that Minolta (2) and Exacta.

The 70-300 is the heaviest lens I have. Heavier as all my old Minolta and Tamron lenses. And a lot heavier as the 16-85.

@jonikon, I thought there is only one VR setting. ON. Or are you referring to the normal/active switch? I have it in normal. And even at a shutter speed of 1/250 the image isn't really sharp if I don't use a tripod.

Maybe I need to adjust the way I hold the lens. I keep my left hand under it while my elbow rest against my belly. Right hand firmly on the camera, hold my breath and release the shutter. But that doesn't seem to be enough to get it truly sharp at 200 or 300 mm.

 

[Graystar]

I wrote an article in my blog about grip for long lenses. It may help. See it here...

http://nikonexposed.wordpress.com/2011/06/09/a-steady-grip/

This is hand-held with my D90 and the 70-300...

 

[nfpotter]

It COULD be your hand-holding technique, but also, keep in ind that the 70-300 VR does NOT resolve that well at 300mm. I'm running into the same thing on my D7000, whereas I had not noticed so much on my D80 and D300. That's one of the only drawbacks of higher resolution/pixel count. It tends to show the weaknesses of your glass.

 

[Dennis Jones]

I think the answer to your question depends on what you're shooting and what settings you're using. The pic below was D7000, 70-300VR, iso 800, 1/3200, f/5.6, at 300mm (450mm eqv.) It was handheld. Everything in this gallery was D7000 and 70-300VR handheld.



This one was Saturday night at a pig roast. Same gear, 6400 iso, 1/250, f/5.3, 230mm (345mm eqv) it has been cropped.



or 800 iso, 1/250, f/5.3, 200mm (300mm eqv) straight out of camera



or 250 iso, 1/250, f/5.6, 280mm (420mm eq) straight out of camera



--
D7000, D80, CP8800, 18-135, 70-300VR, SB-600, 80-200 AF-S f/2.8, 50 f/1.8
WSSA #83 http://www.DLJonesPhotography.com
Everything that goes around comes around.

 

[jonikon]

The D7000 is my first DSLR. I used the Sony Mavica CD300 for almost 10 years (my first digital) and before that Minolta (2) and Exacta.

The 70-300 is the heaviest lens I have. Heavier as all my old Minolta and Tamron lenses. And a lot heavier as the 16-85.

@jonikon, I thought there is only one VR setting. ON. Or are you referring to the normal/active switch? I have it in normal.

Yes, this is what I was questioning and yes, you have it in the correct (Normal) position. Active position is for when you are on something that is vibrating, (like a boat, for instance).

And even at a shutter speed of 1/250 the image isn't really sharp if I don't use a tripod.

You should not have a problem at that shutter speed when using VR.

Maybe I need to adjust the way I hold the lens. I keep my left hand under it while my elbow rest against my belly. Right hand firmly on the camera, hold my breath and release the shutter. But that doesn't seem to be enough to get it truly sharp at 200 or 300 mm.

Your holding technique sounds good, so I suggest you take it into your Nikon dealer and have him test it out for you to see if the VR is working properly.

Best regards,
Jon

 

[Cope]

Maybe I need to adjust the way I hold the lens. I keep my left hand under it while my elbow rest against my belly. Right hand firmly on the camera, hold my breath and release the shutter. But that doesn't seem to be enough to get it truly sharp at 200 or 300 mm.

I had the same issue when I got mine. Bear in mind that when you depress the shutter button, you need to hear/feel the VR set before taking the picture. It only takes a split second.
--

'A man will occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of the time he will pick himself up and continue on.'
Winston Churchill

 

[Colweb]

I wrote an article in my blog about grip for long lenses. It may help. See it here...

http://nikonexposed.wordpress.com/2011/06/09/a-steady-grip/

That is really sharp. And thank you for the link.

It seems I need to practice more and might have to change the way I hold the lens.

@nfpotter, the images at 300 (450 eq) shoot from a tripod are sharp. It only goes wrong by me with hand held shoots.

 

[Brev00]

I do not use one on my D90, but some use a battery grip to better balance a larger lens. You could try a ballplayer's trick. Carry around the 70-200 2.8 for a week. Then, try the 70-300. It will feel like a marshmallow. Another thing you might try: get the shutter speed high enough to see when you can actually freeze the shot. Might be 1/500 or 1/1000. Whatever it is, shoot at that speed for a while. Then, lower the shutter speed a notch and try to raise your number of keepers. Get the feel for your lens. You will be nailing the 300mm shots in, almost literally, no time.
--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/brev00

 

[Colweb]

Well, I followed the advice from following Graystar's link and took some pictures. All hand held. Can somebody tell me what that is under the nose of the cat (second photo). It seems holding the lens and camera a bid firmer helps to get it sharper.

Except for the first one, all are unprocessed jpg files the way they come out the camera.

 

[Graystar]

Can somebody tell me what that is under the nose of the cat (second photo).

Looks like a piece of spaghetti. Gotta keep the kitty out of the garbage!

It seems holding the lens and camera a bid firmer helps to get it sharper.

Yeah, technique counts for a lot at long focal lengths. And you’ll get better as you get used to the grip, as well as practicing pressing the shutter without disturbing the camera.

.

 

[ltcdata]

Well, keep in mind that there are 3 factors here:

Hand holding technique: at 300mm (450mm), any little flaw, or movement that vr does not compensate, will show. Also remember: above 1/500, vr is not useful.

The D7000 has a very high resolution sensor. A picture taken with a D90 that seems sharp, with the D7000 will look a little blurred.

The nikon is very good at 200mm. Not so good at 300mm. Keep that in mind when shooting.

You should try shooting in the 1/500 to 1/2000 (or higher if there is good light available) and try to enhance your technique to hold the camera+lens.

 

[Graystar]

Maybe I need to adjust the way I hold the lens. I keep my left hand under it while my elbow rest against my belly. Right hand firmly on the camera, hold my breath and release the shutter. But that doesn't seem to be enough to get it truly sharp at 200 or 300 mm.

I had the same issue when I got mine. Bear in mind that when you depress the shutter button, you need to hear/feel the VR set before taking the picture. It only takes a split second.

No, you don't need to "set" the VR before shutter release...not on a Nikon (dunno about other brands.)

Nikon's description of the VR system states that it is a two-stage system. There's an algorithm used to assist framing, and when the shutter is fully pressed the VR element is centered and the "real" VR algorithm controls the system for the exposure. So no matter how long you hold the shutter half-pressed, upon full press the VR system will reset itself.

Personally, for long lenses I prefer to use a focus-release AF mode, such as AF-A, and just press the shutter fully without stopping at the half-press. If the shutter doesn't fire instantly, I just hold steady for a second. The lens will focus, and the instant focus is achieved, the shutter will fire. That will give the best chance at a sharp focus.

.

 

[taterhead]

@jonikon, I thought there is only one VR setting. ON. Or are you referring to the normal/active switch? I have it in normal. And even at a shutter speed of 1/250 the image isn't really sharp if I don't use a tripod.

Maybe I need to adjust the way I hold the lens. I keep my left hand under it while my elbow rest against my belly. Right hand firmly on the camera, hold my breath and release the shutter. But that doesn't seem to be enough to get it truly sharp at 200 or 300 mm.

I am having the same problem, I am amazed that by trying a different holding technique it solved your problem !!

With my old camera (a D80) never had this problem.

 

[Cope]

Maybe I need to adjust the way I hold the lens. I keep my left hand under it while my elbow rest against my belly. Right hand firmly on the camera, hold my breath and release the shutter. But that doesn't seem to be enough to get it truly sharp at 200 or 300 mm.

I had the same issue when I got mine. Bear in mind that when you depress the shutter button, you need to hear/feel the VR set before taking the picture. It only takes a split second.

No, you don't need to "set" the VR before shutter release...not on a Nikon (dunno about other brands.)

Nikon's description of the VR system states that it is a two-stage system. There's an algorithm used to assist framing, and when the shutter is fully pressed the VR element is centered and the "real" VR algorithm controls the system for the exposure. So no matter how long you hold the shutter half-pressed, upon full press the VR system will reset itself.

Personally, for long lenses I prefer to use a focus-release AF mode, such as AF-A, and just press the shutter fully without stopping at the half-press. If the shutter doesn't fire instantly, I just hold steady for a second. The lens will focus, and the instant focus is achieved, the shutter will fire. That will give the best chance at a sharp focus.

.

I guess I didn't express my answer properly. What I meant was that if there is a lot of lens shake, it is possible to get focus and take a picture without VR doing it's job.
--

'A man will occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of the time he will pick himself up and continue on.'
Winston Churchill

 

[Flako]

Great article.

I wrote an article in my blog about grip for long lenses. It may help. See it here...

 

[Graystar]

I wrote an article in my blog about grip for long lenses. It may help. See it here...

Thanks. I wrote it because I saw so many posts from people complaining about blurry pics from their long lenses, and all anyone ever suggests is to practice their "technique" without a word of explanation beyond that. So...here’s a technique that people can practice! Hope it helps.

.

 

[Tyr-Sog]

I shoot the 70-300VC handheld with decent results.

You can see them here, all handheld.

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1030&message=38766892