Essential Nikon camera settings: 6. Vibration Reduction

Getting sharp results isn't just about focusing - you likewise need to avoid camera shake, as that may blur your shots

What is it in a nutshell?

Blurred images due to camera shake are caused by your camera running during the exposure. This is most common when you're carrying your camera to shoot, and using a shutter speed that's too dumb to 'freeze' any camera motion.

The longer the focal distance of the lens, the more any movement is exaggerated, so the quicker the shutter speed you need to block the motion of the camera.

Many Nikon lenses have a feature called Vibration Reduction (VR) that will dilute the effects of camera shake by moving the components within the lens itself to redress for any movement of the camera.

Why is it so important?

Vibration Reduction essentially enables you to use shutter speeds much slower than would normally be possible and still get sharp results, then it's ideal in low light, for instance.

Thither is a terminal point to how much vibration reduction systems can do, though, thus if you're contriving to employ very long shutter speeds, or very long lenses, then it's still worth using a tripod (or monopod) to maximize your chances of getting sharp results.

SEE MORE 10 Camera Settings You Need to Learn to Master Your Nikon

How do you use it?

The VR system is triggered by a switch on the lens. One time it's changed on, the system uses 'floating' elements within the lens to compensate for any camera motion.

The shutter speed required for avoiding camera shake without VR will vary according to the focal length of the lens you're practicing.

With an FX (full-frame) camera like the D750, the rule of thumb is that you require a shutter speed of 1/focal length to prevent camera shake; then for a 200mm lens you should use 1/200 Sec or faster. Only with a DX model like the D3400, it's best to apply an even faster shutter speed, as the effective focal length will be 1.5 times longer (in other words, 300mm rather than 200mm).

Once you've activated the VR system you can use slower shutter speeds, but there's even going to be a terminal point to how tiresome you can blend in. VR systems will normally permit you to shoot close to three stops slower than normal, and then if you would normally need to sprout at 1/250 Sec to get sharp results, and so you should be able to shoot at 1/30 Sec with VR.

What you can ignore: VR when using a tripod

Vibration reduction becomes completely redundant once you've your camera fixed to a tripod. Even though the systems in many modern lenses are designed to switch off automatically when they don't sense any movement, it's still worth turning them away when you are utilizing a tripod.

This will prevent the VR from activating if there's a minor motion, such as when you adjust the settings or frame your shot, which can potentially cause your stroke to be dimmed, as the VR will move the elements inside the lens.

Taking it further: Mirror lock-up

Even when your camera is on a tripod and you're employing a remote outlet, the motion of the mirror when you discharge the shutter can create enough vibration to blur the picture. Many Nikons have a mirror lock-up feature to prevent this.

To practice this, select mirror lock-up mode, press the shutter release to shut away the mirror out of the mode, and then press the shutter release to get your snapshot.

Source Link: http://www.techradar.com/how-to/photography-video-capture/cameras/10-camera-settings-you-need-to-learn-to-master-your-nikon-and-10-you-can-manage-without-1320864

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