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I read somewhere, ( of course not in the manual) that the VR must be switched off before turning off your camera,,, well this I havent been doing, can anyone advice me whether this will wreck the lens, still getting very soft photos, gotta try diffrent settings,

Suzanne

No, that's not the case!
VR On or Off won't affect anything when camera switch On or Off.

Thanks for prop reply birddog,, damn I am getting so frustrated with my camera, need someone close by that has same model,, any takers,,


Suzanne

I sure hope not, because I dont.

as for blurred or soft shots, vr wont help poor technique.
I found that the way you release the shutter to be critically important to sharp shots.
as is holding the camera steady, and following through.
following thru is holding the position until the mirror snaps back.
very similar to shooting a gun, you are aiming for the subject to be in the same spot in the view finder after the shot. showing you that you havent moved etc during the shot.
if standing you are aiming for a stable stance, feet apart if possible,
elbows tucked in against the body if possible.
taking advantage of any thing you could rest yourself on or the camera to help you.
If you have time I find a smoother shutter release is possible if you start to apply pressure with the side of the finger closest to the middle finger and sort of rolling the finger over. this avoids a stabbing motion which will invariably lead to camera shake.

Even rough breathing can cause issues. you are more stable if breathing slower.
As with shooting, breathholding isnt recommended. with shutter release on exhalation generally the best.
you could practice this by going out in the backyard phtographing stuff that doesnt matter (so no pressure etc) examine your technique and see how much your camera moves when photographing a flower for instance. Then look at how you can improve your technique where you identify problems and correct them.

Apologies if you knew all this, but these are things that work for me

Steve

Yep, you don't have to put the VR switch into the off position before turning off your camera. However, you should probably avoid turning off your camera while the VR mechanism is currently active.

Thanks for all the great advice Steve, now that you say that , maybe I am moving to quickly after I have taken the shot,, will have to be more aware of this in the future,,

Thanks again,
Suzanne

Suzanne... can I suggest a couple of things to help you along.

Firstly I find practicing on some still life subject will go a long way toward sorting out what settings to use under different conditions. With one consistent subject you can try different lighting conditions that suit the lens. Also take some tripod supported shots to compare with handheld to workout if your hold is steady and to understand where VR comes into play.

Using a subject easily at hand you'll be able to spend time learning PP to have your shots = the real thing more easily. Remember that digital shots often need a little sharpening, contrast boost etc to get the best from them.

Finally, keep posting your photos here and continue to seek advice... just make sure you provide as much info as possible keeping in mind that we cannot all always read the exif info in the posted image e.g. as I am currently on a client's site I have no access to the necessary tools.

Keep practicing !!!

Thanks MJ,, I didnt realise that everyone couldnt read exif , will try and remember to add that next time,, and yes I really need to really practise, I am a very impatient person,, just wanna get out there and do it,, then sulk when I cant get required results, I just gotta try try and try again


Suzanne

Suzanne, if you take some shots with the camera on the tripod and a fast shutter speed with subject which is easy to focus on - ie, you create the "perfect" situation to get a sharp shot - you will then see that your camera + lens combo can take sharp photos (or, hopefully less likely, you will find out there is a problem).

Once you know what is possible, you can work on the techniques detailed above. I find that knowing what can be achieved is helpful towards achieving it. You stop wondering if you have a dud lens or dud camera and simply work on your craft.

It's great that you want to get out there and do it !!!
I've found though that if I don't practise on some simple subjects (preferably stationary to begin with) I never come up with the goods when it really matters and that really sucks !!!

Just looked back on last weekend shots, car festival and I shot many moving cars,,hand held,, and all sharp as a tack, like this one,


exif exposure 1/1250 f5.6 ISO 200 focal length 120mm

dont know if that helps,

Suzanne

the fact that these are tack sharp suggests technique may be the culprit.

this shot has a fast shutter speed.
sometimes fast shutter speeds mask technique problems because there isnt enough time for shake (for example.)
you could look at the exif info of the ones you feel arent sharp and see if there are any similarities (slower shutter for example)

good technique is nice to have though.
I would do some testing in controlled environments to see what happens.

It is reasonable to set up a tripod (and maybe self timer) to take yourself out of the equation and see what the gear is capable of.

having said that, technique is most often the culprit if it is happening at slower shutter speeds.

The good news though is that it is the easiest fixed (afterall you dont have to take yourself off to maxwells for an alignment) and you can see the results immediately on your computer.

Steve

avkomp wrote:The good news though is that it is the easiest fixed (afterall you dont have to take yourself off to maxwells for an alignment) and you can see the results immediately on your computer.
Steve

Actually I for one could do with an alignment... however I can't afford the 2 month wait in their workshop !!!

Thanks guys for the info,,, gee hope I dont need a visit to maxwells, as unfortunelty I bought grey market, so I have my fingers crossed,,,

Hi! Bindi,

Just a tail end note, if you use a VR lens on a tripod, then you turn VR OFF.

And if you are in a vehicle or boat or similar, then switch to "Active".

Cheers!

Thanks guys for the info,,, gee hope I dont need a visit to maxwells, as unfortunelty I bought grey market, so I have my fingers crossed,,,

from the sharp stuff you have posted, I think that if you sort out the basics, all will be well.

we will be seeing some great stuff in no time.

steve