Getting your hands on a new lens is always an exciting experience, but the thing that most people have little to no idea about is that there are times when you get a lens, and the specs or other details confuse you as to what they mean.
For instance, I often found myself wondering about what is VR on Nikon lens. Now, a lot of people can just close their eyes and say virtual reality, but that is not it.
This is why, in this article, we are going to take some time and explore what VR is on a Nikon lens, so the next time you are in the market looking for a new lens, you know what this term actually means.
What Is A VR Lens?
So what exactly is a VR lens? This is a question that most people must have had, especially those who have gone through the experience or actually running into one of these lenses, and to be honest, it is not at difficult to understand what this lens actually is.
VR simply stands for vibration reduction, and while I do understand that the term might end up being underwhelming to a lot of people, it actually is significant in a lot of ways.
For starters, having vibration reduction on your lens allows you to shoot videos and images in low light without having to worry about carrying a tripod with you at all times.
Vibration reduction is just another name for image stabilization. So, the next time you see it on a lens, you know what it means.
What Is VR On Nikon Lens?
Now, when you find yourself in the market looking at new lenses for your Nikon camera, then the chances are that you might run into a lens that says “VR” on the lens packaging or the lens itself. VR is simply a term that Nikon uses to represent image stabilization.
All the Nikon lenses that you find with VR branding have image stabilization built into the lens itself. This is great, especially if your camera does not have in-body stabilization. However, the one thing that you must keep in mind is that lenses that have VR will be more expensive for obvious reasons.
There are more ports as compared to a standard lens; there is a whole stabilization mechanism installed as well. So, if you are looking to get more knowledge about these lenses, this is how you go forward.
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When Do I Use It?
For anyone who is wondering just when you should go ahead and use VR on a Nikon lens, or any other lens, for that matter. The answer is rather simple; you can just go ahead and use it at all times.
Now, it should not come as a surprise that VR or image stabilization is not something that one should sleep upon, thanks to how it works.
Having VR enabled on your Nikon lens will allow you to take stunning pictures and videos even in low light as the camera shake would be eliminated to a greater degree, and this would result in images that are not as blurry.
Simply put, this technology is something that should not be overlooked and, if possible, should be used in all cases so you can get the results that you actually want.
When Will VR Or Image Stabilization NOT Work?
Now, a lot of people have come to us with questions like instances when image stabilization or VR will not work on a camera or a lens, for that matter. Well, honestly, it is not as odd to come up with this question, but the answer to this is rather simple.
If your lens does not have VR to begin with, then it will not work at all. However, if your lens lacks VR or image stabilization but your camera does not, then the camera will then use it to shift the sensor around, and remember, in-body image stabilization is always better as it is the sensor that is doing all the work
I do understand that it can be confusing for most people, but it takes time to understand the dynamics of how things are and how they work.
It is not at all something that should be complicated for anyone. However, if you still want answers, they are rather simple, and you can just go ahead and keep using VR as you please.
How Do VR And VR II Differ?
Now that I have explained almost all the things that you need to know about VR, the next thing is rather simple. You see, Nikon released a new variation of its vibration reduction called VRII, and in the start, a lot of users just turned an eye, thinking that it is not something that is going to be useful all that much.
However, if you are wondering why the VRII is different than the original, then the answer is simple. The main difference here is the zooming mechanism.
You see, the original vibration reduction mechanical zooming had a creeping issue when positioned vertically. This can be very annoying when you are shooting upwards.
With VRII, Nikon decided to take care of this issue, so when you are using a lens that has VRII capabilities, you are essentially looking at something that is inherently better, and work does not create any issues, either.
Wrap-Up:
There you have it, folks. If you have spent most of the time being confused about the differences between VR, VRII, or just the technology in general, then in this article, I tried the best approach to explain everything to you. The purpose here is to help you have a better understanding of what you should be using and why it actually matters.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1- What is the difference between DX and VR Nikon lenses?
Answer: If you are wondering what the difference between DX and VR Nikon lenses is, then there is some confusion.
For starters, the DX is the crop sensor system that Nikon uses, and VR in itself is an entirely different technology and has nothing to do with the sensor size.
Q2- What is the difference between VR and ED lenses?
Answer: In theory, both lenses are a lot more similar than one might know, with the major difference being the fact that there can be some image quality differences that you might encounter.
Q3- Does VR affect image quality?
Answer: No, as a matter of fact, VR is there to make the image quality better overall, considering how it takes care of any shakiness that can take place in an image.
Q4- How do I know if my Nikon VR is working?
Answer: Yes, you can take the pictures or videos at slower shutter speeds, and that should give you a better idea about whether VR is working or not working.
Q5- Should VR be on or off?
Answer: Honestly, in almost every case, you should always keep VR turned on because, in simplest terms, it benefits you more than you might think.