Nikon VR can detect a Tripod

[JoelKlein]

The system can also detect the use of a tripod, recognize panning

Vibration Reduction

Vibration Reduction (VR) is an image stabilization technology that minimizes blur caused by camera shake. Using a VR NIKKOR lens can result in sharp images in low light, under windy conditions or when using a physically large NIKKOR lens.

www.nikonusa.com

 

[Jmaes]

That's a handy feature indeed (not needing to worry about switching VR on/off).

It has been around for a long time though.

 

[Steve W]

That's a handy feature indeed (not needing to worry about switching VR on/off).

It has been around for a long time though

You’re right, it has been around for a while. Some of the earlier generations of VR weren’t so smart.

 

[Len Shepherd]

I would like more detail - as this may be "broad brush information".

Nikon claimed some earlier lenses like the original 200-400 VR had automatic tripod detection mode - implying several other lenses of the same era did not.

Nikon claimed - though the detail has long gone from Nikon websites - that the advantage of VR II was that it could detect a lower level of vibration than the previous generation VR lenses.

VR technology seems to be constantly improving - with up to 5 or 5.5 stops being specified by Nikon for a few very recent lenses.
"Synchro VR" available with some VR lenses on the Z7 II, Z9 and presumably Z8 adds up to perhaps another half stop ability - though as far as I know Nikon provides little information on which lenses and by how much.

The implication of above detail is VR switches off operation below a certain level of vibration (lens variable) rather than running and possibly marginally degrading images when there is no vibration that the lens VR can detect.

The current online guidance (800 PF) is
"To reduce blur caused by tripod shake, select Normal or Sport for the on-camera vibration reduction option when the camera is mounted on a tripod. Note however that depending on the type of tripod and shooting conditions there may be cases in which Off is the preferred option.

This implies VR guidance for recent lenses is that there can be situations where vibration is best switch off.

I rarely have a problem with this apparent guidance conflict as on a tripod it is usually possible to take the same shot twice, once with VR on and once with VR off.

Turning to the reference on panning I find it good to note Nikon confirm VR in the direction of a pan continues to be disabled when using in lens VR.
I like this effect.

Nikon seems to still say nothing about what happens about vibration in the direction of a pan when relying on IBIS when using a lens without in lens VR

 

[John Navitsky]

with the z9 and the new lenses, i noticed the system worked well enough that i more or less don't bother to ever turn it off where with the older systems and lenses i'd micro-manage that depending on what i was doing. the only thing i'll do is switch from vr to sport and back, but that's more just telling it if i want to prioritize vr over everything else or to constrain it somewhat

 

[JoelKlein]

with the z9 and the new lenses, i noticed the system worked well enough that i more or less don't bother to ever turn it off where with the older systems and lenses i'd micro-manage that depending on what i was doing. the only thing i'll do is switch from vr to sport and back, but that's more just telling it if i want to prioritize vr over everything else or to constrain it somewhat

Steve and Thom both claim not to pan with Normal because it would fight the panning.

Its very interesting the unclear and contradicting messages from Nikon.

I’m curious though how does the VR system detect a tripod?

 

[John Navitsky]

I’m curious though how does the VR system detect a tripod?

probably mostly through lack of movement or patterns of micro movement. although theoretically the motion signature of attaching/detaching is probably detectable.
same way the phones/watches can detect what type of activity the user is doing based on the movements

 

[DRwyoming]

Steve and Thom both claim not to pan with Normal because it would fight the panning.

Its very interesting the unclear and contradicting messages from Nikon.

I’m curious though how does the VR system detect a tripod?

Using Normal VR mode in any burst style action shooting sequence is problematic whether or not it can detect the panning motion.

Basically in Normal VR mode the floating VR group of lens elements is re-centered between each shot. This gives the VR group the maximal working range to reduce vibrations and when shooting single image frames yields the most vibration reduction. But the side effect when shooting a string of images in a burst is that the image jumps around the viewfinder from shot to shot due to that re-centering of the VR element group. Sport mode does at least two things, it emphasizes vibration reduction in the direction orthogonal to any panning, so for many sports or BIF situations that means it emphasizes reducing vibrations in the up and down directions. But it also avoids that VR element group re-centering step. Sure the downside is you likely won't have as many stops of VR effectiveness but it means after each captured image in a burst the VR just picks up where it left off and the image doesn't jump around in the viewfinder which makes tracking much easier.

I don't really see Nikon's statement on detecting panning motion to be at odds with the recommendation to use Sport mode for shooting action per the Z9 manual and other references. Sport mode does more than allow for panning, it also eliminates the jumpy image in the viewfinder issue which really helps when tracking a moving subject.

 

[Len Shepherd]

On panning - the 2001 guidance for the original 80-400 said
"--- the VR operation for panning direction is cancelled before exposure so that a photographer can easily track a moving subject. At the moment of exposure, if panning speed is slow, it may be the case VR engages in the panning direction, but does not engage when the panning movement becomes fast".

The instructions for lenses as recent as as the 500 PF say
"In Normal and Sport modes, vibration reduction does not apply to motion that is part of a pan".

The online instructions for lenses such as the 800 PF do not comment on what happens when panning.

As yet I have not tried panning with Z lenses with built in VR.

 

[ricardo00]

The system can also detect the use of a tripod, recognize panning

Vibration Reduction

Vibration Reduction (VR) is an image stabilization technology that minimizes blur caused by camera shake. Using a VR NIKKOR lens can result in sharp images in low light, under windy conditions or when using a physically large NIKKOR lens.

www.nikonusa.com

The one time I tried my Z9 (pretty sure with the 400mm f/4.5 lens) on a tripod for a long exposure (1/4 of a second) with or without VR on, it still was better when I shut the VR off. So if I remember, I still try to shut it off though many times I have to admit I forget and have it on. It was only a single test shot, used a delayed timer so not my vibrations pressing the shutter.