Stabilizes lenses are awesome. Nikon calls it VR (from Vibration Reduction) for Nikkor lenses, Sigma calls it OS (Optical Stabilization), Tamron calls it VC (Vibration Compensation). It's all the same thing, and - as I'm sure most of you know - it's a mechanism inside the Lens which absorbs micro-movements caused by hand-helding a lens. It's usually measured in "Stops" - for example, you might read that the VR of a lens offers you "4 stops" of latitude.

When you read that, it means that thanks to the optical stabilization of that particular lens, you can expect that you will need 4 less stops of shutter speed to get a sharp image, compared to what you would need without a VR.

VR can be the difference between a sharp image and a blurry one

It's easier to see with an example.

Let's assume that I'm using a focal length of 300mm on an FX camera. According to a long-standing guideline, you then need about 1/focal length as a minumun shutter speed to get a sharp image if you're shooting hand-held. In this case, then, you need 1/300 or faster (the closest actual setting on the camera is 1/320). This is where VR comes into play. Count 4 stops slower: 1/160, 1/80, 1/40, 1/20. Therefore, with VR on you should be able to get a sharp image at 1/20. Of course, this isn't an exact science - some hands are more shaky than others. This is only an average.

Sounds good, in any case, right? Would it not sound even better if I told you a trick with which you can get an extra stop? If so, then read on!

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