On Thu, 08 Oct 2009 17:06:59 -0600, Vic Smith
wrote:

On Thu, 08 Oct 2009 17:15:21 -0400, John H Rant
wrote:



I just took my 18-200 VR back for the second time to get the
auto-focus fixed. Lucky the warranty is for five years, but I'm
wishing I'd not spent the money for that lens.

Didn't get too far into it, but VR seems an unnecessary complication
unless you're printing posters or into forensic photography.
Ken Rockwell touts it, but he shoots from moving cars at 1/125.
And he crops to examine quality closely.
http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/image-stabilization.htm

Check out the cropping of the cushion with VR and non-VR.
No doubt the VR is much sharper.
But I would never do that cropping, or print posters, so I don't know
if it's worth the complications.
Seems too much can go wrong in a VR lens.
Besides, I still have my good tripod.

--Vic

I shoot my kids playing sports so it comes in real handy, especially
I've got the 70-300 racked to 300 and trying to catch a kid running
full speed.

Also helps in low light conditions.

My hands aren't as steady as they once were...