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Good Vibrations?
Nikon's New 80-400 VR Zoom Lens
By Chris Weston
Nikon
has recently launched their rival to Canon’s “Image Stabilization”
lenses--the 80-400mm “Vibration Reduction” zoom lens. Aimed at the news,
sports, and wildlife photographer, how does this piece of technological wizardry
shape up in the field? On a recent assignment to the Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge
in Georgia, nature photographer Chris Weston put it through its paces.
Okefenokee is a European interpretation of the American Indian words
meaning “land of the trembling earth.”
What better place to test Nikon’s version of this innovation?
Lens Characteristics
In theory, this is a
great lens. The 80-400mm zoom range gives substantial coverage.
Automatic and manual focusing is controlled via a lockable rotating
switch on the barrel and is well thought out. The minimum focusing distance is a
very healthy 2.3 meters and, while the focusing speed is slower than lenses with
AF-S motors, it is still reasonable and more than acceptable if you know to
pre-focus. Maximum aperture is not
fixed and varies between f4.5 (at 80mm) to f5.6 (at 400mm). This can be a
disadvantage when a fast shutter speed is called for. When you’re not using automatic metering, it can slow you
down. However, considering its size (91mm x 230mm, fully extended) and weight
(1.36 kg’s) and looking at the alternatives (a 400mm f2.8 lens weighing in
at 4.8 kg’s and 352mm in length), this is a workable range.
The purpose of VR is
to reduce the effects of camera shake on the final image at slow shutter speeds,
and Nikon claims an approximate three-stops advantage. It works by vertically
and horizontally shifting a group of elements in the lens (the VR lens group)
via two velocity sensors that are activated by the camera’s computer. Camera
panning isn’t affected, as the computer can tell the difference between
panning and camera shake and so switches off the relevant vertical or horizontal
motor.
VR is set using a
three-stage switch on the side of the barrel. It can be switched on permanently,
allowing you to see the effect of the VR in the viewfinder (although it takes
about a second to kick in), or it can be set to activate only when the shutter
is released. This has the advantage of presenting a clearer image in the
viewfinder when you’re composing the picture and, also, saving battery power.
VR can be switched off completely--generally to conserve battery power.
One disadvantage for
some Nikon owners is that the VR system works with only certain Nikon bodies
(the F5, F100, F80 and D1). Another
disadvantage is its incompatibility with the TC-14E / TC-20E tele-converters and
PK-1 / PK-11/11A auto-extension rings. Other
than those “drawbacks,” statistically, this lens stacks up. Its small size
and light weight make it highly portable in the field, and the 80-400mm zoom
range lends a versatility that covers all but the most demanding of situations.
Can the theory, though, be matched in practice?
Field Trial
Certainly, my first
impressions of this lens in the field were very positive.
It allowed me to replace two lenses in my backpack (an 80-200mm AF and
70-300mm AF), thus reducing bulk and weight, a major advantage on this type of
short-term, long-haul assignment. Traversing
the wetlands along narrow trails via canoe, I found many of my subjects well
within the lens’ 400mm range and, with no room for a tri-pod,
it quickly became the main lens of choice on my F5 body.
As much of the
wildlife in Okefenokee is unused to human presence, the animals are particularly
nervous. This means quick reactions are essential to capturing anything on film,
and I found the portability of the lens outstanding in helping to achieve the
necessary response speed, more than making up for its slightly slower focusing
speed. Indeed, I was able to capture a number of images that would otherwise
have eluded me if I had been using a bulkier, if faster, lens.
Although the weather
in the wetlands was relatively bright, my subjects were often hiding under dense
vegetation. That meant the aperture was set more often than not at its widest of
f5.6, giving a shutter speed of between 1/60th and 1/180th
of a second. As the visibility of the effects of VR in the viewfinder were
minimal, I had to trust that the lens would match Nikon’s claims and allow me
to hand-hold the camera up to three stops slower than I normally would.
In general, the
results were positive with corner-to-corner sharpness excellent across the
range. The VR technology produced some pin-sharp images, although
inconsistencies arose--particularly when a sequence of shots were fired using
the continuous motor drive on the F5, even after I waited the recommended two
seconds for the VR to kick in. For
example, I took a picture of some canoeists from my kayak--hand-held at 1/125th
of a second with the lens set at 400mm, two stops slower than the
“rule-of-thumb” recommended shutter speed of 1/400th. Despite the
movement of my kayak on the water, the lens managed to reduce the camera shake
and produce an excellent image. Similarly,
for a picture taken of a sandhill crane, again from the kayak, the
lens--hand-held at 1/60th of a second and set at 400mm (three stops
slower than the “rule of thumb”)-- produced a pin-sharp image.
However, looking at a sequence of shots taken of a squirrel on dry
land--hand-held at 1/60th of a second with the lens set at 350mm (2.5
stops slower) and the motor drive set to continuous--the first two images showed
some noticeable camera shake while the third and fourth images were sharp.
Reviewing all the images I gathered from the trip, I would conclude that when the lens works, it works very well, producing pin-sharp images that would be difficult to match with a non-VR lens. However, under the conditions in which I was using it—not unusual situations to the majority of wildlife photographers--the lens didn’t always perform at a level on which I would feel comfortable betting my salary. There is no doubt that this lens has excellent specifications. The VR adds some real value and will, no doubt, be improved by Nikon. Certainly, it can capture images that you might otherwise miss. However, for that once-in-a-lifetime photo opportunity, I would still, at this point, recommend a sturdy tri-pod.
For more information
about specs: http://www.nikonusa.com/specs/1996NAS.pdf
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