Camera Labs

Some new insight can be had at this article. These guys tested Nikon/Canon/Sigma lenses with IS and Olympus/Pentax/Sony with body-dased IS.
Not enough details about testing methods though for my taste. But they hit the nail on the head with giving the Nikon VR 80-400mm (which I reviewed here) only a 1.3-2 stops effect.
Best performer by the way is the Nikkor VR 18-200mm

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

Great info tombomba2! This is something I had been wondering about. I'm curious how they get the same amount of shake in the camera for consistant measurements. Still the 18-200 looks like the clear winner, no matter what. thanks

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BrianS
D50, 70-300mm VR, 50mm f/1.8

Getting consistent shake is always going to be the problem for this kind of test. It's also not as simple as just building a platform which wobbles either, as the human shake is quite different in practice... it's a tough one!

Thanks Thomas for the link.

Useful information as always
Researching always I see

We know each person shakes differently - afterall no two are the same (minus the clones !)

Worth to note the report did mentioned that the results varies depending on lens weight and photographers' technique - but the overall results still shows lens based IS have the upper hand ..for now.

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Nikon D7000 and a bunch of Nikkors

Comparing the lens results from the A100 (and haveing in mind that the A700 SSS has improved over the A100) there should be no gain at all in lens based IS, except for the fact that you see the stabilized image in the VF. Getting IS on all lenses vs getting IS on some more expensive lenses I would say that camera based IS has the upper hand Canon has put IS into the 18-55mm kit lens so they must also know this

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Minolta primes: 2.8/20 2.8/24 1.7/50 2.8/135
Minolta zooms: 28-135 35-70 70-210(beercan) kit
Minolta cameras: Dynax 5D 7000
M42: Pentax Asahi S-M-C Takumar 1.4/50 and 2.8/105 Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 2.4/35 Industar-61L/Z Kiron 2.8/105 Macro

I copied this quote from Wikipedia on Image Stabilization. Could someone comment on "Active Mode" please.

"Some of Nikon's more recent VR-enabled lenses offer an 'Active Mode' that is intended to be used when shooting from a moving vehicle, such as a car or boat, and should correct for larger shakes than the 'Normal Mode'"

Also, Some Nikon lenses have a VR label and some a VRII label. Is there a difference? Is the VRII using the Avtive mode mentioned above?

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BrianS
D50, 70-300mm VR, 50mm f/1.8

Looky here for "active mode": http://www.cameralabs.com/forum/viewtop ... +mode#7897
"VRII" is just the more advanced mode incl. active/normal switch.

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

Thanks tombomba2. I'm still a little confused about the VRII label, since I don't have a Nikon (thinking about one) to check this out. Is active mode selectable in the camera with regular VR labeled lenses, or do you need the VRII lens to get the feature?

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BrianS
D50, 70-300mm VR, 50mm f/1.8

Brian, nothing to be switched on in-camera. Everything is on the outside of the lens, where you'll find a dedicated switch. Unfortunately Nikkor-lenses are not designated "VR" or "VRII", they are all labelled just "VR". So you have to read the specification quite carefully to find out about active mode.
Also don't assume that each new Nikkor-lens has automatically VRII. But perhaps there is someone surfing this forum who knows!?
Personally I think that having an "active mode"-switch is an indicator for VRII.

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

For example, the 55-200 is a known series 1 VR and has only a VR on - off and auto - man focus switch, no active switch to compensate for sideways movement when panning, the active mode is set to detect panning movement and still attempt to control vertical shake.

Thanks AndrewC. So it looks, as tomboma2 suggested, like you have to read the specs/review to be sure you're getting the VR you want, and not just go by the label.

Thanks everyone

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BrianS
D50, 70-300mm VR, 50mm f/1.8

Andrew, my information and experience says otherwise: Even the very first VR-lens, the venerable Nikkor VR 80-400mm could detect panning as I could attest to! The difference in "older" VR and newer VRII may be the efficiency of the reduction and/or the switch between active/normal mode.
I tried to explained "active mode" in the link you find in my previous post. In short: "active-mode" tries to do it's best during exposure, while "normal-mode" tries it's best already when framing the shot, but may be a little limited during exposure.

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

So with basic VR you get all the anit-shake available in Nikon any lens, but with VRII you have the option of turning the off the pan/active mode?

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BrianS
D50, 70-300mm VR, 50mm f/1.8

To make it absolutely clear: panning could already be detected by the oldest Nikon VR!

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

Thomas, you posted a link above to the subject, I think you will find that Gordons summation of it is pretty correct, I know from real world shooting that the 55 - 200 VR is better with the VR turned OFF if panning is to be done. I have achieved far better results with it turned off, in fact the panned shots with it turned on are woeful, the series 2 VR lenses are better I believe, but until I can be convinced otherwise I will stick to my 70 - 200 2.8 for the numerous action shots I take.