Monopod VR question

[deadshot]

I've just bought a new tripod which converts into a monopod. My question is do I need to turn off V R or move it to Active when using the monopod .I know it's recommended to turn off VR when using a tripod.
Thanks

[TCav]

Yes, VR should be turned off when the lens is mounted on a monopod as well as a tripod. Image stabilization is intended to counter the natural tendency of the human body to shake. Tripods and monopods eliminate that shake, so VR can't do anything useful, and can occasionally do something harmful.

[Ozzie_Traveller]

G'day DS

Hmmmmm - I also use a monopod and -do- have the IS = 'on'

While the vertical motion of the /any camera movement may be minimised, the horizontal motion caused by breathing &/or a slight breeze is still there

I intend to leave IS on my systems at 'on' ~ but i'm also prepared to experiment &/or benefit from others' advice
Phil

[TCav]

Horizontal motion while the camera is on a tripod or monopod is generally so slow that IS doesn't have much to do.

"Active" VR is generally for horizontal movement, not to counter camera shake.

[deadshot]

Thanks for the replies, I've been trawling through various sites about this. The info seems to say ,it depends how slow you set the shutter speed. There seems to be a cut off point where the VR will help if you go beyond that. Faster shutter speeds wont need or benefit from VR.
I was hoping zig-123 was going to pick this up because I thought he did a lot of bird shots using a monopod.
Although I have bought a tripod which converts into a monopod, I haven't got it yet because it is coming from China. I'm not sure by what method of transport, there's no prizes for guessing either.:-)

[TCav]

Originally Posted by deadshot

Although I have bought a tripod which converts into a monopod, I haven't got it yet because it is coming from China. I'm not sure by what method of transport, there's no prizes for guessing either.:-)

Let me guess: Free Shipping? You should get it by the end of the year.

I once ordered something from Adorama that came with free 10 day shipping, and since I didn't need it right away, I opted for it. It was coming from Adorama's warehouse in Brooklyn to me outside Washington, DC. It had tracking so I enjoyed watching it's progress. FedEx was the shipper.

On the first day, it made it to New Jersey, but it took four more days to get to Philadelphia. It sat there for a while without any indication of its progress, until on the eighth day it appeared in Martinsburg, WV, where somebody put a stamp on it and dropped it in the mailbox. I got it the next day.

Why couldn't somebody in Brooklyn have done that?

[deadshot]

I have ordered small stuff from Hong Kong and China in the past and before , usually delivery is about 3 weeks or so. This is the largest though. I recently bought something from Germany, that the reviews said was a great quality being German made. When I got it guess what, it was made in China. So this time I thought I might as well get something from where it was made in the first place. I'll let you know if it's any good when it arrives, the photo's and blurb look good.

[zig-123]

Hi Deadshot,

Sorry, for not responding to your thread sooner.

Yes, I still use a Velbon Monopod for a lot of my shooting including shore birds. Camera of choice, these days is the Nikon D600 and most of my work is done using a 70-200mm F2.8VR lens.

I generally have the VR disabled when using a 'pod', in these situations, mainly due to the shutter speeds that I'm using to a capture a bird landing or taking off. Most often, the shutter speed required is higher than 1/500sec. and most often , I'm using 1/1250sec. or higher.

At these speeds, there is little to no benefit that VR provides-with or without a 'pod'.

Now, when I'm shooting a series of shots to create panoramic landscapes, at low light(sunrises/sunsets)and then want to stitch them in Photoshop, I'm using very slow shutter speeds. I then, use a very sturdy tripod,instead of a monopod. I also use a shutter release cable so as not to touch the tripod or introduce shake. In those instances, I'm using a lens that is not equipped with VR. Even if it did have VR, I would disable it for the reasons already mentioned.

Hope that helps.
zig

[deadshot]

How about that, I ordered my tripod from Hong Kong on the 5/4/14, they posted it on the 6/4/14 ,it arrived by airmail on the 14/4/14 .It's made in China as I expected but seems very well made. It's made of 8 x layer carbon and weighs 1.7 kilos complete with ball head.Has a very nice bag plus handle and shoulder sling. I am now looking forward to using it, One leg detaches to become a monopod.
Incidentally anything near it in the UK would have cost me three times as much.Sorry UK traders.
I'm now looking forward to using it probably with no VR.
Thanks for all the useful replies.