Went for Nikkon 18-200 Vr. Back with Sigma 18-200 OS

[bright eyes]

It seemed the OS was working consistantly as I expected on my lens, Kamin, I will suggest you to try it out more before you take it back. I think we need to play around with it more to get the feel of it. I am going to try a local store here to see if they had one and see if it make the same noise as mine.

OS was ON, 1/50sec, f8 at 200mm

[monx]

maybe karmins is a lemon??

[bright eyes]

Yeah, may be Karmin had a bad copy, I checked out the Sigma lens at the local store, the chattering noise that I am experiencing apparently is normal. I also compared it to noise of the Nikkor 70-300 VR lens. The Nikkor lens gives a softer clicking sound when the VR kicks in, not as annoying as the Sigma's. But for the price difference, I am willing to put up with the Sigma. It's a keeper for me.

Here's another sample of close focusing of the lens with OS turned ON, 1/30sec, f8, at 200mm (slightly cropped)

[Karmin]

Hi again. I took some shots under the late afternoon sun. I think I know what's bothering me. I read almost everywhere one can shoot at 1/10 and even 1/4 second and Nikon's VR can and will help. I'm starting to believe Sigma's OS cannot assist under 1/50. If it does, it looks more like luck or a sudden mechanism glitch. At least for now, this is how my lens seems to work. Mayve I'm expecting too much of a stabilization system. bright eyes, your last photo is quite impressive. Can some owners of a 18-200 VR give their opinion here.
Thanks a million times. Germain

[peripatetic]

Don't for get the standard rule of thumb. The average person needs a shutter speed approximately 1/35mm equivalent focal length.

So at 200mm *1.5 => 300mm equivalent so you should probably be using 1/500s shutter without OS. If the OS is getting you down to 1/50 that is about 3 stops worth. That's pretty good.

At 18mm by contrast *1.5 => 27mm => approximately 1/30s required, you should be able to hand-hold down to around 1/10 or maybe even 1/7s. But at shutter speeds less than 1/10s you really need a tripod.

[bright eyes]

Karmin wrote:

Hi again. I took some shots under the late afternoon sun. I think I know what's bothering me. I read almost everywhere one can shoot at 1/10 and even 1/4 second and Nikon's VR can and will help. I'm starting to believe Sigma's OS cannot assist under 1/50. If it does, it looks more like luck or a sudden mechanism glitch. At least for now, this is how my lens seems to work. Mayve I'm expecting too much of a stabilization system. bright eyes, your last photo is quite impressive. Can some owners of a 18-200 VR give their opinion here.
Thanks a million times. Germain

Germain, I think you said it well in your post, we should not expected too much from the OS or VR of the lenses. The stabilizing system of those lenses only help to increase the odd of getting a sharp photo with slower shutter speed depending how steady is the photographer's hand. They are not going to be perfect everytime. I think at 1/10 or 1/4sec. it will be a challenge for the Nikkor VR, not just the Sigma's OS unless you have very steady hands to begin with.

As for myself, with my other older non stablized Pentax DSLR and a 55-200mm zoom. When taking picture towards the long end of the zoom at shutter speed slower than 1/125. I got may be 25% good, sharp photos (obviously I have some problem holding the camera very steady:sad. The way I see it if the Sigma's OS or Nikkor's VR for that matter, helps to increase my successful rate of getting sharp picture from 25% to 90%, thay have done their job. All the best to you, Germain.

[Karmin]

Hello again, yeterday Friday November 9, I took back the Sigm 18-200 OS to the camera store. I had with me some shots taken with the lens. My salesman looked at it andin a flash, he suggested that I be refunded. Photos were most of the time out of focus and the bokeh almost zigzagging as a race car. He said it oculd be a defective OS that didn't shift back the group of lens. Anyway, this lens is the biggest disappointment since I bought my D50, two years ago. Actually, I'm so frustrated and upset and disappointed that I didn't even go for the Nikkon 18-200. He took the time to suggest the 70-300 VR for 679$ canadian or the 70-200 VR 1700$ canadian. As for Sigma, i'm done with this brand. I guess what they say about the quality control at Sigma is true: you have more chances to fall on a lemon than with Nikon. So next lens is definitely a Nikon. I have now two Sigma lenses: 18-125 that is a joke and 70-300 Apo macro that is acceptable. it means: save your money for genuine Nikon. Germain.

[deadshot]

Have a look at this reveiw site ,if you haven't already ,they are comparing Sigma Tamron and Nikor side by side.I have recently tried the Nikor and was well impressed,I didn't hear any noise. Noise in my opionon = inefficiency usually.

http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Ni...m/page4b.shtml