What is Vibration Reduction?

Nikon Team •Technology & Know-how•23 Aug 2023•2 min read

Make blurred shots and shaky video a thing of the past with the Nikon Z series Vibration Reduction (VR). So, how does it work?

Any time you hold a camera in your hands, it’s going to move a little. Without a tripod or monopod to keep the camera completely still, there are many things that might make the camera move, from the weather or pressing the shutter button right down to your breathing. You can’t even feel many of these movements, but you might see them in the results coming out of your camera.

Vibration Reduction (VR) is a technology that senses tiny movements of the camera and compensates by moving the sensor, counteracting the effect. In full-frame Nikon Z cameras using Z lenses, the system detects movement across five different axes – pitch, yaw, roll, plus X and Y. Nikon DX cameras such as the Z fc, Z 50 and Z 30 don’t have built-in VR, but you can still access amazing VR by using a compatible VR lens such as the NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR.

Make blurred shots and shaky video a thing of the past with the Nikon Z series Vibration Reduction (VR). So, how does it work?

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Z Series | On-Camera Vibration Reduction

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Not only does VR reduce camera shake, but it also allows you to take photos and video at lower shutter speeds in low light situations. In a full-frame Nikon Z camera, the VR has five stops of reduction — meaning that if you take a shot at 1/120th of a second without VR you should be able to take the same shot at around a quarter of a second. Using a Nikon DX camera with a VR lens, you still get up to 4.5 stops of reduction, depending on the lens.

VR is incredible for video, creating that smooth, professional look for your video content from a handheld camera. It’s perfect for those spontaneous moments that you need to grab, such as no-shake selfies and vlogs.

To use VR on a full-frame Nikon Z, go to the Photo Shooting Menu in your camera. Choose either Normal for shooting mostly static objects and people, or Sports for shooting fast-moving objects. Or switch in-camera VR off if, for example, you’re shooting still life on a tripod with a remote trigger.

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