I am about to take possession of the Sigma 50-150/2.8 OS lens.

It will be my first OS/VR lens and I wonder if anyone who has used this type has noticed any significant change in battery drain.

www.billkeane.zenfolio.com

In his eBook on the D7000, Thom Hogan writes about VR and battery drain. Of course, he is talking strictly about Nikkor lenses, but the mechanical principles are pretty much the same on Sigma with OS.

He says to keep your finger off the shutter button. That's what initiates VR and increases the current draw on the battery. So, don't hesitate.

Visit my Nikonians gallery.

For the VR to perform as intended you'll have to give it time to work it wonders. Get the shot focused and then snap away. If you keep your finger on the release for a length of time you will probably hear the VR system working and this will have an effect on the battery. Enjoy the lens.

John

Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. <><

It must be the case that VR/OS results in greater battery usage - but I've never found that it causes any problems. If you're in a situation where it will help you get better shots, then my advice would be to use it without worrying

Brian
Welsh Nikonian
Check out the Nikonians Team pages

I have the Sigma 150-500, which is probably similar. I've shot birds all day long for several days in a row without draining a battery.
I don't think you have anything to worry about. Of course, you always want to have a spare, fully charged battery around anyway.

Dave

I have that lens as well as two other stabilized lenses (1 VR and 2 OS). I'm sure the use of stabilization does help drain the battery quicker. But in my use I haven't noticed any problem and easily get a days worth of shooting (or more) out of the D7000 battery.

But as John notes, you just can't mash the shutter, you need a bit of time for the stabilization to settle.

Pete

Visit my Nikonians gallery.

Thanks everyone!

The lens arrived, and pressing the shutter release initiates a "snap" effect in the image, with an extremely subtle, extremely high-pitched hum, if I keep the shutter pressed.

Just grab shooting, I was easily hand-holding at 1/60th @ 150mm.

One reason I asked about this is because I've taken the battery out of the D7000 body, relying ONLY on the one in the grip. But from what others say, one battery should be sufficient for a day's shooting...

www.billkeane.zenfolio.com

The D7000 is a power miser, just sipping electrons compared to some cameras. I just charged my D7000 battery tonight for the first time in a month and during that time, there are at least 1,000 frames. Using the same batteries, my D800 gets less than that with two batteries, 1 in the grip and one in the camera, and that one has been set up tp consume less. For example the rear display is turned off and it has non-VR lenses mostly mounted(85 1.4, 24 1.4, 50 1.4, 24-70 etc).
The D7000 does not seem to drain the battery even with sitting in a bag for weeks at a time. So you will be fine with a single battery for a full day of shooting.
Stan
St Petersburg Russia

Visit my Nikonians gallery.

You shouldn't have any problem with just the battery in the grip. Its how I have mine set up and I shoot with VR set to ON most of the time. The battery seems to last forever in the D7K.

Ed

Visit my Nikonians gallery.

I use VR almost all the time and my battery seems nearly endless. Hundreds, at least, of outdoor continuous mode, bracket, continuous AF - various mixtures, and the battery lasts at least days.

One thing that does seem to suck battery is leaving the camera in remote control so I can use the IR button to shoot birds outside my window without having to get up from my desk and spooking them. OTOH,I have the remote set to stay on 15 minutes, and occasionally fire a shot just to reset the timer.

But if all you're concerned about is VR, don't be. The D7k is definitely a power miser.

John Messeder, JAFPR, MBS
Freelance environmental journalist
Gettysburg, PA, USA
Follow me on:</font></i><br>
= www.johnmesseder.com
= my Nikonians gallery

>The D7000 is a power miser

Stan, are you sure it's not you who's the power miser?

I doubt that I'm getting even 500 frames out of a charge, but I'm guessing it's a combination of excessive chimping and reviewing and waiting to shoot with the shutter button half pressed. I don't care, it's still hugely better than a point and shoot.

I would recommend a backup battery just to be on the safe side.

Gary
"Yea, Sussex by the sea!" - Rudyard Kipling