Image stabilization is a feature that many people do not realize they have, but it’s a feature that can make a huge difference in your photos. It can help you take shots at night when you otherwise wouldn’t be able to, or it can keep your video from shaking when you’re shooting on the go!
What Is Image Stabilization?
Image stabilization (IS) is a technology used in some cameras to reduce blur from camera shake. This type of blur is most noticeable at slow shutter speeds, where even the smallest movements will cause the image to be blurry.
Some cameras also have electronic image stabilization (EIS), which works similarly to IS but uses software instead of hardware. Both types of stabilization work by detecting movement and adjusting the lens elements so that they counterbalance any movement detected by the sensor. This means that even if your hands are shaking while taking a photo or shooting video, there should be no visible effect on the final image.
The image stabilization is an important component of your camera’s lens. Its purpose is to remove unwanted vibration caused by camera shake when you handhold your camera. There are several types of image stabilization. The most common type is optical image stabilization. This technology is based on an extra lens mounted on top of your camera lens, which corrects for the effects of camera shake when you use your camera hand-held. In many cameras, the optical image stabilization feature can be switched off or disabled. This may be done, for example, when using the camera on tripod, or when using special lenses such as macro lenses, or when you use flash photography.
If you’re not familiar with image stabilization, here’s how it works:
When you press the shutter button on your camera, it moves up and down. This movement can cause the image to look blurry if the camera isn’t steady enough. Image stabilization uses special lenses to counteract this motion and ensure that your photo is sharp and clear.
When Should You Use Image Stabilization?
Image stabilization works best when you’re shooting with longer lenses, like telephoto zooms or macro lenses, because these lenses magnify any small movements made by your hands more than shorter focal lengths do.
Image stabilization is usually switched off when you are using the camera on tripod. However, if you do this, you will still be able to use the IS feature when you use the camera in other modes, including shooting video or still images with manual exposure settings.
IS is used along with digital zoom, when you magnify the image you capture by pressing the zoom button, and also when you use the Live View screen.