Glossary

Definition: Hardware stabilization that moves the lens or sensor to counter small shakes. OIS helps reduce blur in low light photos and steadies video. It works alongside electronic stabilization, which crops and smooths motion in software.

Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) is a technology used in cameras and smartphones to reduce blur caused by camera shake. It works by physically adjusting the optical path to compensate for minor movements of the device.

Here’s a breakdown of how it works:

1. Motion Detection: Tiny gyroscopic sensors within the device detect the direction and magnitude of any unwanted camera movement.
2. Lens/Sensor Shift: This motion data is then sent to a miniature motor system.
3. Compensation: The motors precisely shift either the lens elements or the entire camera sensor in real-time, in the opposite direction of the detected shake. This effectively keeps the projected image steady on the sensor, even if your hand is moving slightly.
4. Sharper Images/Videos: The result is significantly clearer and sharper photos and more stable videos, especially in low-light conditions or when zooming in.

Example: Sharper night shots because the lens compensates for hand movement.

Also called: Optical image stabilization

Related: PDAF, 4K video recording, Optical zoom 3x