When comparing the specs between the cameras and today’s
hottest cell phones, one often starts running into an awful lot of photography
specific terminology being thrown around in a term that seems to have been all
the rage lately is optical image stabilization or OIS. Now many phones today
offer optical image stabilization and even some phones are making this
technology a key feature for branding. This technology is special not in the
sense that it is new but in the sense that it is an efficient and small way of having
quality images even with your cell phones. Now in the past the only image
stabilization readily offered on cell phone cameras was of digital variety
which worked alright for minimizing annoying bombing effect on video footages
but did not score in reducing shakiness or motion blur caused by the camera
movement and this is where optical image stabilizer come in. They help to
produce higher quality images by reacting to stimulus in real time ensuring
that the path between the lens and the sensor is perfectly aligned before the
subject is captured not allowing the user or the software easily focus the
image. So to accomplish that manufactures use highly sensitive gyroscopic
sensors in any range of two to many which provide data as to the angle and movement
of the camera and some even exist to provide extra functionality such as
improved vertical stability while taking panoramic shots. These directional
sensors work in combination with tiny electromagnets that affect the angle by
lens of image sensor depending on the type of OIS employed.
So the first type we are looking at is the lens based
application which is found in high-end cameras and work by affecting the access
on the lens in response to movement, keeping the image tracked on the sensor as
squarely as possible. The main advantage to this style is that the image seen
by the user is as stable and clear as possible but it fails in application
where no distance can be created between the lens and the sensor so you are
pretty much who if you want this kind of tech into a cell phone which brings us
to the second type i.e. sensor-based or in body stabilizers which by contrast
affect the angle of image sensor in response to stimulus and have the added
benefit of being able to adjust the focal length as well. This type of
stabilization can be compact enough to fit into small things like cell phones
while also being a much more portable and practical option as it prevents the
user from having heavy camera equipment. However sensor based option is not
totally perfect. Since the image projected onto a sensor is not already
stabilized negative qualities such as reduce low light autofocus performance
can be an issue especially in instances where there is noticeable lag in the
electronic view finder or screen image also these type of stabilizers are
greatly dependent on their movement, speed and the size of the lens in front of
them. That means to improve long distance and motion performance at some point
the lens must get bigger and as many of know getting bigger for good
performance is simply not the option.
However, image stabilization is the feature which is warmly
welcomed by everyone, in the sense who does not want better photo or duck faced
selfies.
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