Image Stabilizer vs. Vibration Reduction

Image Stabilizer

Image Stabilizer. For Digital SLR Cameras users, lens which has ‘antishake’ factor is a compulsion especially if you planning to buy telephoto lens. The lens wich has same specification such as Nikkor 70-300mm f4-5.6, there are two versions for these lens, one has VR (Vibrate Reduction) function and the other doesn’t. There are big different in price for these two lens type. Why and what makes this ‘antishake’ factor so precious?

I don’t want to confuse with the term of antishake, vibrate reduction, image stabilizer, etc, they have the same function – to reduce blurry image caused by vibration by unsteady hand or other factors . From now i will only use the term “Image Stabilizer” / IS, since is popular among the photographers. Actually “Image Stabilizer” created by Canon and “Vibrate Reduction” created by “Nikon”. Is a patent techonlogy owned by cameras manufacture, others 3^rd party lens and cameras brand have his own term for this technology.

image stablizer system inside the lens used by Canon

There are two types of image stabilizer, Nikon and Canon put in the lens, where Sony, Pentax, and Olympus putting it inside the camera body. Both have the vibration sensor and special chip to do calculation and running the ultrasonic motor to reduce blurry images. For IS system inside the lens, these motor will running some elements in the lens which will reduce the blurry image before the light transmitted to the camera. Thats why the imager stabilizer can be preview via viewfinder. The image stabilizer system inside the camera has not this function and only running the sensor to after moving object caused by vibrating camera.

IS system inside the camera allowed all lenses have this IS function. This include all 3^rd party lens and models as long as is compatible with the camera. This concept is clearly give more benefits on economic factor. The other more benefit is no need additional elements, thats why this IS system doesn’t affecting the image quality.

Back to the topic. What makes this Image Stabilizer so special ? this is important to knowing the main funcion of IS :

The main funtion of Image Stabilizer is make a photograph taken at the slower shutter speed.
IS help you to reduce blurry image on lens or camera.
IS makes your telephoto image sharper. The far focus object from camera the more blurry image will you get, because vibration factor is more higer at far object. This way the IS help you.
Image Stabilizer consumes more battery power. You can mannually turning off or on if or not neccessary.

Image Stabilizer is important thing in photography, because it can give you more sharper image at 1/60 shutter speed with common lens and 1/500 with telephoto lens. Slower shutter speeds makes your photo look more bright but without IS function it will give more blurry image if you handle your camera without tripod or solid surface.