What is “Image Stabilization” in Smartphone Camera? – EIS, AIS and OIS

Okay, so Image stabilizations. That’s the topic this time. You see image stabilization is just another camera feature that simplifies your camera experience by capturing more stable images. How it does that? You know the shaky thing that your smartphone’s camera does sometimes, especially when you’re moving or running. Image stabilization helps reduce that to a more stable level. That’s all isn’t it; perhaps not…

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IS or image stabilization is a technique used by camera manufacturers to the camera lens firm while capturing any photo. This procedure is typically done by a camera hardware that is intentionally installed to move the lens to an opposite angle of the smartphone movement, in order to achieve the stable shot. Now, implementing this kind of hardware is typically expensive for budget-oriented smartphone and that is when the concept of EIS and AIS kicks in.

What is Electronic Image stabilization?

EIS uses programming to stabilize an image. These are traditionally very cheap compared to OIS and have possible chances of improvement since the manufacturer can update the software. It tends to perform best in a smartphone when it’s paired with an OIS sensor but most of the budget-oriented smartphone don’t have that. EIS alone will give you a satisfactory response but not as good as OIS, to be accurate.

What is Optical Image Stabilization?

OIS is usually a traditional way of stabilizing a camera lens, it works by controlling the path of the image via the lens to the image sensor, which is usually done by a Charge-coupled device (CCD). To stabilize the camera, they use a variable-angle prism near the front of the lens in order to bend the image back at the centre. Quite similar to EIS, the preliminary idea in this concept is to move the image opposite from the shake and the aftermath is particular same but some may find variance.

What is Artificial Image stabilization?

AIS is quite an advanced version of the EIS technique, here rather than simple programming an AI stabilizes the image. To achieve that you need to have a dedicated AI core in the smartphone’s processor, which is only seen in quite a few devices this year since the AI revolution. An AI works on complex programming and various metadata creating a neural network, so the more you feed the information the better it gets.

An Argument

Some might say that an OIS is better than EIS but in theory OIS system do not respond as quickly as EIS because the hardware has to be physically moved, but on the other hand EIS system are also not reliable since they have to hugely rely on the smartphone’s performance, which lacks in the budget segment devices. AI stabilization seems to be a good option but they are only available in selected high-end smartphones. As far as I can see now, OIS and EIS together deliver a spectacular performance but if you’re privileged enough then OIS, EIS and AIS together can be a boon.