Is it worth paying for optical image stabilization in a digital camera?

Trying to decide whether I should spend the extra $50-$100 on it. Asked by rg_test_001 62 months ago Similar questions: worth paying optical image stabilization digital camera Arts > Photography.

Similar questions: worth paying optical image stabilization digital camera.

If you have a big zoom camera and you'd like to print out the picture, definitely! If not, it might still be worth it. If you get one of the models that have a big zoom lens (6x or above for sure, 4x - 5x is somewhat marginal), image stabilization is defnitely a big plus, if not a MUST.

I owned an older model of digital camera with big zoom (8x) that does not have image stablilization, and I could tell I definitely miss the image stablilization. Without the image stablization, the big zoom is pretty useless most of the time (except bright sunlight situation or you increase ISO, which has its own evil) because the picture comes out blurry. You might get by for watching the picture from a screen, but you'll definitely notice that the picture is not as sharp if you print it out.

Now, even if you have a 4x, 5x or even just 2x or 3x zoom, the image stablization can come in handy in many low light situation. With image stablization, you will have options to take the same picture without using flash. Flash in general tends to be too strong or too weak.

Even if it's appropriate, the direct light of Flash is in general not as nice as the light in the actual settings. If you don't believe it, try to turn off the flash in various low light situation and compare the pictures yourself. Sources: My experience orion_orange's Recommendations Canon PowerShot A700 6MP Digital Camera with 6x Optical Zoom Amazon List Price: $349.99 Average Customer Rating: 4.0 out of 5 (based on 30 reviews) Canon PowerShot A710 IS 7.1MP Digital Camera with 6x Image-Stabilized Optical Zoom Amazon List Price: $399.99 Average Customer Rating: 4.0 out of 5 (based on 3 reviews) An example of two models that are almost identical, one with image stablization and one without.

Considering the one without image stablization (A700) is an older model and the one with image stablization (A710IS) is really new (less than 2 months old), the effective price difference is actually less than $50.

Yes, especially if your camera is an ultrazoom point-and-shoot. Consumer-oriented point-and-shoot compact cameras used to be capable of only 3x or 4x optical zoom. In the last few years, manufacturers are coming out with lots of superzoom cameras, capable of 10x-12x optical zoom!

Optical zoom refers to using the lens of the camera to bring the object closer to you, the photographer. Digital zoom is not really zoom as it just crops a portion of what it captures and enlarges the pixels, degrading image quality. (If you’ve ever tried to make a photo bigger in Photoshop, you know what I mean.) More about optical zoom versus digital zoom.

It is very difficult to hand hold a camera at a high optical zoom without suffering from camera shake because even the littlest bit of movement fromr your hands is magnified when you're zoomed in so much. So you get blurry photos. Unless you’re going to lug a tripod around with you anytime you take pictures, you’re going to want optical image stabilization in your digital camera.

I’ve used my Panasonic Lumix FZ5 to take photographs of buildings from far away, photos of musicians from far away, and more. It is extremely useful when you want to capture anything far away, when you want to get a detailed shot but you can’t get any closer to your subject. Your fancy 12x optical zoom is no good if your shots all turn out blurry.

It can mean the difference between an okay photo and a pretty good one. I’ve taken photos from a few hundred feet away, holding my camera over my head, zoomed in really tight, and they turned out well thanks to the image stabilization. I took this photograph of the Empire State Building in the middle of winter from about 1.5 miles away without a tripod.

My hands were shaking from the cold and it was extremely windy, but the shot turned out well, mostly, I think, from the camera’s built in image stabilization. Kathryn's Recommendations Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5S 5MP Digital Camera with 12x Image Stabilized Optical Zoom (Silver) Amazon List Price: $449.99 Used from: $239.95 Average Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (based on 49 reviews) Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5K 5MP Digital Camera with 12x Image Stabilized Optical Zoom (Black) Amazon List Price: $429.99 Average Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (based on 49 reviews) .

With a point and shoot camera, always. Point and shoot cameras (non-SLR's) are GREATLY helped by image stabilization. The light weight of the camera and cheaper lens/components cause blurry pictures often.

Of course P&S cameras are getting better as technology advances, but IS is always a good idea. Especially with extremely lightweight cameras, considering how easily your hands might move as you press the button to take a picture.

If your zooming more than 4x... yes ecspecially in low light conditions when the shutter will be open longer.

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I need an easy way to get image files to view on a digital tv, not through a camera.

Look at all those accessaries for a digital SLR camera! What are the absolute essentials for a beginner in photography?

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