Does your camera have image stabilization (sometimes abbreviated as “IS”)? It’s becoming more common, even among compact point-and-shoot models. It may sometimes be called something like anti-shake, anti-blur or vibration reduction (look for “VR” on your lens.) But do you know when and how to use it? Do you know what it does? Do you know when it can make your pictures better and when it can actually make them worse?

There are three main types of image stabilization:

• In-camera stabilization actually moves the sensor inside your camera in response to small movements and vibrations in an effort to counter those and capture a sharper image.
• In-lens stabilization performs a similar function within the lens. In-lens stabilization is available only on select (usually expensive) lenses for SLR camera systems with interchangeable lenses.
• Software stabilization attempts to interpret and clean up blurriness using software in the camera.

In all cases, image stabilization works only when shooting handheld and can actually make your pictures worse when using a tripod or other solid support. The reason is that when image stabilization is turned on, the camera assumes there is some shake. If you are using a solid support which prevents camera shake, image stabilization may actually introduce some shake that otherwise wouldn’t exist!

There are other situations where image stabilization is counter-productive, such as when you are deliberately moving the camera during exposure. You might do this, for example when panning to follow a moving subject or zooming to add an explosion effect. There is even a whole genre in artistic photography which aims to reproduce the effect seen in impressionist paintings. (Achieving this effect is a topic all in itself and will not be covered here.) Or an even more extreme genre in which the camera is set on a timer and tossed into the air to make the exposure. (Note: This poses a serious risk of damaging your camera and we do not recommend trying it.)

Some more advanced cameras have multiple image stabilization settings which may take deliberate camera movement into account. For instance, vertical stabilization will help control up/down movement but will not attempt to correct for side-to-side movement. This will allow you to pan, for example on a racecar whizzing past, while still getting some benefit from increased sharpness. Horizontal stabilization helps correct for side-to-side movement while allowing up/down panning, such as when following a rocket launch.

It’s important to know that even the best image stabilization will not correct for extreme camera movement. The purpose of these settings is to counteract the tiny vibrations that are a natural part of muscle shake. Your body’s muscles are actually designed to tremble a little with use. This trembling can cause vibration in your camera, leading to slightly blurry photos. Zooming in or using a long telephoto lens magnifies this camera shake and is when image stabilization shows its greatest benefits.

Want to learn more about lenses, stabilized or not? Check this out!