Digital (Electronic) Stabilisation
Digital stabilisation steadies video using software, by trimming the edges of the frame to cancel shake, with no part moving inside the camera or lens.
On this page 4 sections
Digital stabilisation, also called electronic stabilisation, smooths shaky video using software. The camera records a slightly larger picture than the one shown, then moves the visible window around to cancel the movement of the hands. No part inside the camera or lens physically moves.
How it works
Motion sensors, or a comparison of one frame with the next, tell the software how the camera moved. The software shifts, and sometimes slightly warps, each frame to cancel the shake. Because the visible window needs room to move, the edges of the frame are trimmed.
Where it is found
Action cameras, compact cameras and phones commonly use it. It can work alone or together with physical stabilisation.
What it gives up
- A tighter frame, because the trimmed edges narrow the widest view.
- Slightly less detail in some cases, because the picture is cropped and processed.
- Occasional wobble near the corners in difficult scenes.
What it does not promise
When it is a movie-only mode, it does not steady still photos. It does not help low-light stills, where the problem is a slow shutter. Stronger modes usually crop more. It does not match the smoothness of physical stabilisation combined with a gimbal when filming while running or from a moving vehicle.