What is IBIS (In-Body Image Stabilization)?
IBIS is a stabilization system built into the camera body that physically moves the sensor to compensate for camera shake. It works with every lens you attach — including vintage manual lenses and cinema lenses that have no built-in stabilization.
How IBIS works
Gyroscope sensors inside the camera detect movement in five directions — pitch (tilting up/down), yaw (panning left/right), roll (rotation), and X/Y shift (horizontal and vertical translation).
The sensor is mounted on a floating platform that moves in the opposite direction of the detected shake, keeping the image steady on the sensor surface.
IBIS effectiveness is measured in stops of compensation. A 5-stop IBIS system means you can use a shutter speed 5 stops slower than normal — shooting at 1/8s instead of 1/250s and still getting a sharp image.
IBIS vs lens stabilization (OIS)
IBIS advantages: Works with every lens. Corrects all 5 axes. Stabilizes the viewfinder image on mirrorless cameras.
Lens OIS advantages: Can be more effective at long focal lengths because the correction happens in the optical path before reaching the sensor.
Combined IBIS + OIS: When both systems work together (coordinated stabilization), they complement each other — lens handles pitch/yaw, body handles roll and shift. This achieves the best results, often 7-8 stops.
IBIS cameras at Camera Shop Egypt
When IBIS matters most
Handheld video: IBIS dramatically smooths walking and handheld footage. Essential for vloggers and documentary shooters without gimbals.
Low-light photography: IBIS lets you use slower shutter speeds without blur, reducing the need to raise ISO.
Adapted lenses: IBIS gives stabilization to lenses that were never designed for it — vintage primes, cinema lenses, adapted DSLR lenses.
Not a replacement for a gimbal: IBIS smooths shake but cannot eliminate the larger movements that a gimbal handles.
When using IBIS for video, set it to the correct focal length in the stabilization menu — especially with adapted lenses. IBIS needs to know the focal length to calculate the correct compensation. Wrong settings produce overcorrection or undercorrection.
Gear that does this
Available in Egypt and suited to what this guide covers.
