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.