If you get a lot of videos from your smartphone for personal use, for YouTube, Instagram, or Facebook, or if you are interested in making vlog videos, using Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) on your smartphone can significantly improve the quality of your videos.
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What is OIS?
As the name suggests, optical image stabilization is used to stabilize images and produce less blurry images and smoother video.
How does OIS work?
Camera manufacturers use gyroscope systems that detect when there is movement inside the camera. Using a voice coil motor, the gyroscope responds to camera movement in the opposite direction.
So, when the phone moves to the left, the gyroscope responds by moving the camera’s internal mechanical component to the right.
Without a gyroscope, OIS cannot function. The gyroscope collects all data about the position and orientation of the smartphone and then provides the information to the microcontroller.
The microcontroller then uses the gyroscope’s yaw, pitch, and roll data to determine how and in which direction the lens or sensor must move to nullify the camera’s movement, depending on the intensity of the movement.
Along with the gyro, a tiny electromagnet modifies the lens angle or sensor depending on the type of OIS system used.
OIS controls the picture’s path to the image sensor through the lens. This is done using a gyroscope-like sensor to find the camera’s movement and calculate how the lens should move to respond to vibrations.
In video recording, OIS adjusts the lens position to improve quality, producing less shaky video. The OIS feature will be handy if you often take photos and videos.
Types of Image Stabilization
There are three types of image stabilization currently available in smartphone cameras:
- Optical image stabilization
- Electronic image stabilization
- Artificial image stabilization.
Each image stabilization method works differently and is tailored to a specific type of image.
OIS is an image stabilization system that enhances mobile photography by physically moving the lens module or image sensor to counteract slight camera movement to avoid blurry photos.
OIS is helpful when you want to take pictures, but especially in low light. But OIS cannot work miracles. Optical image stabilization can only compensate for slight camera movements, not large camera shakes.
I wrote this basic knowledge about OIS while referring to the best smartphones with optical image stabilization, which have been quite popular among mobile filmmaking enthusiasts.
Now, let’s look at the optical image stabilization Smartphones of 2024.
List of best Smartphones with Optical Image Stabilization 2024
1. OnePlus 10 Pro
OnePlus provides high-end smartphones at affordable prices. The OnePlus 10 Pro is the company’s latest smartphone with optical image stabilization and has several exciting features.
It has a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor and a 50MP camera with OIS. The phone also comes in three storage capacities (128GB, 256GB, and 512GB), so you can choose what’s right for you. You can also purchase a case for your phone to prevent it from accidentally dropping or dropping.
The OnePlus 10 Pro features a full-screen display with a screen-to-body ratio of 82.1%. The camera of this phone has a 50MP sensor and built-in OIS and is equipped with night mode, slow motion mode, and time-lapse mode.
Pros:
- Impressive battery life with 50W wireless charging.
- OIS compatibility.
- Comes with NFC.
- Powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Soc.
- Clean and smooth operating system.
Cons:
- There is no IP rating.
- .Lacks a 3.5mm audio jack.
2. Sony Xperia 1 II 5G
Sony smartphones rarely impress with their megapixel count, but the camera offers many other highlights for photography enthusiasts. The company’s latest flagship, the Sony Xperia 1 II, confirms one of the phones with an OIS camera. Developed in collaboration with Sony’s expert DLSR camera team, the phone features real-time autofocus and auto-exposure tracking, first introduced in the 2019 Sony Alpha 6400 camera.
The Sony Xperia 1 II continuously shifts the autofocus (AF) point and recalculates the exposure level up to 60 times per second for swift and accurate focus. Sony also perfected the AI algorithm. Eye AF tracking detects the subject’s eyes and maintains focus.
Optimized for wildlife photography, the company’s proprietary Real-Time Eye AF works excellently even when animals move fast. The Xperia 1 II has all the manual controls you’d expect from a professional camera.
The flagship’s main camera module comprises three Zeiss lenses and one 3D sensor.
Like most Android flagships released this year, the Xperia 1 II is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865 processor and 8GB of RAM.
If you enjoy outdoor activities and want to take pictures, you can count on this waterproof device with an IP68 rating and Gorilla Glass 6 protection. Overall, this Sony phone is excellent for those who want an OIS phone.
Pros:
- Great cell phone for photography
- With real-time autofocus and auto-exposure
- HDR OLED Display with triple camera
- Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865 processor
- With an IP68 waterproof rating.
Cons:
- A bit expensive.
3. Asus Zenfone 7 5G
Asus Zenfone 7 5G is the cheapest phone with OIS. That means it can take sharper photos than most phones in this price range. It is the world’s first commercially available mobile phone that supports 5G.
You’re equipped with the Snapdragon 865 5G chipset, ready for any situation. The phone also has 128GB of storage. The phone’s Display is 6.67 inches (approx. 17 cm) with HD+ resolution, and the always-on Display provides detailed information about what’s happening in your day.
Mobile gaming will never be the same, thanks to these new phones that can handle 8K video recording and other high-resolution gaming.
The battery is also generously sized with a 5000mAh Li-Po, providing enough power for gaming or taking photos. The addition of NFC and USB Type-C future-proofs this phone.
Overall, the Asus Zenfone 7 5G is the best choice in 2024, especially since it has an excellent camera configuration with optical image stabilization.
Pros:
- Powerful performance
- Has a Gorilla Glass 6 protection.
- Fast and responsive fingerprint sensor.
- Long-lasting battery life.
Cons:
- Wireless charging is not supported.
- It’s a little heavier.
4. Huawei Mate 20 Pro
Considering the large 6.39-inch screen, the Huawei Mate 20 Pro looks like a proper flagship device with a wealth of technology packed into a sleek and relatively compact smartphone.
The cameras are generally significant, and there is an excellent ultra-wide camera with an impressive 2.5cm macro mode. The primary camera is the best of the three and gives good results in various situations.
As seen on the P20 Pro, the 3x telephoto camera can have difficulty focusing (especially when capturing video). Color saturation also frequently changes when switching between standard and telephoto cameras, but the results can be excellent if the camera is adjusted correctly.
Suppose you look at the Huawei Mate 20 Pro as a state-of-the-art smartphone with a perfect standard camera and ultra-wide-angle and 3x telephoto camera options. In that case, it is a very versatile smartphone.
However, if you expect the ultra-wide and telephoto cameras to be as good as the main ones, you will likely be disappointed.
For dedicated photographers, you can shoot in Pro mode and process raw files to get better images. For everyone else, leaving the camera at its default settings and letting Master AI sort everything out will give you good results.
95% of people who buy this smartphone are happy with the camera. You may wish to be better if you are a severe or picky photographer.
The Huawei Mate 20 Pro is a true flagship smartphone with a sleek design, in-screen fingerprint reader, facial recognition, 3D scanning (coming soon), impressive battery life, and excellent features.
Fast processor, plenty of storage space, and more. The three cameras offer many shooting possibilities and will impress most people.
The camera features, at a glance, Leica triple camera (rear), 20mp f/2.2 ultra-wide lens – 16mm equivalent, 20mp output, 40mp f/1.8 standard lens – 27mm equivalent, 10/40mp output, 8mp f/2.4 telephoto lens – 81mm Equivalent, 10mp Output, OIS, AI IS, 24mp f/2.0 Selfie Camera, Dual Tone LEF Flash, 4K Video, FullHD Video, ISO50-102400, 2.5cm Macro Focus, Super HDR, Personalized Bokeh.
Pros:
- 6.39-inches of large screen
- Sleek design
- Fast processor with plenty of storage space
- Impressive battery life.
Cons:
- Average fingerprint sensor.
5. OnePlus 9 Pro 5G Unlocked phone
The OnePlus 9 Pro offers a wide range of cameras and ultra-wide, wide-angle, and 3.3x telephoto cameras. The optical image stabilization feature makes the smartphone best for photography and videography.
The phone is fast and responsive, has a nice screen, and has excellent handling with a physical switch to set the noise profile. It’s also a premium smartphone with exceptional value for money but at a much lower price than other flagships.
The camera features, at a glance, 48mp f/1.8 wide-angle, 50mp f/2.2 ultra-wide, 8mp f/2.4 telephoto (3.3x telephoto, OIS), 2mp monochrome camera with OIS. 16mp f/2.4 selfie camera. 8K video at 30fps, 4K video at 120fps. 6.7-inch AMOLED screen, dual stereo speakers, in-display fingerprint sensor, 4500mAh battery, fast battery charging.
Pros:
- With 6.7-inch AMOLED screen
- Best for photography and videography
- You can record up to 8K videos at 30fps.
Cons:
- A bit expensive
6. Vivo X51 5G
The Vivo X51 5G is a smartphone that immediately caught the eye. There is an impressive lineup of cameras, ‘gimbals,’ and what they offer regarding lens selection cannot be ignored.
All the built-in cameras are handy, but it’s rare to find a helpful smartphone with the Vivo X51 5G. Low-light performance is good, and as mentioned earlier, choosing the zoom option makes the smartphone more useful.
The ‘gimbal’ technology is impressive, and the Super Anti-Shake mode easily creates stable video footage at 1080p. It’s also nice to see new technologies appearing in smartphones, where everything has become similar.
Overall, we love what the X51 has to offer, and I think you will too if you are looking for an excellent optical image stabilization smartphone in 2024.
The camera features at a glance rear – 48MP f/1.6 wide-angle OIS with dual ball suspension mount, PDAF, 13MP f/2.46 50mm portrait camera, PDAF, 2x optical zoom, 8MP f/2.2 120 degrees ultra-wide-angle and 2.5 cm macro, 8MP f/3.4 telephoto camera, PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom.
5x optical zoom and up to 60x hyper zoom, front camera – 32MP f/2.45 26mm wide-angle, super night mode, Astro mode, pro sports mode, portraits (art portrait, AI makeup, filters, etc.), AR stickers, slow motion, Live Photo, Time Lapse, Video, Supermoon Mode, DOC, Panorama, Pro Mode, 4K Video.
Pros:
- SAMOLED HDR10+ Display, 6.5 curved ultra O screen
- Impressive Gimbal technology
- Gimbal 48MP camera + 32MP AI Selfie Camera
- With Qualcomm Snapdragon Processor
- 2-Year UK Warranty
Cons:
A bit expensive but worth it.
7. Huawei P40 Pro 5G ELS-NX9
Leica fans will be able to get a lot out of the Leica brand imaging system that is part of the Huawei P40 Pro. The 50MP primary camera (e.g., 50 megapixels) uses red, yellow, and blue sub-pixel shaping to allow users to engage in professional-looking photos in very dark situations.
It performs so well that DxOMark is in third place while writing this camera. 50MP primary camera with 1/1.28″ sensor, f/1.9 aperture lens, full-pixel OIS, and Octa-PD, and (yes, it has it all)
Ultra wide-angle camera with 40MP 1/1.54 inch ultra-high resolution image sensor and ultra-fast f/1.8 lens. Huawei’s proprietary “field-of-sight” zoom uses AI-refined image data to fill in missing details in photos taken from afar.
Low-light enthusiasts will benefit significantly from the P40 Pro’s camera performance. The larger sensor size and optical image stabilization of the main camera help boost the performance of the standard f/1.9 aperture.
This is partly due to the image stabilization feature built into Huawei. But the impressive high-performance 40MP f/1.8 ultra-wide camera is just the beginning.
The 12MP telephoto camera built into the phone has 5x optical magnification and 50x digital zoom. In short, it’s easy to see why this has become one of the best smartphone cameras of 2024.
Pros:
- 6.58 Inches of large OLED Screen
- Processor HiSilicon Kirin 990 5G
- A 50MP Camera with OIS makes the phone best for creating unforgettable memories.
- Impressive battery life
Cons:
- There is no Warranty in the US.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Optical Image Stabilization essential?
Smartphones are not ergonomically designed for photography. As a result, it can be tricky to catch, which can lead to shaky shots. The optical image stabilization feature helps prevent your hands from shaking less.
Whenever you take a picture with your mobile camera, an image is taken over some time. With sufficient lighting, the shutter speed should be fast enough to capture sharp images without problems.
The problem arises when the lighting is poor. The camera exposes the sensor to sunlight for an extended period to receive as much light as possible. If the camera moves during this time, the shot will be blurry.
As mentioned earlier, OIS cannot help with a severe camera shake. This requires a camera support system to keep your phone stable. Tripods of various shapes and sizes are popular investments for many reasons.
So, optical image stabilization helps you capture images without blurry images.
How do you enable optical image stabilization on a phone?
You can turn image stabilization on and off. Where you can turn it on and off depends on your phone and the camera app you choose.
In some cases, you can enable and disable image stabilization right from the main screen of the Camera app by tapping the relevant button. In other cases, you may need to navigate the camera app’s settings or shooting mode to enable image stabilization.
If you are using a tripod, it is superfluous to use image stabilization. So you can turn it off. Doing so can be helpful because image stabilization consumes some battery power. Therefore, it is best to use it only when necessary.
