Stabilisation
IBIS
In-Body Image Stabilisation
A camera mechanism that physically moves the image sensor to compensate for hand-held camera shake, working with every lens mounted to the body.
IBIS, or in-body image stabilisation, works by physically moving the image sensor in response to detected hand movements. A gyroscope inside the camera measures pitch, yaw, roll, and shift movements, and an actuator system repositions the sensor to keep the image aligned with the lens during those movements. Because the stabilisation is built into the body rather than the lens, IBIS works with every lens mounted to the camera, including adapted lenses from other systems and manual focus lenses that carry no stabilisation of their own.
M43 cameras measure IBIS effectiveness in stops of stabilisation. One stop means you can use a shutter speed twice as slow before camera shake becomes visible. OM System flagship bodies including the OM-1 and OM-1 Mark II claim up to 8.5 stops when paired with compatible OM System lenses. Panasonic M43 bodies typically offer 6.5 to 7.5 stops. Entry-level M43 bodies with IBIS start at around 5 stops. The stop count varies with focal length; longer focal lengths magnify shake and are harder to stabilise effectively.
Modern M43 IBIS systems operate on up to 5 axes: pitch (up/down tilt), yaw (left/right rotation), roll (rotation around the lens axis), and X/Y shift (horizontal and vertical movement). Lower-axis systems correct only pitch and yaw, which are the most common sources of shake when hand-holding a camera. Full 5-axis correction is more effective at slower shutter speeds and during video recording, where even small rotational movements produce visible wobble in footage.
IBIS is particularly useful for video, where continuous movement introduces shake that would be jarring in footage. For stills, IBIS allows shooting at slower shutter speeds in low light without blur. However, IBIS only compensates for camera movement. It does not freeze subject motion. A bird in flight or an athlete running requires a fast shutter speed regardless of how many stops of IBIS the camera offers. When a lens with OIS is also mounted, both systems are active; on compatible Panasonic bodies, they coordinate as Dual IS.