There’s no telling when, but IBIS (In-Body Image Stabilization) will probably make its way to EOS R cameras in the near future.
In-body image stabilization is nothing new, and the benefits of the technology are plain for all to see, but some camera companies have been twiddling their thumbs and crying too much over poor sales to really pay much attention to it. Fortunately, a new patent shows that Canon is warming up to the idea of in-body image stabilization and the benefits it could bring to EOS R camera systems going forward.
A recent report on Canon Rumors sheds some light on a new patent filed by Canon in Japan. The patent suggests that the big C is working on a system that will allow in-body image stabilization and image stabilized lenses to work together in perfect harmony. In-body image stabilization is a fairly standard feature in many Mirrorless (and even some DSLR) cameras. But for whatever reason, Canon has always thought that IS lenses were more than sufficient. While that may well be the case, the masses know what they want, and it seems Canon is finally starting to listen to customer feedback.
Patent number 2019-087937 shows that Canon has (or are figuring out) a way to make both Lens IS and in-body image stabilization work together. This system is very similar to the system Sony has implemented into their cameras like the A7 III and even the a6500 for quite some time. While there are no concrete plans in place (that we know of) to implement this feature into cameras any time soon, it is good to know that Canon is working on the technology and that it will likely be implemented into a future EOS R variant, or perhaps even some future DSLR’s.
Canon certainly hasn’t been alone in not wanting to adopt and embrace IBIS. Fujifilm is another company that has shied away from tech. Yes, they do have the X-H1 that features IBIS, but the company has not been keen to implement it across the board, and have said several times that they feel that their lens image stabilization tech is more than sufficient.
The problem is that while lens stabilization may be more than enough for most people, the perception that Canon cameras are being left behind in the tech and spec wars is a problem for Canon. Sales are down, and people are jumping from the Canon ship in droves, so perhaps they are starting to realize that they need to add more features to their cameras rather than deliberately handicap them. IBIS would certainly be a way to show the masses that their cameras are evolving.
One thing for sure is that in-body image stabilization won’t be going away. IBIS is a technology that is here to stay, and the sooner Canon and others embrace it, and catch up to Sony and their offerings, the better. Is IBIS truly needed? Probably not; lens stabilization is more than enough for most. But IBIS is marketing fodder that Sony can use against their competitors. There is a reason why Sony sales are significantly higher than Canon, Nikon, and others. Give the people what they want, and perhaps they will stop jumping over the fence to greener pastures.
How do you feel about in-body image stabilization? Is this a technology that is truly needed and wanted? Do the pros (shooting at lower shutter speeds) outweigh the cons (poorer battery life etc)? Let us know in the comment section below.
