Nikon & Canon Add Image Stabilization To DSLR Kit Lenses

Nikon and Canon are offering new image-stabilized kits lenses for the entry-level digital SLRs they introduced at this year’s PMA tradeshow. On the surface this may not seem like anything more than the two camera makers adding value to their most affordable DSLR offerings. However, I think there’s more happening than what we see on the surface. For a while now I’ve been touting the real value of image stabilization for photographers of all types. And Pentax, Sony, and Olympus all offer competitively priced digital SLRs with image stabilization built into the camera body. It would be a mistake for Nikon and Canon to ignore those cameras. And obviously, they haven’t. With the introduction of the Canon EOS Rebel XSi with the new, and the Nikon D60 and its , image stabilization has become a standard feature in entry-level digital SLRs.

Camera manufacturer competition for entry-level digital SLR sales is great for camera buyers. I don’t believe Nikon and Canon would be offering the new image-stabilized kit lenses if it wasn’t for pressure from the image stabilized Olympus, Sony, and Pentax DSLRs. Entry-level digital SLR buyers can now buy a better camera no matter which brand they choose. Whether they go with the Sony A200, the Nikon D60, the Olympus E-510, the Pentax K100D Super, Panasonic DMC-L10, or Canon’s Rebel EOS XSi digital SLR, they’ll get more usable photos in a wider variety of conditions than they would have before image stabilization became a basic feature in the entry-level digital SLR.

So no matter what entry-level digital SLR you buy now, you get the benefit of image stabilization. However, it’s important to point out the difference between Nikon and Canon’s optical image stabilization and the sensor-level image stabilization that Pentax, Olympus, and Sony are using. With in-camera, sensor-level image stabilization, the photographer gets the benefit of image stabilization no matter what lens is mounted on the camera. Nikon’s Vibration Reduction and Canon’s IS lenses have the motion compensation applied in the lens. So in order to benefit from image stabilization on a Nikon or Canon DSLR, you have to be using an image stabilized lens. More and more image-stabilized lenses are becoming available, including third-party options from Sigma and Tamron. But you do have to buy those lenses to have image stabilization. Canon, Nikon, and Panasonic, who also use optical image stabilization in their cameras, believe that moving the optics is the more effective solution because it’s optimized for the focal length of the lens. I don’t know if either system (optical or sensor) has been shown to be better yet. But the bottom line right now is - if you’re in the market for a new entry-level DSLR right now, you’ll be getting one with image stabilization. And that’s a very good thing.

Related Content:
Nikon D60 Press Release >>
Canon EOS Rebel XSi Press Release >>
Image Stabilization Guide >>

This entry was posted on Sunday, February 3rd, 2008 at 1:29 am and is filed under , , , , . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.