Hi all,

I found that there are different reviews of GS400 mentioned about the OIS (Optical Image Stablization) feature. However there are also some other info mentioned it has EIS only. Someone even say that it is OIS for photo image, EIS for video capture.

Which one is correct? Or there are different models in different countries offer different features set?

Thanks!

The GS400 definately has optical image stabilisation.
The strange thing is, that (at least on the NTSC version) the menu says EIS, which usually is referring to "electronic image stabilisation". Maybe in this case it's a shortcut for "enhanced image stabilisation"!?
Somewhere I read in video mode it uses "normal" OIS and in photo mode the "Mega optical image stabiliser", but I'm also not totally sure about this. Anyway, as far as I could test yet, the image stabilisation works quite well in both modes, video and photo, but can not replace a good tripod.

Andreas is correct as all the photos I have seen say Optical Image Stabilization on the cam itself. Panasonic isn't know for making great manuals (or websites).

The DV953 and GS400 have optical stabilization. If you go to the Panasonic Japan website and click into the GS400 info, there is a drawing that shows how it works.

The OIS is based on lens shift. Other cams use a fluid prism. Lens shift stabilisation in fast but shows some resolution lowering at large excursions. The "mega"stabilisation for still photography tries to use a more central area by starting the OIS operation only when the "shoot" button is pushed.

I have seen so many people confused over whether or not the DV953 had OIS (it does) because it said "EIS" in the menus. I was surprised the GS400 US version still says "EIS" in the menu. I thought Panasonic would have changed this to avoid confusion about the stabilization method, which is so important to so many people.

In my PAL GS400 menu says "OIS".

CLick here (http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2002-12/74415/pana4.jpg) for a photo of the Japanese NTSC GS400 that clearly shows the MEGA OIS logo (twice).

The US version does say Mega Optical Stabilzation in the manual, but the internal camera menu says "EIS", same as with the DV953. When the first people (at least the non-video nuts) were getting those cams, they started ranting up a storm about how OIS was advertised, but the cam only had EIS, and considering how many people bashed the EIS on the GS70, 120, & 200 some perspective DV953 owners got scared. I remember seeing post after post about it, and thinking to myself "Pana should clear that up in the menus otherwise buyers who don't do their homework could get scared away from the cam". Needless to say, they left it the same on the US GS400, and I've seen some posts questioning the stablization method for this cam too.

Hi all,

Thanks for your info. From many GS400 users, I think it is sure that it should have optical image stablizer but using different terms and name that may confuse users.

What if it has both? Once the optical is done with it, why not refine it further with eletronic.

In some sense it does have both. I think the gyro reactions are calculated and controlled electronically, whereas some higher-end OIS systems use fluid reactions to stabilize. So it's a use of an electronic system just not in the traditional EIS sense. BTW, I'm quoting somebody else about the fluid vs. electronic gyro system, so I could be wrong...

Some of the guys in the sony forum on camcorderinfo say the sony 950 has both OIS and EIS.

Fluid prism or lensshift , both concepts are optical so OIS. Gyrosensors (which measure the cam motion) are not very effective for slow shakes. What sometimes is being implemented is an additional electronic image analysis system ("EIS") which generates (and feeds to the prism/lensshift unit) the necessary correction signals for slow motion. The latter not to be confused with the standard EIS which acts on the CCD readout area.

Panasonic claims, "This advanced optical system uses more that 90% of the effective pixels captured by the CCDs...."

Panasonic claims, "This advanced optical system uses more that 90% of the effective pixels captured by the CCDs...."

...and does 480 compensations per second in real time compared to only 60 compensations per second for EIS and remains effective even while zooming, under smooth color low light mode AND HQ widescreen shooting.

MEGA OIS has about 2x the compensation effect of OIS but works under still mode only.

but it still intrigues me that the MX5000 and GS100 both have 540 lines of resolution while the GS400 is a little lower at 510 lines...could be the reason why the GS400 gives me the impression of a comparatively softer image than GS100, especially on tiny details.

Is the OIS system limited to movement in the vertical plane?

I do a lot of filming of aircraft flying. This requires the use of a lot of zoom and hand-held camera-work.

I find the OIS on the MX500 to be decidedly ineffective in this environment and it's *very* hard to get good footage.

Using a tripod is impractical because most of the shots involve filming aircraft as they fly from the horizon through near-overhead and off to the other horizon.

I can definitely see the OIS working when I tilt the camera but there's nothing happening when I pan. It would be great if there was a stabilization system that compensated for small variations in the speed with which I pan the camera while following a fast-moving object.

Right now I'm thinking the only way I'm going to be able to make some of this footage worthwhile is to do some work in the edit suite (which requires *expensive* NLE software that supports such features.

Hi folks - can confirm it says EIS in N.A. - but it's much better than IS on gs200 imho.

It's definitely a good system, however it works. How well does it work? Well, you can flip to mirror lcd and hold out front straight in palm of your hand and film yourself walking and it is rock steady.

I keep promising clips and will get them ready to post soon!

This stabilization on the GS400 does not disappoint!