Image Stabilization (SteadyShot)
Sony's SteadyShot optical image stabilization system and which Mavica models included it.
What is SteadyShot?
SteadyShot is Sony's brand name for optical image stabilization (OIS). It uses a gyroscope to detect camera movement and shifts a lens element to compensate, reducing motion blur in handheld shots.
Which Mavica models have SteadyShot?
Only a subset of later Mavica models included SteadyShot:
- FD88 — First floppy Mavica with SteadyShot
- FD90 — 8x zoom + SteadyShot
- FD92 — 8x zoom + SteadyShot + Memory Stick
- FD95 — 10x zoom + SteadyShot
- FD97 — 10x zoom + SteadyShot + Memory Stick
The earlier models (FD5 through FD87) and the budget FD100/FD200 lack stabilization entirely.
Practical impact
At the low resolutions of Mavica cameras, SteadyShot makes a meaningful difference for telephoto shots. The 10x and 14x zoom models are nearly unusable handheld without stabilization at full zoom, especially in the low shutter speeds these cameras default to in anything less than bright sunlight.
Workarounds for non-stabilized models
- Use a mini tripod or rest the camera on a stable surface
- Brace the camera against your body
- Shoot in bright light to force faster shutter speeds
- Accept the blur — it's part of the Mavica aesthetic
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