SteadyShot is the trademarked name of an integrated video camera

Video camera

A video camera is a camera used for electronic motion picture acquisition, initially developed by the television industry but now common in other applications as well. The earliest video cameras were those of John Logie Baird, based on the electromechanical Nipkow disk and used by the BBC in...

 image stabilisation technology developed by Sony

Sony

, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....

 for its range of consumer

Consumer

Consumer is a broad label for any individuals or households that use goods generated within the economy. The concept of a consumer occurs in different contexts, so that the usage and significance of the term may vary.-Economics and marketing:...

 and prosumer

Prosumer

Prosumer is a portmanteau formed by contracting either the word professional or less often, producer with the word consumer. For example, a prosumer grade digital camera is a "cross" between consumer grade and professional grade...

 video camcorders. In recent times, also known as Super SteadyShot (SSS), SteadyShot INSIDE (SSI) and Optical SteadyShot (OSS) in Sonys Cyber-shot and Alpha product families.

How It Works

When a lightweight video camera is operated in hand-held mode, small movements by the operator's hands and body are translated into instabilities in the captured image stream. SteadyShot is an in body image stabilization technique which uses motion sensors to make adjustments to the image sensor to ensure that the image remains as motionless as possible. .

This approach is contrasted to digital image stabilization in which the physical image is allowed to "track" the scene on the CCD

Charge-coupled device

A charge-coupled device is a device for the movement of electrical charge, usually from within the device to an area where the charge can be manipulated, for example conversion into a digital value. This is achieved by "shifting" the signals between stages within the device one at a time...

 by software to produce a stable image. The digital technique requires the pixel count to be increased to allow the image to move on the CCD while keeping reference points within the boundaries of the capture chip.

SteadyShot is entirely internal to the camcorder unlike external stabilisation systems such as the Steadicam

Steadicam

A Steadicam is a stabilizing mount for a motion picture camera that mechanically isolates it from the operator's movement, allowing a smooth shot even when moving quickly over an uneven surface...

.