Galaxy S22 Might Sport Sensor-Shift Camera Stabilization
Samsung's premium flagships have always been up there when it comes to camera performance but there are areas that could still use some improvement. Last year's Galaxy S20 Ultra was criticized for its autofocus problems and stabilization in smartphones is still undergoing constant evolution. The latest trend, started by Apple's iPhone 12 no less, seems to be shifting away from the once highly-popular OIS towards a sensor shifting strategy, a technology that Samsung is now rumored to be planning for its Galaxy S22 flagship next year.
In the past, OIS or Optical Image Stabilization has been used as a bragging right by smartphone makers. Significantly better than EIS (Electronic Image Stabilization), the technology does have some unavoidable costs in terms of additional components and, consequently, build costs. A more efficient and more cost-effective alternative is always ideal and the next generation of high-end phones might be using sensor-shift technology instead.
Instead of moving the lens to compensate for unwanted movement, sensor-shift actually moves the entire image sensor. This system has been employed for quite a while now in digital cameras where interchangeable lenses may not have OIS available. More recently, however, Apple introduced the technology to the smartphone world via last year's iPhone 12 Pro Max.
GalaxyClub's sources indicate that Samsung is working on exactly that technology for next year's big Galaxy but it has also heard rumors that might tickle some photography enthusiasts' fancy. There are whispers that Samsung is working with Olympus, a camera maker known for its expertise in sensor-shift stabilization, for this particular component. Unfortunately, the site is unable to verify those claims and refuses to put confidence in them for now.
It will definitely be interesting how this technology will develop in Samsung's hands. The company has definitely been stepping up its imaging game, not just for its own smartphones but for the ISOCELL products that it sells to other smartphone makers. It definitely needs to start making strides as the likes of Xiaomi, Vivo, and OPPO start catching up to the bigger and more expensive smartphone brands.