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What difference does OIS make: Samsung Galaxy S6 vs HTC One M9

By Victor Hristov

Updated: Jul 17, 2015, 7:26 AM

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What difference does OIS make: Samsung Galaxy S6 vs HTC One M9

Optical image stabilization (OIS) made a splash in the smartphone world when the Nokia Lumia 1020, a camera centric phone with PureView technology and a whopping 41-megapixel shooter, incorporated it to make for sharper images and more stable video. It's been a while since then, and these days most high-end smartphones feature OIS to capture better images and videos.

There is one notable exception, though: the HTC One M9. So we were curious to see what difference the presence of optical stabilization makes and took the One M9 for a spin, comparing it against the Samsung Galaxy S6, the current Samsung flagship. The 20-megapixel main camera on the HTC One M9 is the one with no OIS, while the 16-megapixel shooter on the Galaxy S6 does feature optical stabilization.

Keep in mind that optical image stabilization is a physical mechanism that is built in the camera module allowing the whole module to 'float', counter-acting movements on various axes: yaw, raw, and pitch. This mechanism will make hundreds of miniature corrections, and this results in the footage looking more stable, but you can also notice a slight wobbliness around the edges of the recording.

Still, the difference in video recording between the no-OIS camera on the HTC One M9 and the optically stabilized one on the Galaxy S6 is really quite profound. Take a look at the video right below to see for yourself, and let us know how important having OIS on your phone's camera is to you.

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Victor, a seasoned mobile technology expert, has spent over a decade at PhoneArena, exploring the depths of mobile photography and reviewing hundreds of smartphones across Android and iOS ecosystems. His passion for technology, coupled with his extensive knowledge of smartphone cameras and battery life, has positioned him as a leading voice in the mobile tech industry.

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