How good is IBIS? This A6600 vs X-T4 vs E-M1 III vs GH5 “IBIS showdown” finds out

With so many manufacturers now offering some pretty decent levels of in-body image stabilisation in their mirrorless cameras, how do they all stack up against each other? That’s what Dave Pardue at Imaging Resource wanted to find out when he built this rig that lets him test four cameras side-by-side at the same time.

In this video, he tests four popular APS-C and Micro Four Thirds bodies. The Sony A6600, Fujifilm X-T4, Panasonic GH5 and Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III. To make the test fair, and focus solely on IBIS, he paired each with a similarly specced lens with no optical stabilisation. But how do they all stand up against each other?

All four of the cameras are quite similarly priced, ranging from around $1,400 (Panasonic and Sony) to $1,700 (Fuji) via $1,600 (Olympus) and each has been upgraded to the latest firmware available at the time of recording. Throughout the comparisons in the video, the tests get more and more challenging, pushing each camera’s IBIS capabilities to its limits.

The earliest tests don’t really have any huge demands, although they are quite common scenarios in which one might wish to take advantage of IBIS. Shooting video handheld, or a pan when you forgot to pack your tripod. Perhaps even a shot out of the car window driving down the road (assuming you’re a passenger). But as the tests get more demanding, there are definitely some clear differences between some of the bodies.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the Olympus OMD E-M1 Mark III performed exceptionally well. After all, Olympus is well-known for its IBIS capabilities. But what was disappointing was how quickly the Sony A6600 fell apart just couldn’t handle the situation at all, while the other three still managed to cope fairly well.

Perhaps Sony should’ve put in a bid for Olympus in order to acquire some of that IBIS tech.

[via Imaging Resource]