Does hardware steadyshot in a camcorder take away from video quality?

[brassplyer]

I just got a Sony Cybershot camera. It has three settings for steadyshot - Intelligent Active, Active and Standard - but no option to turn it off altogether.

I assume it has to work on the same basic principle as the Thalen Deshaker, keeping a certain amount of the image outside of the visible frame to allow for repositioning the image to compensate for shake.

Does this mean you lose part of the image to stabilizing or do they include a certain amount of overscan so you get a full compliment of video in frame? I.e. am I getting 1920 x 1080 pixels?

[smrpix]

Steadyshot keeps a certain amount of the edge of the sensor "in reserve." you're not losing quality per se, but you are using fewer pixels to make up the image. Mechanical stabilization is preferable to electronic stabilization. it's unusual on Sony cameras to not be able to turn steadyshot off at all. If you can turn it off completely you get a little extra on the wide angle end of the lens.

[pippas]

If you can't turn it off altogether , then you will probably lose quality when taking a 'panning' shot. You want the image to pan smoothly... the 'steady shot' (or any other image stabilising facility) will fight this, as it tries to create - well - a steady shot.
So it seems a bit surprising that it can't be turned off, when required?....

[nic2k4]

AFAIK, the Sony Steadyshot name only applies to a mechanical type of image stabilization. Although digital image stabilization does require a larger sensor than what's advertised, if you're recording in 720P the number of effective pixels will always be the same whether the stabilization is on or off. A good implementation of any image stabilization should not negatively affect image quality while the operator is intentionally moving the camera. Digital image stabilization is typically used on lower end cameras and often give crappy results due to the nature of the camera. What's the camera model number?

[brassplyer]

afaik, the sony [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/steadyshot"]what's the camera model number?

dsc-wx350

Why are upper case letters in the model number above being forced to lower case?

[nic2k4]

This review might interest you. According to the reviewer, there's no way to disable stabilization.

[brassplyer]

AFAIK, the Sony Steadyshot name only applies to a mechanical type of image stabilization.

That's what it's called in the settings.