How can I use image stabilization to make a moving subject clear?

Question

Image stabilizers in digital cameras are available for shooting moving/shaking snapshots clearly. The image stabilizers try to focus the moving object and reduce the shaking. However, I have set the image stabilizer to auto, but still I cant get a proper focus on moving object.

Here's an example: In the picture there is a blurring effect. I want to reduce that.

Now in such cases, are there any other settings (like ISO) to reduce this shaking effect even further, and get clear snapshot? Or, is this the best the image stabilizers can do?

Answer 1

Image stabilization aims to fix the problem of a moving camera (camera shake).

Your question and example photo aim to fix the problem of a moving subject.

To reduce blur of a moving subject, you need a shorter shutter speed, or you need to freeze the motion with flash.

If you also have camera shake, then image stabilization will help some. But first make sure you take steps to reduce camera shake. For example see the question "How I could take crisp sharp shots without expensive lens?".

Answer 2

Short: Image stabilisation is useless for moving subjects.

At the shutter speeds you need to freeze action you won't need IS (well, maybe you will if you got real bad shakes and drink a lot of coffee).

The only exception are really long lenses, like around 500mm, where you'd need a real fast shutter speed not to notice camera shake in the picture.
For lenses below 200mm I found IS useless. Those pictures which benefit from IS get much better when using a tripod anyway.

Answer 3

Most image stabilisation technologies work by counteracting movements of the camera. With some manufacturers, they can only counter act sideways or up down motions, and critically, not rotations, or back/forward motions.

In your case, you look to be wanting to track a moving portion of an image independently of the movement of the camera -- this is more an application of computer vision, as opposed to image stabilisation.

To avoid blur in a photo, you need to look to shorten your shutter speed, either by increasing the ISO, or by widening the aperture (with a lower f-number)