Why would I use the "image stabilizer" feature?

Why would I use the "image stabilizer" feature?

Mark Comon (Vice President, Paul's Photo, Torrance, CA) gives expert video advice on: Why would I use the "image stabilizer" feature?; How do various image stabilizers differ?; What shutter speed range do I need for my digital camera? and more...

Image stabilizer is a cool feature on today's digital cameras; and basically what it is is shake reduction. So if you can't hold the camera still enough to take a picture, the camera automatically adjusts for that for you, to hopefully give you a still picture. One thing I need to caution you on, though: you look at the ads on television and a lot of them don't portray image stabilizer properly. Remember, it's MY motion, the camera's motion, that it can stop, not the motion of the subject in the picture.