Vibration damage when shooting with an iPhone or Android camera
Apple has posted people with warnings that "exposure to vibrations, such as those that occur in driving high-energy motorcycles" can damage iPhone cameras. There is a perfectly reasonable explanation for this, and it can affect Android devices as well.
It's easy to make the iPhone a joke — and Apple hasn't done itself any service — but that's a legitimate issue. It's all about optical image stabilization (OIS), a feature found in many modern smartphones, not just iPhones.
What is Optical Image Stabilization (OIS)?
Optical image stabilization is a feature that aims to stabilize the camera while taking a photo or recording a video.
The OIS camera has a small internal motor inside that actually moves the elements inside the lens. When your hands move slightly or vibrate while holding the phone, the motors invalidate your movement. This results in smoother video and less noise in images.
OIS can make a big difference in the quality of photos and videos. It is almost impossible to perfectly hold the phone with your hands only. The mechanisms that make this possible inside the iPhone or Android camera are remarkably small and sensitive. This is where the risk of damage from vibrations comes in.
How can shake harm a camera?
Moving parts often lead to breakdowns, especially when it comes to gadgets. The smartphone camera with OIS feature has several small moving parts inside it, and these parts are sensitive. Sufficient pressure on those parts can cause them to fail.
OIS components should be free to move to counter your movements, which means they are not permanently installed in place. So when you link the phone to something like a motorcycle, the vibrations can literally shake the camera parts. This repetitive movement wears out on the camera over time.
This is not something most people need to worry about a lot. You won't damage the camera by keeping it in your pocket while running. Vibrations to worry about come from high-power, high-volume engines, such as the motorcycles mentioned above.
What can I do to avoid damage?
The main thing to avoid is prolonged exposure to these high-amplitude vibrations. Tying your iPhone or Android device to a motorcycle for a short trip once in a while is probably a good thing. If you do it twice a day during your 30-minute commute, this is a greater risk.
Apple recommends using a Vibration Humidifier if you need to attach your phone to a motorcycle or other high-power vehicle. "Quad Lock" is one of the brands that offers a vibration damper accessory for its installation line.
At the end of the day, this isn't something most people need to worry about, but it's good to know why it's happening. Luxury technology is not without downsides. You'll think a little differently about image stabilization now.
Quad damper vibration lock
The vibration damper works with other quadruple lock mounts, which can be used in a variety of vehicles.