Milestone-Proposal talk:Camcorder with image stabilization, 1988

Advocates’ Checklist (Read Only; Do Not Edit)

1. Is the proposal for an achievement rather than for a person? If the citation includes a person's name, have the proposers provided the required justification for inclusion of the person's name?
2. Was the proposed achievement a significant advance rather than an incremental improvement to an existing technology?
3. Were there prior or contemporary achievements of a similar nature? If so, have they been properly considered in the background information and in the citation?
4. Has the achievement truly led to a functioning, useful, or marketable technology?
5. Is the proposal adequately supported by significant references (minimum of five) such as patents, contemporary newspaper articles, journal articles, or citations to pages in scholarly books? At least one of the references should be from a peer-reviewed scholarly book or journal article. The full text of the material, not just the references, shall be present. If the supporting texts are copyright-encumbered and cannot be posted on the ETHW for intellectual property reasons, the proposers shall email a copy to the History Center so that it can be forwarded to the Advocate. If the Advocate does not consider the supporting references sufficient, the Advocate may ask the proposer(s) for additional ones.
6. Are the scholarly references sufficiently recent?
7. Does the proposed citation explain why the achievement was successful and impactful?
8. Does the proposed citation include important technical aspects of the achievement?
9. Is the proposed citation readable and understandable by the general public?
10. Will the citation be read correctly in the future by only using past tense? Does the citation wording avoid statements that read accurately only at the time that the proposal is written?
11. Does the proposed plaque site fulfill the requirements?
12. Is the proposal quality comparable to that of IEEE publications?
13. Are any scientific and technical units correct (e.g., km, mm, hertz, etc.)? Are acronyms correct and properly upper-cased or lower-cased? Are the letters in any acronym explained in the title or the citation?
14. Are date formats correct as specified in Section 6 of Milestones Program Guidelines? Helpful Hints on Citations, plaque locations
15. Do the year(s) appearing in the citation fall within the range of the year(s) included at the end of the title?
16. Note that it is the Advocate's responsibility to confirm that the independent reviewers have no conflict of interest (e.g., that they do not work for a company or a team involved in the achievement being proposed, that they have not published with the proposer(s), and have not worked on a project related to the funding of the achievement). An example of a way to check for this would be to search reviewers' publications on IEEE Xplore.

Independent Expert Reviewers’ Checklist

1. Is suggested wording of the Plaque Citation accurate?
2. Is evidence presented in the proposal of sufficient substance and accuracy to support the Plaque Citation?
3. Does proposed milestone represent a significant technical achievement?
4. Were there similar or competing achievements? If so, have the proposers adequately described these and their relationship to the achievement being proposed?
5. Have proposers shown a clear benefit to humanity?

In answering the questions above, the History Committee asks that independent expert reviewers apply a similar level of rigor to that used to peer-review an article, or evaluate a research proposal. Some elaboration is desirable. Of course the Committee would welcome any additional observations that you may have regarding this proposal.

Submission and Approval Log (For staff use only)

Submitted date: 17 June 2025
Advocate approval date: 26 June 2025
History Committee approval date:
Board of Directors approval date:

Expert Reviewer's Report_1_Nishimoto uploaded by Advocate -- Tomohiro Hase (talk) 15:16, 19 June 2025 (UTC)

Dear Dr. Hase:

I am happy to send my answer for 5 questions as raised by you.

(1) Is suggested wording of the Plaque Citation accurate?

Yes, the wording of the Plaque Citation is accurate.

(2) Is evidence presented in the proposal of sufficient substance and accuracy to support the Plaque Citation?

Yes, by reference to papers and patents along with the appendix listed in this Milestone-Proposal, I have gone over the contents to identify sufficient evidence of innovative imagen stabilization mechanism for supporting the Plaque Citation.

(3) Does proposed milestone represent a significant technical achievement?

Yes, this Milestone-Proposal describes concisely and clearly the value and developing potential of the world’s first camcorder The world’s first Camcorder PV-460 featuring image stabilization had an epoch-making impact to accelerate further development of the innovative image stabilization technology to be adopted by digital cameras with rapid spread over the world. Even today, nearly 40 years later since the relies of PV-460, the image stabilization technology has been still applied to almost all cameras including smartphones as a commonly standard function. More recently, with rapid development of the drone technology, the image stabilization technology has found a new application area. In the above views, the present proposers have clearly shown that the innovative image stabilization technology brought the great benefits to the human society.

(4) Were there similar or competing achievements? If so, have the proposers adequately described these and their relationship to the achievement being proposed?

Yes, the proponents provide an impartial comparison in both advantages and disadvantages among 3 competing technologies: optical image stabilization (OIS), electrical image stabilization (EIS) and hybrid image stabilization (HIS) systems. Typically, as seen from a summarizing Table in Appendix 1, an OIS system employed by the first world’s PV-460 Camcorder can create high-resolution image particularly on shooting fast-moving photographed subjects, taking zoom shots and taking image under low-light conditions.

(5) Have proposers shown a clear benefit to humanity?

The world’s first Camcorder PV-460 featuring image stabilization had an epoch-making impact to accelerate further development of the innovative image stabilization technology to be adopted by digital cameras with rapid spread over the world. Even today, nearly 40 years later since the relies of PV-460, the image stabilization technology has been still applied to almost all cameras including smartphones as a commonly standard function. More recently, with rapid development of the drone technology, the image stabilization technology has found a new application area. In the above views, the present proposers have clearly shown that the innovative image stabilization technology brought the great benefits to the human society.

In conclusion, I strongly recommend that the PV-460 featuring image stabilization is worthy of IEEE Milestone, because it is valuable as a technological and historical asset of humanity.

Sincerely.

Sei-ichi Nishimoto, D.Eng.
Professor Emeritus, Kyoto University.
Chairman, Kyoto Municipal Institute of Industrial Technology and Culture.
Chairman, Advanced Science, Technology & Management Research Institute of KYOTO.

Re: Expert Reviewer's Report_1_Nishimoto uploaded by Advocate -- MITSUAKI OSHIMA (talk) 12:36, 28 June 2025 (UTC)

Thank you very much for taking time out of your busy schedule to do a Review Report. Dr. Nishimoto commented that this technology is still in use 40 years later. This technology was developed based on a basic patent (JP-158918) invented by Panasonic 42 years ago in 1983. This patented sensor shift correction method became the mainstream method for SLR cameras in 2003, as shown in Fig. 4. This sensor shift method was also adopted in the iPhone13 in 2021. Thus, after 40 years, this technology continues to be used in the latest models of cameras, so we can say that it is a milestone technology at the very beginning of image stabilization. Thank you very much for your review. Please continue to give us your guidance as the review process continues. (Mitsuaki Oshima)

Expert Reviewer's Report_2_Nishi uploaded by Advocate -- Tomohiro Hase (talk) 06:57, 21 June 2025 (UTC)

Dear Dr. Hase,

(1) Is suggested wording of the Plaque Citation accurate?

Yes, the wording of the Plaque Citation is accurate. The camcorder PV-460 is the world's first product to successfully incorporate an optical image stabilization device. The optical image stabilization is a historic achievement made possible by combining a compact, lightweight vibration gyro sensor with lens control technology that cancels out camera shake. These technologies have since been implemented as a standard feature in many handheld cameras including digital cameras and smartphones. The Plaque Citation appropriately represents these groundbreaking technologies.

(2) Is evidence presented in the proposal of sufficient substance and accuracy to support the Plaque Citation?

Yes, the proposal and related materials provide sufficient evidences to support the Plaque Citation.

(3) Does proposed milestone represent a significant technical achievement?

Yes, the proposed milestone has provided significant technical achievements. It has been the basis for the development of image stabilization technology, which is now a standard feature in most camera products. In particular, the following two technologies are summarized in the proposal as outstanding technologies that are worthy of being milestone. One is the development of compact and cost-effective vibration-type gyroscope sensors for camera shake detection, and the world's first successful mass production of a vibration gyro. Previous gyro sensors were only available in large sizes, and there were no lightweight, compact sensors that could be implemented in cameras. The other technology moves the lens unit in a direction that cancels out camera shake, based on signals from the gyro sensor. A control technology for this was also developed for stabilization. These technologies were successfully commercialized and incorporated into the PV-460 for the first time in the world. They continue to evolve today and have recently been integrated into drone technology and smartphone cameras.

(4) Were there similar or competing achievements? If so, have the proposers adequately described these and their relationship to the achievement being proposed?

Yes, the proposal describes the relationship between the achievement being proposed and other related technologies, and states that OIS is a particularly outstanding technology among these technologies. The proposal highlights EIS as a representative example of technology similar to and competing with OIS technology. EIS can be implemented solely through software processing without the need for mechanical moving parts, enabling the miniaturization, weight reduction, and cost reduction of cameras. However, since EIS cannot fundamentally correct camera shake in each frame of still images, it can only be used for video recording with camcorders. OIS, on the other hand, can be applied to both video cameras and still cameras. HIS has a technology that combines OIS and EIS. I think it would be best to insert the comparison table for each technology in Appendix 1 into the section on “Comparison with Other Methods.”

(5) Have proposers shown a clear benefit to humanity?

Yes, proposers have shown a clear benefit to humanity. The OIS developed by the proposer, namely a vibration gyro sensor and lens control technology to cancel hand shake, was successfully commercialized in the PV-460, the world's first camcorder with built-in image stabilization. Since then, it has been applied to various cameras, particularly in recent years in drone-mounted cameras and smartphone cameras. Until now, severe vibrations prevented drones from capturing clear images, but high-performance image stabilization now makes it possible to use ultra-high-resolution cameras to capture clear images. Consequently, drones are being used to inspect aging infrastructure, such as bridges, which significantly contributes to human safety and security. As described above, OIS has become an indispensable technology to the extent that the imaging industry cannot be sustained without OIS. The technology developed by the proposer can be said to have brought great benefits to humanity.

In conclusion, I strongly recommend recognizing "First handheld camera to feature image stabilization" as an IEEE Milestone due to its technical and historical significance.

Kazuki Nishi, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, The University of Electro-Communications

[Advocate's remarks] Dr. Nishi is an expert about the proposals. He has following paper:
Kazuki Nishi, et al: “EVALUATION SYSTEM FOR CAMERA SHAKE AND IMAGE STABILIZERS”, Proceedings of 2010 IEEE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MULTIMEDIA AND EXPO (ICME 2010), pp. 926-931, 2010, DOI10.1109/ICME.2010.5583093.

Re: Expert Reviewer's Report_2_Nishi uploaded by Advocate -- Hideki Aoyama (talk) 03:45, 26 June 2025 (UTC)

Thank you for the Review. The Appendix table you pointed out has been moved to the main text. (Hideki Aoyama)

Re: Expert Reviewer's Report_2_Nishi uploaded by Advocate -- MITSUAKI OSHIMA (talk) 01:34, 30 June 2025 (UTC)

Dear Prof. Nishi,

Thank you very much for taking the time to provide valuable comments on our proposal from your perspective as an expert in image stabilization. In your review, you commented that the development of an ultra-compact vibration gyro for detecting camera shake was the key to achieving camera shake correction. Although 40 years have passed since the product was launched, vibration gyros are still used for camera shake detection in almost all OIS systems and some EIS systems. The screening process is ongoing, so we look forward to your continued guidance.

Mitsuaki Oshima, Ph.D. (Proposer) Director ESL Laboratory Panasonic Holdings Corporation

Expert Reviewer's Report_3_Sugiura uploaded by Advocate -- Tomohiro Hase (talk) 06:11, 26 June 2025 (UTC)

Dear Prof. Hase,

Let me send you my review report.
The results of my review as an imaging expert are as the attached document.

IEEE Milestone Proposal Review Report
Proposal Title: Camcorder with image stabilization, 1988

(1) Is suggested wording of the Plaque Citation accurate?

Yes.
The proposed plaque citation is accurate and clearly describes the milestone. It effectively summarizes the technical achievement, identifies the company responsible (Panasonic), and highlights the historical significance of introducing image stabilization in a camcorder in 1988. The terminology used is appropriate and factual, with no apparent inaccuracies.

(2) Is evidence presented in the proposal of sufficient substance and accuracy to support the Plaque Citation?

Yes.
The proposal provides sufficient and credible documentation to support the historical and technical claims made in the citation. The listed references, such as the 1989 IEEE Transactions on Consumer Electronics paper (Ref. [1]) and the US patent (Ref. [4]), substantiate the technical innovation and its practical implementation. Additionally, contemporaneous news sources and product catalogs further corroborate the timeline and significance of the development.

(3) Does proposed milestone represent a significant technical achievement?

Yes.
The proposed milestone represents a major innovation in consumer electronics. The implementation of real-time optical image stabilization in a consumer camcorder in 1988 was a pioneering step that addressed a widespread issue in handheld video recording—image blurring due to hand motion. The Panasonic camcorder was the first of its kind to incorporate an active optical stabilization mechanism (using a variable-angle prism), which later became a foundational technology in both consumer and professional imaging devices. This breakthrough significantly enhanced usability and image quality, influencing the design of future imaging systems.

(4) Were there similar or competing achievements? If so, have the proposers adequately described these and their relationship to the achievement being proposed?

Yes.
The proposal acknowledges other approaches to image stabilization, including digital methods and lens-shift techniques. However, it clearly delineates that the Panasonic camcorder was the first to employ a compact, real-time optical system suitable for consumer-grade devices. The section titled Features Setting This Work Apart from Similar Achievements offers a fair and detailed comparison, explaining the novelty of the variable-angle prism system and its advantage in terms of speed, accuracy, and miniaturization at that time.

(5) Have proposers shown a clear benefit to humanity?

Yes.
The proposal demonstrates the benefit of the technology by highlighting how image stabilization greatly improved the quality and accessibility of home video recording. This advancement made it easier for general consumers to capture stable and high-quality footage without professional equipment or training. Furthermore, this innovation laid the groundwork for the widespread adoption of image stabilization in a range of devices, including smartphones and action cameras, thereby contributing significantly to the democratization of visual media creation.

Conclusion:
The milestone titled "Camcorder to feature image stabilization, 1988" by Panasonic represents a technically significant and historically important innovation. It introduced a novel optical image stabilization system that had profound and lasting impacts on imaging technology for both consumers and professionals. Based on the documentation and analysis provided, I strongly recommend this proposal as being fully worthy of recognition as an IEEE Milestone.

Very best regards,

Hiroaki Sugiura, Ph. D.
IEEE Fellow
Senior Fellow, Mitsubishi Electric Corp.

[Advocate’s remarks] Dr. Sugiura was a leader of video camera project in Mitsubishi Electric Corp. during 1980s

Re: Expert Reviewer's Report_3_Sugiura uploaded by Advocate -- MITSUAKI OSHIMA (talk) 04:50, 30 June 2025 (UTC)

Dear Dr. Sugiura,

Thank you for your thoughtful review. The screening process is ongoing, so we look forward to your continued guidance.

Mitsuaki Oshima, Ph.D. Panasonic Holdings Corporation (Proposer)

Expert Reviewer's Report_4_Nishiwaki uploaded by Advocate -- Tomohiro Hase (talk) 07:31, 26 June 2025 (UTC)

Dear Prof. Hase,

I am pleased to provide my responses to the following five questions you kindly raised.

(1) Is suggested wording of the Plaque Citation accurate?

Yes, I have carefully reviewed the wording of the Plaque Citation and can confirm that it is accurate.

(2) Is evidence presented in the proposal of sufficient substance and accuracy to support the Plaque Citation?

Yes, I have carefully and reviewed the references, including the papers and patents listed in the Milestone Proposal, and I hereby confirm that they provide sufficient and credible evidence supporting the development of the innovative image stabilization mechanism.

(3) Does proposed milestone represent a significant technical achievement?

Yes, the proposed milestone represents a significant technical achievement. It clearly documents the world’s first successful integration of an image stabilization mechanism into a consumer camcorder, made possible by the development of a compact and highly stable vibration gyro sensor. This breakthrough effectively addressed the long-standing issue of camera shake in handheld video recording and laid the groundwork for modern image stabilization technologies now widely adopted in digital cameras, smartphones, and drones. The innovation has had a profound and lasting impact, both technically and socially.

(4) Were there similar or competing achievements? If so, have the proposers adequately described these and their relationship to the achievement being proposed?

Yes, there were subsequent developments in image stabilization technologies, including electronic image stabilization (EIS) and hybrid image stabilization (HIS). However, the proposers have clearly explained that the Panasonic PV-460, released in 1988, was the world’s first VHS camcorder to implement optical image stabilization (OIS). This practical realization of OIS in a consumer product was a pioneering achievement, enabling high-quality image correction without degrading resolution. This proposal provides a detailed technical comparison with later methods—such as EIS and HIS—highlighting their respective advantages, limitations, and how they evolved from or were influenced by the foundational OIS technology demonstrated in the PV-460. The relationship between these systems and the PV-460 is well contextualized, reinforcing the originality and significance of the 1988 milestone.

(5) Have proposers shown a clear benefit to humanity?

Yes, the proposers have clearly demonstrated a benefit to humanity through the introduction of optical image stabilization (OIS) in the Panasonic PV-460 camcorder. Before this innovation, capturing stable video footage required specialized equipment such as tripods or gimbals, limiting accessibility for general users. The PV-460 made it possible for anyone to shoot smooth and stable videos, greatly lowering the technical barrier to video recording. This breakthrough empowered individuals to record family memories, travel experiences, and personal content with ease. The technology has since been adopted in a wide range of devices enabling high-quality visual documentation across personal, educational, and professional fields. In particular, its application in areas such as education, and infrastructure inspection has had a meaningful societal impact. By making high-quality video recording widely accessible, this innovation contributed to the democratization of visual communication and supported the growth of global video culture. Its continued legacy in billions of devices worldwide is a clear indicator of its enduring benefit to humanity.

In conclusion, the “PV-460, First camcorder to feature image stabilization” represents a landmark achievement in both technological innovation and historical significance. As the world’s first consumer camcorder equipped with optical image stabilization, it laid the foundation for stabilization technologies that have become essential in a vast array of imaging devices, including digital cameras, smartphones, and drones. Given its pioneering implementation, far-reaching societal impact, and enduring influence on visual technology, this achievement is eminently worthy of recognition as an IEEE Milestone. I strongly and respectfully recommend the “PV-460, First camcorder to feature image stabilization” for this honor.

Sincerely yours,
Shinji Nishiwaki, Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering and Science Graduate School of Engineering Kyoto University

Re: Expert Reviewer's Report_4_Nishiwaki uploaded by Advocate -- MITSUAKI OSHIMA (talk) 22:24, 29 June 2025 (UTC)

Dear Prof. Nishiwaki,

Thank you for your thoughtful review. The screening process is ongoing, so we look forward to your continued guidance.

Mitsuaki Oshima, Ph.D. Panasonic Holdings Corporation

Advocate’s Recommendation -- Tomohiro Hase (talk) 10:38, 26 June 2025 (UTC)

Advocate's Recommendation for the IEEE Milestone #2025-15
"First camcorder to feature image stabilization, 1988”

June 26, 2025.

Dear IEEE History Committee,

I am honored to be an advocate for the Milestone Proposal #2025-15, “First camcorder to feature image stabilization, 1988”.

URL to Proposal:
https://ieeemilestones.ethw.org/Milestone-Proposal:Camcorder_with_image_stabilization,_1988

(1) Review:

I invited five independent experts in the field to conduct a detailed technical review of the proposal. I asked the expert reviewers the following five questions:

Q1: Is the suggested wording of the Plaque Citation accurate?

Q2: Is the evidence presented in the proposal of sufficient substance and accuracy to support the Citation?

Q3: Does the proposed milestone represent a significant technical achievement?

Q4: Were there similar or competing achievements? If so, have the proposers adequately described these and their relationship to the achievement being proposed?

Q5: Have the proposers shown a clear benefit to humanity?

I have uploaded the five expert reviewers’ reports to the ETHW website at the following URL to expert reviewer’s reports:
https://ieeemilestones.ethw.org/Milestone-Proposal_talk:Camcorder_with_image_stabilization,_1988

Based on my reading of the five expert reviewer reports, I have received positive ratings from all, indicating their agreement with the proposal's appropriateness for the Milestone.

(2) Advocate’s Checklist:

Below is my checklist with responses:

1. Is the proposal for an achievement rather than for a person? If the citation includes a person's name, have the proposers provided the required justification for inclusion of the person's name? <Yes>

2. Was the proposed achievement a significant advance rather than an incremental improvement to existing technology? <Yes>

3. Were there prior or contemporary achievements of a similar nature? If so, have they been properly considered in the background information and the citation? <Yes>

4. Has the achievement truly led to a functioning, useful, or marketable technology? <Yes>

5. Is the proposal adequately supported by significant references (minimum of five) such as patents, contemporary newspaper articles, journal articles, or citations to pages in scholarly books? At least one reference should be from a peer-reviewed scholarly book or journal article. The full text of the material, not just the references, must be present. If the supporting texts are copyright-encumbered and cannot be posted on the ETHW for intellectual property reasons, the proposers shall email a copy to the History Center so it can be forwarded to the Advocate. If the Advocate does not consider the supporting references sufficient, the Advocate may ask the proposer(s) for additional ones. <Yes>

6. Are the scholarly references sufficiently recent? <Yes>

7. Does the proposed citation explain why the achievement was successful and impactful? <Yes>

8. Does the proposed citation include important technical aspects of the achievement? <Yes>

9. Is the proposed citation readable and understandable by the general public? <Yes>

10. Will the citation be read correctly in the future by only using past tense? Does the citation wording avoid statements that read accurately only at the time the proposal is written? <Yes>

11. Does the proposed plaque site fulfill the requirements? <Yes>

12. Is the proposal quality comparable to that of IEEE publications? <Yes>

13. Are any scientific and technical units correct (e.g., km, mm, hertz, etc.)? Are acronyms correct and properly upper-cased or lower-cased? Are the letters in any acronym explained in the title or the citation? <Yes>

14. Are date formats correct as specified in Section 6 of Milestones Program Guidelines? Helpful Hints on Citations, plaque locations. <Yes>

15. Do the year(s) appearing in the citation fall within the range of the year(s) included at the end of the title? <Yes>

16. Note that it is the Advocate's responsibility to confirm that the independent reviewers have no conflict of interest (e.g., that they do not work for a company or a team involved in the achievement being proposed, that they have not published with the proposer(s), and have not worked on a project related to the funding of the achievement). An example of a way to check for this would be to search reviewers' publications on IEEE Xplore. <Yes>

(3) Advocate’s Comment and Conclusion:

I received satisfactory peer review results from five experts in the field. Their reports and discussions were very useful for my decision as an advocate for Milestone #2025-15.

1. Citation:

The five expert reviewers confirmed the citation’s accuracy and that the contents are supported by evidence, as judged by their responses to questions Q1 and Q2. As an advocate, I share the same judgment as the reviewers.

2. Technical Significance and Historical Value:

The five expert reviewers provided detailed reviews of questions Q3 and Q4. They acknowledged the historical significance. As an advocate, I share their judgment.

3. Benefit to Humanity:

All five expert reviewers provided positive comments, as judged by their responses to question Q5. I concur with their judgment.

4. Advocate’s Conclusion:

All five expert reviewers strongly recognized and supported the proposal, deeming it worthy of the IEEE Milestone recognition. After careful consideration of both the proposal and the expert reviewers’ reports, I strongly recommend the proposal, #2025-15 “First camcorder to feature image stabilization, 1988”, for the IEEE Milestone.

Best regards,

Dr. Tomohiro Hase, IEEE Fellow
Advocate for Milestone #2025-15, IEEE History Committee

Expert Reviewer's Report_5_ÖzgeVİLLİ uploaded by Advocate -- Tomohiro Hase (talk) 13:21, 26 June 2025 (UTC)

Dear, Dr. Hase,

I am pleased to present my responses to the five questions you have submitted.

1- Is suggested wording of the Plaque Citation accurate?

The statement suggested in the Plaque Citation is correct. It clearly states that the PV-460, which was developed based on a miniaturized vibration gyroscope, was introduced by Panasonic in 1988 as the world's first camcorder with image stabilization and emphasizes the outstanding contribution of this technical achievement to the production of today's technologies.

2- Is evidence presented in the proposal of sufficient substance and accuracy to support the Plaque Citation?

Yes, the evidence provided in the proposal file to support the Plaque Citation is of sufficient content and accuracy. Academic articles, patent documents, news articles, award documents presented in the proposal file are cited in the proposal file where appropriate.

3-Does proposed milestone represent a significant technical achievement?

Yes, the proposed milestone represents a significant technical achievement. The miniaturized vibration gyroscope invented by Dr. Oshima and colleagues in 1983 was a breakthrough technological innovation when Panasonic engineers developed and integrated the ultra-compact vibration gyroscope sensor into the PV 460, a handheld camera, and commercialized it in 1988 as the world's first camcorder with built-in image stabilization. Since its commercialization, the PV-460 has enabled better quality images. It also pioneered the development of today's image stabilization systems and technologies. The most important indicator is that the evolution of image stabilization technology began with a patent in 1983 and was commercialized in 1988 with the PV-460 with optical image stabilization. This technological innovation was followed by electronic image stabilization, which led to the creation of hybrid systems combining both optical and electronic methods. Today, it has enabled the use of such image stabilization technologies in almost all video cameras, smartphones and drones.

4- Were there similar or competing achievements? If so, have the proposers adequately described these and their relationship to the achievement being proposed?

Yes, the proposers have presented in detail the relationship of similar competing achievements to the proposed achievement. The advantages and disadvantages of other optical imaging systems such as lens shift method, image sensor shift method, dual-IS, electronic image stabilization (EIS) and hybrid image stabilization (HIS) methods developed after the commercialization of the PV-460 with lens unit drive method (swing type) optical imaging system are clearly stated.

5- Have proposers shown a clear benefit to humanity?

Yes, the proposers have provided a clear benefit to humanity. Before the commercialization of the PV-460, people needed additional tools such as gimbals and tripods to capture stable images. The commercialization of the PV-460 with an optical imaging system has significantly removed technical barriers and allowed for better quality images. The introduction of the PV-460 made cameras and still cameras widely available and accessible to the general public. As a result, the commercialization of the PV-460 in 1988, the world's first camcorder with image stabilization technology, pioneered the development of the image stabilization systems and technologies used today, and stands as an important milestone in the history of imaging technology.

Sincerely,

Özge VİLLİ
Lecturer, Mechatronics Program, Department of Electronics and Automation, Toros University Vocational School
Ph.D. Candidate in Mechanical Engineering, Çukurova University

[Advocate's remarks] Ms. Özge VİLLİ has published three academic papers of her own that reference a paper on image stabilization by Panasonic.

Re: Expert Reviewer's Report_5_ÖzgeVİLLİ uploaded by Advocate -- MITSUAKI OSHIMA (talk) 03:39, 30 June 2025 (UTC)

Dear Özge VİLLİ,

Thank you very much for your valuable comments as a researcher in image stabilization despite your busy schedule.In particular, you commented the technology developed in the PV-460 was a pioneer in image stabilization cameras currently on the market. The screening process is ongoing, so we look forward to your continued guidance.

Mitsuaki Oshima, Ph.D. Panasonic Holdings Corporation

Suggested New Citation -- Bberg (talk) 00:13, 28 June 2025 (UTC)

Please consider this 68-word citation:

In 1988, the Panasonic PV-460 became the world's first camcorder equipped with image stabilization for enabling smooth and steady video capture. By pairing a miniaturized vibration gyroscope sensor with an optical axis correction mechanism, the blurriness caused by hand vibrations could be eliminated. Broad international licensing of this optical image stabilization scheme made it a standard feature in devices including film and digital cameras as well as smartphones.

Also, please consider this rewritten title: "First Camcorder with Image Stabilization, 1988"

Brian Berg, 2024 Milestones Subcommittee Chair

Re: Suggested New Citation -- Tomohiro Hase (talk) 13:12, 28 June 2025 (UTC)

Dear Brian Berg san

Thank you very much for your appropriate advice.
I will immediately inform the proposers of the corrections to the title and citation.
T. Hase, Advocate

Re: Suggested New Citation -- MITSUAKI OSHIMA (talk) 17:07, 29 June 2025 (UTC)

Dear Brian Berg san

Thank you very much for your suggestions for more accurate and precise titles and citations for our proposal. I will make the corrections immediately. I look forward to your continued guidance in the future.

Mitsuaki Oshima, Ph.D.　Panasonic Holdings Corporation

Letter of Recommendation from Prof. Matsuoka uploaded by Advocate -- Tomohiro Hase (talk) 13:01, 28 June 2025 (UTC)

Letter of Recommendation for IEEE Milestone Proposal: Panasonic PV-460 Camcorder

Dear Dr. Hase,

It is my honor to write in support of the IEEE Milestone proposal recognizing the Panasonic PV-460, the world’s first commercial video camera equipped with an image stabilization function. This groundbreaking innovation represents a significant technological achievement that has profoundly influenced the evolution of modern imaging systems.

The PV-460, developed and commercialized by Panasonic, was the first camcorder to incorporate image stabilization—an unprecedented advancement at the time. The device successfully integrated a number of challenging and pioneering technologies, including compact vibration gyroscopes and advanced digital control systems such as observer control and mode discrimination algorithms. These core innovations enabled the PV-460 to deliver high-quality, stable imaging without compromising picture quality, establishing a new benchmark for consumer camcorders.

At the time of its release, there were no comparable portable camcorders offering similar stabilization capabilities. Competing technologies, as carefully compared by the proposer, were developed only after the PV-460’s debut, with various approaches tailored to specific applications. The PV-460's optical stabilization system offered a wide correction range, laying the foundation for future developments in both hardware and software-based image stabilization methods.

The influence of the PV-460 extended far beyond camcorders. Its pioneering image stabilization technology paved the way for its adoption in digital still cameras and, eventually, in smartphones. Today, image stabilization is considered a standard feature, enabling users of all levels to capture blur-free images and video, thereby facilitating the rise of content creation and image sharing across social media platforms. In this sense, the PV-460 played a vital role in shaping the imaging culture of the 21st century.

Given its historical significance, technical innovation, and far-reaching impact on society, I firmly believe that the Panasonic PV-460 deserves recognition as an IEEE Milestone. It is a technological and cultural landmark that contributed not only to engineering progress but also to the everyday lives of people around the world.

I strongly and wholeheartedly recommend the Panasonic PV-460 as a worthy candidate for this distinguished honor.

Sincerely,
Kaoru Matsuoka, Ph.D.

[Advocate's remarks] Dr. Matsuoka is the Professor Emeritus of the Tokushima University.

Re: Letter of Recommendation from Prof. Matsuoka uploaded by Advocate -- MITSUAKI OSHIMA (talk) 04:39, 30 June 2025 (UTC)

Dear Prof. Kaoru Matsuoka,

In the review report, you pointed out that, in addition to the vibration gyro, other pioneering technologies essential to current handheld cameras, such as a shooting mode recognition algorithm that discerns the photographer's intent, were developed during the PV-460's commercialization process. Thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to provide valuable comments. The screening process is ongoing, so we look forward to your continued guidance.

Mitsuaki Oshima, Ph.D. Panasonic Holdings Corporation

Milestone Chair Review -- Coronath (talk) 19:01, 30 June 2025 (UTC)

I am honored and happy to approve forwarding to the Board of Directors the Milestone Proposal 2025-15: "Camcorder with image stabilization, 1988". Keith Moore Milestone Chair, 2025

Re: Milestone Chair Review -- MITSUAKI OSHIMA (talk) 02:00, 1 July 2025 (UTC)

Dear Keith Moore san,

Thank you very much for approving the forwarding of the Milestone Proposal 2025-15 to the Board of Directors. Mitsuaki Oshima, Ph.D. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)