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Stabilize footage in post - options
  • zcreamzcream
    I need to stabilize footage shot in post, and could not find a review of available options.
    Please post with your experience.

    iStabilize http://www.pixlock.com/index.php?Itemid=33&id=13&option=com_content&task=view
    Apple Motion Stabilizer
    CHV Plugins - Image Stabilizer http://www.chv-plugins.com/cms/Fx-Script/MotionTracker-collection/Image-Stabilizer.php
    Lock n Load Stabilizer - http://www.lockandloadx.com/
    BCC Optical Stabilizer - http://www.borisfx.com/units/optical_stabilizer.php
    VirtualDub Deshaker plugin
    Sony Vegas built-in stabilizer
    Prodad Mercalli Pro

    The best free option seems to be VirtualDub Deshaker.

    A comparison of Deshaker and the vesion of Mercalli with Vegas.

  • 61 Replies sorted by
  • brianlucebrianluce
    Vegas has a stabilizer? Since when? Boris makes a Vegas plugin stabilizer.
  • disneytoydisneytoy
    After Effects has a cool stabilization in the latest version. Very smooth. I think its called Warp Stabilization. Check youtube.
  • LPowellLPowell
    After Effects CS5.5 Warp Stabilizer:

    http://tv.adobe.com/watch/learn-after-effects-cs5/ae-cs55-warp-stabilizer-instant-gratification/
  • nomadnomad
    Other great ones are Lock & Load by the The Foundry and the Mercalli stabilizer.
  • producerproducer
    Deshaker is still the best stabilizer once you use the right settings and values.
  • Ralph_BRalph_B
    What would those settings and values be? I've played around with Deshaker and could never get it to work properly.
  • otcxotcx
    AE Stabilizer is very easy. In other hand with Mocha you get real controll over process (if you know wath you are doing). There is lot of stabilizers (basicly take one and learn it well).
  • giacometti777giacometti777
    Mercalli is amazing because it runs right in Premiere and generally is very fast and usable.
  • RamboRambo
    The version comes with Sony Vegas is a watered down version of mercalli, very poor. However, the Full Pro version of Mercalli V2 for Vegas is awesome and very fast.
  • zcreamzcream
    See the first post for updated post.
  • nomadnomad
    The full version of Mercalli, L&L and the Warp Stabilizer in CS5.5 can handle RS pretty well. With some of the others you get obvious distortions inside the image once stabilized.
  • sam_sticklandsam_stickland
    FYI: None of the stabilizers I've tried (Warp Stabilizer, Mocha, Boris FX Optical Stabilizer) can satisfactorily deal with the rapid, high frequency shake (and resulting jello) that you get from using a hand held GH2 with a non OIS lens.
  • astrabanastraban
    @sam_stickland : well for that matter, beside shoulder rigs or software solution (which hardly get good result specially for the background), there is some tip against handheld shake/jello :

    - wide : don't use focal lenght > 35mm
    - body stabilization : only use the EVF and (don't know the english term) stick your harms against your body.
    - option : stop coffee/cigarette... olderness ;-)
  • producerproducer
    My best settings for Deshaker which help me all the time even on seriosly shaky footages after long time of tests:
    untitled.jpg
    948 x 686 - 286K
  • stoneystoney
    Badly shaken clips will have much lower average bitrate. No software image stabilization can fix the low bitrate. Faster shutter speed helps little bit. Try 1/4000 shutter speed and apply color grading. Bad stuttering is better than bad blurring. But the software stabilization should be the last resort to address the issue. It's ok for "micro" shakes.

    AE CS5.5 Warp Stabilizer looks good. Instead of buying 3rd party plug-in, upgrading from CS5 to CS5.5 gives lots of goodies.
  • davhardavhar
    @ astraban

    No coffee, alcohol or cigarettes and... quit getting older, dam it!

    Learn to slink along like a pretty pussy, I mean cat…a feline on all fours. Breathe deep and push the button as you exhale…calmly. And quit getting older, dam it! Or learn to levitate

    Getting the best picture in camera is the best option, obviously. Good exposure, stability, etc… makes the most sense to me. And IF I should screw up a wee bit, ahem, then software options are available…and some of them even work, but do any stabilizers work without cropping? I think that's inherent in the job, yeah? Which is fine in a tough situation but we should aim for the best and not rely on any uncontrollable technology just doing its thing to our little masterpiece in the making.

    So just quit getting older, breathe properly and move like a cat.
    Or just learn to levitate and then you can buy a cape!
  • LPowellLPowell
    @astraban - "...do any stabilizers work without cropping?"

    Yes, AE CS5.5's Warp Stabilizer has a tweakable mode that can reconstruct edge details without cropping. Check out the Adobe tutorials linked above for more info.
  • RamboRambo
    @astraban - "...do any stabilizers work without cropping?"

    Yes, Mercalli reconstructs edges but there are limits, eventually deformation happens similar to the artifacts in Twixtor. Better to use crop, the very slight res loss can be masked with a gentle Convolution Kernel sharpness.

    The best setting I've found in Mercalli v2 is GlideCam preset set at - Pan 20 and Crop 15, I use this setting for pan, tilt or jittery correction exclusively where clips need stabilization when shot from a Jetski or boat. Disable rolling sitter compensation, it's only designed for slew correction and messes with the above settings.
  • No_SuRReNDeRNo_SuRReNDeR
    I just wish someone would make an OIS prime lens that's faster than f 2.0...Why is that so dang difficult? Even with a stabilized rig senor jelly/jello is driving me mental, and I am young dont smoke and do kung fu to master my body control....so yeah its not me.
  • RamboRambo
    @No_SuRReNDeR > shoot in 720p 50/60 fps, jello becomes insignificant.
  • LPowellLPowell
    @No_SuRReNDeR

    If wide-aperture OIS is a top priority for you, let me strongly recommend the Panasonic/Leica 14-50mm f2.8-3.5 zoom. Forget what you may have experienced with Panasonic's Micro 4/3rd's Lumix zooms - the Leicasonic is like mega-OIS on valium, it is thick enough to shoot with your bare hands:



    On a shoulder-mount rig, this lens feels like it's mounted on a steadicam. While you do need to pre-frame and pre-focus it for each shot, I consider its flaws minor compared to its rock solid performance.
  • RamboRambo
    @LPowell thanks for reminding me about this lens and good OIS, i meant to check this one out a while ago.

    Can you confirm Auto focus, Exposure works in Shutter priority mode (Creative Movie) and can be locked with the lock button on the GH1body. Thanks.
  • No_SuRReNDeRNo_SuRReNDeR
    Not bad for the price, very sharp lens.... of course I would need to buy the adapter too still....I just wish they would have put OIS in the 25mm DG Summilux f1.4 -damn shame. I get that stabilization is typically for telephoto/photography use but Panasonic/lens makers need to start taking video people into account, especially if they are going to tout their camera as a true "hybrid"....

    Do other stabilized lens systems work with proper adapters etc?
  • Brian202020Brian202020
    FCPX has a good stabilizer.
  • aljimenezaljimenez
    @producer
    >My best settings for Deshaker which help me all the time even on seriously
    >shaky footage after long time of tests:
    Thanks for sharing your Pass 1 settings. Would you please share the Pass 2 settings?
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