View Full Version : Steadying a shaky shot?


Josh Fung
March 31st, 2010, 07:08 PM
What software should I be looking at for stabilising a shaky shot in post?
one of my camera guys handheld 5D+70-200 non IS at 200mm for a bride for 10 minutes >.<

Kalulu Ngilo
March 31st, 2010, 07:11 PM
would a monopod have helped?
FCP's smoothcam filter.
I believe media composer has one also.

Charles W. Hull
March 31st, 2010, 07:20 PM
I like Deshaker http://www.guthspot.se/video/deshaker.htm run from Virtualdub. It also compensates for rolling shutter for these kind of shots.

Josh Fung
March 31st, 2010, 07:25 PM
Thanks Charles, Will give it a try.

Yes a monopod would have been a much better solution.

Josh Fung
March 31st, 2010, 07:36 PM
Charles, can virtualdub handle H.264 straight away from 5D or needs converting (if yes to what?)

Charles W. Hull
March 31st, 2010, 08:53 PM
Charles, can virtualdub handle H.264 straight away from 5D or needs converting (if yes to what?)

Virtualdub runs with AVI. I convert the 5D files to AVI with Cineform, and output Cineform from Virtualdub as well.

Perrone Ford
March 31st, 2010, 10:00 PM
Charles, can virtualdub handle H.264 straight away from 5D or needs converting (if yes to what?)

I can't remember if my plugin I installed allows for 5D/7D files to drop in or not. Normally, VDub wants AVI files. However, I choose to use Lagarith or HuffYUV. Cineform is lossy (somewhat) and I prefer not to lose quality until I have to.

But Virtualdub is the best tool out there for this if you know what you're doing. I've got tons of examples of things I've done with it, and some of them are online.

Soeren Mueller
April 2nd, 2010, 01:54 AM
Theres a Quicktime Input plugin for Virtualdub that enables it to read Quicktime/MOV files directly (of course Quicktime needs to be installed) .. even from the 5D.. although sometimes you have to fiddle a little bit with the settings for it to work correctly...

Index of Software (http://www.tateu.net/software/)

(qtvd_* at the bottom)

Perrone Ford
April 2nd, 2010, 07:29 AM
Charles, can virtualdub handle H.264 straight away from 5D or needs converting (if yes to what?)

Yea, that's the plug in I have... but some of those are still flaky.

Soeren Mueller
April 2nd, 2010, 07:31 AM
Yeah unfortunately it's not really out of "beta" stage and not really plug and play all the time... :-/ .. still, if it works it's a time saver over first converting everything (and of course also a bit of a quality saver ;o)

Perrone Ford
April 2nd, 2010, 08:06 AM
still, if it works it's a time saver over first converting everything (and of course also a bit of a quality saver ;o)

Time saver yes. Quality saver, not really.

Soeren Mueller
April 2nd, 2010, 08:09 AM
Time saver yes. Quality saver, not really.

Also quality saver, unless you convert to some lossless format... of course Cineform etc. for visual losless.. just nitpicking.

Perrone Ford
April 2nd, 2010, 08:32 AM
Also quality saver, unless you convert to some lossless format... of course Cineform etc. for visual losless.. just nitpicking.

Note my first post in this thread.

David Elkins
April 4th, 2010, 11:55 AM
Just had to chime in with another vote of confidence for Deshaker. I used it on some aerials I shot in Alaska with the 5D and it simply blew my mind as to the results. A bit time consuming with all of the converting to AVI, but absolutely worth it. I actually edited my piece with the unstabilized footage and once I was at picture lock I only converted the clips that made the final cut saving me time and space on the 'ol harddrive.

Perrone has some great info on his experiences with it as well. Search for it here and follow his tips and you'll be set.