software stabilisers at DVinfo.net

Noa Put · January 1st, 2015, 12:25 PM

I often need to further stabilize my footage in post, using edius 7 own stabiliser. That works ok to take out any jitters on shots that are held pretty stable but once there is any small movement the stabilizer distorts the entire frame and you get these weird wobbles.

I have read good thing about prodads mercalli v2 and it is compatible with edius as plugin but I see it's 249 dollar, is it really worth it's price, anyone using it for stabilizing?

Roger Gunkel · January 1st, 2015, 03:19 PM

I've been using it for about 12 months Noa and have been delighted with it. I am upgrading to the latest version which appears to offer worthwhile improvements.

Mercalli uses frame cropping and zoom to stabilise the picture, but you can manually set the percentage according to the amount of movement in the picture. There are a number of variable parameters including horizontal and vertical roll, panning and zooming inaccuracies etc. the new version apparently also has lens distortion correction for wide angle sports cameras etc, so could be useful with GoPros and the like.

Roger

Noa Put · January 2nd, 2015, 02:05 AM

Thx Roger, are you talking about the plugin version or the standalone one? I see they also have the v4 sal+ but the plugin version is a version 2 and I see there is a difference in features. I'd prefer to have the stabilization in post instead of making a round trip to a standalone application.

Roger Gunkel · January 2nd, 2015, 07:40 AM

Mine is the plug in version which works directly from my NLE timeline. I just select the clip, set the parameters and click ok.

Roger

Noa Put · January 2nd, 2015, 07:48 AM

Great, just the info I need, is the result that much better then edius own stabilizer? And have you tried the stabilizer with 4K clips on a 1080p timeline?

Edit: just see that you don't mention what nle you are using, hopefully edius? :)

Roger Gunkel · January 2nd, 2015, 04:29 PM

Sorry to disappoint Noa but I think I am the only person on this forum that is an enthusiastic user of the Magix ProX6 NLE.

I also did a bit of research this evening and it seems that the latest update is only for the freestanding version. The spec does say that it recognised 4k and there is also an Edius plug in version available, but presumably not the latest update. I haven't yet got a 4k cam so haven't tried that.

Roger

Noa Put · January 3rd, 2015, 03:24 AM

Thx Roger, I am going to search a bit more for user experiences in Edius because the standalone version 4 has a lot more options then the version 2 plugin, yet they have the same price and I don't want to be exporting any footage for stabilization. Also with those differences in option I question if it's worth the high price.
Also need to be sure the plugin in edius can stabilize footage in a 4K project.

James Palanza · January 5th, 2015, 02:00 PM

If you work with adobe CC, after effects has a plugin that works for me some of the time. Can be a bit of a gamble though as to how well it works.

January 1st, 2015, 12:25 PM	#1
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,509	software stabilisers I often need to further stabilize my footage in post, using edius 7 own stabiliser. That works ok to take out any jitters on shots that are held pretty stable but once there is any small movement the stabilizer distorts the entire frame and you get these weird wobbles. I have read good thing about prodads mercalli v2 and it is compatible with edius as plugin but I see it's 249 dollar, is it really worth it's price, anyone using it for stabilizing?

January 1st, 2015, 03:19 PM	#2
Roger Gunkel Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: LIncolnshire, UK Posts: 2,213	Re: software stabilisers I've been using it for about 12 months Noa and have been delighted with it. I am upgrading to the latest version which appears to offer worthwhile improvements. Mercalli uses frame cropping and zoom to stabilise the picture, but you can manually set the percentage according to the amount of movement in the picture. There are a number of variable parameters including horizontal and vertical roll, panning and zooming inaccuracies etc. the new version apparently also has lens distortion correction for wide angle sports cameras etc, so could be useful with GoPros and the like. Roger

January 2nd, 2015, 02:05 AM	#3
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,509	Re: software stabilisers Thx Roger, are you talking about the plugin version or the standalone one? I see they also have the v4 sal+ but the plugin version is a version 2 and I see there is a difference in features. I'd prefer to have the stabilization in post instead of making a round trip to a standalone application.

January 2nd, 2015, 07:40 AM	#4
Roger Gunkel Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: LIncolnshire, UK Posts: 2,213	Re: software stabilisers Mine is the plug in version which works directly from my NLE timeline. I just select the clip, set the parameters and click ok. Roger

January 2nd, 2015, 07:48 AM	#5
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,509	Re: software stabilisers Great, just the info I need, is the result that much better then edius own stabilizer? And have you tried the stabilizer with 4K clips on a 1080p timeline? Edit: just see that you don't mention what nle you are using, hopefully edius? :)

January 2nd, 2015, 04:29 PM	#6
Roger Gunkel Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: LIncolnshire, UK Posts: 2,213	Re: software stabilisers Sorry to disappoint Noa but I think I am the only person on this forum that is an enthusiastic user of the Magix ProX6 NLE. I also did a bit of research this evening and it seems that the latest update is only for the freestanding version. The spec does say that it recognised 4k and there is also an Edius plug in version available, but presumably not the latest update. I haven't yet got a 4k cam so haven't tried that. Roger

January 3rd, 2015, 03:24 AM	#7
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,509	Re: software stabilisers Thx Roger, I am going to search a bit more for user experiences in Edius because the standalone version 4 has a lot more options then the version 2 plugin, yet they have the same price and I don't want to be exporting any footage for stabilization. Also with those differences in option I question if it's worth the high price. Also need to be sure the plugin in edius can stabilize footage in a 4K project.

January 5th, 2015, 02:00 PM	#8
James Palanza Major Player Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 310	Re: software stabilisers If you work with adobe CC, after effects has a plugin that works for me some of the time. Can be a bit of a gamble though as to how well it works.