Basic question: Are software stabilisation tools better than the ones
built into cameras? If so, which software tools are good?

Here's the background:

My camcorder has a digital image stabiliser built in, which works
remarkably well most of the time. Sometimes my slow panning movements
become a little "robotic", but that is a small price to pay for a much
steadier shot.

Yesterday I managed to capture a relatively rare bird on tape. However
I didn't have the image stabiliser turned on - I realised pretty
quickly, but couldn't find the menu item quick enough to turn it on
(i'm still finding my way around the camera).

So now I have some valuable but shakey footage to restore. I've seen a
few software tools which claim to be able to remove camera shake - are
these any good? As good as the digital image stabilisers in cameras?
Can anyone recommend a good one? Preferably affordable/shareware?

One other question:

My camera manual says I should turn of the stabiliser when using a
tripod. Why is this? Does the stabiliser reduce the picture quality,
or is it a case of getting smoother pans or just saving battery power?
thanks,

Andy

"AndyE" wrote in message
oups.com...
Basic question: Are software stabilisation tools better than the ones
built into cameras? If so, which software tools are good?


Neither, use a tripod !...

Here's the background:

My camcorder has a digital image stabiliser built in, which works
remarkably well most of the time. Sometimes my slow panning movements
become a little "robotic", but that is a small price to pay for a much
steadier shot.

Is it, I would use a tripod....


Yesterday I managed to capture a relatively rare bird on tape. However
I didn't have the image stabiliser turned on - I realised pretty
quickly, but couldn't find the menu item quick enough to turn it on
(i'm still finding my way around the camera).

So now I have some valuable but shakey footage to restore.

If it's 'valuable' then camera shake won't mater over the fact that you
managed to capture the imagoes surely...

I've seen a
few software tools which claim to be able to remove camera shake - are
these any good? As good as the digital image stabilisers in cameras?
Can anyone recommend a good one? Preferably affordable/shareware?


Well, at least you won't destroy anything if your try the software solution
(providing that you don't erase your original tape(s).

One other question:

My camera manual says I should turn of the stabiliser when using a
tripod. Why is this? Does the stabiliser reduce the picture quality,

Yes.

or is it a case of getting smoother pans or just saving battery power?
thanks,


Probably both.

"AndyE" wrote in message
oups.com...
Basic question: Are software stabilisation tools better than the ones
built into cameras? If so, which software tools are good?

Here's the background:

My camcorder has a digital image stabiliser built in, which works
remarkably well most of the time. Sometimes my slow panning movements
become a little "robotic", but that is a small price to pay for a much
steadier shot.

Yesterday I managed to capture a relatively rare bird on tape. However
I didn't have the image stabiliser turned on - I realised pretty
quickly, but couldn't find the menu item quick enough to turn it on
(i'm still finding my way around the camera).

So now I have some valuable but shakey footage to restore. I've seen a
few software tools which claim to be able to remove camera shake - are
these any good? As good as the digital image stabilisers in cameras?
Can anyone recommend a good one? Preferably affordable/shareware?

One other question:

My camera manual says I should turn of the stabiliser when using a
tripod. Why is this? Does the stabiliser reduce the picture quality,
or is it a case of getting smoother pans or just saving battery power?
thanks,

Andy

There is a filter for VirtualDub and for Vegas, I believe that is called
"Deshaker". I used it when I transferred some of my late father's videos to
DVD.

Try he-

http://www.sundancemediagroup.com/ar...aker_guide.htm

or he-

http://biphome.spray.se/gunnart/video/deshaker.htm

They may be the same; I didn't read them.

Good luck. What was the bird?

--
Dave Hall, Llangwm, Pembrokeshire.
Web:- www.daviv.com Webcam & videos of badgers and foxes on our patio
and bluetits in their nestbox.

In message .com,
AndyE writes
Snipped....

So now I have some valuable but shakey footage to restore. I've seen a
few software tools which claim to be able to remove camera shake - are
these any good?

Depends what you call "good". You will lose quality. To understand why,
you have to appreciate that they work by taking a window that is smaller
that the original image, and shift it about to compensate for the
shake/movement. Then of course the picture has to be enlarged to give a
full frame. The digital stabilisation that consumer camcorders use,
works in the same way, but the original image is larger than needed to
capture the picture, so the loss of quality (in this respect) is less
than occurs with software stabilisation.

As good as the digital image stabilisers in cameras? Can anyone
recommend a good one? Preferably affordable/shareware?

I don't know of any inexpensive ones. Vegas has one, and I believe there
is a plug-in for Premiere - but both of these are expensive solutions.
One other question:

My camera manual says I should turn of the stabiliser when using a
tripod. Why is this?

The camcorder image stabilisation looks for "edges" and tries to keep
them in the same position in the picture. If you have a fast moving
subject, or if you're panning quickly the stabilisation tries to follow,
then realises it's mistake and goes back again - a sort of hunting. The
result is artefacts, usually seen as a "smear" on image edges in the
picture in the direction of the object movement or pan.

Does the stabiliser reduce the picture quality, or is it a case of
getting smoother pans or just saving battery power? thanks,

It will make a very small increase in battery life - but not enough to
worry about.

It is important to learn to take steady pictures without image
stabilisation. Unfortunately the latest generation of camcorders don't
help because of their small size and weight. It does help, though, to
use the eye-level viewfinder rather than the LCD where the camcorder is
effectively at arms length.

Insofar as tripods are concerned, you do really need to use one with a
fluid-action head, which dampens movement to avoid any jerkiness. They
are usually rather expensive, but there is a relatively inexpensive one
made by Pyser-SGI.

--
Tony Morgan
http://www.camcord.info

"Tony Morgan" wrote in message
...
In message .com, AndyE
writes
Snipped....
My camera manual says I should turn of the stabiliser when using a
tripod. Why is this?

snip again
Insofar as tripods are concerned, you do really need to use one with a
fluid-action head, which dampens movement to avoid any jerkiness. They are
usually rather expensive, but there is a relatively inexpensive one made
by Pyser-SGI.

--
Tony Morgan
http://www.camcord.info

Tony, Is this what you mean?

ttp://www.pyser-sgi.com/productdetail.asp?ProductID=302

I have a tripod for my scope but it is useless for video work as it sticks
and is noisy. I don't want to pay a fortune and this is within my budget.

Anyone have experience of this one, please?


--
Dave & Viv are living happily ever after in Pembrokeshire.
http://www.daviv.com Webcam & videos of badgers and foxes on our patio
and bluetits in their nestbox.

Thanks for the replies everyone - most helpful :-).

I know I _should_ be using a tripod, but in this instance it was a case
of dashing upstairs, grabbing the camera and getting it rolling before
the bird flew off. The bird was a wren, which apparently aren't as
rare as they used to be, but this is the first time I've seen one in
the garden and the first time I've seen one sit still long enough to be
caught on tape.

Thanks particularly for the explanation of why image stabilisation
reduces the picture quality - I'll keep it turned off where possible
now I know why. I always hate following "black magic" advice from
manuals without understanding the underlying reasons... I kind of feel
fobbed off.

thanks,

Andy

In message , Dave Hall
writes
Insofar as tripods are concerned, you do really need to use one with a
fluid-action head, which dampens movement to avoid any jerkiness. They are
usually rather expensive, but there is a relatively inexpensive one made
by Pyser-SGI.

--
Tony Morgan
http://www.camcord.info

Tony, Is this what you mean?

ttp://www.pyser-sgi.com/productdetail.asp?ProductID=302

Yes. I've got the 560 and it's served e well for three years. I've two
friends who've bought the 510 (on my recommendation) and seem happy with
it.

--
Tony Morgan
http://www.camcord.info

On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 08:34:50 +0000, Tony Morgan
wrote:

In message , Dave Hall
writes
Insofar as tripods are concerned, you do really need to use one with a
fluid-action head, which dampens movement to avoid any jerkiness. They are
usually rather expensive, but there is a relatively inexpensive one made
by Pyser-SGI.

--
Tony Morgan
http://www.camcord.info

Tony, Is this what you mean?

ttp://www.pyser-sgi.com/productdetail.asp?ProductID=302

Yes. I've got the 560 and it's served e well for three years. I've two
friends who've bought the 510 (on my recommendation) and seem happy with
it.
I brought a 560 too, on Tony's recommendation, and its been very good.
Also have a Sony unit (forget the number and someone's borrowing at
the moment but it's either the VCT-D480RM, 580 or 680) which has a
Lanc connection from the hand grip. This allows you to switch on,
record and operate the zoom. Makes panning and zooming at the same
time a doddle.


Blue Skies
Pat Carpenter

In message , Pat Carpenter
writes
On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 08:34:50 +0000, Tony Morgan
wrote:

In message , Dave Hall
writes
Insofar as tripods are concerned, you do really need to use one with a
fluid-action head, which dampens movement to avoid any jerkiness. They are
usually rather expensive, but there is a relatively inexpensive one made
by Pyser-SGI.

--
Tony Morgan
http://www.camcord.info

Tony, Is this what you mean?

ttp://www.pyser-sgi.com/productdetail.asp?ProductID=302

Yes. I've got the 560 and it's served e well for three years. I've two
friends who've bought the 510 (on my recommendation) and seem happy with
it.
I brought a 560 too, on Tony's recommendation, and its been very good.
Also have a Sony unit (forget the number and someone's borrowing at
the moment but it's either the VCT-D480RM, 580 or 680) which has a
Lanc connection from the hand grip. This allows you to switch on,
record and operate the zoom. Makes panning and zooming at the same
time a doddle.

Sounds OK. I've just done a search, and the D480RM can be bought from
Amazon for £45. Dave might like to think about that one as an
alternative to the Pyser. The D580RM is £54 from Amazon.

I've found the on-camcorder zoom switch overly sensitive BTW (both on my
TRV30 and on other Sonys that friends have got). The standard remote
(RMT-811) gives a much better control. It would be nicer if the
camcorder zoom was progressive (or at least zoomed more slowly).
--
Tony Morgan
http://www.camcord.info

"Tony Morgan" wrote in message
...
In message , Pat Carpenter
writes
On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 08:34:50 +0000, Tony Morgan
wrote:

In message , Dave Hall
writes
Insofar as tripods are concerned, you do really need to use one with a
fluid-action head, which dampens movement to avoid any jerkiness. They
are
usually rather expensive, but there is a relatively inexpensive one
made
by Pyser-SGI.

--
Tony Morgan
http://www.camcord.info

Tony, Is this what you mean?

ttp://www.pyser-sgi.com/productdetail.asp?ProductID=302

Yes. I've got the 560 and it's served e well for three years. I've two
friends who've bought the 510 (on my recommendation) and seem happy with
it.
I brought a 560 too, on Tony's recommendation, and its been very good.
Also have a Sony unit (forget the number and someone's borrowing at
the moment but it's either the VCT-D480RM, 580 or 680) which has a
Lanc connection from the hand grip. This allows you to switch on,
record and operate the zoom. Makes panning and zooming at the same
time a doddle.

Sounds OK. I've just done a search, and the D480RM can be bought from
Amazon for £45. Dave might like to think about that one as an alternative
to the Pyser. The D580RM is £54 from Amazon.

I've found the on-camcorder zoom switch overly sensitive BTW (both on my
TRV30 and on other Sonys that friends have got). The standard remote
(RMT-811) gives a much better control. It would be nicer if the camcorder
zoom was progressive (or at least zoomed more slowly).
--
Tony Morgan
http://www.camcord.info

I assume this is Sony specific?
--
Dave Hall, Llangwm, Pembrokeshire.
Web:- www.daviv.com Webcam & videos of badgers and foxes on our patio
and bluetits in their nestbox.