I too want to be able to stabilize and not zoom. I can't find a way to do that with the new stabilizer. I'm willing to suffer the moving black edges. Anyone know of a way?

James

I will let you all in on a secret. When I want a steady shot, I hold the frikkin' camera steady to begin with!

I have a feeling you haven't done enough challenging shoots to where you had to zoom and have an issue in post...it ain't laziness sometimes D.

"I have a feeling you haven't done enough challenging shoots to where you had to zoom and have an issue in post...it ain't laziness sometimes D."

Amen - several years ago I attended a funeral at Arlington. One son of the deceased could not be there. Got handed a JVC handicam with a request to take some video. January. Cold. Wet Shaking from the cold. No Tripod. Walking shots. Disaster footage. Made usable via Steady Hand.

RalphM

I recently shot a run and gun car rally from El Paso to Denver. I had a rig on a tripod shooting 360 degrees above the windshield with a 7" monitor at eye level...thought it was fool proof but the convertible had the suspension set like a go-cart. The new Deshaker in VP 10 salvaged the really rough parts.

I understand.

>I too want to be able to stabilize and not zoom. I can't find a way to do that with the new stabilizer. I'm willing to suffer the moving black edges. Anyone know of a way?

James, I haven't found a way either but I think there are three additional limits needed to really round out the stabilizer:

1. Zoom limit (including zero which would allow black edges and require manual pan/scan/zoom keyframing after stabilizing)
2. Horizontal (pan) only stabilization
3. Vertical (tilt) only stabilization

I would assume zoom limit would not be too difficult to implement. For certain types of footageI would much prefer to be able to set zoom to zero (or near zero) and manually keyframe pan/scan/zoom to elimnate the black edges.

One other change I would like to see is when you Remove stabilize from a clip it would delete the take. Because the stabilizer requires a fair amount of experimentation you end up with a lot of unnecessary subclips in the project media.

EDIT: Looks like the full version of Mercalli Stabilizer does the three things I requested and more (see below). Price is $199. I wonder if Prodad offers a discount for Vegas Pro10 users?



/jerry

As far as settings/features go, the stabilizer (v 2.0) in Vegas Pro 10 doesn't look that much different from the 2.0.60 version.

Jay, am I missing something big? Here is what my Stabilizer dialog looks like in Vegas Pro 10. You must be using the full plugin from Prodad?

TeeTime,
The video stabilier included with VP 10a is the one you posted. The Video stabilizerer posted by Jay is the full version 2.0 and appears as vfx not a tool.

Ed B

Sorry, Jerry. I had forgotten that I had loaded the demo a few weeks back--forgot all about it. Guess that explains the difference.

My bad!

Jay, I thought I was the only one who could install software and completely forget about it. Several times I have downloaded something only to find it was already installed on my PC ;-).

At any rate, I've sent an inquiry to Prodad asking if there is a discounted upgrade path to the full plugin. It looks like it addresses most of the concerns I have with the lite version included with VP10. Have you found that to be the case.

/jerry

Jerry, to be totally honest, I haven't even messed with it, other than to open it and take a quick look.

I haven't even had the time to do much at all with VP10. Maybe next week will be different.

There hasn't been an affordable post production stabilizer invented yet than beats my holding the dang camera steady to begin with.

Using a tripod beats "holding the dang camera steady" any day of the week.

Mike

"Using a tripod beats "holding the dang camera steady" any day of the week."

While I appreciate the intent of these comments--without calling them snarky--how does one expect to improve 8mm film shot in 1956? Or, stabilize helmet cam video from my dirt-bike rides? Or, deal with video taken casually at a fair or the zoo?

I think there is more than plenty of need for a stabilization effect.

It's the "I'll just fix it in post" mentality. Whether it's camera steadiness, white balance or exposure. Nail it from the get go, and you'll save yourself time on the backside.

not too cause distress to anyone (hi kevin ;-), but i really don't think gnarly, action shots need steadying, otherwise they lose their impact and become just another 'shot'.

if on the other hand you want a smooth action shot, then plan for them in the first place (glidecam, steady cam, whatever). i used to edit a lot of surf/body board videos for a number of clients and many times the movement of the camera gave real impact whereas those done with special mounts that sort of took the movement out to some degree looked rather placid by comparison...

however, if you're not working with a helmet, board, skate camera, then nothing beats a tripod!!!

Well said, Les.

Comments about not needing post-production stabilization because someone uses a tripod or has a Steadycam rig, or simply has a hand that is more steady than mine are not helpful to anyone. They are condescending and only reveal how little some people understand about how other people earn their living.

For instance ...

I am about to receive video from thirty people who attended a reunion. They want their video compiled onto a DVD to be given to all attendees. All of it will be hand-held and shaky, and I have to make it look good.

I need post-production stabilization.

I have to take video of a cross-country meet. At the course, I need to move the camera up and down a steep hill to catch the runners at four different places around the course, and I need to make these moves while the race is underway. There is barely enough time to make it up the hill, and I have to run all the way. I am 58 years old, and while I'm in OK shape, it is all I can do to keep my breathing from making the camera rise up and down. I have no time to set up a tripod (I tried it on two previous occasions, and missed the shot in both cases).

I need post-production stabilization.

I tape all manner of live events, all of which are unscripted and spontaneous. Planned setups and lighting control are completely out of the question. It is strictly "run and gun." Hand-held is the only option.

I need post-production stabilization.

I am on a tight budget and cannot afford a track and dolly, but I want to do a shot that looks like it was shot that way.

I need post-production stabilization.

So if you don't need motion stabilization, that is just fine, and good for you.

But please quit posting the same unhelpful point over and over again.

Everyone has made good points. I try to let personalities slide off like water on a duck. Pros try for the best camera footage. Amateurs like me do the best they can. All the tools are valuable in my tool box.

johnmeyer,

I wish you'd stick around as you are a huge asset to the Vegas community.

Often, I have to resist the urge to reply to inane posts and ignore. It's just trolling.

...Jerry

Jerry,

Thanks for the kind words. I usually resist the temptation to reply, but I've spent so much time the past five years evaluating, using, and ultimately writing about motion stabilization that I hate to see such wonderful technology trivialized simply because the person doesn't have the breadth of experience to understand the wide range of ways that people make a living using a video camera, some of which absolutely require this technology. If you look at the number of threads in this forum about this subject over the past five years, it shows that I am not alone. I am very happy that Sony decided to incorporate this into both their consumer and professional video editing programs, and think that it is a very wise move.

Much of my work involves restoration of photos, audio, film, and video. Virtually everything I see is damaged or severely lacking in some element of quality, with unwanted motion being only one of the problems.

Of all the tools I use, from digital dust removal for film to noise reduction for audio, motion stabilization remains one of the most magical for the improvements it can provide.