Final Cut Pro Smoothcam

[4dbill 0]

Final Cut Pro Smoothcam filter applied to certain skydiving footage is simply magical.
The processed video looks almost as smooth as those $1 million Heligimbal stabilized images used for Planet Earth documentary.
See my first test at,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkAOCfxHqhU

I thought my videos were pretty smooth already, until I saw the Smoothcam version!
Do you think the general public might appreciate the extra smoothness or just the vidiots?

4DBill

[PharmerPhil 0]

I've used Smoothcam before with good success for some non-skydiving stuff. It works well, but is extremely time-consuming to analyze and render.

However, your original footage seemed particularly shaky so I am curious what you shot it with. What camera? What lens? It looks like non IS stabilized footage (and possibly a longer lens). I personally use EIS all the time for freefall footage and love it. I can't imagine using Smoothcam for most skydiving work due to the render time required.

[shveddy 0]

Why the heck did the one dude deploy for the other dude?

[mircan 0]

I think results with Smoothcam look awesome. On web. How does it look like on "big" screen ie. comp or TV?

And secondly, could using EIS make picture "jerky" after compression? I just jumped last couple of weekends with cx105 using EIS and after editing picture looks quite shaky...

dudeist skydiver #42

[jcain 0]

I think we might be looking at the effect that when you go to bestbuy and look at all the big screen tvs the $5000.00 dollar one looks so much better then the $1200.00 dollar one when you are looking at them side by side but in your home they would both look very good. Just my .02

I would like to see a couple of different camera flyers to see if my theory is correct.

If you look at something like this one it looks very much the same in the sense that it shakes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1z7Y2atC8w&feature=related

[monkycndo 0]

Because it was a special jump and she got dumped out. Nothing like being part of the dive, and then all of a sudden, you are watching it from above.

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You know you want to spank it
Jump an Infinity

[DSE 3]

High compression amplifies any imperfection, whether it's audio or video. Smoothcam is cool, but it softens the image a fair amount. Only very high end stabilizing softwares don't, and rendertime goes through the roof. Sony had an incredible hardward-based stabilizer in one of their old editing systems, but they couldn't affordably replicate it in their software. Boris Red is the best "affordable" stabilizer I've seen.

[4dbill 0]

Here's Smoothcam test #2 which also yielded amazing result.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzBE4Ch6kNk
It's definitely is not practical for tandem/AFF videos, but for projects that could use some extra nice shots, it surely is a great tool.
The footage above was shot with GoPro HD, which does not have any kind of image stabilization, so it made a greater difference than the first footage, which was taken with CX100. The mount I used for CX100 might have been a bit loose, causing vibration shakes, which Smoothcam video filter got rid of beautifully.
The process seems to soften the video a bit, but not enough to make a significant difference on DVD resolution, since the originals were shot in HD. If burned into Blue-Ray, however, it probably won’t be as sharp, but I think I the benefit of significant improvement in smoothness overweighs some reduction in sharpness.

4DBill

[Fast 0]

Quote

High compression amplifies any imperfection, whether it's audio or video. Smoothcam is cool, but it softens the image a fair amount. Only very high end stabilizing softwares don't, and rendertime goes through the roof. Sony had an incredible hardward-based stabilizer in one of their old editing systems, but they couldn't affordably replicate it in their software. Boris Red is the best "affordable" stabilizer I've seen.

Is there anything that works with vegas pro 9 64-bit? I am looking for something decent.

~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

[4dbill 0]

I read that Prodad Mercalli is very good for Vegas. There is a trial version you can download from their website.
Here's another dive I stabilized. It distorts the background but it looks cool regardless. It would enhance any edited video when used sparingly on certain shots.
http://vimeo.com/12831154
For ground footage, nothings beats a REAL steadicam when it comes to liquid smooth moving video. Here's some ground footage shot with Merlin brand steadicam.
http://vimeo.com/13130234

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[Fast 0]

Quote

I read that Prodad Mercalli is very good for Vegas. There is a trial version you can download from their website.
Here's another dive I stabilized. It distorts the background but it looks cool regardless. It would enhance any edited video when used sparingly on certain shots.
http://vimeo.com/12831154
For ground footage, nothings beats a REAL steadicam when it comes to liquid smooth moving video. Here's some ground footage shot with Merlin brand steadicam.
http://vimeo.com/13130234

4DBill
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prodad doesn't work with 64-bit vegas. Boris doesn't work with 64-bit vegas.

I could really use anything that could process an AVCHD clip for steadying, standalone or part of vegas 64bit.

~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

[4dbill 0]

Magic Bullet 1.1, compatible with 64bit, seems to be good, but you can only use it with After Effect CS, not within Vegas. :(
http://www.redgiantsoftware.com/products/all/magic-bullet-steady/
They, also, have a trial version you can download.

4DBill