Taperssection.com

Gear / Technical Help => Photo / Video Recording => Topic started by: xjsb125 on December 06, 2014, 12:19:42 PM

Title: Eliminating camera shake
Post by: xjsb125 on December 06, 2014, 12:19:42 PM
I filmed a show this past week and had a beautiful, dead center, well lit static shot of the band and stage. Unfortunately there was so much shake from the vibration of the bass and drums that the majority of the video is junk. What can I use in the future to help tame the jumping? I'm using a Canon XH-A1 on a Manfrotto tripod with a 128RC fluid head. Thanks!
Title: Re: Eliminating camera shake
Post by: coloartist on December 06, 2014, 07:37:02 PM
Thick neoprene under the tripod legs.
Title: Re: Eliminating camera shake
Post by: kubacheck on December 06, 2014, 07:47:18 PM
out of curiosity, is there any good software out there that can rescue a video with the "kick drum shake" problem??
Title: Re: Eliminating camera shake
Post by: beatkilla on December 06, 2014, 11:24:26 PM
I use memory foam under tripod legs and hang bag with some weight to it from center column,and if using monopod i rest it on top of my foot.
Title: Re: Eliminating camera shake
Post by: if_then_else on December 07, 2014, 02:52:57 AM
If you're repurposing a mic stand as a tripod (they're generally sturdier than video tripods), you could use some of these pads to decouple the tripod:
http://www.thomann.de/gb/the_takustik_mic_stand_pads.htm

Otherwise, you could add some counterweight to the center column as beatkilla already suggested. Or just use a "stone bag (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0051OGJQE?*Version*=1&*entries*=0)".

Another option might be to enlarge the feet of the tripod by using tripod snowshoes (http://www.manfrotto.com/tripod-snow-shoes) and to put some pieces of rug under these.
Title: Re: Eliminating camera shake
Post by: guitard on December 07, 2014, 03:37:49 AM
out of curiosity, is there any good software out there that can rescue a video with the "kick drum shake" problem??

I've tried several over the years and it seems like it works the way of the old expression, "For every action, there is a reaction."  In other words, you fix one thing, and another problem results.  There really doesn't seem to be a magic bullet for this kind of shake.  You can only make it look a little less bad ... which to me isn't acceptable.

Every few years, some new version comes out and makes all the standard claims that it's different than all the others and the guy who created it finally found the algorithm and process that does the trick.  I try it out ... and it's always the same result.

Of course, this kind of software requires a lot of tweaking and I've sat and tweaked for hours and never got anything that seemed like it made it worth the trouble. 

So I've all but given up on it. 
Title: Re: Eliminating camera shake
Post by: 2manyrocks on December 07, 2014, 02:51:09 PM
Seems like there was a discussion on something similar a while back where mention was made about turning off the antivibration stuff inside the camera because the sound was affecting the antivibration device in the camera, not that the camera itself was actually being vibrated by whatever it was placed on.  The OP hasn't indicated if his camera was sitting on a concrete floor or sitting on something that was vibrating.   

Title: Re: Eliminating camera shake
Post by: xjsb125 on December 08, 2014, 10:24:25 AM
Thanks for the advice everyone! The tripod was situated between the sound and light boards, which was a carpeted floor with what felt like a wood base under it. It was inside an old theater. I've had minor vibration issues in the past, but this was so significant that the video isn't enjoyable. I'm not worried about attempting to correct in post, but I want to be better prepared for future events. Again, thank you all for the good suggestions. If anyone has further advice, all is welcome.
Title: Re: Eliminating camera shake
Post by: techgui on December 11, 2014, 06:29:17 PM
out of curiosity, is there any good software out there that can rescue a video with the "kick drum shake" problem??

Well there is Deshaker, which is free.  Also Black magic Fusion software will track and stabilize and it's currently free.  I use Mocha Pro which is a planer tracker to stabilize, but not free.
Title: Re: Eliminating camera shake
Post by: JayBTV on December 15, 2014, 10:01:15 AM
Gunner Thalin's Deshaker is the best in my personal opinion (and yup it's free).....his was the first and he's still updating it when there's something to add.  I have tried most of the commercial ones (Mercalli for example) but none have impressed me enough to drop deshaker w/ vdub.

If you post a clip it'd be easier to tell if what you captured is salvageable......lots of setting w/ deshaker to get the results you want.  The problem w/ the bass kick vibration is distortion in the frames themselves/rolling shutter issues.  If the frames are clean (limited blurring/warping) you should be able to get it worked out pretty well.....
Title: Re: Eliminating camera shake
Post by: xjsb125 on January 05, 2015, 02:01:13 AM
Here's a 10 second clip from the show. It's pretty indicative of how much shake is present during the entire video. In the parts where there is no bass or drum it's very clean, but when the music gets going it's all to hell. Thanks again for all the suggestions.
http://youtu.be/dfzTbHMG7tk
Title: Re: Eliminating camera shake
Post by: anr on January 05, 2015, 05:52:38 AM
Here's something cheap, and perhaps a little nasty

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rcmodelpart-Anti-vibration-Camera-Phantom-Walkera/dp/B00G4ZF31G


One good solution would a Self Tuned Vibration Absorber, but it is likely to be very expensive.
Title: Re: Eliminating camera shake
Post by: 2manyrocks on January 05, 2015, 10:20:32 AM
The XH-A1 has Optical Image Stabilization which uses a built in gyroscope designed to allow the camera to automatically correct for perceived shaking when handheld.  What I suspect happened is the bass volume shook the gyroscopic sensor and caused the OIS system to overcompensate. 

Try turning it off when you have it on a tripod at a concert. 
Title: Re: Eliminating camera shake
Post by: guitard on January 05, 2015, 07:26:53 PM
I don't think Image Stabilization can really do anything to combat the kind of shake you get from a booming bass though.  It's just too 'violent' so to speak.
Title: Re: Eliminating camera shake
Post by: shoestringconcerts on January 06, 2015, 02:41:42 AM
Here's a 10 second clip from the show. It's pretty indicative of how much shake is present during the entire video. In the parts where there is no bass or drum it's very clean, but when the music gets going it's all to hell. Thanks again for all the suggestions.
http://youtu.be/dfzTbHMG7tk

nothing will save that,  turn off image stabilization next time, use pads and weights as other have suggested.  And if this problem happens a lot and what has been said doesn't fix the issue, time for a different camera

Title: Re: Eliminating camera shake
Post by: xjsb125 on January 06, 2015, 03:33:57 AM
I figured it was UN-salvageable. I ran it through deshaker a few different ways and had no improvement. I hadn't thought about the OIS on the camcamera, so I'll keep that in mind for next time. I think I will try out one of those puzzle piece exercise mats and see how that goes next time.
Title: Re: Eliminating camera shake
Post by: techgui on January 19, 2015, 09:02:15 AM
Thanks for posting the clip. What you have is motion blur, caused by the shake.  You can't do anything to fix that.  Was it caused by the floor shaking or the camera? 
Title: Re: Eliminating camera shake
Post by: furburger on February 02, 2015, 09:18:55 PM
I found a HUGE bag of these dense foam wedges (think garbage bag sized) at the dump here in Alaska one day (we have "re-use" platforms at 'em, I'm not a 'diver', so to speak), still have a couple hundred...about 3 inches thick, think the shape of a small slice of pie.

I'd be happy to mail a half dozen to a few peeps who do video if they think it'd help, I ALWAYS carry 'em in my taper bag, and I usually travel to the states twice a year to film as well (for the last 4-5 years, anyway)

PM me here or hagaralaska at gmail if you're interested.
Title: Re: Eliminating camera shake
Post by: Raw data on March 08, 2015, 06:53:34 AM
Like others said, it doesn't look like a camera body vibration to me - it looks like the OIS reacting.

Please turn off OIS when on tripod (not only because of vibrations...)

I'm afraid the footage is not salvageable, sorry. BTW the problem should be easily seen on the cam's monitor while recording...
Title: Re: Eliminating camera shake
Post by: xjsb125 on March 18, 2015, 03:08:27 AM
Like others said, it doesn't look like a camera body vibration to me - it looks like the OIS reacting.

Please turn off OIS when on tripod (not only because of vibrations...)

I'm afraid the footage is not salvageable, sorry. BTW the problem should be easily seen on the cam's monitor while recording...

Yes, lesson learned. Unfortunately I used that static shot while I was up front taking photos, then out in the crowd doing video so I had no idea what was going on with the picture until I got home.