Nikon D90 Stair-step and Rolling Shutter fix batch script

[graphfruit]

I'm developing a batch program for Nikon D90 (and the upcoming D5000) movie clips which will remove the "stair-stepping" and minimize the rolling shutter lag (Nikon are you listening?!?), outputing a lossless video file for further post-processing.
Currently the main features are:

Nikon D90 Stair-step and Rolling Shutter fix batch script

- Batch processing of all video files in the working catalog
- Stair-stepping removal acc. to Lee Wilson's fix
- Specific rolling shutter fix - (yet to be optimized)
- (Optional) stabilisation to eliminate shakiness when hand-held
- Output in lossless (Huffyuv) video codec - (yet to be optimized)

Test 1 - Before and after:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLL46767KqY


My batch script is currently in an early testing phase and still needs quite a lot of optimization.

Could anyone contribute in the development by sending me some wobbly video clips,allow me to further optimize my settings?

My Nikon D90 is currently on service so I don't have enough video material to further test my script. Please upload the original footage w/o any postprocessing using a filehosting service such as RapidShare. I'll test my script on your video clips and I'll send you the fixed clips back to you so you also can evaluate the result.

Due to the way the rolling shutter behaves on the D90 it's not possible to fully eliminate the problem, but at least minimize the problem mostly when panning horizontally. On the other hand fixing Nikon's terrible scaling technique, that produces "stair-steps", works very well (huge thanks to Lee Wilson and other dvxusers).

I've prepared a simple test chart so it would be great if someone could print it out (A3 or A4), set up your camera on a tripod and put the chart up on a wall in a bright place and do some panning back and forth at different speeds, preferable with a zoom lens. Also then some up and down seperately and some diagonal movement.

Test chart 1:
http://www.graphfruit.com/wp-content...graphfruit.gif

// Adrian Graphfruit
http://www.graphfruit.com/scripts/nikon-d90/

[Robert Altman]

I hope your program runs on Macs!!

[pveal]

Oh my Odin. The Swedes will save us. Will upload the jagged jello on rapidshare or wherever and send you details.

[graphfruit]

I'm just adding some info that my batch script should also work with video clips from the new Nikon D5000, as it also suffers from the same severe rolling shutter. Probably some settings will need to be adjusted, time will tell. Looks like Nikon put in the same sensor as in the D90.

To prove my point that the (pre-production) D5000 have the same problem:
"The movies from our pre-production unit look an awful lot like those we got from the D90, oddly enough." (http://www.dpreview.com/previews/nikond5000/page10.asp)

"Live View and HD video recording. We've confirmed both are identical implementations to the D90 before it." (http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Ni.../verdict.shtml)

The "jello" due to the rolling shutter is visible in these commercials:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TF7P-Q4fMcc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeChp9FDEFU

And IRL video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24fa4rnPaiY

[mattsand]

i'm at arbetargatan 32, kungsholmen. come over and i'll get you 40 hours of material to play with.

/matt

[Ian-T]

Once done could this script also be used on any other type of cam footage (outside of D90 and D5000) that also exhibits CMOS skew?

[graphfruit]

Sounds great Matt, I guess 40 hours of material should be enough :P
I'll let you know before-hand I come by.

[graphfruit]

@Ian-T
Yes of course, but the roller shutter fix is using a program that is already out. What's unique with my approach is that I'm trying optimize specific settings (looks like every second frame needs a different correction) for the harsh wobbling in D90 videos and offer more of a bundle program that will correct all files in a batch and spit out lossless files.

[mattsand]

what software are you using? i'm experimenting with, also swedish btw, plugin deshaker which works well for stabilizing rolling shutter wobble as part of the "deshaking" (i measured it to 98% btw). i'd love to see a piece of software that does it without actually stabilizing, shouldn't be hard to write once the basic algorithms are in place.

/matt

[Coco Bermudez]

grahfruit:

how about render times? Will it take a long time for the AVI's to go thru the batch process?
Also...what is the quality output? Does it degrade th original by much?
If you need me to shoot specific examples for you to use, just ask...i will be happy too.