OIS on or off for car dash cam
- Thread starter ChipG
- Start date
TedRR
Well-known member
I would definitely have it on. There are times, like making a u-turn that you might get a frame jump looking artifact, but the rest of the footage would be improved.
This is just my take on it though. Others might have differing opinions.
I use it while ski shooting and it helps about 10-20% in my opinion.
This is just my take on it though. Others might have differing opinions.
I use it while ski shooting and it helps about 10-20% in my opinion.
Definitely leave it off.
And certainly try image stabilisation in post. That way you can't lose but if you use OIS on camera and it degrades the image (which it will) . . . you're stuck with it.
OIS is for more or less still shots where there's no panning etc. It will try to keep your image still - and that's not what you want in a moving car sequence (unless you just want the inside of the car to be still and the rest of the image a mess).
Shoot a tad wide and then use your post stabilisation if you need to.
The wider you can shoot, the less you'll need image stabilisation anyway.
And certainly try image stabilisation in post. That way you can't lose but if you use OIS on camera and it degrades the image (which it will) . . . you're stuck with it.
OIS is for more or less still shots where there's no panning etc. It will try to keep your image still - and that's not what you want in a moving car sequence (unless you just want the inside of the car to be still and the rest of the image a mess).
Shoot a tad wide and then use your post stabilisation if you need to.
The wider you can shoot, the less you'll need image stabilisation anyway.
TedRR
Well-known member
Interesting feedback. Not what I expected. I wouldn't use it when panning either, but I don't see a point on using OIS for a static still shot shot?
I felt using it on a bouncy car ride is a good example of when you might consider it. Kinda like skiing.
Are you saying other then the known "jump" on tripod pans, the image is degraded? I hadn't noticed, but I've only used it on really bumpy stuff that wasn't for paying gigs, so I might not have looked close enough.
As mentioned, I agree you are better doing it in post if your editor has the option. SpeedEDIT has a decent IS app as well. I haven't used AVID's.
And yeh, shoot as wide as possible to minimize shake.
Goes to show, opinions differ so always take a sampling and don't listem to me!
Interesting feedback. Not what I expected. I wouldn't use it when panning either, but I don't see a point on using OIS for a static still shot shot?
I felt using it on a bouncy car ride is a good example of when you might consider it. Kinda like skiing.
Are you saying other then the known "jump" on tripod pans, the image is degraded? I hadn't noticed, but I've only used it on really bumpy stuff that wasn't for paying gigs, so I might not have looked close enough.
As mentioned, I agree you are better doing it in post if your editor has the option. SpeedEDIT has a decent IS app as well. I haven't used AVID's.
And yeh, shoot as wide as possible to minimize shake.
Goes to show, opinions differ so always take a sampling and don't listem to me!
Ted,
Now you know why I made this post
I'm torn on what to do, my crew and I have been up for almost 18 hours doing test's, Morning / day / eve/ twilight, golden hour with OIS off and on. All situations having the driver hit every bump / ditch / pot hole...
I haven't gotten deep into the footage but I have noticed mosqitoe noise in the tree's with a setting we had. Not sure wich one it was until I look at the meta data in the morning, But I will report back on my findings.
Thanks again!
Chip
Leave it off. If it is mounted in a system similar to a stickypod, it shouldn't matter to have OIS on or off.
In my own experience, OIS, when shooting PROGRESSIVE (25p, not 50p), adds a small "ghosting like" effect on pans and movement. Maybe it is the compensation of the movement, or whatever. I do not know what is the technical explanation for this, but i definetly see degradation that isn't there when OIS is off.
I never use OIS when on tripod or on camera mounts to avoid the "jump"and the said effect. In interlaced, its not that noticeable, though.
In my own experience, OIS, when shooting PROGRESSIVE (25p, not 50p), adds a small "ghosting like" effect on pans and movement. Maybe it is the compensation of the movement, or whatever. I do not know what is the technical explanation for this, but i definetly see degradation that isn't there when OIS is off.
I never use OIS when on tripod or on camera mounts to avoid the "jump"and the said effect. In interlaced, its not that noticeable, though.
filmguy123
Veteran
That's odd. My impression was that OIS removes the small bumps/shakes from handheld footage. So on a stablized system, you would not want it (tripod/dolly/crane/tripod pans/etc.)
However, whenever shooting handheld, you would. SO - for a car scene with it mounted, yes, your cam would be locked down... but all the vibrations and bumps from the road would seem to actually make this footage very similiar to handheld footage with the little vibrations/bumps.
So, I would think, for this, to have it ON. But, that is just my understanding.
Oh Barry Green, where art thou?
Chip - let us know what you find!
However, whenever shooting handheld, you would. SO - for a car scene with it mounted, yes, your cam would be locked down... but all the vibrations and bumps from the road would seem to actually make this footage very similiar to handheld footage with the little vibrations/bumps.
So, I would think, for this, to have it ON. But, that is just my understanding.
Oh Barry Green, where art thou?
Chip - let us know what you find!
Its true what you say. Depending on the surface, the gains you get from OIS ON can overcome the advantage of having it OFF. In a normal tarmac road there shouldn't be any problem with OFF.
The best thing you can do is test it for yourself. For me OIS ON looked worse than OIS OFF. I, however, trade off and use OIS ON with Steadicam shots (Glidecam smooth shooter). My balance is often a bit off and those small shakes are corrected with the OIS. But would I've gotten better footage if I had the Glidecam better balanced and OIS OFF? Yes.
EDIT- In car scenes, specially shot in progressive scan 25p (which for you in the NTSC world, should be 24p), need a lot of motion detail. You need a high shutter speed (125 upwards) to keep the motion detail, and OIS ON, in my own experience, messes up with things. Once again, I suggest you try it.
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How does the hvx percieve an "un-steadi shot" by the actual camera moving or by the image moving in the CCD's? If so how does it interpert the CCD image data to know when to use the OIS (providing it is on) by what's in the very center of the frame or the whole frame moving? Or does that thingymajig that makes the clunk noise when the camera is off know the camera is in motion and then compensates?
BG any thoughts?
BG any thoughts?
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filmguy123
Veteran
YEah Barry will know for sure. My guess until then - sounds like the difference between optical and electronic image stablization? The HVX200 uses optical (so knows when the camera is in motion and compensates). That's my guess!
Ted,
So far you have been correct, the camera gets a vibration that shakes it from the sucktion cup mount and it removes that without the jerk that you get from leaving it on on a tripod...
When driving into the sun you can see the little dot you get from the lens flair bouncing all over but the image is smooth. It gives you a good perspective of how much it has smoothed things out...
Slinkii
Active member
The primary function of the OIS system is to steady a shot when the camera is being used hand held. It's purpose being to smooth out the shakiness caused by the human hand.
OIS is not meant to be used when the camera is on a tripod or stabilizing system regardless of the shot type. There is no need to optically stabilize an image that is already stabilized because as said before it can and most likely will cause "jumps" in the motion.
As it was made aware in ChipG's post, the OIS will help for issues like vibration caused by a car etc when using a suction mount etc because these movements are basically very small "shot imperfections" equivalent to the "jerkiness" associated with hand held. It could also create issues with the moving parts in the frame during car motion even though it has "fixed" the vibration problem..
OIS is not meant to be used when the camera is on a tripod or stabilizing system regardless of the shot type. There is no need to optically stabilize an image that is already stabilized because as said before it can and most likely will cause "jumps" in the motion.
As it was made aware in ChipG's post, the OIS will help for issues like vibration caused by a car etc when using a suction mount etc because these movements are basically very small "shot imperfections" equivalent to the "jerkiness" associated with hand held. It could also create issues with the moving parts in the frame during car motion even though it has "fixed" the vibration problem..
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I think you're missing the point here slightly, Slinkii.
With the vibration of the fast moving car, the camera is anything but stable, so the debate is whether OIS would be a benefit, or in fact, detrimental to image quality (as it is if it's used when the camera is on a tripod).
Slinkii
Active member
Yeah I can see how you could think that but I did pretty much make the point you said afterwards that in the context of the moving car shoot it most likely would be more beneficial to have the OIS on.
The stuff I said in the beginning was more a generalization point and not so relevant to this post..
Probably didn't need to bother with it anyway. And if I'd bothered to read all the other replies before I started typing mine instead of afterward I probably wouldn't have even written anything, the question had been answered a few times... Oh well... :huh: must remember that for next time
Hey Ted,
Things are going great, we shot 8 tornadoes over three days (Last Thursday, Friday, and Saturday).
I do use the OIS about 50% of the time and it really helps reduce the vibration that travels through my windshield sucktion cup mount. I'll also use my hand to help dampen the vibration when off paved road and on dirt roads. Some times I do get frame jumps and other times I do not, It is a possibility the frame jumps are from curved roads. I just got home after a week on the road and will review the footage in the next day or two for the official word.
Here are a couple stills from a few days ago, the first one is with the TIV & Sean from the Discovery Channel, I'm the guy on the right, I have mud all over me because we were blown off the road the day before by a tornado and slept in a ditch with 9 tornatic storms pounding us all night, both the police dept and fire dept would not come get us because it was to dangerous. The second pic is a still from my HVX of me (on the left in the Iron Man shirt) and my driver navigator Fred running after a 1/4 mile wide wedge tornado...
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