Smoothcam exacerbates CMOS Jello.

Ben_B

Ben_B

Veteran
A word to the wise. Not that you ever would have done this, but don't rely too much on post to get your shakey images stabilized. While the GH1 doesn't seem to have too much of a rolling shutter problem it is now my experience that when using smoothcam, After Effects, etc, to stabilize shakey footage you might uncover jello that was both caused by and hidden within the shakey footage. Once the footage is no longer moving a ton, all you get is jello..with no camera move! Gah! That said it's not thaaaaat bad, especially compared to shakey footage.....but still! I found this out when stabilizing a ton of handheld stuff I shot in NYC...luckily for most shoots I will be using a stabilizer of some kind (see other threads lol...I did a gunstock one I am very happy with...but will, for obvious reasons, not be using on the streets of a major city.) In any event just putting this out there.
 
I actually think that the rolling shutter is just about as bad as the 5d. I've done side by side and I just don't think its as improved as everyone else feels. Part of me wonder how many of these people have done side by sides.
 
There's rolling shutter in 720p, but it's not very noticeable because the movement of the shot that creates it also helps to hide it. However, when you stabilize the stuff in post 720p rolling shutter is much more evident, although itself not more of a game-changer than the alternative: shakey footage. Long story short, don't rely on holding the camera like a camera if you have to: it's excusable for lots of kinds of films (like my NYC montage that exhibits the problems in a few places..as well as some mud..http://vimeo.com/groups/gh1/videos/5973768) but not so much for narrative filmmaking...but when you're doing that your usually freer to use tripods, stabilization rigs (cheap or expensive or DIY...whatever) and take the time to get the shots you need (correctly and with multiple takes.)
 
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