Stabilizing Stereoscopic/3D video-clips.... Is it possible?

Hi All!

Still trying to learn how to handle/edit 3Dvideo I would like to ask if anyone here knows how to "Stabilize" 3D videoclips. So far I have the Sony Vegas Platinium.. an amazing program for the money with lots of features and possibilities.

I just can't get it "stabilizing" my 3D-videoclips and a dissappointing search on the Internet tells me it might be impossible, due to the convergense that simply has to be interferred by the cropping process which the "Stabilizing" basically is!

If Sony Vegas isn't clever enough to do that..... is there any other possibilities?

By creating a subclip I can use the "Stabilize media" with success but then the clip is no longer in 3D...only a side by side copy of the left track?

Thank you very much in advance for any information/help and the best regards from the Kim Meineche! :-)

If Sony Vegas isn't clever enough to do that..... is there any other possibilities?

I don't know how smart Vegas is, but I doubt it's smart enough to do 3D stabilization--most standard NLEs aren't. However, there is another amazing program out there called Adobe After Effects which I'll bet you can do it using the following process, or something like it.

Here's what I'd try:

Bring in both video streams to After Effects. Apply a motion tracker to the left video stream, track its motion, and get it dialed in where you want it. Then, apply a duplicate motion tracker to the right stream, but DON'T track its motion. Instead, COPY the keyframes from the left stream to the right stream's motion tracker. Voila! Instant duplication of whatever motion keyframes were applied to the left stream, and it should be synchronized exactly.

Note: This is an ugly workaround, and I have never actually tried it. But, knowing what I know about After Effects, as well as 3D, I believe it should work. The ultimate way to apply image stabilization to 3D is to get it right in-camera, since 3D post is double the work!

Hi blaisedouros!

Thank you very much for this info! As far I know, Sony Vegas can also do motion track, but maybe it isn't as good as Adobe After Effects?

I don't have After Effects myself, but will see what I can do to try out your suggestion!

You are absolutely right about the best way to apply image stabilization is to get it in-camera, but laying free in the water with something like a 100mm macro-lens is VERY difficult to keep steady for half a minute or so.... and unfortuanetly the Fuji W3 doesn't have any inbuild functions to stabilize the image......!

If nothing works, I might try to make a tripod for my camera, but mostly my diving is not predictable enough to know if I will do the recording on a step wall or at the flat ground.... or between rocks, etc....

The very best regards and thank you very much once again from Kim Meineche! :-)

I don't know how smart Vegas is, but I doubt it's smart enough to do 3D stabilization--most standard NLEs aren't. However, there is another amazing program out there called Adobe After Effects which I'll bet you can do it using the following process, or something like it.

 

Here's what I'd try:

 

Bring in both video streams to After Effects. Apply a motion tracker to the left video stream, track its motion, and get it dialed in where you want it. Then, apply a duplicate motion tracker to the right stream, but DON'T track its motion. Instead, COPY the keyframes from the left stream to the right stream's motion tracker. Voila! Instant duplication of whatever motion keyframes were applied to the left stream, and it should be synchronized exactly.

 

Note: This is an ugly workaround, and I have never actually tried it. But, knowing what I know about After Effects, as well as 3D, I believe it should work. The ultimate way to apply image stabilization to 3D is to get it right in-camera, since 3D post is double the work!

Thank you very much for this info! As far I know, Sony Vegas can also do motion track, but maybe it isn't as good as Adobe After Effects?

I don't have After Effects myself, but will see what I can do to try out your suggestion!

Sure! As I said, I'm not familiar enough with Vegas to know how powerful it is. The key (har!) is that the motion tracker must generate keyframes that you can copy into the other video's motion track; if Vegas' motion tracker just makes the changes without giving you access to the keyframes, then it won't work.

You are absolutely right about the best way to apply image stabilization is to get it in-camera

Aw, I was just giving you a hard time--I totally understand how it is. We're all UW shooters here!

I do definitely recommend getting a tripod for macro; shooting really good macro video without one is incredibly difficult, and I certainly wouldn't want to try it. If your housing has a standard 1/4-20 tripod screw on it, you could get one of those small flexible tripods from Jobe; they aren't too heavy, but for a small camera like the W3, it should be enough. The key is for the camera to be weighted enough that the surge can't move it around.

Best of luck!

Hi again!

Belive it or not......still playing around in Sony Vegas it actually looks like the problem is solved! :-)

Take a look for yourself (First the original clip and then the stabilized). Except from the rendering and the stabilizing, everything is straight out of the box:

I know I am an absolute beginner in video, but I must say that I am pretty amazed how much power I got from this cheap program (Sony Vegas Platinium)l

The workflow I did (Works at least with AVI-files from the Fuji W3), step by step was:

Rightclik the 3D-file you want to stabilize in the "project media" fane and choose "Open in trimmer".

Rightclick the picture-window in the trimmer and choose "Create Subclip".

Rightclick the subclip in the "Project Media" fane and choose "Stabilize media".

Insert the stabilized file in the timeline and you are done! :-)

The very best regards again from Kim! :-)

Sure! As I said, I'm not familiar enough with Vegas to know how powerful it is. The key (har!) is that the motion tracker must generate keyframes that you can copy into the other video's motion track; if Vegas' motion tracker just makes the changes without giving you access to the keyframes, then it won't work.

 

 

 

Aw, I was just giving you a hard time--I totally understand how it is. We're all UW shooters here!

 

I do definitely recommend getting a tripod for macro; shooting really good macro video without one is incredibly difficult, and I certainly wouldn't want to try it. If your housing has a standard 1/4-20 tripod screw on it, you could get one of those small flexible tripods from Jobe; they aren't too heavy, but for a small camera like the W3, it should be enough. The key is for the camera to be weighted enough that the surge can't move it around.

 

Best of luck!

Looks pretty darn good--congrats!

Looks pretty darn good--congrats!

Thank you vey much!

Actually it can be done even more simple! Just by rightclicking the videoclip at the timeline AFTER setting "properties\media\stereoscopic 3D mode" to “"Off”…".. makes the "Stabilize media" available like in any other mono-clips.

After the stabilizing, the properties\media\stereoscopic 3D mode must be turned back again to "pair wiht next stream" or what ever it was from the start......

Amazing how simple life can be.....! :-)

Best regrds again from Kim! :-)