How to Stabilize Video: 2024 Guide

Introduction

When capturing a video, it's unavoidable to experience some degree of camera shake. Video shaking can greatly affect the viewer's experience, causing blur and so on. Therefore, we need to find ways to effectively remove shaky footage from videos.

Why do some videos look shaky?

• Handheld Camera:  Small and light devices like smartphones and action cameras are especially susceptible to camera shake, with hand movements and tremors directly affecting the image.
• Sports Camera: Filming from moving vehicles or using specialized equipment like sports cameras can lead to shaky footage. This is also true for unconventional shots, such as 360-degree or underwater videos.
• Zoom shooting: Capturing stable, close-up shots or from certain angles without any camera shake is often challenging.

Methods to Stabilize Shaky Video

Use Gimbal for Shooting a Video

Gimbals are particularly useful for action shots, travel vlogs, and any scenario requiring mobility. It has motors that sense when your hands shake and automatically adjust to keep the camera level. This helps you record smooth videos without the wobbles, making your footage look professional.

Use the Zoom Sparingly

The shake is inevitable when shooting video, especially when focusing closely on the subject through zooming. Therefore, do not zoom in or out too often. Zooming will turn a slight shake in the image into a noticeable shake. The wider the shooting angle, the less jitter there will be in the video. The angle width can be defined in the settings menu of many cameras. A wide-angle lens also means less camera shake and less impact on the lens.

Use Tripods

The tripod is a basic equipment that eliminates handheld camera shake. It is a three-legged stand that holds a camera firmly in place, so your video looks smooth and stable. It is ideal for static shots or slow, controlled camera movements.

Use Steadicams

A Steadicam is a camera stabilization system that operators wear. It uses a mechanical counterbalance and sometimes gyroscopic technology to absorb body movements. This allows for smooth shots while walking or running, eliminating camera shake and producing stable, professional footage.

Stabilize Video with UniFab Video Stabilizer AI

If you don't have professional equipment like tripods or heads around, we have a lower threshold solution to stabilize your video! Using video stabilization software is especially important if you shoot with handheld recording equipment.

UniFab Video Stabilizer AI is an AI-powered software designed for video stabilization. It offers three shaking correction modes to suit various video conditions and ensures high-quality output for all types of cameras. With one-click operation, GPU acceleration, and seamless integration with other UniFab tools, it's a comprehensive solution for enhancing video stability and quality.

How it works: 

The stabilization process begins by cropping into the video, creating a border for adjustment. The software then detects motion and automatically counteracts it by moving the cropped area in the opposite direction, resulting in a smooth, polished video.

Application

• Daily Shooting: Traveling, family gatherings and other daily shooting.
• Sports Video: Indoor and outdoor sports video.
• Professional Video: Aerial photography, news reporting, film and television and other professional video.

Pros of Video Stabilization Software：

• Cost-Effectiveness: High-quality stabilization can be achieved with software, eliminating the need for expensive hardware solutions like Steadicam or gimbal stabilizers, which can be cost-prohibitive for many content creators.
• Precision and Control: Software solutions provide fine control over the stabilization process, allowing for adjustments to suit the specific needs of each shot, something that hardware solutions may not offer with the same level of precision.
• Creative Freedom: With the assurance that shaky footage can be corrected in post, filmmakers and videographers can focus more on the creative aspects of their work without worrying about the technicalities of keeping the shot steady.
• Compatibility with Various Devices: Video stabilization software often supports a wide range of devices, from smartphones to professional cameras, making it a versatile tool for any content creator, regardless of their equipment.
• Post-Production Efficiency: Stabilization in post-production can save time and effort compared to trying to stabilize the shot in real-time during filming. This allows for more efficient editing and can be particularly useful when reshoots are not an option.

The comparison picture below shows the effect before and after the stabilization software. This tool can eliminate shaky footage in videos with violent movements and make the video blurred by shaking clearer.

Cons：

Limited effect: Even the best video stabilization software can't fix the camera shakes badly by accident. Such shaky footage can only be cut.

How to Stabilize Video with UniFab Video Stabilizer AI

Conclusion:

In summary, video stabilization software is a powerful tool for removing shakes in videos. Selecting the right video stabilizer depends on your specific needs, skill level, and project requirements. Each tool has its unique advantages and limitations, so choose the one that aligns best with your goals. If you don't have specialized equipment such as a tripod, then using software like UniFab Video Stabilizer AI is also a good option.

If you want to learn more, click on the video below 👇

FAQs

Does video stabilization reduce video quality?

No, when done correctly with AI tools like UniFab Stabilizer AI, you can significantly stabilize your video by removing shakes while preserving the key details, sharpness, and color fidelity of the original video.

How does UniFab AI Video Stabilizer work?

Just put the video into the software, select a shake mode, and then choose the output format. The advanced AI technology will examine every frame of the video and detect motion patterns, fixing shakes and making the video footage smoother and more stable.