Recommendations for the Go Pro.

[Chromag]

Hey everyone, I'm new to the site here but have some experience here in the Wasatch and throughout a lot of Utah. I have a first gen-go pro that I have made a bunch of video content from, on my bike, alpine climbs, skiing, hiking... etc. I have a youtube channel that mainly gives ideas about the routes to different peaks, but the footage is... meh. The issue I've found is that the end product is shaky... I use a chest mount, and since I'm always in motion the video capture seems good though plenty of shaking action. I've tried different ways to handle this issue, from custom mounting the camera to the top of one of my trekking poles (which does help a bit) However when I need both hands for the sequence, holding a camera in one of them isn't viable. This is mainly an issue while I'm on the bike or on some scramble or climb somewhere, three points of contact, ... etc.

I'm looking for options. Alternate mounting systems, software, ... whatever. If anyone here can give me ideas, they will be used for sure. As cheesy as this sounds, these videos serve to be a memory from the past into the future. Might as well render them the best I can.

An example. This video was from the GoPro on the chest mount, on a solo ascent to the summit of Lone Peak April 25th, 2013. Beautiful conditions both concerning the weather and snowpack on the ridge, but the footage seems way too shaky for my taste.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VirX_ZHygY

This one is of a ride up the north Ogden Divide to the summit of Chilly and Ben Lomond Peaks, again with the chesty mount. Still too shaky.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzT79_LKz-Q

I've watched a lot of different vids and the rendering of them is well beyond what I seem to be doing at this point. Any suggestions on improving technique or gear would be appreciated!

Chromag.

[Iceaxe]

The software I use (Cyber Director) to edit and produce my video's has image stabilization available with the flip of a switch. It really smoothes out the shakes. You can adjust how smooth you want the video, the trade off is you lose a small percentage of the outside of your video.

I assume most editing and production software has a similar feature. So what software are you using to edit and produce your video's?

PS: I loved the Lone Peak video. I've climbed the peak several times in winter and spring and the summit ridge is always sketchy when contrived.


Tap'n on my Galaxy G3

[Chromag]

So far I've been creating the video content with Windows Movie Maker, most of my content is from that one. I've recently picked up a Mac and have used I-Movie that comes with the stock OS, though I've always found myself going back to the Movie Maker. (Probably more due to knowing it better than I-Movie.) The I-Movie software does have a stabilization feature built in, but it seems like a lot of the detail in the video is lacking when I use it. I'll check out the Cyber Director you mentioned.

Glad you liked that Lone Peak vid. I agree for sure that when the summit ridge is loaded with snow, things can get spooky. When I've been up there traversing that thing with snow the adrenaline really is flowing.

This is a vid I put together from a WMC ascent to Lone, Feb 4th, 2012. I think it shows the exposure up there better than the one from last year. Great climb up there with cool people.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7siU_nIbJTM