Image Stabilization

High-definition images accentuate camera shake. This means the bigger your image will be viewed, the more stable your image needs to be. However, sometimes during production there just isn’t time—or, more accurately, there doesn’t appear to be the time—to put the camera on a tripod or dolly to stabilize the shot.

FCP provides an option to solve this problem by analyzing your image to reduce the apparent movement. FCP looks at how the image moves in the frame, then moves the image in the opposite direction. For example, if the image moved down during filming, FCP moves the image up by the same amount, giving the illusion of a stable image.

Image stabilization requires analysis, and FCP allows you to analyze your clips during import, after import in the Event Browser, or once they are edited into the Timeline. However, analyzing during import takes a long time because FCP always analyzes entire clips. This means if you are bringing in lots of long clips, it can seem as if your clips are in background processing forever.