Olympus SH-50 iHS touts 5-axis video stabilization in a compact, $300 camera

Olympus SH50 iHS touts 5axis video stabilization in a pointandshoot camera

Olympus helped conquer shakycam videos first in the OM-D, but not everyone has $1,300 to throw at a high-end mirrorless body. It's clearly aware of our plight in launching the SH-50 iHS at CES. Despite the 16-megapixel camera's PEN-like looks, it sits squarely in the point-and-shoot category with a matching $300 price, even while it borrows the OM-D's 5-axis stabilization to fight unwanted jolts while making movies. We'll have to make do with 3-axis work on our still photos, although we won't mind as much when there's full-resolution photo capture in mid-video, 1080i video at 60FPS and 720p slow-motion video at 120FPS. A 24X, 25-600mm equivalent lens certainly doesn't hurt, either. Aspiring video producers will only have to wait until the SH-50's March availability to cut out the jitter.

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iPhone 5 and Nokia Lumia 920 face off with image stabilization test (hands-on video, updated with Galaxy S III and HTC One X)

iPhone 5 and Nokia Lumia 920 face off with image stabilization test handson video

Nokia's Lumia 920 packs the industry's best image stabilization -- there's no questioning that -- thanks to a camera module that pairs both sensor and lens-based optical IS. The iPhone 5 also offers a notable improvement over its Apple-made predecessor on the video front, but considering that its stabilization is of the digital variety, we wouldn't expect it to top Nokia's new flagship. We had an opportunity to test both smartphones in a head-to-head demo at Nokia's research and development facility in Tampere, Finland, about two hours north of the company's Espoo headquarters. In fact, we're told that this is the very first such comparison shoot in the world, considering that the iPhone made it to market just last week and the only opportunity to shoot with a Lumia 920 is currently in the European country where the device was born.

As expected, the Nokia phone was able to capture far smoother video than what we snapped with the iPhone, with both devices secured side-by-side in a homemade foam holster. Unlike our handheld interview shoot earlier today, we pushed the limits a bit further this time, running through Nokia's parking lot and turning every which way as well. It's important to note that the Lumia 920 we used was a prototype, but its performance was still quite solid. You'll find the side-by-side video just past the break -- the Lumia 920 is on the left, with the iPhone clip on the right.

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iPhone 5 and Nokia Lumia 920 face off with image stabilization test (hands-on video, updated with Galaxy S III and HTC One X) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Sep 2012 15:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia Lumia 920 makes PureView appearance at Photokina with anti-shake video demo (video)

Nokia Lumia 920 makes PureView appearance at Photokina with antishake video demo video

Sure, Nokia's recently announced Lumia 920 runs Windows Phone 8, but its banner feature is actually the PureView camera, which in some ways seems more capable than that of its 808 sibling. Company reps were on hand at the Carl Zeiss booth at Photokina demonstrating this latest handset's low-light abilities -- which are quite striking. Just as impressive, however, is the device's heralded stabilization feature, which captures an impressively smooth clip even with exaggerated hand shake. Considering the degree to which the Nokia rep was shaking, users with steadier hands shouldn't have any issue capturing excellent quality video. We were unable to view the clip on a computer, so our impressions are only based on what we saw on the LCD, but the feature was impressive nonetheless. We'll of course need to reserve formal judgement until we can conduct our own tests, but this PureView preview was certainly convincing, and quite encouraging -- especially the side-by-side clip comparing the 920 to a "US-based manufacturer's" smartphone. Catch it in full in the hands-on video after the break.

Continue reading Nokia Lumia 920 makes PureView appearance at Photokina with anti-shake video demo (video)

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Nokia Lumia 920 makes PureView appearance at Photokina with anti-shake video demo (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Sep 2012 10:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Windows Photo Gallery and Movie Maker refresh: Vimeo integration, camera stabilization

DNP Windows Photo Gallery and Movie Maker refresh Vimeo integration, camera stabilisation

Microsoft's stalwart Photo Gallery and Movie Maker won't be hitting high-end studios anytime soon, but a new refresh for Windows 7 and 8 adds useful features that the teeming masses might appreciate. Topping the list for Movie Maker is video stabilization, which fixes camera jitter and "wobble" or rolling shutter -- a desperately needed feature for free software chockablock with shaky soccer mom and skater videos. Redmond has also added audio waveforms and an extra narration track, simple audio cleanup tools and text effects to the video editor.

As for Photo Gallery, the only new tool of note is "auto collage" which should let you create spectacularly cheesy montages using seven or more photos, regardless of artistic talent or effort. Finally, the software giant announced Vimeo as its new "publish partner," letting you upload your Gadget Cribs rip-offs from either program directly to the site. Let's see if the video hoster figures out a way to cordon off the onslaught of new freeware riff-raff from its regular hipster / film school crowd.

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Windows Photo Gallery and Movie Maker refresh: Vimeo integration, camera stabilization originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Aug 2012 09:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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