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GoPro HERO6 Black Stabilization vs Final Cut Pro X vs Premiere Pro CC Warp Stabilizer

The GoPro HERO6 Black has built-in video stabilization. Here are some side-by-side examples of how it compares with the stabilization in Final Cut Pro X and Adobe Premiere Pro CC's War Stabilizer.

2017 10 23 10 17 30 1068x574 - GoPro HERO6 Black Stabilization vs Final Cut Pro X vs Premiere Pro CC Warp Stabilizer

By David Coleman | @havecamerawilltraveldc
Last updated about 2 months ago // Categories: Stabilizers, Video
Tags: GoPro HERO6 Black, Video Stabilization

GoPro HERO9 Black for $349.98

GoPro is running a deal on the HERO9 Black, their newest and best camera. You can get the camera and a 1-year subscription to GoPro for $349.98. It comes with a 32GB SD card and a case. You can get the deal here.

The GoPro HERO6 Black has built-in video stabilization (as do the HERO5 Black and HERO5 Session). It helps smooth out shaky footage.

One of the selling points for the upgrade from HERO5 to HERO6 is better in-camera video stabilization.

I’ve found it to work quite well. The version in the HERO6 Black is also a significant improvement over the HERO5 versions. It’s a software implementation, which means that the computer chip in the camera analyzes the content of the video and tries to compensate for the moment. That’s typically not as a good as something that actually stabilizes the camera mechanically using something like the Karma grip or some other kind of gimbal or gyro system like Steadicams.

But it has several advantages. For on thing, it’s built-in, so there’s no need to buy extra accessories. For another, it’s simple and versatile–gimbals and gyros aren’t good fits for many of the kinds of places you might want to mount a GoPro. And it’s also waterproof–many external stabilizers aren’t, including the Karma grip.

But I was curious to see how the HERO6 Black’s in-camera stabilization performed compared with other readily available software stabilizers like the ones that are included in Final Cut Pro X and Adobe Premiere Pro CC.

There are two things I’m looking for here. One is overall smoothness–that gliding look. The other is whether the stabilization is added a jelly-like look as part of the correction. For what I mean by that, look at the area around the tractor’s main engine in the examples below.

Stabilization Tests

To test it, I shot with two HERO6 Blacks side-by-side in a dual frame mount. One camera had the stabilization turned on. The other had it turned off. All the other settings were identical. I then used that non-stabilized footage as the version run through Final Cut Pro X and Premiere Pro’s Warp Stabilizer.

I should add here that I’m using the automatic settings for all of these. There’s no way to adjust the camera’s stabilization, but both the FCPX and Premiere Pro stabilization features offer settings where you can tweak the results. But they also both examine the clips to calculate the optimal settings, and that’s what I’m using here. There are also third-party plugins that you can buy–I’m not testing those here.

GoPro HERO6 Black Stabilization: ON vs OFF

First, as points of reference, here’s some non-stabilized footage side-by-side with the version using the HERO6 Black’s internal stabilization option.

[youtube=https://youtu.be/zqgJcpnL2_o&w=678&rel=0]

And here’s another:

[youtube=https://youtu.be/BxDEdb-Frgs&w=678&rel=0]

I have some more examples showing the effectiveness of the HERO6 Black’s internal stabilization vs not using it here.

HERO6 Black Stabilization vs Final Cut Pro X Stabilization

Final Cut Pro X has a couple of different approaches to stabilizing. The Auto setting examines the footage and calculates what it believes to be the best option. That’s what I’ve used here.

Here are the same clips from above after being run through Final Cut Pro X.

Here’s the first one:

[youtube=https://youtu.be/uUlEoPJYt44&w=678&rel=0]

And the second one:

[youtube=https://youtu.be/3v_IYMKqyFI&w=678&rel=0]

HERO6 Black Stabilization vs Adobe Premiere Pro CC Warp Stabilizer

Again, this was using the automatic settings in Warp Stabilizer.

[youtube=https://youtu.be/a3sbpZKISI4&w=678&rel=0]

and:

[youtube=https://youtu.be/-spcc_vT488&w=678&rel=0]

Drawbacks of In-Camera Stabilization in the HERO6 Black

Applying the stabilization in-camera is very convenient. It means that the footage comes out stabilized from the get go and there’s no more messing with it in post. That can save a lot of time and effort. But there are nevertheless some drawbacks worth considering.

One drawback of using a software approach to stabilization is that it cannibalizes some of the image data. They’re all designed to keep the original dimensions and aspect ratio, so it’s not like your 1080p footage is no longer 1080p, but as you can see from the on/off examples at the top, it’s effectively zoomed in slightly, with some of the edges of the frame being cut off. That inevitably results in at least some degradation in the image quality. In practice, that can be negligible. But there are also circumstances where it can become quite noticeable.

Another downside of doing it in-camera is that there’s no undo. The stabilized version is the one that’s saved onto the memory card, and there’s no way to recover the raw non-stabilized version. So if you’re getting some unwanted jumpiness from the camera’s calculations being thrown off, there’s no easy way to fix it.

Wrap Up

The HERO5’s in-camera stabilization works pretty well, but I still thought the stabilization in Final Cut Pro X and Premiere Pro worked better, so with that camera I’ve tended to shoot without the feature on (or used something like the Karma grip when appropriate).

But the HERO6’s stabilization is a significant improvement, and I prefer it to both the FCPX and Premiere Pro options. It’s not perfect, and it’s still not as a good as mechanically keeping the camera still with a gyro or gimbal, but in general I’ve been very impressed with the results. I’ve found GoPro’s stabilization to be less prone to the jelly-like effects that both FCPX and Premiere Pro’s built-in stabilization.

More GoPro Tips & Tricks:

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    GoPro HERO (2018) vs HERO6 Black
By David Coleman
Instagram: @havecamerawilltraveldc

Last updated on December 24, 2020

Categories: Stabilizers, Video
Tags: GoPro HERO6 Black, Video Stabilization

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GoPro News & Deals

New Smart Remote GoPro will be announcing the new Smart Remote for the HERO9 Black on December 17, 2020. The HERO9 Black isn’t compatible with the previous version of the Smart Remote.

HERO8 Black firmware v2.0 now available. Enables webcam mode; enables Display Mod compatibility; expands HyperSmooth 2.0 High and Boost availability to more video settings; general bug fixes. Update through the mobile app or manually.

GoPro Launches New Live Streaming Service for GoPro PLUS. GoPro has launched their own live-streaming platform for PLUS subscribers. It’s a pretty bare-bones offering for now, with livestreams shared with a dedicated URL. This is alongside their efforts to make the HERO8 Black useful as a webcam when connected to a computer (via USB plug-in-play, not requiring the Media Mod accessory with HDMI out). New firmware adds that functionality for Mac users, and the Windows version is in Beta.

New GoPro Zeus Mini Video Light. GoPro has released released a new video LED light designed to complement their GoPro cameras. It’s tiny, waterproof, and has a built-in magnetic swiveling clip. It’s waterproof down to 33 feet (10 meters), has four levels of brightness, and includes a diffuser to cool the color temperature to 5000K. GoPro claims that the built-in battery lasts up to 6 hours (presumably at the lowest brightness setting, although they don’t specify). It’s available now and priced at $69.99.

DJI Osmo Action firmware update adds live streaming. DJI has released a firmware update for the Osmo Action (v. 01.08.00.10) that adds live streaming support, so you can upload directly to platforms like Facebook and YouTube (it goes through the DJI Mimo mobile app). They’ve also improved the in-camera video stabilization. You can find the new firmware here.

New Underwater Housing for GoPro HERO8 Black from Isotta. Isotta, an Italian brand specializing in underwater housings, has announced a new high-quality underwater housing for the HERO8 Black. It’s an aluminum housing depth-rated to 650 feet (200 meters), has a one-handed open/close switch, double o-rings, and can be used with filters. There’s also a dual-handled tray to go along with it. And like all their housings, it’s in their distinctive red. Priced at $450, it’s only for those who need a highly specialized piece of underwater kit. It’s available for preorder from underwater specialists Backscatter.

Light Mod Now Shipping The Light Mod, one of the three new GoPro accessories, is now shipping. It’s a standalone light that is waterproof, rechargeable and compatible with all GoPro mounts. It was originally announced along with the HERO8 Black, but it hasn’t been available until now. It’s priced at $49.99, and you can find them at GoPro.com.

GoPro MAX Now Shipping. The new 360° camera, the MAX, is now shipping.

GoPro HERO8 Black and Max Unveiled. The new GoPro cameras and accessories have been unveiled. I have a rundown of the highlights of the HERO8 Black here.

DJI Osmo Action vs GoPro HERO7 Black. I’ve posted my detailed hands-on comparison of the Osmo Action and the HERO7 Black. There’s a lot similar between the models, but once you start digging down into the details there are differences that can help in choosing between them. And each has strengths the other doesn’t have. You can find my review here.

GoPro HyperSmooth vs DJI RockSteady. The new DJI Osmo Action also has built-in electronic stabilization to smooth out video. They’re calling it RockSteady (GoPro has HyperSmooth). I’ve been out testing them side-by-side. You can see the results here.

GoPro Deals page. I’ve put together a dedicated page on GoPro deals. So if you’re looking for cheap GoPro deals, check it out.

DJI Osmo action 4K Camera. Best known for their camera drones, DJI has released a new 4K action cam that’s taking direct aim at the GoPro HERO7 Black. It shoots up to 4K60 video and 12MP stills, includes electronic stabilization, has high-dynamic range video at 4K30, voice commands, a touchscreen on the back and another smaller live view screen on the front, and is waterproof down to 36 feet (11 meters). It’s priced at $349, and they’re now available at B&H Photo.

Comments

  1. Adam says

    April 29, 2020 at 7:07 am

    I never get good results with premiere subspace warp but find that the position, rotation and zoom stabilization works great when tweaked. What do you think of this? Compared to the built in?

    I’m on a budget and torn between a DJI action cam or hero 7, the GoPro stabilization is so good.

    Reply
    • David says

      April 29, 2020 at 7:45 am

      It’s hard to beat the convenience of having in-camera stabilization, but yes, you can get some good results with stabilizing in post if you spend some time tweaking–often with different settings for different parts of the same clip.

      I’ve compared the DJI Osmo Action with the HERO7 Black here. They’re both good, and there’s not one particular feature that screams out to me as being a slam dunk one way or the other. But each has its own advantages that will appeal to some users.

      Another option worth throwing into the mix is the newer HERO8 Black, which has even better stabilization. There are some very good deals on it at the moment that make it competitively priced with both of these models.

      Reply
  2. Jason Dashney says

    June 16, 2019 at 3:56 pm

    Thanks so much for this. It helped me decide whether to keep my Hero 6’s or upgrade to 7’s, but since the better stabilization is the main difference I’ll just keep what I have and stabilize in post.

    Reply
  3. mark says

    February 17, 2018 at 4:44 pm

    Can you apply software stabilization to already stabilized footage?
    Thanks.

    Reply
    • David says

      February 20, 2018 at 1:30 pm

      You can technically, but it rarely works well. The problem is that the stabilization algorithms are designed to look for certain types of movement, and footage that’s already been stabilized with software tends to have movement in different ways that throws it off. But it’s not a hard and fast rule and is different for every bit of footage. It’s definitely worth a try if you already have the apps on hand.

      Reply
  4. Chris Tompkins says

    October 27, 2017 at 5:22 am

    As for FCP X, iMovie can’t support HEVC yet. For transcoding GoPro Hero6 HEVC files, Brorsoft video converter or its Mac version can be a good choice.

    Reply
    • David says

      October 27, 2017 at 8:47 pm

      HEVC support is built into the new Mac OSX High Sierra, so if you’ve updated to that you can use it in Mac apps like FCPX and iMovie. If you haven’t upgraded to that, Handbrake is an excellent option–free, open source, and cross platform. The folks at GoPro have put together this guide on converting HEVC/H.265 back to H.264.

      Reply

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About Me

I’m a professional travel & location photographer based in Washington DC and traveling all over. Seven continents. Dozens of countries. Up mountains. Under water. And a bunch of places in between.

I’ve owned and used every GoPro since the HD HERO and particularly like finding new and different ways to use them to capture photos, video, and time-lapse.

You can find my main site at havecamerawilltravel.com.

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