The video capture capabilities found in today's mobile phones has made it easier than ever to record those priceless memories whenever and wherever they may occur. However, one of the downsides to cramming a video camera into such a small device is the lack of stability that often results in videos that look like they were shot the morning after a big night. With a full-blown steadycam rig probably not the best solution for smoothing out things on the go, Midnox has created an app that provides real-time image stabilization for the iPhone 4.
The SteadyCam Pro app is compatible with iPhone 4's running iOS 4.1 or later. It's shake-reducing magic comes courtesy of some advanced signal processing algorithms, which can apparently also correct for the rolling shutter that produces distorted shots of fast moving objects due to the fact that each frame recorded by the iPhone isn't from a single point in time, but is recorded by scanning across the frame. A free trial version of the app that lets users record 15 seconds worth of footage and stamps a watermark on captured footage also provides the opportunity to try before you buy.
From my own quick and totally unscientific tests I can report that the app did produce quite a noticeable reduction in wobble when walking around. However, my results weren't quite on a par with those shown in the Midnox video below. As I don't generally find myself in situations worthy of being committed to digital celluloid I probably won't be upgrading to the full version, but if you do and are impressed by the results you can lose the watermark and recording time limit for US$2.99.
Via Geeky Gadgets
SteadyCam from midnox on Vimeo.