Solved Stablization applications for Sony Movie Studio Platinum

Can you add a different stabilization software to platinum 12? Like warp etc. If so how do you add the software to platinum. Also, is it better to use the stabilization before any video effects , transistions etc are added. Thanks for any help.

Hi Easyrider

Stabilization should always be added before you do anything else.
It's also a good idea to trim long video clips into pieces, so that only the section that actually needs stabilizing is processed.
In Movie Studio Platinum and Vegas Pro, right-click video clip and apply Sony Stabilization as a Media FX.
The Sony Stabilizer is very basic and only works on videos that have relatively small problems.

There are two third party applications which work a lot better than Sony's basic effort.

1. The best of the best (truly!) is ProDad's Mercalli® V4 SAL+
www.prodrenalin.com/mercalli-v4-sal-plus/

This is a SAL = Stand Alone application, so you use this outside of Movie Studio/Vegas Pro and then import the corrected video back into your project.
What makes this unique is it's ability to correct all different types of motion. x, y and z axis and CMOS sensor problems.

It is a $300 program, however I received an email a few days ago, letting me know that it will be on sale for 1 day only on the 27th November 2015 for Black Friday Sale. If you use the link above, the price will not activate until 27th Nov USA time. I have had my eye on this program for a while and am pretty sure I am going to get it this time.

Use Coupon Code MV4-99 to get Mercalli® V4 SAL+ for only $99.95

Just to add some confusion (not really) there a few months ago ProDad released a Mercalli Suite for Vegas Pro only.
www.prodad.com/home/products/video_optimization/mercalli_v4_plug_in_sony_vegas,l-us.html

This is a $400 package and includes the first product I mentioned above plus an inbuilt function that works with Sony Vegas.
$400 is too much for most people, including myself. However if you buy the SAL version first, you can them upgrade to Suite version at a fraction of the price - this is what I intend to do.

2. New Blue FX also make a Stabilizer that works as a Video FX inside Movie Studio Platinum and Vegas Pro.
www.newbluefx.com/products/stabilizer?plugin=//youtube.com/embed/6LKlRDKKjvw#vid

It is 30% off for Sale period.
This app is in between Sony Stabilizer and Mercalli - definitely not as good as Mercalli, but better than Sony

Regards
Derek

Thanks Derek for your help. Do you use the mercalli software on your raw footage first. Then import the video into platinum 12 normally.? This doesn't affect the rendering of the video in sony I take it.Thanks again.

The trick with Stabilization is to only apply it to the video that actually needs it - so being very selective is the best approach.

With the Stand Alone version of Mercalli you use it on the raw footage first and render out a new video. This then gets imported into Movie Studio/Vegas Pro. Because of the way stabilization works (the only way it can work), it has to zoom in slightly to create the illusion of still video. So this is what lowers the quality more than having to render it first.

The new Suite version of Mercalli which integrates into Vegas Pro, means you don't have to render it out first, however it is only compatible with Vegas Pro according to the ProDad website.

I mucked around with the trial version Mercalli V4 SAL+ a year ago and have been waiting for it to be on Sale at a good price. I just bought it a few hours ago for the $99 special. Sale price expires in 3 1/2 hours.

Later on I may upgrade to the full Vegas Pro Suite version that integrates fully. It costs $99 to upgrade. Normal price for Suite version is $399.

www.prodrenalin.com/mercalli-v4-sal-plus/
Use Coupon Code MV4-99 to get Mercalli® V4 SAL+ for only $99.95

thank you for your answer. I too got it for the sale price.