How to stabilize a Gopro video

With the prices of digital cameras falling, GoPro Hero cameras have made it really easy to capture beautiful imagery for those on a budget.

Nowadays, you can take your GoPro anywhere to film almost any situation, and not only film it, but film it like a professional.

Whether you are looking to shoot some footage of mother nature or film your own adrenaline rushing adventure sport, GoPro have you covered.

The biggest issue with any kind of camerawork is the shakiness.

Even the world’s best movie-makers find it challenging to keep the camera still, so imagine how difficult it would be for you, if you are, surfing, biking, rock-climbing, skateboarding or even bungee jumping?!

Luckily for us, there are some really useful tips and tricks to fix shaky GoPro videos and we will look into the best ways to limit the shakiness to improve the quality of your videos.

Body Posture

When you are taking any shots, you should always keep your body upright and straight.

Never indulge in any bending of any kind.

Your body is most stable when it is in the upright position, therefore, it is obvious that your images will be more still when in this position.

If you back is straight and your whole body is secure, your GoPro videos will not be shaky.

Another useful tip is to hold the Gopro as close to your face as possible, as your head is the most stable and still part of the body.

Use your head and chest to hold your Gopro to balance your camera perfectly still.

As most GoPro Hero cameras are really small, never be tempted to hold your camera in one hand as it is really easy to have unwanted movements, therefore, always use both hands to film the perfect videos.

Stabilization equipment

Obviously, you can invest in some great equipment to keep your GoPro and it will be more steady than any images you can capture by just holding on to it.

There are many different types of equipment, ranging from Mouthpieces, Monopods and Tripods, to mechanical and electrical gimbals.

When you are using either Tripods or Monopods, ensure that the structure of the device you are using is secure at all times.

It is sometimes a good idea to tie the structure to a tree to give it extra stability, especially in windy conditions.

Other ways you can keep your equipment still is not kneel or bend down and hold onto it, but if you decide to take this action, always ensure your body is secure.

Gimbals

But the best tool you can use to keep your GoPro footage silky smooth is a Handheld Gimbal .

By using the latest technology, a 2 or 3 Axis gimbal is used to cancel out any external movements the GoPro might encounter when filming.

This allows you to shoot silky smooth moving videos that otherwise would only be possible with rails.

Other great benefits of the gimbal is to have a level head when you are under pressure, especially important when you are participating in the extreme sports.

Traditional stabilizers use counterweights to smooth out the camera jitters.

Although this works well, it leaves the devices sensitive to the actions of the weather.

A brushless gimbal uses motors and sensors to keep the GoPro absolutely still, no matter how much the device is moving about.

Gimbals use an array of complex stabilizing electronics including sensors, motors, and physics to accomplish cancelling out all the unwanted movements any GoPro camera could encounter while you are out and about.

Most Gimbals have 2 or 3 different axes that are set around the camera.

The sensors detect the motion on the axes and the motors counteract the motion and stabilize the camera. Any bumps and sudden jolts are basically cancelled out by the gimbal, taking your footage to a professional level on all fronts.

Gimbals are normally really easy to set up, basically, download the latest firmware connect it to your GoPro or other device you wish to use and you are ready to shoot incredible videos and imagery.

Go and shoot videos!

So there you have it, if you are looking to stabilize your GoPro, there are many ways you can improve you video shakiness.

It doesn’t matter what budget you are on, there is always a way to improve, and take your videos to the next level.

As we are a Gimbal review and comparison site, you can browse through our Top Gopro, Drones, or DSLR gimbal articles to find out the best options for your budget.

Obviously, if you are looking to become a pro photographer, then you will need to implement and master all the body movement tips, even if you have the necessary equipment.