CrunchGear

I might be missing something, but isn’t this just a case of the autofocus system’s inability to keep up with video (probably because with video, a different and less effective AF method must be used, compared to still shots).

Would switching to manual focus resolve the issue?

id be interested to see what an XL1 or XL1H looks like with similar shake
jas

As a long time Canon shooter I can tell you that this mysterious “Jello” effect can be simply and effectively eliminated. What you are seeing is the Image Stabilizer in the lens attempting to stabilize the shot. Simply turn OFF the stabilizer and bingo no more “Jello” effect.

Regarding Grant Brummett’s assertion that the “jello” effect is caused by the Image Stabilization function.

While the IS function can be problematic on quick pans or rises it is not the cause of jello distortion. IS can cause a pause at the start of a pan followed by a jump in the fottage to catch up with the pan (or any other camera motion). Some of this effect may be present in the sample clip, but the shaking of the camera is so violent that I can not be sure. The jello like twisting or bending of the image is the result of the CMOS sensor which is sampled sequentially from one edge to the other (top to bottom I think but it could just as well be bottom to top or side to side) This results in one edge of the picture being exposed at a different time than the far edge. They call it a rolling shutter and it functions much the same as a focal plane shutter on a still camera. If you have seen early 20th century photo’s of cars racing, you may have seen the apparent leaning of the car in the direction of travel. The top of the radiator leading the bottom of the radiator. These photo’s were shot on large format film with fairly slow focal plane shutters and this distortion is analagous to the jello effect seen here.

Fred,

Thanks for the informative input. Perhaps the camera was shaken pretty hard from side to side. Maybe harder side to side then anyone trying to actually record a watch-able video?

I know I have seen this effect through my 40D but it wasn’t much of a factor because I was trying to track a flying bird and each shot is a still.

Grant:
I couldn’t agree more. The camera was shaken more violently than any reasonable person would do trying to make a watchable video.

I’ve seen the jello distortion most clearly on video taken from a helicopter, with the camera mounted firmly to the air frame. The vibration caused the whole picture to be full of ripples, still nice and sharp, but rippled like waves on a lake. It also tends to show up if ridgidly mounted to a moving automobile, especially a racing car. Canon’s HV20 and HV30 video cams also use CMOS sensors with rolling shutters.

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I am interested in the new 5D Mark II and these posts have shed some light on a subject I’ve only just heard of.

I was thinking of using this camera from a helicopter but curious about the mount that was used via Fred’s post? The Tyler Nose mount (No Gyro’s) might have caused this to shake… but most other mounts are aptly gyro’ed or stabilized to limit those guaranteed helicopter vibrations.

Any info on this particular subject would be great.
Cheers