To software stabilise or not ?

I am in the process of starting to upload handheld footage. While i aim to hold the camera as steady as possible there is always slight drift. With software one can easely lock it down completly at the expense of some sharpness/res/crop.

What does the buyers look for ? Do they mind slight drifting or do they want completly locked in footage like on a tripod.
The reason i dont use a tripod all the time is that i rather not always take it with me. I might buy a one of those very compact ones that fit in a small backpack thought. Not got around to it yet.

Stable footage with the stabilizing artifacts seem to have a better chance of being accepted than sharp shaky footage.
I started to carry a small Manfrotto Pixie around when I don't feel like carrying a tripod but might need one.

Thanks for the reply, i keep that in mind.
I was thinking of getting the Sirui T-005KX. It folds down to 11.8" and still has a 54.5" Maximum Height. Seems pretty nice for the price of $100. Also i might get a mini tripod like in the size you are using when i really want to travel light.

If you go back a very short time ago none of the agencies accepted handheld or clips with slight erratic movement or shake. I still believe it's better to have steady smooth motion or pans or locked down shots. Get a GOOD image stabilized camera, a good handheld stabilizer, a slider or something like the Genie. If the buyer wants movement or shake they can add it. I won't upload any clips that is not stable or smooth, not worth the time and effort.

I agree.
The camera part is good atm.
Just started with this Stock footage deal so lots to be learned. The hard part is to figure out excactly what i need.

Portability and speed of setup is important for me. Alot of times, the window where i can get a good shot is small. Mayby people gets in the way or subject movies out of the composition. Sliders and other larger/complex gear i dont think i will get this year. First i need to get comfortable using more basic gear. A good travel tripod and mayby a small but smooth fluid head when the subject is moving around in a pouch at the side of the backpack so i can get it ready as fast as possible.

In the meantime i am getting better at handholding the camera. The speed and portability of handheld is very nice sometimes. Flick a switch and ready too shoot so to speak.

Do it all. Variety is the key to success. Don't overthink it. If a clip is kinda cool and you can't fix it, as long as it's not "real bad" and don't lie to yourself either ... it could be cool/salable. I've a few that have made hundreds, and thousands, of profit, flawed though - that I was unhappy with, but .. I uploaded them because I thought they had potential or the best version of that I had. Apparently there are better skilled people out there to fix these things, or perhaps they are using them in ways I had not envisioned.

On the other hand, also do what you can to make the clip express the vision you have for it. You learn a lot that way. If you are in a situation where handheld is the only way, and you can't lock it down, make deliberate pan or tilt to hide the inevitable shake. Remember to start from a state of imbalance to end on balanced resting pose, just like you always pan from something less interesting, and end on something more interesting.

Hmmm ... let us know when you find that "small but smooth fluid head" that doesn't suck.

Unless you are really hurting, there is no excuse not to have a gimbal for your camera work. Decent tradeoff: It's not as dynamic as full handheld, and not as solid as a tripod, but you can do both with it. I just got a Crane 2 from my GH5 and my wife's A7r3 ... easiest and most stable gimbal I've had to date.

Speed and portability and flicking switch to get off the cuff shots are great. I do it all the time. But then, I end up actually processing and uploading clips that were done with deliberation, and having taken the time to deploy the gear necessary to get the shot. The other shots I have little patience for ... I'll stabilise one or two, then move on ... "maybe later".

Watch films made with giant jib and crane moves, even in close quarters. It's about the arc. Understand why those are "cinematic". Shakycam is a thing, I get it, but also not as deep. Distracts from the shot, often. Don't let convenience be an excuse for poor camera work. Delve into the idea that cameras move for a reason. If they are moving for no reason, the shot is trite. Avoid trite. "Get a slider - people love sliders" I quote from someone who advised me about my work. WRONG. People don't love sliders .. they love compelling, artistic shots.

To your original question, part of what you asked is related to whether you want to simulate lockdown. I say mostly, not. If you must stabilize, only make erratic or uncomfortable movement go away. Do NOT induce stabilization artifacts, as those are really really hard to fix, as opposed to a little camera creep or jiggle here and there, which can be fixed. In other words, easy does it. If you have to crop in any more than a few percent, you should probably ditch the clip, try to reshoot, or try a different stabilization technique. Some things work better with Resolve's stabilizer (and it has two, the new one and Classic, point, or cloud) and some things are better with Warp. There are others, but these are the two I use. Mercalli sux. Boris is OK, but slow. They all work slightly differently. Warp hates slider jiggle. Resolve fixes it like it was never there. If I had to choose, I'd lean toward Resolve. Get it now .. it's free!

Thank you for your very informative and through answer. Alot of food for thought for sure !
Will save it for future reference. That panning tip was great. Will try that soon.

I did not know resolve had such a good stabilizer ! I have in fact had trouble with jerky pans that Warp could not fix.

That small but good fluid head is a stretch i agree. The only one i have found is the old Varavon 815FH. Unfortunaly they switched out the good thick oil to thinner at some point so not its not worth buying. It has to be sent to the company for oil change and that can take many months..

Will look up that Crane 2 gimbal. I am just getting started with the gear need to get a couple of lenses first. Gimbal probably has to wait. I am very satisfied with my camera thought. Its the Sony A7iii. Blown away by the autofocus.

This is an example of what i meant by slight drift. Sony 90mm macro handheld.
(Probaly need to dial down the sharpness. Its set at 0 but looks a little artifical.)
Learning the camera still. I want a profile that is close to ready out of the camera but has the dynamic range i need. Atm i am testing with Cine2.. Alot better than no profile. Slog is too much work for a "grading beginner" atm.
Its spring so sun is very harsh, standard profile on camera totally blow the highlights out even underexposed. Cine2 coped better in this shot.

Cant get the link to work, copy paste into adressfield mayby...

https://youtu.be/mGZXsjKiGbM

A good camera with proper settings needs very little or NO extra processing. Once you add a processed element like sharpness, contrast, saturation the buyer is stuck with it. Make it look natural and no more than that. Give the buyer enough original data to make it work with their project.

We all shoot the exact same way you are describing, we have all learned over the last years or decades than it does cost some to make some. A good tripod and fluid head is really a mandatory minimum. A gimbal can wait till you get some reasonable sales. Just think smooth and slow. Believe me, you are not the first run and gun shooter so don't always think you need to hurry.

Don is right, but it's not an absolute. Yes, you should dial back the sharpening. No, you should not add more. I disagree on the basis that a camera shooting a relatively flat profile will produce better image AFTER processing ... but you have to process it. Get Resolve and learn it. It is NOT hard. Make a custom profile with lower contrast, color, sharpen. Something you can work with fairly easily. I started this gig thinking conservatively, but the proof is in the pudding. Make an image that jumps off the page and hollers "BUY ME!" Learning to grade and process creatively gives you options to make interesting clips out of something that is otherwise not interesting or unique. You can make the decision whether you want to present life as your camera sees it, or present imagery as your mind envisions it. Both are valid. I've sold plenty of shots that are examples of clumsy and clueless color work.

Your shot of goose is fine as it is, for what it is. But I agree with Don it should be from a tripod. If the goose was jumping up and down and attacking poodles, handheld would be more appropriate, but as a sedate shot, in this case, would be fine to stabilize (and easy, as well).

Don't cheap out on tripod. It will make you sad sooner than later, at least it will if you are paying attention. Consider an extendable monopod. These also serve as a counterweight when handholding, dampening motion. (hold it by the neck under cam, with the stick extended, think "poor man's Steadicam") Good tradeoff, if you really must be free of encumbrance.

Note about Resolve: For handheld pans the settings I've found to stabilize best are using the point tracker in the Classic stabilizer. You can track forward and/or backward .. pick points (two or three) that stay in frame through the whole shot. This also teaches you to pan minimally. Don't be tourist panner ... you know what I mean? Don't pan more than, say, 45 degrees in a real time shot. Wide scenes are best expressed in a series of shots, not one big sweeping pan (generally)) Smooth, tasteful, deliberate, specific. Shoot with intent.

I have several handheld shots in my list of shots sold this year. Three from inside an airplane. Stabilized. One was static, close of handgun being fired, stabilized. One was from a small boat, stabilized. None were attempted to eliminate movement, but only to smooth the inherent movement.