"David Ruether" <d_ruet...@thotmail.com> wrote in message

> Digital Juice, at www.digitaljuice.com/products/products.asp?pid=591,
> is offering the Mercalli Expert image stabilizer plugin (for Adobe, Sony,
> and other editing programs) at $60. I just tried the demo version with
> Vegas Pro 8 and HDV. I chose two sample short clips - one with a
> bit of bumpiness as I zoomed long (it also had much fine detail), and
> another taken while I was panning, tilting, and rotating the HV20 (while
> walking around and under the Chicago "chrome bean"). With the first
> clip, the image detail softened a bit (but much less than I expected, and
> it was acceptable especially given the resulting nice motion smoothness),
> but noise appeared slightly more noticeable, even in bright sunshine.
> With the second clip, the jerky footage smoothed out considerably,
> and the resulting footage became acceptable. I tried sharpening the
> clips a bit, but I had mixed feelings about the results. This program is
> very easy to use, fast, and it integrates well with Vegas - and I just
> bought it...;-)
> --DR

"David Ruether" <d_ruet...@thotmail.com> wrote in message

"David Ruether" <d_ruet...@thotmail.com> wrote in message

> "David Ruether" <d_ruet...@thotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:g71srn$gbs$1@ruby.cit.cornell.edu...
>> "David Ruether" <d_ruet...@thotmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:g71sdg$fn8$1@ruby.cit.cornell.edu...
>>> Digital Juice, at www.digitaljuice.com/products/products.asp?pid=591,
>>> is offering the Mercalli Expert image stabilizer plugin (for Adobe,
>>> Sony,
>>> and other editing programs) at $60. I just tried the demo version with
>>> Vegas Pro 8 and HDV. I chose two sample short clips - one with a
>>> bit of bumpiness as I zoomed long (it also had much fine detail), and
>>> another taken while I was panning, tilting, and rotating the HV20 (while
>>> walking around and under the Chicago "chrome bean"). With the first
>>> clip, the image detail softened a bit (but much less than I expected,
>>> and
>>> it was acceptable especially given the resulting nice motion
>>> smoothness),
>>> but noise appeared slightly more noticeable, even in bright sunshine.
>>> With the second clip, the jerky footage smoothed out considerably,
>>> and the resulting footage became acceptable. I tried sharpening the
>>> clips a bit, but I had mixed feelings about the results. This program is
>>> very easy to use, fast, and it integrates well with Vegas - and I just
>>> bought it...;-)
>>> --DR
>> But, read the last few entries on the Vegas forum about installation
>> before buying it, at --
>> www.sonycreativesoftware.com/forums/ShowMessage.asp?MessageID=605055&...
>> --DR
> For those having problems registering the ProDAD Mercalli
> Expert downloaded software purchased from Digital Juice (by
> ordering it from their website with a credit card number), I
> first received an email with a URL in it for downloading the
> program - and also a registration number. I then downloaded
> the program and installed it. Afterward, I ran the included
> registration program (mercalli-register.exe) and entered the
> requested information. When I hit "OK", Outlook Express
> opened with an email with the information in it. Soon after
> sending it, Mercalli worked in Vegas Pro 8 without the red "X".
> I suspect that it was not the email but the mercalli-register.exe
> program that enabled the running of Mercalli in Vegas. I'm now
> experimenting with it (trying adding sharpening in the effects
> sequence earlier than Mercalli to avoid adding compression
> passes to HDV later). I shall also be using the highest possible
> shutter speed for the conditions (as some have suggested for
> best results with stabilizing software), likely by using aperture
> priority auto and specifying a wide stop (my Canon HV20 lens
> is sharp to the corners wide open over much of its range - and
> the 20% error in its viewfinders will roughly cover the image
> enlargement introduced by Mercalli...).
> --David Ruether