[TriLUG] OT: auto-centered video[1]?

[Scott Chilcote via TriLUG]

Hello Brian,

I haven't tried this, but you may be able to use a command line script
like ffmpeg to convert your still frames into a video.
e.g.
https://askubuntu.com/questions/610903/how-can-i-create-a-video-file-from-a-set-of-jpg-images

Seems a lot more straightforward than using a video editor like openshot
<http://www.openshot.org/> to combine them.

After that, you can use the stabilization feature that you mentioned in
Youtube to stabilize the result:

http://lifehacker.com/5786091/stabilize-your-handheld-videos-with-youtube

Wait, stop the presses.  I just noticed that ffmpeg has a deshake filter
for automatically stabilizing video.  So if you don't want to limit
yourself to youtube, it looks like it might do the job. 

https://video.stackexchange.com/questions/19089/youtube-like-video-stabilization-on-linux

This is all stuff I haven't tried, so I'll defer to any LUGgers who've
actually done it...  ;-)

   Scott C.


On 08/28/2017 10:28 AM, Brian via TriLUG wrote:
> Hi Gang,
>
> I am still in my Monday-morning brain fog and can't figure out good
> search terms to describe the following.
>
> I have seen some YouTube videos which have some sort of processing
> applied which corrects for shaky camera work by constantly moving the
> frame around in a larger area to keep the subject visually still.  It
> has the appearance of constantly-varying letterboxing.
>
> I can't imagine people being patient enough to do this by hand, so
> there must be some software that does it.  I just don't know what to
> call the effect.
>
> Anyway, the point is I have some 350+ photos from last week's eclipse
> in which the image gradually traverses the frame because my celestial
> tracking mount didn't work out (the lens was too heavy for it).  I
> want some easy way to process all the images to center the sun in the
> frame.  Given the very sharp edges involved, it seems like it would be
> an easy target for automation.
>
> Any suggestions?
>
> Thanks,
> -Brian
>
> [1] - okay, my use case is a series of stills, but that's what video
> is anyway!


-- 
Scott Chilcote
scottchilcote at ncrrbiz.com
Cary, NC USA