© proDAD GmbH Manual © proDAD GmbH Autor : Uwe Wenz 1
© proDAD GmbH Content Welcome General information Copyright / Legal information What is Mercalli? Why the name Mercalli? What is new in Mercalli V3 SAL? What is new in Mercalli V4 SAL? Installation, activation and registration Help function Shortcuts Mercalli V4 SAL overview (stand-alone version) Stabilization Information Choosing the right Stabi-Cam Perfect stabilization - tips & tricks What does Avoid Border mean? Unwanted rolling shutter effects Advice on filming for even better results Mercalli V4 SAL
© proDAD GmbH 35 36 37 38 38 39 40 42 Zoom - Balance Y-Axis - Balance X-Axis - Balance Media Bin Output Media-Bin Batch processing in Detail Exporting a file Further use of the saved video 3
© proDAD GmbH Welcome Mercalli lets you remove the effects of camera shake, jolts and trembling from recorded video sequences, to enhance the quality of important footage. Mercalli also improves your material by smoothing irregular pan or zoom shots. This makes Mercalli a highly valuable tool that'll rescue and optimize crucial video clips. We hope you enjoy Vitascene and always produce results that are full of effects General information Copyright / Legal information Copyright proDAD GmbH.
© proDAD GmbH installing this product, the licensee agrees to refrain from unauthorized use and duplication. proDAD GmbH does not accept any responsibility for the usage of this program and the publication of its contents and data that has been created with this program. ProDAD GmbH * Gauertstr.
© proDAD GmbH What is new in Mercalli V3 SAL? The latest additions to Mercalli V3 SAL at a glance: • • • • • • • • • • • • New! Batch processing - Instead of stabilizing videos one at a time, users can now load an unlimited number videos into Mercalli V3 SAL for automated batch processing; New! Automatic profile selection – Mercalli V3 SAL can analyze a video clip and automatically select the most appropriate stabilization profile, thus streamlining the stabilization process; New! Support for 4K and 2.
© proDAD GmbH Installation, activation and registration 1. Mercalli, installation and activation of the stand-alone version As of version 2, Mercalli can also be used as a stand-alone application (all details are in the section Mercalli as a stand-alone version). To start the installation, double-click the setup file. By installing the program, you agree to the terms and conditions in the legal notice section and to the license terms.
© proDAD GmbH Mercalli 4.0 SAL will then start with the active tab Start. Now you will import your video material. 2. Registering Mercalli You would like to receive Updates and further information about Mercalli? Please register your proDAD Mercalli at http://www.prodad.de/register.html. Help function Pressing the F1 key opens the Help function. The user guide is also available in PDF format directly from the Programs menu.
© proDAD GmbH Shortcuts Important Shortcuts to optimize the process in Mercalli: In the timeline: • Space starts/stops the playback • I sets the In point • O sets the Out point • Cursor left/right Generally: • F4: analyze all media • F5: Perform the export Mercalli V4 SAL overview (stand-alone version) Details of the Mercalli V4 SAL (stand-alone version) user interface.
© proDAD GmbH Stabilization Information Choosing the right Stabi-Cam The Stabi-Cam is the tool that analyzes and corrects video data. The right choice of Stabi-Cam depends on how the original video was shot and the type of final result you wish to achieve. Although the Universal Camera will improve your footage in all cases, in certain situations it makes sense to try out a different Stabi-Cam in order to produce the perfect result. Example: tracking of a moving vehicle filmed from the side.
© proDAD GmbH Perfect stabilization - tips & tricks After running the video analysis and the first playback of the stabilized footage, you may well be satisfied with the result – but perhaps it is possible to do even better. Check the following points and you may be able to further improve the stabilization of your video.
© proDAD GmbH Unwanted rolling shutter effects A CMOS sensor is an image sensor used in camcorders and digital cameras. The rolling shutter effect is a positional error in the video, which occurs in moving footage when the frame is scanned line by line. If the image is static, the footage is correct because all points of the frame are exposed at their correct positions. Rolling shutter effect may result in the case of a subject in motion or a moving camera, when a frame is scanned line by line (i.e.
© proDAD GmbH Please note: To play the videos, your PC must be connected to the Internet. Advice on filming for even better results You can already do a lot when filming to help achieve steady footage. Bear the following points in mind: • To help rolling shutter compensation when shooting from a vehicle or with a moving camera, do not start filming when already moving (but have the camera stationary at the start and end of the shot if possible).
© proDAD GmbH Details about Mercalli V4 SAL When you start up Mercalli, it opens with the Start tab active, where you can configure all settings for the stabilization of your video. Starting the program and importing media 1. Program Start: You can start Mercalli from a shortcut on your desktop or by clicking Start/Programs/proDAD/Mercalli. Then, you will have 4 options to Import videos. 1. 2. 3. 4.
© proDAD GmbH Playback of the original video - define trim area After the import, the video can be played in the Mercalli preview via Control = control of playback just like Play/Pause (1). The Time information (2) of the video (currently = 05 second / Figure 24) is shown below the preview on the left. To the right below the preview, you will find the option Calculate preview and play on an external player (3).
© proDAD GmbH Analyze and export media Analyze All Selected Media-Bin items The option Analyze all selected videos of the media bin allows the analysis of all media selected in the media bin. Export All Selected Media-Bin Items The option Export all selected videos of the media bin allows the export of all media selected in the media bin. Here, the media is analyzed, stabilized and exported into a new file.
© proDAD GmbH CMOS-Correction - Select distortion types and Rolling-Shutter Compensation First, you will need to remove undesired CMOS effects from your video and then you will get even better stabilization effects, because pictures that are free of shaking and wobbling are the better basis for the subsequent stabilization of undesired camera movements! Almost all action cameras, DSLR cameras, as well as professional video cameras have so-called CMOS sensors.
© proDAD GmbH Edit Intensive Repair...: There is also the option of a permanent Saving or Resetting of CMOS settings.
© proDAD GmbH Smooth Camera Path - Using the virtual Stabi-Cam The option Smooth Camera Path allows the stabilization of a video to be turned on or off. You can analyze and correct your shaky video by means of different Stabi-Cams. For this, select a suitable Stabi-Cam (the default is the Universal Camera). Information for using the virtual Stabi-Cams As every video is different in its makeup, we recommend starting the video analysis or stabilization with the default Stabi-Cam Universal Camera.
© proDAD GmbH Used Camera Optics In order to achieve the best possible Stabilization quality select your Camera type in this menu. This way, Mercalli recognizes the Camera Optics. If your camera is not listed, try the 3 Generic-Profile.
© proDAD GmbH Avoid Border The use of the slider in the field Avoid Border depends on the type of blur in the video. Generally, Mercalli proceeds following certain automatic schemes. If you remove nearly all undesired movements that are signaled by a in the shift diagram, move the slider only as far as you need to go in the field Avoid Border in order to maintain the original resolution in the stabilized result as much as possible.
© proDAD GmbH Pan Shot Smoothing With the slider Pan Shot Smoothing you balance the total movements in the video. If you move the slider further to the right, Mercalli increases the stabilization, the video appears quieter. The slider Pan Shot Smoothing is available in Mercalli above the preview but also on the Settings tab. The slider Pan Shot Smoothing causes the greatest visual change (smoothing of the movement in the video). Changes in the correction curve are also visible in the shift diagram.
© proDAD GmbH View Mode (Result + Source + Vertical/Horizontal Compare + Side-by-Side) The menu View Mode contains different options to display the video preview. 1. View Result (shows the stabilized video as a preview) 2. View Source (shows the original video as a preview) 3. Horizontal Compare (Comparison of original/stabilized in a horizontal split screen) 4. Vertical Compare (Comparison of original/stabilized in a vertical split screen) 5. Side-by-Side split screen (separation of the image cutout, e.g.
© proDAD GmbH Playing the stabilized video in Mercalli & calculation for ext. player The stabilized video can be played in the Mercalli preview via Play/Stop (1). The Time information (2) of the video (currently = 09 second / Figure 13) can be found below Mercalli preview. To the right below the preview, you will find the option Calculate preview and play on an external player (3). Click on this option after the video analysis, then your preview will be calculated and can then be played by e.g.
© proDAD GmbH slider Pan Shot Smoothing causes the greatest visual change (smoothing of the movements in the video). Also, in the Shift diagram, you will see the changes in the correction curve. If you wish to remove nearly all undesired movements signaled by a in the Shift diagram, move the slider in the area Avoid Border only far enough to the right (more zoom IN) to keep most of the original resolution in the stabilized result.
© proDAD GmbH CMOS Sensor (with On/Off) The fully automatic CMOS correction retroactively removes weaknesses caused by the CMOS sensor. The green curve shows the correction (counter-action) by Mercalli, the orange curve shows the residual errors (incorrigible). Move the mouse directly into the diagram; this will also show the current values. Furthermore, the CMOS Sensor diagram can also be deactivated (on the right, directly adjacent to the currently displayed diagram).
© proDAD GmbH Tilt (with On/Off) In the Tilt diagram, the movement in the video regarding the tilting around the X/Y Axis is displayed. Move the mouse directly into the diagram; this will also show the current values. The correction and display in the diagram depends on the position of the sliders Y Axis - Balance and X Axis - Balance on the Settings tab. Move the slider Pan - Balance; this will change the correction regarding the rotation around the X/Y axis.
© proDAD GmbH Minimum 109% and maximum 125% - Zoom In used Information, Settings, Media Bin + Output Media-Bin Information On the first tab, you will see Information for the current video, as well as how many videos were imported and how many still need to be exported. Settings Pan Shot Smoothing The slider Pan Shot Smoothing is available in Mercalli, above the preview but also on the Settings tab.
© proDAD GmbH With the slider Pan Shot Smoothing you balance the total movements in the video. If you move the slider further to the right, Mercalli increases the stabilization, the video appears quieter. The slider Pan Shot Smoothing causes the greatest visual change (smoothing of the movements in the video). Changes in the correction curve are also visible in the shift diagram. Roll - Balance The slider Roll - Balance effects a correction of the video regarding the movements (rotation) around the Z Axis.
© proDAD GmbH can usually be seen as empty content or black image areas. At this point, the user can decide how to perform the border calculation. Best Border If you select the option Best Border, there will be No Border in the stabilized video. The border will be eliminated by zooming into the video. This is done in relation to the blurs and the desired extent of correction in connection with the setting process done with the Zoom slider.
© proDAD GmbH Note: If this displays interfering side effects in the border replaced by image content (see gate at top left), deactivate the option Video Color Filling once again. You can zoom into the video with the slider Scale, the border will be minimized further. Too much Zoom In can cause blurs (grainy image) in the video. Video Color Filling With the option Video Color Filling you allocate Image Content to an existing black border in the video.
© proDAD GmbH Note: If this displays interfering side effects in the border replaced by image content (see gate at top left), deactivate the option Video Color Filling once again. Forensic View In the Forensic View, the display is zoomed out and has no limits. By zooming into a scene, the effected correction is easier to evaluate with Mercalli. The slider Scale will support you with Zoom IN/OUT. Dynamic Scaling The cyan colored line shows the Zoom In used in the corresponding time position in the diagram.
© proDAD GmbH Noise reduction / Sharpness If your video contains noise portions or if it is not sharp enough, you can select Settings and the option Noise reduction / Sharpness and improve the quality. The change will immediately be shown in the preview.
© proDAD GmbH Keep Camera Dynamic The option Keep Camera Dynamic is intended to maintain the vivacity in the video, i.e., deliberate camera movements of the person filming should neither be smoothed nor stabilized. If you wish to stabilize a normal hand-filmed blurry camera shot into a Tripod Recording, you should deactivate the option Keep Camera Dynamic.
© proDAD GmbH Zoom - Balance With the slider Zoom - Balance, you can smooth the Zoom Movement in the video. Move the slider further to the right to effect a stronger smoothing of zoom changes. Existing blurring in the zoom is thus balanced. Changes in the zoom correction curve are also visible in the Zoom Corrections diagram. The slider Zoom - Balance can also be deactivated. Simply click on the checkmark on the Settings tab. Then, there will be no Zoom Correction in the video.
© proDAD GmbH Y-Axis - Balance The slider Y-Axis - Balance effects a correction of the video regarding the movements (rotation) around the Y Axis (tilting movement of the camera in the direction Y). Displayed in the Tilt diagram (below the preview) as the cyan-colored curve. If you move the slider Y-Axis - Balance, this will change the correction regarding the rotation around the Y axis. In the diagram, this change will be displayed in the cyan-colored curve.
© proDAD GmbH X-Axis – Balance The slider X-Axis - Balance effects a correction of the video regarding the movements (rotation) around the X Axis (tilting movement of the camera in the direction X). Displayed in the Tilt diagram (below the preview) as the magenta-colored curve. If you move the slider X-Axis - Balance, this will change the correction regarding the rotation around the X-Axis. In the diagram, this change will be displayed in the magenta-colored curve.
© proDAD GmbH Media Bin You can view all imported media on the Media Bin tab. You will see information on the file path, resolution, runtime, images/sec (f/s), pixel ratio (par) as well as about the source path of the imported videos. You can also add (+) or remove (-) media to and from the media bin. The medium selected in the media bin can be moved up one position by clicking on the Up Arrow button. With the Down Arrow button, you can move it down.
© proDAD GmbH Batch processing in Detail Mercalli allows batch processing. The Batch processing is arranged in a way that allows you to export your video file at any time. There are 2 main options of Batch processing. 1. Video analysis of separated videos and subsequent export of all the selected videos Import a video in Mercalli 3.0 SAL, select the Stabilization settings (as Staby-Cam etc.) and analyse the video. Import further videos and analyse them.
© proDAD GmbH settings. The videos selected for the export will now automatically be analyzed and then exported. The videos will then be available in the Output Media-Bin register. Note: For further modifications of the stabilization settings, just select the video in Media Bin, modify the settings and export the videos including the new settings in the Export stabilized Media register without further analysis. 3.
© proDAD GmbH Now you use the option Setup to select the desired Media Encoder for video. Currently, the following Media Encoder Settings are available to you: AVC/H264 (mp4), AVC/H264 (mov), MJpeg (mov), Apple ProRes (mov) as well as HEVC/H265 (mov). Now you use the option Setup to select the desired Media Encoder for audio. If you wish to export Audio , first mark the option Use Audio. Here, also the following Media Encoder Settings are available to you: AAC, PCM 16bit, AC-3 and Apple Lossless (ALAC).
© proDAD GmbH Click Start export in order to export the stabilized video into a new file. Then you can select the exported video directly from Mercalli 3.0 SAL and reproduce it via Mediaplayer. Note: After exporting various video files, these files will be available immediately for Playback via Mediaplayer. Further use of the saved video The file you have created (your stabilized video) is now available for further use (e.g. burning on a DVD or Blu-ray) depending on the export format you have chosen.
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