The Foundry - RollingShutter

RollingShutter is a brand-new plug-in for After Effects, designed to tackle image-distortion problems faced by users of CMOS based digital cameras.

DSLRs with video recording capability are increasingly growing in popularity but like most cameras using a CMOS sensor they record every frame line-by-line from top to bottom of the image, rather than as a single snapshot of a point in time, which can lead to "Rolling Shutter" artefacts. As parts of the image are recorded at different times, fast-moving objects, or objects that pass quickly through frame during camera whip-pans, become distorted with diagonal skews. Other typical distortions include image wobbles created when cameras are hand-held, and exposure problems with flashing or strobing lights.

Along with being ungainly and unwanted, these image distortions also increase the difficulty of 3D tracking during VFX post production, as the tracking points themselves can be equally affected or not deliver accurate results.

Using Local Motion Estimation technology, The Foundry's Rolling Shutter plug-in can individually correct parts of the image that are moving relative to the camera, even if they are moving in different directions or at different speeds.

RollingShutter can be used to correct footage from any progressive shutter, CMOS based camera, including RED and Canon's 5DMK2 and 7D. Although the plug-in will often vastly improve the look of distorted footage, by either minimising or eradicating image distortions, its main purpose is to enable software trackers to work effectively on a wide range of affected footage.