Microsoft has unveiled a new set of products that create smooth watchable timelapses from first-person shaky videos. Hyperlapse Mobile offers Windows Phone and Android users the chance to take and create smooth videos, while Hyperlapse Pro allows professionals to create hyperlapse videos on their Windows PC.
Imagine this scenario. You want to create a time lapse video from hours of footage you took while mountain climbing or skiing, but when recorded with a traditional camera, the footage tends to be very shaky and uneven. This is because the person shooting the video is usually walking, running, biking, or otherwise in motion. When you speed up the video, the shakes and jerks are amplified.
This is where Hyperlapse comes into play. Microsoft researchers have developed an algorithm that creates an approximate 3D model of the landscape being filmed, then identifies the dominant path that the camera took through said landscape. Hyperlapse will then stitch together bits and pieces of different frames that have the most overlap with each other to create a smooth and stable hyperlapse, rather than a shaky timelapse video.
The idea of Hyperlapse originated from an extreme sport but Microsoft researchers are using it in less extreme settings too. For example, some researchers have used it to stabilize footage from a GoPro attached to a dog (dog’s eye view of the world), outdoor tours, and much more. Now imagine Hyperlapse being used in filmmaking or even by amateurs during their morning work commute. The possibilities are endless.
- Microsoft Hyperlapse Pro: designed with professional photographers and serious video enthusiasts in mind, create hyperlapse videos using a Windows computer with video shot on any camera or device – even aerial footage shot from drones.
- Microsoft Hyperlapse Mobile: mobile apps for Windows Phone and Android allowing users to take, create, and share hyperlapse video on their phones.
- Microsoft Hyperlapse for Azure Media Services: A tool for developers to integrate hyperlapse options into websites and apps.
You’ve heard of it before
Back in August of 2014, we learned about a new technology from Microsoft called “first-person hyperlapse videos” which turns your shaky recordings into smooth time-lapse videos. This technology is especially useful if you own a GoPro camera and find yourself recording lots of shaky videos.
“We present a method for converting first-person videos, for example, captured with a helmet camera during activities such as rock climbing or bicycling, into hyperlapse videos: time-lapse videos with a smoothly moving camera,” Microsoft Research stated back in 2014.
But then, things got quiet. In March of 2015, we finally learned that Microsoft was testing a Hyperlapse Mobile beta app for Windows Phone, suggesting that Microsoft was indeed pushing forward to make this technology happen. Now, today, Microsoft has released Hyperlapse — and you can download it from the download link below.
How do I use Hyperlapse?
Hyperlapse Mobile for Windows Phone is super easy to use. Simply launch the Hyperlapse app and you will be greeted with a video recording interface where you can turn on flash, switch to the front camera, or simply begin recording by pressing the red button. Once you record your video, you can easily save it, share, or record a new video. As you save it, you can adjust the speed control of the footage. I recorded several timelapses with Hyperlapse for Windows Phone and the process was really easy.
“Microsoft Hyperlapse is a new technology that creates smooth and stabilized time lapses from first-person videos. Want to show your friends what you saw on that 12-mile hike you took last weekend, or let them experience how it felt to fly down the mountain on your recent ski trip? With Microsoft Hyperlapse Mobile, you can time lapse those experiences on the go, distilling them into easily consumable, enjoyable experiences,” the Windows Phone app description reads.
The following Windows Phone devices are supported: Lumia 435, Lumia 530, Lumia 532, Lumia 535, Lumia 630, Lumia 635, Lumia 636, Lumia 638, Lumia 640, Lumia 640 XL, Lumia 730, Lumia 735, Lumia 830, Lumia 930, Lumia 1520, and HTC One M8.
Using Hyperlapse Pro for Windows is also just as easy to use. Once you download and install the software, you will see the initial landing page which allows you to either create a new project or open an existing project. Afterwards, you can simply import your shaky video from your phone, GoPro camera, etc., and customize some settings including the speed of the footage, and generate your new smooth video.
Hyperlapse Pro features a straightforward and easy to use interface. Just open your video, set your starting and ending points, and hit the “next” button at the very top of the program. In the settings category, you can set the speed control (from 2x to 25x), smoothness level, output file location, resolution, and framerate. Processing the video is quick depending on your computer specs.
Grab the software and the app from the download link below and enjoy!
Further reading: Hyperlapse, Microsoft, Windows, Windows Phone
