Q: Which devices is the ZeroShake application compatible with?
A: The current iPhone version is compatible with the iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPhone 5s and iPhone 6. (iPhone 5c and 6 Plus support are coming soon as well).
The current iPad version is compatible with the iPad Mini, iPad Mini with Retina, the iPad 4 and the iPad Air. (support for the other iPads are coming soon as well).
When a new iPhone or iPad is launched, we will write a stabilization profile for that model, and the app will install this profile automatically from our server when available, without the need to update the app from the App Store. Just close the app and restart it to install the new profile.
Q: Will there be an Android or Windows Phone version available in the future?
A: Not in the very near future. We use a framework, specifically designed for iOS, to get the most out of the GPU. Currently this is not possible for other platforms. Thus as 3rd party developer we cannot offer an application with the same speed of processing and real-time image stabilization, as seen in the iOS app, for other platforms. Development of hardware and associated software goes very fast though, so it is possible that a future Android or Windows Phone platform and associated devices will meet the necessary requirements. The most popular models will then be included in ZeroShake.
Q: Why is my video recorded with ZeroShake blurry or not sharp?
A: The two main causes for a blurry image are that the focus is incorrect, or that your lens is dirty or greasy. So always wipe your lens clean before you make a recording. You can change the focus settings under the ZeroShake stabilization settings ((Z)) in the recording screen. Then tap the screen on the object to manually focus on.
Q: What do the symbols, numbers and letters in the Thumbnails, displayed in the ZeroShake Gallery, mean?
A: Each Thumbnail displays data relating to the recording and or its version with effects applied to it.
The symbol in the right bottom corner tells you if the video was recorded with the native ZeroShake camera with the electronic image stabilization turned on, ‘eis’; or if it was imported from the camera roll, ‘import-symbol’.
In the left bottom corner the date of the recording is displayed; If the Thumb links to a newly saved video with effects applied to it, then it shows the date when that version was saved. In case of an imported video, it shows the date the video was imported.
Under the date, the duration of the video is displayed.
Thumbnails of saved videos with effects applied to it are placed directly next to the original unedited version of that video, with a red ‘FX’ logo in the top left corner.
Q: Why does it take so long to process a video?
A: ZeroShake uses a special framework to drastically increase the speed by which the image frames are being processed. Applying effects and filters only takes a fraction of the time that other apps take. But, a smartphone is still just a smartphone, and not a dedicated video editing system. Although it only takes a couple of milliseconds to process a frame with a filter, stacking several together will slow things down. Of course, when wanting to speed up processing, it helps to record in a lower resolution, as subsequent filters are also faster applied to a lower resolution.
Q: Why does the app crash when it’s processing the video for sharing or export?
A: The most likely cause is that you are trying to apply too many filters or effects at the same time. Each lighting setting is a separate filter, and although it only takes a couple of milliseconds to process a frame with a filter, stacking several together will slow things down. Then add a creative FX filter, include an opening or ending effect, and put some captions in, and it may just be too much. The app will close. Your original recording is still saved though in the gallery, so you can then restart the app and try again, possibly with a few filters or effects less.
Q: Why do I receive an error, when trying to post a video on Facebook?
A: The most likely cause is that you do not have an active internet connection, or that the upload speed of your current connection is too slow. If it takes longer than a couple of minutes to upload the video to a Facebook server, then it is cut off. You can try again later, or connect your device to a faster internet connection, for example your wifi connection at home. Our experience is that the upload speed of your internet connection needs to be least 1 Mbps to be able to send a 30 second video to Facebook without any problems.
Q: Why does the image sometimes suddenly shift to the side during recording?
A: ZeroShake uses a very complex filter to fuse together taken samples from several sensors, in order to constantly know in which direction the device is being pointed, and when and by how much stabilization is required. This so called motion filter runs at a very high frequency. These samples are processed in near real-time, using nearly the full capacity of the CPU, allowing just enough to process the incoming image frames. When during that process the CPU needs to work on something incidental, it may corrupt the motion filter for a very brief time, resulting in a quick shift on the screen. This can be for instance during a refocus or a zoom process. We are working on providing a more stable experience in this regard.
Q: My device gets pretty warm near the camera, is that normal?
A: ZeroShake uses a very complex filter to fuse together taken samples from several sensors, in order to constantly know in which direction the device is being pointed, and when and by how much stabilization is required. This so called motion filter runs at a very high frequency, taking several hundred samples every second from each sensor. These samples are processed in near real-time, using nearly the full capacity of the CPU, with the remainder being used to process incoming image frames. Also the GPU is fully used to run the real-time stabilization process. All the sensors and processors are near the camera, so that’s when things can get warm around that area. But you do not have to worry about it; We have thoroughly tested the application (mostly in the tropics!), and in the very unlikely event that the temperature rises to a level that is harmful to your device, the device will shut down automatically with a warning, to let it cool down. We had this a few times on the iPhone 4, during tests, but never encountered this on the iPhone 4S or newer devices. That is also one of the reasons why do not offer the ZeroShake app for the iPhone 4.
Q: What a great app you have created! I regard myself as an expert in the subject of iOS app development, motion or image processing, or mobile marketing and would love to work for your company to assist in further development in and activities surrounding ZeroShake. Are you hiring?
A: For the right person, we create a job! And we are currently actively seeking people to become co-founders for the next stage of Zeroshake. Please use the form on the contact us page to get in touch.