RockSteady
Also known as: DJI RockSteady, RockSteady 3.0, RockSteady+
DJI's electronic stabilization for Osmo Action cameras and some FPV drones. It crops into the sensor and counters shake using gyroscope readings.
Updated
What it means
RockSteady is DJI's name for the electronic stabilization built into its Osmo Action cameras, and a version of it also appears on DJI's FPV drones such as the Avata line. Like other gyro-based systems, it records a margin around the visible frame and moves the image inside that margin to cancel out bumps, vibration and small rotations.
DJI has released several generations, and newer cameras offer stronger variants alongside the standard mode. Next to RockSteady sits a family of horizon features, usually called HorizonBalancing and HorizonSteady, which straighten a tilted or fully rolling camera at the expense of more crop.
How it works in practice
On a current Osmo Action, the stabilization menu lets you pick between off, RockSteady, a stronger plus mode, HorizonBalancing and HorizonSteady. Standard RockSteady is a good default for a chest mount or handheld walking shots. The stronger mode suits rough trails and gravel, while HorizonSteady is the one for a camera that flips and rolls, for example on a board or in a wipeout.
Expect some modes to be locked to certain resolutions and frame rates, because heavy crop needs extra pixels. FPV pilots often turn RockSteady off on the drone and record gyro data instead, so they can stabilize later with a tool like Gyroflow and keep the full frame.
What to watch out for
Stronger modes crop in noticeably, so a wide shot can end up feeling tight and lose the sense of speed that a wide field of view gives. Check a test clip before a big day out rather than discovering it at home.
Like every EIS system, RockSteady cannot fix rolling shutter wobble from high-frequency vibration, and it struggles in dim light where frames are already smeared. If you plan to stabilize in post, make sure in-camera stabilization is off, because gyro tools expect untouched frames and double stabilization produces warping at the edges.
How RawClip handles it
RawClip does not add stabilization, so pick the right RockSteady mode while filming or stabilize your clips in DJI's or Gyroflow's software first. Then upload the finished MP4 files from your Osmo Action or drone together with footage from your other cameras in a single order.