Video editing glossary

0-9

• Cameras & stabilization 360 camera A camera with two back-to-back fisheye lenses that records the full sphere around it, so you choose where to point the shot after you have filmed.
• Cameras & stabilization 360 reframing Turning a spherical 360 recording into a normal flat video by choosing where a virtual camera points, how wide it sees and how it moves over time.
• Cameras & stabilization 360 stitching Merging the images from the two fisheye lenses of a 360 camera into one seamless spherical video, done in the camera, the phone app or desktop software.

A

• Cameras & stabilization Action camera livestreaming Broadcasting live video from an action camera to a platform such as YouTube or Twitch, usually over a phone hotspot, instead of only recording to the card.
• Cameras & stabilization AutoBoost A GoPro stabilization setting that adds crop only when the ride gets rough, keeping a wider frame on smooth sections and steadier footage on bumpy ones.

B

• Cameras & stabilization Balanced Optical SteadyShot Sony's optical stabilization that floats the whole lens and sensor block on a tiny gimbal-like mount, used in Handycams and the FDR-X3000 action cam.
• Cameras & stabilization Battery life How long an action camera can record on one charge. It depends on resolution, frame rate, temperature, screens and wireless features, not just the battery.
• Cameras & stabilization Bluetooth remote A small wireless controller, often worn on the wrist or bar, that starts and stops an action camera recording when the camera is out of reach.
• Cameras & stabilization Bullet time A 360 camera effect where you swing the camera around your head on a string or stick, creating a slow-motion shot that orbits around you.

C

• Cameras & stabilization Crop factor How much smaller a sensor is than full-frame 35 mm, expressed as a multiplier. It tells you how a lens on that camera compares in field of view.

D

• Cameras & stabilization Digital zoom Zooming by cropping into the center of the sensor and enlarging it, rather than moving lens glass. It narrows the view but also lowers the real detail.
• Cameras & stabilization Dynamic range The span between the darkest and brightest detail a camera can record in one frame, measured in stops. More range keeps both bright sky and dark shade.

E

• Cameras & stabilization Electronic image stabilization (EIS) A stabilization method that crops into the sensor and shifts each frame in software to cancel shake, based on motion measured by a gyroscope.
• Cameras & stabilization Enduro battery A GoPro battery with improved chemistry for cold weather and longer runtime, made for recent HERO cameras that often lose charge fast on cold days.

F

• Cameras & stabilization Field of view (FOV) How much of the scene a camera captures, measured in degrees. Action cameras range from ultra-wide fisheye views to narrower, flatter linear crops.
• Cameras & stabilization Fisheye distortion The curved, bulging look of ultra-wide action-camera lenses, where straight lines bow outward and objects near the edges look stretched or bent.
• Cameras & stabilization FlowState stabilization Insta360's gyro-based stabilization. On 360 cameras it is applied when the footage is processed in the app or Insta360 Studio rather than in the lens.
• Cameras & stabilization Front screen A second color display on the lens side of an action camera, so you can frame yourself for vlogs and selfie shots without guessing what the camera sees.

G

• Cameras & stabilization Gimbal A motorized mount that keeps a camera steady on three axes by actively countering movement, used handheld, on drones and inside pocket cameras.
• Cameras & stabilization GoPro Quik The official GoPro app for controlling the camera, copying footage to your phone and making quick automatic or hands-on edits on the go.
• Cameras & stabilization Gyroflow Free, open-source software that stabilizes video after shooting from the camera gyro data, turning shaky FPV and action footage into gimbal-smooth shots.

H

• Cameras & stabilization HiLight tag A marker you add to a GoPro clip while recording, by button, voice or app, to flag a moment worth finding later. It is stored in the file metadata.
• Cameras & stabilization Horizon Lock A stabilization mode that keeps the horizon level even when the camera tilts or rolls, so the world stays flat while the rider or vehicle leans.
• Cameras & stabilization HyperSmooth GoPro's in-camera electronic stabilization, which uses gyro data to smooth bumps and shakes by cropping into the sensor and shifting every frame.
• Cameras & stabilization HyperView An ultra-wide GoPro digital lens that stretches the full-height 8:7 sensor image into 16:9, giving an even more immersive, faster-looking view than SuperView.

I

• Cameras & stabilization Image sensor The light-sensitive chip inside a camera that turns light into an electrical signal for every pixel. Its size and design shape noise, color and dynamic range.
• Cameras & stabilization Insta360 Studio The free Insta360 desktop app for stitching, stabilizing and reframing 360 footage and exporting it as standard flat or spherical MP4 video.
• Cameras & stabilization Invisible selfie stick A thin pole that vanishes from 360 footage because it sits in the blind spot between the two lenses, so the shot looks like a hovering drone.

L

• Cameras & stabilization Lens cover The flat glass or plastic window that protects an action camera lens. Many models let you unscrew and replace it when it gets scratched or cracked.
• Cameras & stabilization Lens distortion correction Straightening the curved lines of a wide or fisheye lens, either in the camera or in editing software, so horizons and buildings look straight again.
• Cameras & stabilization Light Mod A small waterproof LED light for action cameras that mounts on a cold shoe or mounting fingers to brighten faces and close subjects in dim light.
• Cameras & stabilization Linear lens An action camera lens mode that digitally removes fisheye curvature so horizons and buildings stay straight, in exchange for a narrower field of view.
• Cameras & stabilization Low-light performance How well a camera keeps detail, color and smooth motion when light drops, at dusk, indoors or in forest shade. Weak low-light footage looks grainy and smeared.

M

• Cameras & stabilization Magnetic quick-release A mounting system that snaps a camera onto mounts with magnets and clips, so you can swap between helmet, bike and handheld setups without screws.
• Cameras & stabilization Max Lens Mod A screw-on GoPro HERO accessory lens that replaces the stock front cover with an ultra-wide one, adding a wider view and stronger horizon leveling.
• Cameras & stabilization Media Mod A GoPro accessory frame that adds a better directional microphone, extra ports and cold shoe mounts, turning the camera into a compact vlogging rig.
• Cameras & stabilization Me Mode An Insta360 shooting mode that uses a 360 camera on a selfie stick to output a flat, third-person view of you, as if someone were filming you.

N

• Cameras & stabilization Night mode A camera setting tuned for dark scenes that changes exposure, noise reduction and frame rate to keep night footage brighter and cleaner than standard modes.

O

• Cameras & stabilization Optical image stabilization (OIS) Stabilization that physically moves a lens element or the sensor to cancel shake during the exposure, instead of cropping and shifting the frame in software.
• Cameras & stabilization Overheating When an action camera gets too hot and stops recording or shuts down to protect itself, common with high resolutions, frame rates and little airflow.

P

• Cameras & stabilization Pocket gimbal camera A small camera built into a motorized three-axis gimbal, such as the DJI Osmo Pocket range, that gives very smooth handheld video from something pocket-sized.

Q

• Cameras & stabilization QuikCapture A GoPro feature that powers the camera on and starts recording with a single press of the shutter button, then turns it off again when you stop.

R

• Cameras & stabilization ReelSteady Gyro-based stabilization software, later bought by GoPro, that smooths footage after shooting using the camera motion data and became popular with FPV pilots.
• Cameras & stabilization RockSteady DJI's electronic stabilization for Osmo Action cameras and some FPV drones. It crops into the sensor and counters shake using gyroscope readings.

S

• Cameras & stabilization Sensor size The physical dimensions of a camera image sensor. Bigger sensors gather more light, so they usually give cleaner low-light footage and wider dynamic range.
• Cameras & stabilization Stitch line The seam in a 360 video where the images from the two lenses are joined. Objects crossing it close to the camera can look broken, doubled or bent.
• Cameras & stabilization SuperView A GoPro digital lens setting that stretches the tall 4:3 sensor image into a 16:9 frame for a wider, faster-feeling view with warped edges.

V

• Cameras & stabilization Voice control Controlling an action camera by speaking commands such as start recording or take a photo, so you can operate it hands-free on a helmet, bike or board.

W

• Cameras & stabilization Waterproof camera body An action camera sealed to survive water without an extra housing, usually rated to around 10 m, so it can go surfing, snorkeling or into rain as it is.
• Cameras & stabilization Webcam mode A setting that lets an action camera act as a USB webcam for video calls and streaming, using its wide lens instead of a laptop camera.
• Cameras & stabilization Wide lens The default action camera lens mode: a very wide view with natural fisheye curve at the edges, a balance between immersion and a usable, uncorrected picture.