Support / Capture & saving

From live view to a finished movie

Capture, playback & saving

Choose your picture quality, understand capture modes and save your finished film.

Open a section for the steps and pictures.

Choose your image qualityResolution, Image depth and HDR

Set up the picture before you start a shot and keep the settings consistent. For the best image quality, the handbook recommends QHD, medium to high Image depth and Production capture.

ResolutionPicture size
HD1280 × 720
Full HD1920 × 1080
QHD2560 × 1440

QHD captures the most detail. Higher resolutions transfer more data. Changing resolution briefly restarts live view.

Handbook screenshot showing QHD and the Image depth settings
Choose resolution and Image depth, then apply the settings and restart preview.

Image depth

Higher Image depth slows live preview. Lower it when you need a more responsive view while positioning a character.

HDR

HDR is a separate control in the Spark HUD. It can help some scenes, but may cause changes between frames. Test a short sequence before using it for a whole shot.

Preview quality and capture modesPreview quality, Fast capture and Production capture

Position your character in live view, then press the red capture button. Open More in the Spark HUD to find preview and capture controls.

Zu3D showing a character in live view, the red capture button and captured frames in the timeline
Position the character, remove your hands, then capture.
SettingWhen to use it
Preview qualityLower quality can make live view more responsive. Adaptive adjusts it for you.
Fast captureSaves the picture currently shown in live preview, at the selected preview quality. Useful for quicker capture.
Production captureSaves a separate, higher-quality picture. Wait until capture finishes before moving the character.

A slower preview can be normal. Your network and Image depth affect live view. Your film’s playback rate is set separately.

Movement or framing looks wrongSmoother movement and camera-position fixes

Movement is too fast or jerky

Make smaller moves between frames. Try 12 fps for the early handbook projects and add pauses where the action needs time to register. Check your hands are out of every picture.

The camera or stage moved

Use onion skinning to line up with the previous frame. Secure the tripod and stage with masking tape. If you have already captured a few seconds, you could change angle and start a new shot.

Replay the last few frames after a fix. Check focus, exposure and colour consistency before continuing. Open the picture-fixing guide.

Save your project and export a movieAutosave, export and Save to device

Zu3D saves your changes automatically. Open your project from the Projects dashboard when you want to carry on.

  1. Export your movie. Press the export icon at the top right, then choose Start export. Keep Zu3D open while it works.
  2. Save a copy. When export finishes, your film appears in Zu3D’s Movies area. Choose Save to device and follow your device’s prompts.
  3. Watch and share. Share your finished movie with friends, or upload it to the moderated Zu3D stop-motion gallery.
Handbook screenshot of export progress with a preview of the film
Keep Zu3D open during export.
Handbook screenshot after export, showing View your movies and Save to device
Save a copy of the finished movie to your device.

Export creates a separate movie. Your original project stays editable so you can keep working on it.

Zu3D is regularly updated, so some screens and controls may look slightly different.

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