Gyroflow is free open-source software to give you rock-steady video footage

The funny thing about free software is that it still needs to sell itself to us. Sure, there’s no monetary cost, but nobody wants to feel that their time (and hard drive space) is being wasted. Sometimes, though, a free and open-source app comes along that demands and deserves our time.

If you shoot video, that app might just be Gyroflow (download here). Gyroflow 1.5.1 has been released with improved support for Sony, Blackmagic and Insta360, along with multiple video aspect ratio presets. It’s available for Windows, Mac and Linux and as an OpenFX plugin for DaVinci Resolve.

Gyroflow – Real gyro-based data

Gyroflow goes above and beyond tools like Warp Stabiliser in Premiere Pro, which stabilises based purely on visual data. As the name suggests, Gyroflow actually looks at the gyro data written to the video file. It sees exactly how the camera moved from one frame to the next in order to correct and stabilise it.

Gyroflow supports a wide range of cameras from companies including Sony, DJI, GoPro, Insta360, Blackmagic Design, RED, and Z-Cam. It also supports a range of drone cameras, such as those from RunCam, Caddx and Hawkeye.

Not all cameras can do it

Gyroflow relies on a camera that writes out gyro data to the video file. This isn’t all camera. And this is something that even gyro-capable cameras don’t do for every format. For example, the Blackmagic Pocket 4K (buy here) and Pocket 6K (buy here) cameras only write out the gyro data when shooting BRAW. They don’t write gyro data out when recording ProRes MOV.

Gyro export support – and Gyroflow support – is a recent addition to the DJI Action 2 (buy here), in a firmware update in February. This was DJI’s first action camera to provide this ability, but it also exists in the DJI Avata FPV drone (buy here).

The documentation for Gyroflow is currently in a transition period as it moves over to a new format. A lot of the documentation has already been ported over already, but the camera compatibility list is currently incomplete. You can see the list here, but keep checking if your camera’s not on it, as it seems to see updates regularly.

The latest Gyroflow 1.5.1 update is available to download from the Gyroflow website. It’s available as a standalone application for Windows, macOS and Linux. It’s also available as an OpenFX plugin for DaVinci Resolve.