Animated Videos have become one of the signature tools of marketers worldwide for telling a story and creating effective marketing campaigns for the future.
- Jun 25, 2016 As for Cannon, I hear that the software bundled with your camera will work. It's called the Cannon EOS Utility. It does tethering, but I do not know much more about it. There's also dedicated stop motion software like Stop Motion Pro, Stopmotion Studio 4.0, and AnimatorHD.
- Stop Motion Studio makes it easy to create your own stop-motion movies. The Washington Post. All you need is an iPhone or iPad, a tripod, the right software, and a bit of creativity. Stop Motion Studio Brings Out the LEGO Moviemaking Geek in All of Us. On all your devices. Create and edit your projects on any device you want.
Depending on your purpose and skills, you can choose from different types of software available both offline and online, for professionals and amateur users, 2D, 3D, whiteboard or stop motion animation tool, etc.
Oct 28, 2016 This video shows a quick rundown on how I setup my camera for a stop-motion. You might find it usefull. LEGO Stop-Motion DSLR Camera Tutorial. Dragonframe stop motion software 3.0.
Below are our picks for the best animation software for mac of 2019. For more background information, see a more detailed buying advice below the picks.
Part1. Whiteboard Animation Tools
Part2. 2D Animation Tools
Part3. 3D Animation Tools
Part4. Stop Motion Animation Tools
Part5. Motion Graphics Software
How to Choose the Right Animation Software for Mac
Part1. Whiteboard Animation Tools
#1. Best Whiteboard Animation Software for Mac: VideoScribe by Sparkol
This program is produced by Sparkol and it remains one of the best whiteboard animation software programs for both Mac and PC. You can also use it on a number of mobile devices including devices that run android. There are elements of the program that works through the cloud making it very simple to upload and edit video wherever you might be.
Videoscribe works quite intuitively for building business presentations, TED talk style videos, tutorials, creative marketing solutions and more. What is produced out of this program looks hand-drawn and extremely professional for any type of marketing campaign. The best part is that you can use many of these tools to create these effects with very little animation knowledge.
Even children enjoy using this program because of its ease of use. There is a full library of stock images, animation and more as well as an extensive voiceover soundtrack that can be used with the solutions here.
The yearly and monthly subscription also ensures that there is a flexible use for the program. It also comes with a seven-day free trial with features to try before you buy.
#2. Best Free Animation Software for Mac: PowToon
This is a fantastic online presentation maker for academic use, presentations and infographics.
The program is completely free to use and has a number of animation effects on board that can make anything exported out of the program seem extremely professional.
The free templates available in the program as well as the quality of the animations that are presented within the platform make it a true favorite amongst many brands.
A number of major companies now almost exclusively trust their creative tools to Powtoon and it can be used almost anywhere where there is an Internet connection with mass compatibility.
As a fully cloud-based system there’s no use for installation or downloads to take full advantage of it. Its available for free use on any Macintosh computer as long as you are willing to use the watermark.
Part2. 2D Animation Tools
#3. Best 2D Animation Software for Mac: Toon Boom Harmony
This is a program that actually deserves some surprising recognition. The company has partnered with major film companies like Warner brothers, Disney, and Nickelodeon and it’s currently one of the best and most powerful 2-D animation suites for commercial use.
With the use of this program you can build anything from traditional animation all the way to amazing drawing tools that can produce the future of 3-D animation. The 3-D cameras and integration available in this platform can provide fundamental solutions for drawing, rendering and building beautiful projects.
There are tools and tasks available here that can suit small hobby animators all the way up to professional uses. The premium version delivers the top tool professional solutions that you might expect at of any major animation suite. The essentials level of the harmony program is designed more for hobbyists and it delivers a scaled down version of some of their more high and customization techniques.
Toon Boom not only remains one of the best 2-D animation programs for mac but it is a regular fixture in the animation world today.
#4. Runner-up, Best 2D Animation Software for Mac: Adobe Animate
Adobe is one of the successors to perhaps one of the most popular 2-D animation software is available. At the core of Animate are the flash tools that have been working to create high-quality animations since the early days of the Internet. Today the program uses vector-based publishing to produce intuitive and inexpensive animation results.
Although it may not have all of the professional animation tools that you would find in some major production suites, it’s possible to get very professional looking results.
#5. Best Free 2D Animation Software for Mac: Pencil
This is a simple and open source vector-based program that’s designed for the Mac OS X platform. It’s also available on Linux and Windows and it was originally created for producing digital comics. The platform allows animators to use the basic hand-drawn techniques that were experimented with long in the past. Pencil is an ideal program for beginners that don’t want to invest in expensive license for a program. It can teach the basic principles of animation and with a timeline feature it’s possible to add new layers to arrange fun effects.
This is one of the best programs for beginners and sketching characters as well as setting keyframes can all be done using the pen tool, fill tool and the vector layers tool. The interface on this is actually based off of some of the original Adobe flash platform’s and it produces some good quality graphics even on a tablet device. Perhaps one of the best parts of using this program is that it automatically exports everything in.FLV which gives it mass compatibility with a number of online sources. The videos that you export here will be easy to embed or upload in video sharing sources and more.
Part3. 3D Animation Tools
#6. Best 3D Animation Software for Mac: Maya
Autodesk Maya remains one of the best 3-D modeling software programs that’s designed for Mac, Windows and Linux. The program itself has migrated many of the tools away from Autodesk Mud and now has features that you would normally find in several different pieces of software for creating highly detailed 3-D models. Autodesk Maya is a 3-D modeling software that is designed mostly for professional artists but with the templates that are available for download and the massive amount of tutorials online, it is possible to see quite a difference with this software when you are working with it over time.
#7. Runner-up, Best Free 3D Animation Software for Mac: Blender
Blender is a program that is designed with open source technology for 3-D modeling and it’s made mostly for beginners that want the option to learn how to play and get comfortable with reading modeling on their Mac computer. This open-source program does feature many of the basic features that you can expect to find including rigging, animation, architectural support and even the option to create full games. The philosophy that’s behind it allows for the inclusion of many different templates and it is very well suited to use by a number of creators. Blender remains some of the best 3-D modeling software for creative artists with its completely free use.
Part4. Stop Motion Animation Tools
#8. Best for Making Stop Motion Videos: Dragonframe
Dragonframe remains one of the best stop motion software solutions for mac today. It’s one of the top choices for many of the world’s largest studios like Laika and Aardman. It can produce high-quality masterpieces in stop motion animation and it is a perfectly suited set of professional tools. The program allows for easy capture of a number of precise movements and you can also compose in light various angles using the camera controls on board. Editing images as well as performing advanced image review techniques can all be done through the program as well.
The process of inserting and editing audio can be done according to a characters needs and based off of the animation that you want to create. The advantage to using some of the precise movements and controls in this program is that you can have a wide array of improvements at your fingertips for professional products.
#9. Runner-up: Stop Motion in Movavi Video Editor
We selected this is our runner up because with this program there’s no need to pay for a dedicated piece of stop motion software. This is an open source piece of technology that delivers a full-featured video editor that suitable for many beginners.
The program itself is perfect for getting all of the features that are often teased in many full license software programs. Because it’s open source there are also a number of templates that can make it easy to use. The full-featured video editor is excellent for its features and for the newest features that are being added by the community regularly to keep up with the stop motion technology of today.
Part5. Motion Graphics Software
#10. Best Motion Graphic Animation Software for Mac: After Effects
With a number of motion graphic animation software programs available for Mac, after effects sets itself apart.
Adobe After Effects is truly one of the most masterful programs for any motion graphic artist. Of course many of the features of aftereffects can be found in other Adobe programs, but there is no other piece of software that can be so versatile for the creation of motion graphics. The way to the menus are set up and the way that the program behaves makes it an intuitive leap for 3-D modeling and 2.5 D animation.
The whole goal of aftereffects is to help you produce almost any type of animation that you may want without having to involve 3-D modeling. After effects remains one of the primary pieces of software for motion graphic work in storyboards, motion comics and more. There are elements in this program that are close to Photoshop and illustrator but they have been optimized for the purpose of creating motion graphics here.
How to Choose the Right Animation Software for Mac
When it comes down to choosing the program that you may want to purchase a license for or download on your computer, you need to be very focused into the types of animation that you are looking for and what you need out of any program. The first thing you need to understand is the various styles and techniques for animation and what you might want out of a program:
2d animation
This is the traditional style of animation that comes from the idea of cell shading or digital cell shading. In the past animators would draw images on transparent pieces of paper and then later than one frame at a time to create motion. Today drawings can be rendered and layered on top of one another using a digital timeline and computer vector animations.
3d animation
This is a completely new and different way to look at traditional animation that requires understanding the basic principles of composition, movement and 3-D modeling. Creating 3-D graphics can involve scanning objects or even piecing together various 3-D models to create characters, share complex ideas and then animate all of the items along a storyboard.
Motion graphics
A motion graphic is considered to be one of the newest forms of animation. These motion graphics are fairly common in items like banner ads, short comics and more. Usually these types of graphics are designed for commercial purposes.
Stop motion
Stop Motion Camera
Stop motion involves taking photos of an object and manipulating it ever so slightly to eventually produce a storyboard of motion. Completing and repeating this process over and over eventually gives the full allusion of movement. This is a very time-consuming process that often involves manipulating objects slowly over hours of movement to create just a few seconds of animation.
Presentation or whiteboard style
This is a popular style of animation that has taken off over the past few years. The online marketing videos that are produced and the specific programs that have been created for building whiteboard videos are proving that this is a format that truly keeps people engaged and remains a trend for school projects, business presentations and more.
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Stop motion is a technique in cinematography. It involves taking a series of single images at a specific time interval where you incrementally adjust the object being shot at that time interval. Although this concept is quite old, there are not many cameras in the market that provide this functionality inherently but beginners can achieve a similar result using a quality camera and some software. In this article, we will discuss the best 10 stop motion cameras for beginners and for professionals.
Part 1. 5 Best Stop Motion Cameras for Kids or Beginner
Many people think that to do stop motion animation, you must have an expensive professional camera. This is a myth, at least for kids and beginners, you don't have to own a camera worth hundreds of dollars to do stop motion animation. Here are a few stop motion cameras that can help you create stop motion videos.
1. Logitech HD pro c920
Logitech HD Pro C920 camera is probably the best USB webcam there is. It supports multiple operating systems including windows up to window 7, Mac OS 10.10 or later, Chrome OS and Android. In all of these operating systems, you have to have access to a USB port and an internet connection. The camera features a max resolution of 1080/30fps-720/30fps with autofocus functionality.
Pros:
• Cheap as compared to professional cameras.
• Supports all major operating systems including Windows, Mac OS, Android and Chrome OS.
Cons:
• Need to have a USB port to use it.
• Need to have an internet connection to use it.
Price:
$79.99
2. Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000
Just like the Logitech HD pro, this is also one of the best cameras for stop motion that enables you to create high-quality stop motion videos. It features a 2MP camera with a maximum frame rate of 30fps @800x600 and 15fps @HD 920 x 720. Like its counterpart, this camera also works on all major operating systems including Linux, and Windows all the way to Vista
Pros:
• Cheap to acquire compared to the professional cameras.
• Good operating system support with windows support going up to Windows Vista.
Cons:
• Doesn't seem to support Mac OS.
Price:
$89.96 – $99.99
3. Logitech c270 Widescreen HD
This is another webcam from Logitech that can be used as a stop motion camera. It comes with a 3MP camera for HD video and camera shots.
Pros:
• Cheaper than professional stop motion cameras.
• Has more pixels than other USB cameras at a cheaper price.
• Supports Mac OS windows, Android and Chrome OS.
• Works with Skype, Google Hangouts and Facetime.
Cons:
• Require an internet connection.
• Require USB access to use.
Price:
$40
4. Canon EOS Rebel T7i
As we alluded in the professional section, this camera is the best camera a novice should handle. It has great features while still being a little bit cheaper compared to its counterparts. It features a 24.2MP camera with a 45-point AF and a 3-inch touchscreen. The camera can handle a 6fps maximum continuous shooting speed.
Pros:
• Easy to use interface.
• Provides the use of touchscreen controls for convenience.
• High-quality images due to the high-quality lens.
• Lightweight and easy to carry around.
Cons:
• Expensive as compared to other stop motion cameras for beginners.
Price:
$750
5. Logitech QuickCam Deluxe
This camera is among Logitech’s new line of web cameras for notebooks. It comes with the cool design having silver and blue colors. It features a VGA sensor with Right light technology, 1.3MP camera, and 20mm adjustable clip.
Pros:
• Cheap and easy to acquire even for beginners.
• 2-year warranty.
• Good quality images.
• Has a 20mm adjustable clip.
Cons:
• Some images may not be clear.
• Don't do well in sunlight.
Price:
$20
To create stop motion video using these cameras that do not inherently support the feature, you have to employ some software. Popular software to help you create a stop motion video include MonkeyJam, iStopMotion for Mac and Dragon flame.
Filmora Video Editor
- Basic video editing features like trimming and cropping are easily done on the timeline.
- It allows you to add overlays and texts to your video as subtitles or captions.
- With this software you can also add background music to match the theme and mood of your video.
- It allows you to import almost any media format and also download them media online.
Part 2. 5 Best Stop Motion Cameras for Professionals or Studios
1. Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
This is the stop motion camera and the dream Canon Camera. It is the most used camera model in professional photography. It features 30.4 megapixels, a continuous shooting speed of 7ps and a 3.2-inch touchscreen. The camera is quite an investment too, going for around $3500.
Pros:
• Good picture quality with 30.4megapixels.
• Wide 3.2-inch touchscreen.
Cons:
• Very expensive to acquire.
Price:
$3500
2. Nikon D3300
The Nikon D3300 is probably the cheapest camera on this list. But don't compare its features to the price as it comes with 24.2Megapixels and a 3-inch screen. Its price is $400 which actually seems like a joke.
Pros:
• Cheaper compared to other stop motion cameras.
• Good image quality with 24.2 Megapixel camera.
Cons:
• Not user-friendly especially for beginners.
• May create really huge 4K videos.
Price:
$400
3. Canon EOS Rebel T7i
This is arguably the best camera for novices. It comes with a 24.2MP camera with 45-point AF, 3-inch touchscreen, and a 6fps maximum continuous shooting speed. The camera can be referred to cheap as compared to its counterparts such as Canon EOS 5D. It goes for $800 and can be found here on Amazon.
Pros:
• Touchscreen controls.
• High-quality images.
Stop Motion Software Mac Dslr Software
Cons:
• As compared to counterparts such as Canon EOS 5D, it has slightly fewer pixels.
Price:
$750
4. Nikon D7200
Nikon D7200 is an amazing stop motion camera going for $1300 and comes with features such as 24.2MP, 3.2-inch screen, and 51-point AF. The camera also shoots images with good quality and resolution.
Pros:
• Easy to handle and operate.
• Automatic white balance system to adjust lighting.
Cons:
• Does not support touch controls.
• Slightly lower pixels as compared to other high range cameras.
Price:
$999
5. Nikon D500
If you are a dynamic photographer the best camera for you is the Nikon D500. This camera comes with a 20.9MP, 3.2-inch tilt angle touchscreen and a maximum shooting speed of 10fps. Although it may seem like this camera has a relatively lower pixel count, this is compensated with good lighting and sensitivity performance. It goes for a price of $1900 and can be found on Amazon or their official website.
Pros:
• Good sensitivity performance.
• 3.2-inch touch screen for ease of use.
Cons:
• Lower pixel quality as compared to other stop motion cameras.
Price:
$1900
Part 3. [Tips] How to Make Your Mobile Phone as the Best Camera for Stop Motion
Stop motion videos always look impressive when complete but the process of making them is expensive and hard. This is because they could traditionally only be captured using high-end cameras. But recently, there have been apps that can turn your phone into a remote camera and use it to capture stop-motion video. We are going to review a few of these apps.
Method 1. Using WIFI Cam App (Android)
WIFI cam is an android app that enables you to have access to the camera whenever you are and get to check your friends and family.
Pros:
• Easy and straightforward to use.
• Free to use.
• Supports until android version 4.2.
• Small download size of only 6.2MB.
Cons:
• Horrible connection sound. This can probably be easily solved in the future.
Operating System:
Android version 4.2 and up.
Method 2. Using WIFI Camera App (iOS)
Stop Motion Software Mac Dslr Download
WIFI Camera App is another app that can turn your mobile phone into a Wireless Camera for stop motion. Unfortunately, this is only available for IOS users and is free to use. If you don't speak English then no need to worry, this app also comes with support for Russian and simplified Chinese.
Pros:
• Compatible with both iPhone, iPad, and iPod.
• Supports English, Russian and simplified Chinese.
• Free to use.
Cons:
• Large download size of approximately 54.6MB.
Operating System:
iOS 7 Compatible with OS 7 and above.
Method 3. Using WIFI Camera HD (Android)
WIFI camera HD is another camera app that allows you to capture video and stream video to the phone by H.264 protocol. The App also supports 3D glasses hence you can view its 3D effects images by putting on 3D glasses.
Pros:
• Free to use.
• Offers support until android version 4.2.
• Allows you to save camera photos and video to SD card.
Cons:
• Has a few bugs and might stop working but restarting usually solves the issue.
Operating System:
Android 4.0 and up..
How to Turn Your Phone into A Remote Stop Motion Camera
With the advent of smartphones and the widespread use of apps, smartphones can do just about anything. And yes, we can take advantage of our phones to create stop-motion videos. Here are simple steps to achieve that
1. Install Remote Camera
There are several apps that allow you to turn your phone into a remote camera. The apps allow you allow you to stream video from your camera feed either through a browser by connecting to an IP address or by installing the app in multiple phones. Whichever the app, they will usually display instructions on connecting to the camera feed.
2. Capture Photos
To create a stop motion video, capturing serial photos at interval times while adjusting the object a little bit every time. To some extent, how far to adjust the object is, to some extent a form of skill and you would need to experiment to see what fits you best and whether to adjust them faster or slower.
3. Create Stop Motion Video
After you have captured your stop motion photos, you will need a way to join them in a video. There are several tools that can do these, however, the best editor to use is Filmora Video Editor. The editor comes with several features, sn easy to use and allows you to export to different formats.
Conclusion
Traditionally, stop-motion videos could only be captured using high-end stop motion cameras, but now you can use affordable quality cameras combined with software like Filmora Video Editor to create stop-motion videos. Among other features, Filmora Video Editor has the ability to combine still images in an easy and professional way and best of all, you can do this all for free.