Is it possible to import images larger than the movies' pixel-size?

iStopMotion will automatically resize and crop the image to fill the preview area. As the ascpect ratio will be constrained it is possible that two sides are cut off if the images' aspect ratio does not match the aspect ratio of the iStopMotion movie.

How do I cut a movie and add sound?

iStopMotion is designed to take scenes using the stop motion animation technique. If you want to cut several scenes into a movie, give it a nice background music or add titles and special effects, we recommend that you export the iStopMotion scenes to a DV stream and import them into iMovie or Final Cut Pro. With iStopMotion 2 you can add a soundtrack to see if it fits to your animation. If you want to use Lip Synchonization you need an Express license at least. iStopMotion 2 Pro has Final Cut Pro support.

Where can I buy iStopMotion 2?

If you are new to iStopMotion, a built-in assistant will guide you through the purchase process. Follow the instructions on "How can I update to iStopMotion 2?" If you don't want to use the assistant, see the Buy page for details.

How do I report a problem to Boinx Software?

iStopMotion 2 provides a feedback assistant, that sends your feedback directly to our support team. If you don't want to use the assistant, or your Mac running iStopMotion is not connected to the internet, please use the Support Form to report Problems and Feature Requests. Please provide us with these information when reporting a problem:

• Product and Product Version
• License (Home, Express, Pro)
• OS X version and Quick Time version
• Hardware information
• Camera Type
• Programs running in the background

How can I put my work on your Example list?

Send us a link to your movie and some further information like: who made the movie, the movie's name and any other information you like about the movie and how it was created. If you can not put your movie into a mail you can also send a CD or DVD.

What cameras are supported by iStopMotion?

In general every DV camcorder with Firewire connector works with iStopMotion 2. iSight and built-in iSight (aka. Facetime camera) also work fine. As of version 2.5 HDV camcorders can used with iStopMotion if either Final Cuto Studio or Logic Studio is installed on your Mac. Other HD camcorders only work if they are connected via HDMI or a capture card. Most USB webcams work out of the box, but some only with third-party drivers installed. We recommend to get a demo license to try if your particular camera is supported.

If you are upgrading from iStopMotion 1 and your camera works with it, it will work fine in iStopMotion 2.

Will my Digital Still Camera work with iStopMotion?

If your camera supports the Picture Transfer Protocol, iStopMotion can import pictures from the camera. Some cameras also support remote capture, where the computer tells the camera to shoot a picture and that picture is immediately transfered to the computer. In this case, iStopMotion treats the imported picture just like it would treat a live stream from a video cam. Get a demo license and use the Still Camera Assitent to find out if your camera works with iStopMotion. You can find a list of tested cameras here. Still cameras currently don't support live preview, which means you have to take a picture with it, before you can see the actual sceen in iStopMotion.

In the list over supported still cameras you have the following entries Nikon D50 and Nikon DSC D50 - what is the difference?

Some camera makers like Nikon equip their cameras with two different USB modes, which is rather confusing and probably unnecessary. When set to "Mass Storage" mode, which unfortunately is the default, the camera reports being a "Nikon DSC D50". In order to be able to capture images with the camera, set it to "PTP" mode. That can be done from the "System" menu, "USB" on Nikon cameras. Once set to "PTP" the camera reports itself as "Nikon D50" via USB. Same for D70, some Coolpix models and probably more.

What happened to the Still Camera Plugin?

Starting with version 2, still camera support is no longer a separate option. You can use still cameras with all flavors of iStopMotion 2, Home, Express and Pro. There's no special update for users of the version 1 Still Camera Plugin, but there is update pricing for iStopMotion 1.x users.

If I use a Still Camera, will I be able to record high resolution movies?

For movies with a resolution of more than 960x540 pixels you need an iStopMotion 2 Pro license. Using a still camera in connection with iStopMotion 2 Home and Express will let you capture pictures with it and produce movies up to 960x540 pixels resolution.

My cam goes into sleep mode. How can I prevent this?

iStopMotion can not keep the camera from timing-out and turning off. Please try to use your camera without tape and/or plug the camera in the power outlet.

For some reason I lost iStopMotion, purchased from the Mac App Store. Is there a way to get it back?

If you accidentally deleted iStopMotion or have to re-install your Mac, please follow these steps to install an application already purchased in the Mac App Store again:

Open the Mac Appstore. If you are not signed in already, click "Store" in the menubar and then select "Sign in". After signing in, select the "Purchased" tab. Here you will find all the applications you bought using this account. Find the Boinx app in question and click the "Install" button next to it. The Mac Appstore will re-download it and install it for you free of charge. Make sure you remove demo versions you might have downloaded manually before from your applications folder, just to avoid confusing duplicates.

I downloaded iStopMotion from the Mac App Store but haven't received a license - Why?

You don't have to register a license. After purchase the Mac App Store downloads iStopMotion automatically to your Mac and won't ask for a license.

If you are still prompted for a license despite purchase from the Mac App Store it is likely that you still have a trial version from our website installed. In this case please remove it.

How do I install my license (purchased from Boinx/Kagi store)?

If you purchased a license via the In-Application-Store, it is already installed. If you purchased it via a web store, please read the tutorial on installing your license key.

iStopMotion 2 does not start on my Mac. What to do?

iStopMotion 2.5 and later require Mac OS X Leopard (v10.5.8), but Mac OS X Snow Leopard (v10.6.4 or later) is strongly recommended for complete functionality and best performance. Earlier versions of iStopMotion 2 (2.0 to 2.1.2) required Mac OS X Tiger (v10.4.x) to operate.

Sometimes when starting iStopMotion the application icon keeps bouncing in the Dock. After a minute or so, the application will work normally. If this happens over and over again, please turn of Software Update in the iStopMotion Preferences. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed about software updates.

I am running Mac OS X 10.3.x Panther. What version can I use?

If you need to stick to Panther (10.3.x) you may use iStopMotion 1.10.3. Both versions 1.10.3 and 2.x are universal applications running natively on PPC and Intel based Macs. You can download version 1.10.3 from the "Earlier Software" area of the downloads page.

I am running Mac OS X 10.4.x Tiger. What version can I use?

Due to technical reasons iStopMotion 2.1.2 was the latest version that supports OS X 10.4.x Tiger. You can download it in the "Earlier Software" section of our download page. Please don't update to a newer version than 2.1.2 if you have to stick with OS X 10.4.x.

How can I update to iStopMotion 2?

Please make sure that you are running at least Mac OS X Leopard v10.5.8 preferably Mac OS X Snow Leopard (v10.6.4 or later). Follow the steps below to update:

1. Download iStopMotion 2.
2. Follow the instructions to install the application.
3. Start iStopMotion. A built-in assistant should guide you through updating your previous license. Please note that iStopMotion 2 comes in three different flavors, depending on your needs: Home, Express and Pro. The assistant will briefly inform you about the differences between them.