diff --git a/frontend/src/capture/PhotoStage.svelte b/frontend/src/capture/PhotoStage.svelte
index f0ef731..a542d4f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/capture/PhotoStage.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/capture/PhotoStage.svelte
@@ -147,6 +147,10 @@
   let pinchStartAngle = 0;
   let pinchStartTilt = 0;
 
+  const PAN_DAMP = 0.4; // Keep pointer pan movement deliberate without changing keyboard nudges.
+  const ROTATE_DAMP = 0.4; // Soften two-finger and rotation-handle tilt changes.
+  const PINCH_ZOOM_DAMP = 0.4; // Blend pinch distance changes toward 1 to avoid zoom jumps.
+
   const stagePoint = (clientX: number, clientY: number): { x: number; y: number } => {
     const el = tapeWrap;
     if (!el) return { x: 0, y: 0 };
@@ -209,17 +213,23 @@
       const dx = pts[1].x - pts[0].x;
       const dy = pts[1].y - pts[0].y;
       const dist = Math.hypot(dx, dy) || 1;
-      const z = Math.min(3, Math.max(0.5, pinchStartZoom * (dist / pinchStartDist)));
+      const ratio = dist / pinchStartDist;
+      const softenedRatio = 1 + (ratio - 1) * PINCH_ZOOM_DAMP;
+      const z = Math.min(3, Math.max(0.5, pinchStartZoom * softenedRatio));
       // Screen y-down atan2 delta matches CSS rotate (positive = clockwise).
       const angle = Math.atan2(dy, dx);
       const deltaDeg = ((angle - pinchStartAngle) * 180) / Math.PI;
-      emit({ ...live, zoom: z, tiltDeg: clampTiltDeg(pinchStartTilt + deltaDeg) });
+      emit({ ...live, zoom: z, tiltDeg: clampTiltDeg(pinchStartTilt + deltaDeg * ROTATE_DAMP) });
       return;
     }
     if (!drag) return;
     const p = stagePoint(e.clientX, e.clientY);
     if (drag.kind === 'pan') {
-      emit({ ...live, panX: drag.panX0 + (p.x - drag.x0), panY: drag.panY0 + (p.y - drag.y0) });
+      emit({
+        ...live,
+        panX: drag.panX0 + (p.x - drag.x0) * PAN_DAMP,
+        panY: drag.panY0 + (p.y - drag.y0) * PAN_DAMP,
+      });
     } else if (drag.kind === 'tickA' || drag.kind === 'tickB') {
       const pair = drag.kind === 'tickA'
         ? clampTickPair(p.y, live.tickB)
@@ -231,7 +241,7 @@
       const a0 = Math.atan2(drag.y0 - cy, drag.x0 - cx);
       const a1 = Math.atan2(p.y - cy, p.x - cx);
       const delta = ((a1 - a0) * 180) / Math.PI;
-      emit({ ...live, tiltDeg: clampTiltDeg(drag.tilt0 + delta) });
+      emit({ ...live, tiltDeg: clampTiltDeg(drag.tilt0 + delta * ROTATE_DAMP) });
     }
   };