Capturing Pictures from Video « Videomaker Community Forums

scubacat
Member

I am wanting to capture pictures from video... I am using pinnacle studio version 9 and when i do a capture and save it to disk the picture looks out of focus or kindof fuzzy but in the video it looks great.
Is there something i need to do different or is there a program that does a better job?

Posted 6 years ago #
compusolver
Member

I take it you're using the Grab function?

Even though a strip of video looks good, it doesn't mean every single frame of video within it is crisp and sharp. Inspect the individual frames carefully. I don't recall Studio 9 having any field settings for frame grabs, so I assume that is not the issue. I'll check in the morning <yawn> and see if that could be the problem.

Posted 6 years ago #
svhs
Member

studio can make some minor improvements on the stills, such as deinterlacing, color adjust and so. but just leave it to the pro (photoshop) once your grabbed frame is saved in a file.

Posted 6 years ago #
compusolver
Member

Scubacat - I just checked and about the only thing I can add is to check the "Reduce Flicker" box. I've used the Grab Frame tool on both analog (Hi8 and 8mm) and digital video with decent results at all times, but I always had the Reduce Flicker checkbox checked.

Posted 6 years ago #
scubacat
Member

It only happens when I save the pic to disc... If i add it to my movie it is always crisp and clear... I checked the reduce flicker and it is checked.
is there a better compression format than .bmp ?

Posted 6 years ago #
compusolver
Member

The .bmp format isn't your problem. Maybe you're expecting too much from a video frame. You haven't said what size image you're trying to create from your grabs. 320x240 should be good. 640x480 is about the max. Anything over that and you're expecting too much.

Also, you haven't mentioned the camera type, format, etc. For instance, a cheap Samsung Hi-8 isn't going to offer a still image nearly as crisp as a Sony VX-2100

Posted 6 years ago #
scubacat
Member

im using the 640 x 480 and the sony VX-2100 is the camera I have
thats why I should be getting a better still pic than I am...
what Im using it for is... after I video a wedding I use a couple of stills of the wedding to print on the dvd box cover...
I use photoImpression to sharpen the pics as much as possible but they are still lacking...
also I have tryed the save frame feature in pinnacle edition and I get the same result... thank you for your time

Posted 6 years ago #
compusolver
Member

I do the same thing you're doing, only for the past year I use Premiere Pro intead of Studio 9, to get my stills (no difference in quality) and I use much smaller images.

I use roughly a 640x480 for printing DVDs, but the image is a bit soft.

Posted 6 years ago #
Jonathan Decker
Member

PSCS2 has some great sharpening filters, if that's your issue. After deinterlacing the photo in PS then tweak your sharpening. Use the sharpen edges very lightly so as not to halo the edge and use unsharp to smooth some of the blur cause from deinterlacing.

Whatever you do keep in mind your final print size. If you intend to print large, then change the image size before applying the filters.

Check the Layers magazine website for tips on how to do exactly what your asking. I don't have that magazine with me right now or I'd copy it off for you.

Posted 6 years ago #
lonestar
Member

Canon XL1S can take stills with video, how do i get them to use in the PC and print them?

Posted 6 years ago #
compusolver
Member

Canon XL1S can take stills with video, how do i get them to use in the PC and print them?

Sounds like you're talking about digital photo mode, which is quite different from capturing a still frame from video.
If you're using your camcorder in photo mode, you'll have to refer to the manual. If you want to grab a still frame from video, its a task for your NLE.

In Pinnacle Studio 9, its called Frame Grab. In PP, you Export a still frame to an image format. Once you have your image file, you need a graphics program (PhotoShop, etc.) to manipulate, edit and print.

Posted 6 years ago #
Anonymous

well its very simple function using presentavid.
In a thumbnail mode you will see frame by frame so you can save any of it as image... and there are much more features that could be also useful...
presentavid tool

good luck

Posted 6 years ago #
BTS
Member

scubacat Wrote:
after I video a wedding I use a couple of stills of the wedding to print on the dvd box cover...

I suggest taking stills from the wedding photographer. Whenever I've played around with stills from video or frame grabs it is never even close to an actual still, especially if you want to make it a bit bigger. This would be the option for me, unless there is no other choice.

Posted 6 years ago #
compusolver
Member

I get great stills from VX2100 wedding video frames. Be sure and deinterlace and watch out for square vs. round pixels.

Posted 6 years ago #