Doesn't the video have a slight pause when you take a still?

yep.......

*WARNING*

If you set-up your camera using the custom profiles as specified in this thread, be careful not to knock the main selector dial, as you may find you're shooting 720/50 when you wanted 1080/25! Yes, that did happen to me - luckily I spotted it before any major damage. In fact, since 720/50 is unusable on any shot with even a moderate amount of detail, I'd recommend not having it as a preset!

anyone care to help out a n00b with a quick question?

the presets mentioned above create a more "flat" look-- a dull look with, in my opinion at least, fewer colors all around. everything looks a little less shadowed and a little more single colored all the way through.
i don't understand how this can be considered helpful. isn't creating a less dynamic image not as good? i see that it's supposed to be better in post, but wouldn't color correcting with a better starting image still create a better final image? Once you take away that dynamic range and make everything more flat, even if you color correct, wouldn't it still look more flat?

Clearly i'm missing something here...
thanks a ton guys!

We do this, because its gives more room/options/choices when colour correcting or grading later in post. (and it really really does)

If you have ever seen (real 35mm film) dailies they too look washed out and listless. Only after it’s been colour corrected does it look like what we know.

PS Music goes through a similar process, called "mastering". If you'd listen to your fav band before mastering they too would sound washed out and listless:)