Stills off video... at DVinfo.net

Jim Cancil · December 7th, 2011, 03:59 PM

I have read a lot of criticism that most cameras, unlike a GoPro, will not shoot stills on a time schedule. I scratch my head, because I seem to be able to find perfectly 'useable' images buried within the video of all sorts of inexpensive cams?!

The kid on the chairlift was a snapshot from a video shot 26 Nov at Big Bear in California with a <$100 waterproof, Kodak ze2 attached to his snowboard. This camera was released in about Oct 2011.

This was shot in October 2011 in Ocean City Maryland. Local surfer, Brian Robbins, had a Contour ROAM on the front of his surfboard.

There was about 4MB of (heaven help us) 720 30fps images to look through. In both cases, these were also photos that would be either horribly expensive to stage ..or near impossible to be in 'the right place at the right time'.

I used a simple little freeware program, VLC, to extract the images. It was hard to control with a Start/Stop button - finding the best images among the roughly "100,000 images per hour" of video, but both Brian, and Jake's Mom, were more than pleased to have these memories.

Jim

Don Litten · December 8th, 2011, 10:25 PM

What you just found out Jim, is that keyboard photographers, just like keyboard gun people, etc. aren't really very knowledgeable.

Yes, you can get great stills from frame grabs. The big limitation is size since video frams are generally around 2 megs.

Great stills BTW!

Jim Cancil · December 11th, 2011, 12:07 PM

Thanks Don. My perspective is as one who shot 6x6 in the Army. I would have given my right arm for 100,000 shots per hour. I'd go into a dungeon at my base and take 1/2 a day to make B&W prints .. with my fingers crossed that I had something, on a roll of 12 shots, useable. I could produce beautifully stark landscape work, but rarely got decent field action.

The shot of Jake on the chairlift was taken 2,000mi away with a <$100 camera, extracted by the most basic freeware, on a computer that cost less than the film cameras I was issued. It's like I walked to school ..and people are pissing themselves because they only get to ride in a Lexus 4-door not a Range Rover.

2MB (I can't count them) seem an incredible gift to me. Cheers.

Jim

Ian Newland · December 12th, 2011, 07:35 PM

The reason they are so sharp, is the shutter speed in full sunlight on Gopros and the like in video mode is at least 1/1000. Yep scrubbing thru frames reveals some real gems.

The Sea Reaches up to touch you

Jim Cancil · December 16th, 2011, 05:04 PM

If the sea has ever reached up to touch someone - it's RAMBO. Cheers mate!

Jim

December 7th, 2011, 03:59 PM	#1
Jim Cancil Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Salisbury Maryland Posts: 161	Stills off video... I have read a lot of criticism that most cameras, unlike a GoPro, will not shoot stills on a time schedule. I scratch my head, because I seem to be able to find perfectly 'useable' images buried within the video of all sorts of inexpensive cams?! The kid on the chairlift was a snapshot from a video shot 26 Nov at Big Bear in California with a <$100 waterproof, Kodak ze2 attached to his snowboard. This camera was released in about Oct 2011. This was shot in October 2011 in Ocean City Maryland. Local surfer, Brian Robbins, had a Contour ROAM on the front of his surfboard. There was about 4MB of (heaven help us) 720 30fps images to look through. In both cases, these were also photos that would be either horribly expensive to stage ..or near impossible to be in 'the right place at the right time'. I used a simple little freeware program, VLC, to extract the images. It was hard to control with a Start/Stop button - finding the best images among the roughly "100,000 images per hour" of video, but both Brian, and Jake's Mom, were more than pleased to have these memories. Jim

December 8th, 2011, 10:25 PM	#2
Don Litten Major Player Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Richmond Va Posts: 400	Re: Stills off video... What you just found out Jim, is that keyboard photographers, just like keyboard gun people, etc. aren't really very knowledgeable. Yes, you can get great stills from frame grabs. The big limitation is size since video frams are generally around 2 megs. Great stills BTW!

December 11th, 2011, 12:07 PM	#3
Jim Cancil Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Salisbury Maryland Posts: 161	Re: Stills off video... Thanks Don. My perspective is as one who shot 6x6 in the Army. I would have given my right arm for 100,000 shots per hour. I'd go into a dungeon at my base and take 1/2 a day to make B&W prints .. with my fingers crossed that I had something, on a roll of 12 shots, useable. I could produce beautifully stark landscape work, but rarely got decent field action. The shot of Jake on the chairlift was taken 2,000mi away with a <$100 camera, extracted by the most basic freeware, on a computer that cost less than the film cameras I was issued. It's like I walked to school ..and people are pissing themselves because they only get to ride in a Lexus 4-door not a Range Rover. 2MB (I can't count them) seem an incredible gift to me. Cheers. Jim

December 12th, 2011, 07:35 PM	#4
Ian Newland Major Player Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 319	Re: Stills off video... The reason they are so sharp, is the shutter speed in full sunlight on Gopros and the like in video mode is at least 1/1000. Yep scrubbing thru frames reveals some real gems. The Sea Reaches up to touch you

December 16th, 2011, 05:04 PM	#5
Jim Cancil Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Salisbury Maryland Posts: 161	Re: Stills off video... If the sea has ever reached up to touch someone - it's RAMBO. Cheers mate! Jim