making a clearer snapshot from video

b24482 wrote on 12/14/2003, 12:38 AM
OK, I've got about a million pictures that I'm trying to get to my timeline. I could scan them in, and take weeks to finish, or I could do the simple and quick capture snapshot after I take a video of my pictures. I have a pretty good camera that is clear in video, but when I capture the snapshot from the "Display at Project Size" window, the pictures are always degraded/blurry. Anything I can do to save myself a lot of time? Really appreciate the help . . .

Comments

JohnnyRoy wrote on 12/14/2003, 10:06 AM
I don’t think there is a short cut. Video taping the pictures will give you the worse results because video is not a high quality medium (at 720x480 interlaced). You would be better off if you used a digital camera to take pictures of them. The best quality is to use a scanner. Some scanning software can detect several pictures on the bed and automatically save them to separate files. I’ve also found that sorting the files by size and then setting up the scanner to scan a 4x6 photo and then just place them one by one in the same spot. You get into a rhythm and it goes quite fast and the quality is outstanding.

~jr
b24482 wrote on 12/14/2003, 3:29 PM
hanks for the tip, I'll try to see if I con get my scanner's software to work in such a way.

Bryan Bridges
Chienworks wrote on 12/14/2003, 3:35 PM
I'm just being curious and nosey here, but does the picture look OK on the timeline before you try capturing a still image from it? If so, then why not use it like that? I'm not sure why you're making the still image snapshot.
discdude wrote on 12/14/2003, 8:13 PM
If you plan on scanning a lot, you might want to consider a scanner with some sort of document feeder.

Take a look at this:
http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/ho/WF06b/15179-64195-215155-15202-f25-303634-303636-303637.html
b24482 wrote on 12/15/2003, 9:38 PM
Yes, the image is fairly clear both in the timeline and preview window, but is really degraded on screen. My scanned pics are clear throughout. My video is clear throughout. I'm not sure how to use the video as a slide in a slideshow, so I've been using the snapshot capability and/or scanning each individual picture.
b24482 wrote on 12/15/2003, 9:40 PM
Thanks for the tip on the doc. feeder. I've got a lexmark X75. When I get a little time I'll see if the software can give each picture in a multi-pic scan a separate name.
Chienworks wrote on 12/16/2003, 4:47 AM
You would use the video clips as slides in the slideshow exactly the same way you would use still images. Place the video clip on the timeline (which apparently you've already been doing) and leave it there. You can trim them, pan/crop, add effects & transitions, etc. exactly as you would with a still image.
b24482 wrote on 12/16/2003, 4:49 PM
Yes, that's what I've been doing. It looks allright until the final cut. I think I'm too much of a perfectionist. It just looks so much clearer when it is scanned that I'm unwilling to compromise. But thanks for the tips, everyone.