Snapshots, revisited

wordman wrote on 7/5/2010, 4:56 PM

Hello All,

I need a better option than the snapshot feature in Vegas 9. The snapshots are simply not of sufficient quality, and they often yield jagged or saw-toothed edges on straight lines (forearms, tile grout, many things) which is particularly irritating because the videos look so good.

I need snapshots to use as thumbnails from my videos, and this feature in Vegas is awful. I have tried JPG vs. PNG, no difference. II have tried EVERY playback quality setting, nothing changes. What I really want is a larger file, not a 45kb JPG, but something more robust. I started out on Pinnacle, which is a very basic program, but it's frame grabs were of much higher resolution and the files were lager, allowing me to create very crisp, clear thumbnails from frame grabs.

Now with a Sony EX-1 and Vegas Pro 9, I was expecting the same amazing results...but I'm nowhere near getting a good quality frame grab/snapshot.

I shoot 45+ clips per month and need a quick and streamlined solution to this issue. Are there any aftermarket plug-ins, or software packages I could use for this process?

Many thanks in advance for your help!

Sincerely,

wordman

Comments

musicvid10 wrote on 7/5/2010, 5:31 PM

Well, you're not up to speed on this yet.

-- First of all, start by matching your project properties to your media properties.
"Click the Match Media Settings button (with the folder icon) in the upper-right corner of the Properties dialog. Navigate to one of your source video files and hit Open. This selects the appropriate Template for you. Hit Apply and OK."

-- Next, set the preview properties correctly.
Set the Preview Display to Best/Full. Right-click on the preview screen, check "Simulate device aspect" and uncheck "Scale to fit preview." Don't worry if the display is now bigger than the preview area. Select the frame you want to take a snapshot of.

-- Seeing jagged lines? There's a reason!
It's called "interlace," and it is the way your video was shot. I won't explain it here, because the internet is full of information and tutorials on interlaced video.

-- So, you can either select a frame that does not show motion interlace, or you can smooth it out:
Go back to your project properties, change the field order to Progressive, and choose the de-interlace method that works best for you, blend or interpolate. Click "Apply" and "OK" and compare the results. Interpolate will usually work best for snapshots. Navigate forward and backward a few frames to find the sharpest one.

-- Capture your snapshot in PNG format. It is now the same quality and size as your original video. If you want to enhance it or sharpen a little, take it into Photoshop. There is also a de-interlace filter in Photoshop you can play with as an alternative to the previous tip.

That's as good as it gets. If your video is blurred, your snapshot will be blurred. However, if you were sensible and shot on a tripod with good focus, a decent shutter speed, and follow an informed workflow, you will get excellent results.

Oh BTW, it's not the software's fault.
;?)

altarvic wrote on 7/5/2010, 10:10 PM

Try the Snapshots tool

Radio Guy wrote on 7/6/2010, 5:48 AM

Or even the new save picture icon in the trimmer