Sony tech - Photo Capture from video-function
A question I often get during events is: "Don't you find it just awful when you're filming a bit and suddenly you see an image that would have made a great photo?"
But there is a solution to fix this: The Photo Capture function in the current generations of Sony cameras just might save you.
(Yes, this is a photo Capture from an A7III 4k 25p 8bit 4.2.0 video.)
Which cameras?
I've been using this function since my A7III. It can also be activated on for example A7RIII, A7SIII, A7RIV, A7IV, A9, A9II, A1, A7RV, A7C, FX30, A6100, A6400, A6600, ZV-E10, ZV-1, ZV-1F, RX100VII, and even on some Sony video cameras.
Full Youtube video
(Yes, 1.5 years after this article was written.. and I still don't enjoy watching/hearing/editing myself on the screen)
How does it work?
1. You shoot a video. (8k, 4k, 1080p, horizontal or vertical video orientation, S&Q-video, 8bit or 10bit, 4.2.0 or 4.2.2,..)
2. On a quiet moment you replay the video on your camera if you think there might be a great photo hidden in the footage.
3. If you find the moment you want to capture you push the programmed Photo Capture C-button (see videos below)
4. You can now play, slow-motion-play, frame-per-frame-play, rewind,.. the video to find the perfect moment to transfer into photo. The control wheel on the rear of your camera is used during the capture process.
5. Push the underside of the control wheel to capture your photo. You can capture as many photos from a video as you wish (even every frame of the video if you desire so.. you crazy person)
6. Once you're done with a video you can move on to the next one.
Positive & negative
1. The size.
1.1. 8k video gives you 33MP photos
1.2. 4k video gives you 8MP photos
1.3. 1080p video gives you only 2.1MP photos
If it is for online useage (like for the Facebook/Instagram/website of yourself or the event) these sizes are sufficient.
2. The quality
2.1. If you use a video picture profile, your captured photos will be in the "colors" of this picture profile.
2.2. From most cameras you'll only get a 8bit JPG-image. Not a RAW! (Eventhough you'll find the captured pictures in the RAW-folder if your camera supports dual memory cards and you split your RAW/JPG's over 2 cards.)
2.3. The latest generation of cameras (A7SIII, A1, A7IV) also support the 10bit HEIF-photo format. On top of that they can film in 10bit 4.2.2., 4k 60/120fps and use the S-Cinetone picture profile. All of these together can give you better saved pictures.
2.4. How sharp your stills are will depend on image IQ of your camera (which is very good in the recent full frames and very decent in the APS-C's - I do notice big differences between captures with the A7III and A7SIII) and parameters like shutter speed and movement (both camera and subject)
Again: If these captured pictures are for online use: more than good enough. However I would not advise them for print work.
3. Remarks
Eventhough this is a great way to never miss a shot even when shooting a bit of video, I have met some colleagues during events who started only shooting bits of video and then captured all their stills from those clips.. This is not something I would consider doing. The possibilities of Sony RAWs (especially with those 15 stops of Dynamic Range in cameras like A7R IV/V, A7SIII, A1, A7IV) give you so much more options when processing your photos and allow you to let your creativity completely go wild.
Below I've added 2 short videos that will show you where in the classic menu you can program the buttons and what it looks like when capturing stills. The "circle with icons" you'll see in the video indicates which part of your control wheel you need to puch for which function.
The used cameras are the A7RIV and the A6400.
The full frame A7RIV:
The APS-C A6400:
A link for sharing this article: https://tiny.one/PhotoCapture
Now go outside and try it!
Namaste.
"Why not try to create a widget to show my Youtube shorts?" I thought one evening:
