Still shot with isight

Using Latest iMovie '08 (v7.1.1) with external iSight camera
After launching, and trying to use the isight camera, it opens window with a frozen photo, not real time action?
I've tried many things, which include trashing preference, reinstalling iMovie. Once in a great while, I will get real time window but the odds are for the frozen window.
Has this happened to anyone else?
PS: I just recently, erased my boot HD and reinstalled everything from scratch and eliminated about 50 GB of stuff that I will probably not miss. This may not be relevant but it couldn’t hurt the cause. Everything on my Mac is as UPDATED as can be.

Thanks for sharing the fix for your Firewire conflict, Nick.
Firewire hardware or software conflicts with external iSight are not uncommon. The explanation I have most often seen claims that the problem arises not from power limitations but from the sizable bandwidth required for video.
Cheers,
EZ Jim
PowerBook 1.67 GHz w/Mac OS X (10.4.11) G5 DP 1.8 w/Mac OS X (10.5.2) External iSight

Similar Messages

Still Images with iSight Camera

Hello
Is it possible to capture single/still images with an iSight camera? If yes, with which application? The only I've found is Photobooth, but that is too slow beacause of the countdown before taking the photo...

Try using this tool to take the images.
(19826)

How do I capture still images with iSight?

Is that possible. Do I need software to do this?
Please help

Hello, Judith,
iSight needs software to do ANYTHING.
Several apps that you can use to capture still images are listed in the Some Applications you can use with iSight FAQ, starting with iChat AV.
The iChat AV menu command for a video snapshot is shown right at the top. You just need to have the Video Preview (My iSight) window active to do it.

Music Video shot with Isight

http://warmupthetourbus.com/macabre
http://davidchilders.com
NC based filmmaker Curtis Gaston shot this music video using an Isight and powerbook G4.
powerbook 4 Mac OS X (10.4.5)
powerbook 4 Mac OS X (10.4.5)

Great video... I'll show that to some of the students in our schools who are experimenting with video.
Cheers... Bob
http://warmupthetourbus.com/macabre
http://davidchilders.com
NC based filmmaker Curtis Gaston shot this music
video using an Isight and powerbook G4

HT1209 I've successfully imported the videos I've shot with my iphone5 into iphoto on my MacBookPro but they're only showing up as still shots, ie the imported videos don't play! Itunes no longer opens automatically when syncing!

I've successfully imported the videos I've shot with my iphone5 into iphoto on my MacBookPro but they're only showing up as still shots, ie the imported videos don't play! Itunes no longer opens automatically when syncing, and when I open itunes it shows that there are zero "home movies" in there, meaning that it never grabbed the videos from my phone either. What to do? Thanks!

tl:dr?
Really?
There was a short version expressly for people who weren't bothered to read a myriad of text.
Meh, not that it matters anymore. I ended up redownloading 70-odd albums, so I have the bulk of my music back. And I still have no idea what iTunes did with my files, but I'll make sure it never does it again.
I would thank you for the help but you were utterly useless. Oh well, carry on.

I need to generate a still shot from from a video. I would like to accomplish this task using a single application. If this is not possible with my MacBook Pro as purchased from Apple, please recommend which applications I can purchase.

I need to generate a still shot from from a video I made with my camera. I would like to accomplish this task using a single application. If this is not possible with my MacBook Pro as purchased from Apple, please recommend which applications I can purchase that include this feature. Thanks in advance.

For FREE do the following:
When you get to othe part of the video you want a still shot from, put the video on pause.
Take a screen shot: Apple>Shift>4 - which will produce a cross hair so you can manually select which part of the video you want.Check inside either your Applications or Utility folder for an app called Grab. Will do the above with just a single click.
If you still want to purchase software, suggest that you do a Google & MacUpdate search. This way, you can find exactly what you want.

I took a still shot from old movie in iMovie and now want to work with it on desktop. How?

I took a still shot from an old family movie in iMovie. Now it is a still in my project library of iMovie. How can I copy it and put it on my desktop where I can email it? I need to get it out of iMovie and onto my desktop. Help!

See this User Tip for how I do it.
https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3231

Quick capture with iSight or any DV-cam

Hello. I like making stopmotion movies (claymation, Wallace and Gromit, Nightmare Before X-mas) and I was wondering if there is some way to take a quick-shot with the iSight camera.
I know that there are alot of applicatios such as iStopmotion out there that allows me to do this, but all I really need is a way to take just a picture, it can be saved as a jpeg or a png or anything, doesnt matter. And to pay 50-100$ for an application that just takes pictures seems quite alot. I might as well use a normal camera and take real pictures. But the thing is that its hard to make it stand still then, so I really want to be able to control the camera from my computer. I can do this with Photobooth but that kind of ***** since you have to wait for 3 seconds and then a flash goes off.
I mean, with QuickTime Pro (or iMovie) you can easily shoot a video with a plugged in DV-cam, so why should it be so hard to take just a picture?
Do any of you know of some way to just take a quick pictures with the iSight? It would also be great if it worked with a Quicktime compatible DV-camera too. And preferebly it should be free.
Thanks in advance. I don't really know if this is the right place to post this is though...

Hello, Petter
...Photobooth ... you have to wait for 3 seconds and then a flash goes off.
See beancurd's post http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=5695879#5695879 :
"hold shift to disable flash, hold option to disable countdown, combine for both."
Do any of you know of some way to just take a quick pictures with the iSight?
(0) Here are some ways of varying convenience using the apps that came with your Mac and/or Leopard:
• Mac OS X 10.5 Help: About Photo Booth
• Mac OS X 10.5 Help: Shortcuts for taking pictures of the screen
(When your camera's image is visible on the display.)
• iChat 4.0 Help: Taking a snapshot of a video chat
• iMovie 6.0 Help: Capturing a still image from your video
(1) For other apps, see the Snapshot Apps and Webcam Apps in
Some Applications You Can Use With iSight
For any of the above methods, you can use Preview > Tools > Flip Horizontal or image editor software (like PhotoShop) to reverse "mirror-image" images that you have made.
EZ Jim
PowerBook 1.67 GHz w/Mac OS X (10.4.11) G5 DP 1.8 w/Mac OS X (10.5.1) External iSight

I need help with ISIGHT! I can't get it to work with MSN!

HI,
My issue is this... I have AIM/AOL and I am able to see myself on webcam.. however noone else can unless they HAVE a webcam... My first question is- "DO you have to have a WEBCAM on both ends for both people to see you?" Does the person I am chatting with HAVE to have a webcam to see me? If so WHY? They should atleast be able to see ME if I want them to... Also if they are using windows for PC platform... can they use a pc webcam and still connect with me through my isight although I am on a mac?
My second major ISSUE is.. WHY is the isight only compatible with AOL/AIM? I was told when I bought this it would be compatible with MSN Messenger for windows AND the MAC version... I have both and the isight does not show up on it... CAN ISIGHT be connected to msn messenger for MAC??? PLEASE help me!
I called APPLE tech support and they couldn't even help me! They told me to call Microsoft! Anyhow- one guy did say he was able to get his ISIGHT working with the MSN messenger for MAC platform.. do you have ANY idea how to do that?? The thing is ALL my freinds are on PC's and have MSN messenger..
ALSO- someone on mac rumors told me to look for a guy names RALPH! Said you know A LOT about mac and pc compatibility! PLEASE HELP
Bottom line - I want to use isight with msn so my msn pc friends can share webcam... I also have virtual pc software... is it easier to just get a pc webcam and do it through there? ( i tried that and it didn't work either) i need major TECH SUPPORT!
THANK YOU

Microsoft's Messenger for Mac (MSN) does not support webcams at all.
I have found the best alternative to MSN to be aMSN with macam for the webcam driver (it is a cheap usb webcam). Both are free open source projects. I guess if you use an iSight you will not need macam.
aMSN can be found here: http://amsn.sourceforge.net/
macam can be found here: http://webcam-osx.sourceforge.net/
The speed is substantially faster and it is far more stable than Mercury in my experience.
The only difficulty is the camera is often shown as being "in use by another application". To counter this I start macam, then plug in the camera (or unplug and plug back in). Then I start aMSN.

Why can't I import videos shot with a digital cam?

I have a 270MB .mov file that was shot with a digital camera on my desktop. An unknown error occurs when I try to import it into the iMovie HD app.
Help please,
Santiago

sarmibrown wrote:
ok, i've downloaded the mpeg streamclip and it still doesn't let me convert the file (actually the conversion options from the menu appear disabbled). ...
but are you able to open your file? does it play in SC?
maybe this app doesn't run with my iMac Intel Core 2 Duo????
SC runs on 'any' kind of Mac

Capturing with iSight

Basically, why can't use my iSight as a Twain resource in PhotoShop or Image Capture?

Basically, because iSight is a DV Firewire device, not a TWAIN one.
You have many options for image capture (snapshot) from this list: Some Applications You Can Use With iSight.
For even more options, you could use movie clip apps like QuickTime Pro or iMovie (4 or later) to make a short clip and export still images from the clip.
Once captured, you can:• open the file with Preview (if that is your default viewer) and use the Preview > File > Save As... menu choice to save it as a different file type,
• open the file from within PhotoShop or Image Capture by using the applications File > Open... command, or
• you can use <control> Click > Open With... > to select the application to open your snapshot file.I know these suggestions will not TWAIN capture, but they are the best workarounds that I know.
Jim

I do underwater video and add still photos to the video I create. When playing the video the still shots show distorted lines in any design in the picture and as it transitions to the next photo it clears up for a split second. What is causing this?

The photos are clear for the firt instant the appear during palyback and for the 3 or 4 seconds they are on the screen any pattern or design in the photo, say a patterned tablecloth, the pattern goes wavy, distorted, and then at the last moment before moving on the photo goes clear and smooth. It looks like when the picture goes in the "freeze" mode it distorts and when releasing for the next photo it smooths out again. This is really messing up some very good underwater still shots and land photos. I'm using a transition between photos and not using Ken Burns effect. Could use some help on this. Thanks.

so. to summarize your workflwo in my own words:
you're applying 12Mpix stills to an iMovie project
(btw: what setting has the iM project…?)
iMovie doesn't do interlaced internally…
you then 'share to iDVD'
as far as we know, iM converts to some h.264 file…
iDVD has to convert that again, to finally create a standard DVD:
720x480pix, interlaced = 0.3Mpixel resolution (yes, zero.point.three )
and, you're watching via a projector - most projectors have a non-video-resolution e.g. 800x600, 1200x800:
again, scaling effects.
so, tons of scaling/resizing, tons of comversions …
a) use any graphic tool (your Mac's Preview.app?) to scale the pics BEFORE import to iMovie to your Projects resolution (1920x0180, 1280x720, 720x480); choose tiff or png as doemat, avoid jpg
=> this avoids lossy scaling effect in iM
b) if DVD is your only delivery media, set iMovie's Project preferences to your TV-Standard (PAL/NTSC)
c) from iMovie, use 'Export using Quicktime', and in its options, choose AppleIntermediateCodec as … codec
=> this exports iMovies internal timeline without lossy conversions
d) set iDVD manually to same standard as your iMproject, 25/PAL or 30/NTSC
e) stay under 60min of length to allow max. quality
f) try to find a resolution on that laptop that comes close to DVDs res; synch res of laptop with proejctor
g) consider iDVD solo to create a slideshow; avoids any lossy 'inbetween steps' due to iMovie; very limited in terms of 'creation' … creates a slideshow (with music and transitions)
h) consider to avoid the DVD process at all; export from iMovie a 'file'; use a usb-stick to transfer to playback-computer; allows HighDef! DVD is SDef only ...
to create a file whic is compatible with any computer, follow my advice here:
How to create a video for playback with Windows/XBox/PS3/… etc?
For maximum quality of stills, I would use iDVD only (disk, but SDef only);
or avoid disks at all, create a charming HDef iMovie project and transfer via stick

Still images with lines

Hey Guys,
This sounds like such an elementary issue that I should be able to figure out. But basically I have some images (psd) that I imported into Final Cut and I have put basic motion on all of them. Everytime I export the video I end up with lines on the images. I don't understand why, because these images weren't shot with a camera that shoots in lines...I've tried applying de-interlace, image stabilizer, and flicker filter and nothing seems to solve the issue. Any ideas?

Joseph
DV NTSC video is interlaced. Probably you are giving a heavy and/or fats movement to the still. If you want to chek the interlacing effect while editing, view your canvas at 100% magnification. Anyhting below that FCP will show you just a field. Play the still movement frame by frame and you must see there the interlacing lines.
What's the final delivery format? If it's DVD then you have nothing to worry bevause TVs manage fine interlaced video and that's the way to be. If you are exporting to a web QT file format, then probably must deinterlace it while exporting.
After all think that we are not seeing your timeline and sometimes it's difficult to guess from here what's happening !
Hope that helps !
Alberto

XML files from CR2 files shot with Canon 7D do not save???

I opened a bunch of images shot with a Canon 7D through the Raw Processor in Bridge CS5. AFter making adjustments I clicked the "Done" button thinking the XML files would be upgraded. Nothing happens. What am I doing wrong. With all my other files this works perfectly.

everyone that is having this problem I think I have solved it.
Short quick answer so you dont have to read further. Check your date/time setting on your camera, it's probably wrong.
Longer version:
I too have a Canon 7D and the other day I had taken some pictures of my son with santa and was experiencing the same problem. I could edit in camera raw, but the changes would not save. I would not get the little icon next to the image either.Every other image worked fine except for the ones I took that day. I was chalking it up to maybe a bad import of the images and maybe somethign was corrupting. but I was still able to open them and edit and save psd's so I wasnt too worried yet.
Today we went out and took some images of holiday lights and I came home downloaded the images and the same issue happened again. I went back to the santa pictures and I could edit them and the changes were saving now. So I googled and came across this post. Once I saw you too were having the same problem but it went away the next day, and another person was only having a issue with one camera I figured it had to be a setting in the camera.
And since the problem goes away with time I decided to check my time on my camera and it was set to 12/22 (today is 12/21). So I corrected the time took a test shot and downloaded it to the computer and it works perfectly again.
Hope this helps!
Ponno

How to get decent macro shots with my T3i + EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM

Can anyone here steer me to a good tutorial on getting decent macro shots with my T3i + EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM lens? I'm pretty good at online searches, but all I seem to find are reviews and unboxings . Even the manual I've found doesn't really give instructions re: macro, even though the lens itself says "MACRO 1.5m/4.9ft" right on it.
Thanks so much in advance for any help!
Deb

To use the lens for close-up photography, zoom to the max focal length (e.g. 300mm) and run the focus to the minimum focus distance. The minimimum focus distance is fairly close consider this is a 70-300mm zoom lens... but it isn't anywhere near as close as a true/dedicated macro lens. You can get even closer... there are two ways to do this. 1) You can use a close-up diopter. For that lens you'd want the Canon 500D close-up lens (specifically you want the version with 58mm diameter threads to attach to the front of the 70-300mm lens). It's about $85. This is a two element lens (which is much higher quality than any 3rd party close-up diopter). 2) You can use "extension tubes". An extension tube is (believe or not) exactly what the name implies... it's a hollow tube... and it extends the distance between the lens and camera body. You attach it to the camera (just like a lens) and then you attach the lens to the extension tube instead of the body. This positions the lens farther away from the image plane inside the camera and, as a result, the entire focus range of the camerea is shifted nearer to the camera (closest focusing distance was 1.5 meters without an extension tube, but will drop to just 42 centimeters with the Canon 25mm extension tube attached.) It not only allows the camea to focus at a closer distance, it also enlarges the size of the image.) Extension tubes do not have any glass in them -- they are completely hollow. The body of the tube does have electronic pins to pass signals through so that the camera body and lens will still be able to communicate. The Canon 25mm extension tube is about $140. Kenko is another popular brand (their tubes come as a "set" of three different lengths). Whether using extension tubes or close-up diopters, Canon suggests that you should manually focus the lens. When you get to very close focusing distance, the depth of field can become quite shallow. So shallow that you may not get as much of your subject in focus as you want. Hard-core macro photographers will use (a) a tripod (because after precisely focusing... if your body moves by even a few millimeters it can completely throw the subject out of focus). So you do want to make sure you do not move (and the best way to do that is usually to use a stationary object to hold the camera -- like a tirpod.) They may also use a technique called "focus stacking". Focus stacking involves taking several pictures. You take a shot, tweak the focus by just a few millimeters and take another shot, and keep repeating until you've got enough shots to stack the subject from front-to-back with all the different focus positions. The images are then merged using computer software (Photoshop will do this, but there are third party products that are dedicated to focus-stacking as well.) I've done this by wrapping a piece of masking tape around the focus ring on my lens. I then focus to the nearest focus point and use a marker to mark that point (on the tape). Then I focus to the farthest focus point I care about and mark that spot on the tape as well. Now I take a series of photos ... taking each, then slightly adjusting focus a tiny bit at a time, take another photo, and repeat until I've taken enough to get from the nearest to farther points I've marked on that tape. Harder core macro photographers will sometimes use something called a focus-rail. This is a track which you mount to the tripod and then attach the camera to a carrier that rides on the "rail". The rail has fine adjustments which allow you to move the camera with control. It you run the rail back (farthest point), then focus your lens to the closet focusing point on your subject. Instead of turning the focus ring on the lens... you use the knobs on the focus rail -- which physically moves the camera forward.

Still shot with isight

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