"Take a Snapshot" unavailable in X3

[Doug2006]

I recently needed some stills out of some HD video that I was editing. I used X3 at first and remembered that I have had a problem with that method before. This time I took twenty or so stills and then went to use them in another program and they were all 1440 by 1080 (or close to that) and they all looked squeezed down. I can fix that by opening them in a photo program and resizing them to 1920 by 1080 and they look fine. But I found that it was easier to just open the clips in VLC player and scroll through them with that player and take my snapshots from there. They all come out the full size, look great and it is just as easy. Vlc is light weight in resources, and can be opened while other stuff is running. I did try today to see if the snapshot you got from vlc would include any of the effects you could apply in the tools menu of vlc. It did capture the stills with the effects applied. Of course they are simple effects and might not be that great for your use anyway. Doug

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Doug2006

Its all to do with Non Square Pixel Rendering.

Your video is I assume AVCHD at 1440 x 1080
Although HD uses widescreen --16:9 ratio your video file is not 16:9, it is stretched using the process Non Square Pixel Rendering to display as 16:9.

When you take a snapshot it uses the actual video size at 1440 x 1080 to produce the image. This will show as distorted as it uses square pixels.

1 / You could of course tell VS to fit to project size, the image will be displayed as 16:9, and fill the screen.
2 / You could change the project properties to 1920 x 1080 which is 16:9 ratio.
Taking a still using the tools approach (Save Current Frame as Still Image) will create an image to this size, and display it as the actual video is displayed, that is in proportion.

[Doug2006]

Hi, Thanks for the help. But I don't understand the change project properties. If I put a vid in the time line it is indeed 1440 by 1080. So when this is captured by X3 and opened in photoshop lets say, the picture is distorted. I tried to change project properties by going to settings project properties and then edit. Here there is a drop down box that has sizes in it but it does not even have 1440 by 1080. The largest size is 720 by 480. No where in that project properties edit stuff do I see any way to change anything to even close to what I have. no less up to 1920. Doug

[less2008]

-
The OP is correct - and yes, take still/snapshot worked in V12, but not so much in X3 (which is the version in question).

OK, so I have X3, with all the updates/patches.
The project settings match the video clip (720x480)
Place a video clip in primary timeline (Line 1)
Split video into segments
Move "Scrubber" (Slide bar) to desired position in timeline
When in "Clip" mode (The word Clip is highlighted under preview window), and Options open
Take snapshot button in Options panel is grayed out
From program (Windows) menu in the upper left, Edit>Take snapshot is grayed out

Switching to Project mode (The word Project is highlighted under the preview window)
Srubber in desired position
No Option panel
but ...
Edit> Take Snapshot is available

So, snapshots can be made if you switch out of "Clip" and "Options" panel, but the question is why? Why does a user have to leave the mode they are working in, with a button clearly marked "Take Snapshot"?

Arrrggggg -


Update-****

OK, more weirdness
I tried other video projects both new and existing, and was able to take snapshot and not.

It seems that once a video filter is added, no snapshot.
If a video filter is deleted from clip, no snapshot.. here's the weirdness.... the video filter is deleted but still shows up as an icon in the timeline clip. Meaning going to attributes and deleting the filter from the list doesn't always mean it's removed from the project clip.

Working on trying to figure out what sequence/settings make this happen

[johngran]

I have logged a call with support regarding a I have problem with 'SNAPSHOT'.
The Snapshot facility works on 'raw' video clips BUT once I adjust the colour the facility becomes null.
Patiently awaiting Support call back, patiently! In the meanwhile am I alone having Snapshot turned off after a colour adjustment has been made???