Published: April 20, 2020 | Last Updated: October 1, 2024
Many digital video cameras, such as camcorders, DSLRs, and mirrorless cameras, allow you to take stills while recording motion pictures (simultaneous recording). Most cameras will interrupt recording to take a photo, but you can always grab a frame from your recording using software on your computer.
That’s the short answer. How this is done and what quality of photos you can expect is a bit more complicated. The exact features available depend on your camera. However, you can always grab a frame from your recording using computer software.
Here’s a list of free video editing software (Mac, PC, Linux, Online)
However, grabbing a frame from your video might result in a low-resolution photo with motion blur. So, if you want to get high-quality photos as well, there are a few tips and tricks to know before pushing that record button.
So let’s have a look at the best ways you can take pictures while recording video and see how it’s done.
Method 1: grab a still photo from you video recording
One of the differences between camcorders and a hybrid camera like a DSLR or mirrorless with video capabilities is that camcorders are a video-first camera, while the others are photo-first cameras.
Sure, hybrid cameras like the Panasonic GH5S, and Blackmagic Pocket Cinema 4K or 6K are video cameras first, but their form factor still resembles a traditional photography camera. And they’ll allow you to take photos as well.
However, camcorders spring from video cameras and thus many come with only poor photo capabilities – or no photo capabilities at all. That’s why it is useful to know how to extract a photo from a video.
How to Grab a Still Photo in Premiere Pro
In Adobe Premiere Pro, you can use the “Export Frame” tool to quickly export a jpg (if you don’t see the tool below your video, click the plus sign on the right).
With that said, there are a few things to consider even before you record to ensure you get the highest picture quality possible when you extract a photo from a video following this method:
Choose the highest resolution possible
If you own a camcorder that shoots in both FullHD and 4K, I recommend you choose the 4K mode if you want to extract photos as well.
Full HD is the same as only 1920×1080 pixels, which will result in a grainy photo. 4K (or UHD-1) has a resolution of 3840×2160, which will result in a sharper image—especially on higher-resolution screens or if you print it out and hang it on your wall.
A frame grabbed from a 4K video is roughly equivalent to an 8 MP photo (3264×2448 pixels).
A frame grabbed from a FullHD video is approximately the same resolution as a 2-3 MP (1980×1080 pixels).
That’s not a lot if you want crisp-looking photos.
In other words, don’t expect large scale prints with a high PPI (Pixels Per Inch) with pictures grabbed from a video. There’s a reason why professional photographers use cameras with 50 MP for those kinds of prints.
Grabbing a frame and exporting it as a photo is fine for social media and small prints, if you want to have a memorable moment extracted from a video to hang on your wall.
But there’s another thing to consider as well, and that is the frame rate and shutter speed.
Set the highest frame rate possible to avoid motion blur in your photos
The rule of thumb when recording video is that you should set your shutter speed to double the frame rate to get natural-looking footage. For example, if you’re recording at 24 frames per second (fps), you should set the shutter speed to 48 fps or the closest to it (often 50 fps). And if you’re recording at a frame rate of 60 fps, you should set the shutter speed to approximately 120 fps.
See also How to Choose the Right Camera Settings for Video Production.
However, there’s a big difference in the amount of motion blur you’ll get with a shutter speed of 48 fps compared to a shutter speed of 120 fps.
While shooting at 24 fps with a shutter speed of 48 fps is the preferred look in most Hollywood blockbusters, 48 fps can result in a lot of motion blur if your subject is moving around and you want to grab a still photo.
This can be cool if that’s the look you’re going for. But if you want film your kids playing in the garden or your dog running around, and then try to grap a nice sharp image from that, you’ll want the highest frame rate and shutter speed possible.
Method 2: use the frame grab feature on you camera to take a photo while recording video
Some higher-end cameras allow you to take a photo while recording video at the same time. As to exactly what is possible depends on your camera. And often there are several settings to choose from.
For example, the Nikon flagship camera, the Nikon D5, has a feature called “Live Frame Grab” that allows you to simultaneously capture an image and record video.
Another option is to use the feature “save selected frame” directly in-camera, to create jpegs from your video recordings. The photos will be captured at the resolution, you’re recording in. So if you’re recording in 4K, you’ll get an 8 MP photo at the same time.
Take a picture while shooting while interrupting the video for a short while
Many cameras will let you take a photo while you’re shooting video, but it will interrupt the video and result in a few black frames in your video recording. Also, no sound will be recorded while you do so.
Still, this is an excellent feature to have, especially if you’re a news reporter or often film events (like your kids’ birthday party) and want to capture a still for later.
Most cameras only capture a frame at the same resolution as your video. However, some cameras can also shoot in “Photo Priority,” a mode that lets you take photos with the set picture size and quality you prefer.
A quick note on using continuous shooting like burst modes for video
Another option is to use continuous shooting. Continuous shooting is when your camera takes multiple pictures at a time. A lot of cameras have different burst modes e.g. bracketing, that’ll let you take a series of photos quickly after another.
On some cameras, you’ll find an extension of this that lets you record an unlimited number of still photos in 6K or 4K. You can even record audio at the same time.
This is one of the advantages of shooting with a hybrid camera, which is simultaneously a still camera and a video camera.
Summing Up
To capture a high-quality still frame from a video, follow these guidelines:
Video Settings:
- Resolution: Record at the highest resolution your camera supports (4K, 2K, FullHD).
- Frame Rate: Use a high frame rate to get smoother motion and more options for frame grabbing.
- Shutter Speed: Use a higher shutter speed to reduce motion blur, especially if your subject is moving.
Camera Features:
- Some cameras allow you to grab a still frame directly from the video file in-camera.
- Certain models can take photos while recording video without interrupting the recording.
- Other cameras might offer modes that let you capture photos during video recording at the cost of a few black frames and no sound during the capture.
Post-Processing:
- Use video editing software to extract the desired frame from your video clip.
- Ensure the software supports the resolution and frame rate you recorded with for the best quality.
In other words, there are many ways to capture a photo while recording video simultaneously. You just need to know your camera’s limits and possibilities.
