Simple way to convert an MP4 snippit to a .jpg image?

[gfmucci]

I downloaded what I thought was a single image I took with my Galaxy S9 phone using its Photo setting, not Video. I guess the phone made a short video clip when I took the photo complete with audio. (This may be a Galaxy question as much as an Elements question.) Looking at the playback on the phone, it looks like 7 images were taken, but in reality, many more than that were evident.

By the time the download made its way to the Organizer, it turned into an MP4 video.

What is the simplest way to turn that video into a single .jpg image without making a "Project" out of it - in neither the figurative nor literal sense?

[michelb]

It seems you have kept the shutter release pressed too long, which has triggered a 'burst mode' in the Samsung phone. It's something I did learn from my grandchildren last summer on my G8. I just tested it and got a 21 shots burst. When looking at this 'burst' in Photos, you can choose one of the shots, click on the burst icon on the bottom bar and get the choice to keep only the selected photo or to create an 'animation' (in French).

[gfmucci]

That "burst mode" is exactly the same reason I had to quit playing the clarinet.  With nerve damage, I wasn't able to concisely and predictably release my fingers from the keys in a timely way.  Some of these foibles get transferred to photography. 


I did notice a "freeze frame" feature in Premier Elements that looks like it extracts a still for a particular duration during a video.  But I don't suppose one could extract a .jpg from that.  That's probably a question for a different forum.

[Chris]

If its a MP4 video you can grab a screenshot. There are various ways to do this.

1- One way is to play the video and pause it and take a screenshot using Windows screen snip tool. From there you have the option to save as a jpg.
2- Pause the video and press the "Print screen requirements" on your computer keyboard. This will save the entire computer screen to the computer clipboard memory. Then open PS Elements File/New/Image from clipboard. Then crop as needed
3- You can use VLC Media player. It has controls to advance the video frame by frame and a button to save a screenshot as a png or jpg file to a specific folder on your pc.
4- According to the link below. There is a screen grab feature in Premier Elements you can use.
helpx.adobe.com/premiere-elements/using/freezing-holding-frames.html

Afterwards, you have the option to use other software to improve the quality of the final result. Or you could upsample and tweak in PS Elements.

I hope this helps.

Kind regards
Chris

[gfmucci]

Ahaa! For those of us who have Premiere Elements (PE) and insist on converting a frame from an MP4, here it is:

In the Organizer, select the video clip.
Edit in PE.
Click on upper left "File".
Click on "Export and Share".
Click on "Image". Several different .jpg options will be offered. Pick one, save. Experiment because different image aspect ratios will be saved, depending. I'm sure there is more to this, e.g. selecting the right frame. But from a quick phone burst, most any image will do.

I understand PSE prior to 12 had this feature in the photo editor, but later versions eliminated it.

[pontiac1940]

Feb 10, 2021 20:59:33 GMT gfmucci said:

I did notice a "freeze frame" feature in Premier Elements that looks like it extracts a still for a particular duration during a video.  But I don't suppose one could extract a .jpg from that.  That's probably a question for a different forum.

Not sure if you solved selection of a frame to your liking.

In Premier Elements (this is in 2018) you can save a jpg directly from the video by:  Tools >> Freeze Frame. Then select "export" from the FF menu. 
 

[Sepiana]

Feb 11, 2021 15:56:14 GMT gfmucci said:

I understand PSE prior to 14 had this feature in the photo editor, but later versions eliminated it.

Adobe removed this feature from Elements back in v12.  

What features from previous versions are not available in Adobe Photoshop Elements 12?

For those who have PSE 11 and earlier versions, . . .

1. In the Editor, go to File>Import>Frame From Video.
2. Click on the Browse button and navigate to the video you want. The first frame of the video will appear in the preview window.
3. Click on the Play button (or use the slider underneath the preview window) to move through the video until you get to the frame you want to capture.
4. Once you locate the frame you want, click on the Grab Frame button.
5. Click on the Done button.

NOTE:

- You can capture as many frames as you want and then click Done.
- Each frame will show up in the Editor as a separate file.
- These imported frames will have a fairly low resolution; they won't yield great prints.

[gfmucci]

Feb 11, 2021 16:14:14 GMT pontiac1940 said:

Feb 10, 2021 20:59:33 GMT gfmucci said:

I did notice a "freeze frame" feature in Premier Elements that looks like it extracts a still for a particular duration during a video.  But I don't suppose one could extract a .jpg from that.  That's probably a question for a different forum.

Not sure if you solved selection of a frame to your liking.

In Premier Elements (this is in 2018) you can save a jpg directly from the video by:  Tools >> Freeze Frame. Then select "export" from the FF menu. 
 

So, apparently there are multiple ways to .jpg a single frame of a video in PE.  I got nice 3MB+ images from my Galaxy phone MP4 burst this way:


In the Organizer, select the video clip.

Edit in PE.

Click on upper left "File".

Click on "Export and Share".

Click on "Image". Several different .jpg options will be offered. Pick one, save. Experiment because different image aspect ratios will be saved, depending.

Thanks for your alternate method. I didn't follow through far enough in that method to see how it also works.  Experimentation is half the game.