frame capture for mac trial software / shareware for mac

FrameThief is the premier solution for animators on the Macintosh platform. FrameThief features a rich tool set for the creation of high quality animation with ease, versatility, and speed.
The basic functionality of FrameThief is that of a video frame grabber, but the program builds upon this functionality to provide tools specific to animation. All you need to start animating with FrameThief is a video camera and a PowerPC Macintosh.
Is your camera compatible with FrameThief?
FrameThiefs video frame grabber is build to be compatible with nearly all video capture devices that work on the Macintosh. From web cams to Digital Video (DV), the program is able to get high-quality still images previously unavailable from other applications.
FrameThiefs plug-in style architecture allows for the development of plug-ins that support even more hardware video and still image source devices such as Digital Still Cameras. The current process for animating using Digital Still Cameras is long and tedious, FrameThief bring a new simplicity to the process.
Why should I use FrameThief?
Since FrameThief was designed for animation from the ground up, it is easy to use and is not burdened by video-editing functionality of other applications that are capable of frame grabbing.
The program produces sequential image files for the animator to use in any fashion they choose, such as Photoshop editing of individual frames. The resulting frames can easily converted into a QuickTime a movie using FrameThiefs export capability* or a companion program called FrameSplicer.
FrameThief was designed with one main purpose in mind; to simplify the current animation process. Where the current software that supports single frame capture can perform an operation in three steps, FrameThief was designed to perform it in one or even automatically.
FrameThiefs features such as lightbox, rotoscoping, and the sketch tool can ease in shooting of even the most complex scenes in your animation.
FrameThiefs interface is simple yet powerful. It provides all users, from beginners to experts, the ability to concentrate their full attention on the animation rather than the tool.

Main features:
- FrameThief is built on a plug-in style architecture. This enables new tools and feeds to be quickly developed and integrated into the program. For example, a plugin to support a specific Digital Still Camera.
- Hotkeys can be assigned to most of FrameThiefs functions, enabling users to be more productive. External configurable controllers, such as keypads and wireless remote controllers can also be used
- Note: Controller must support keystroke emulation.
- Dont like the noise in your captured images? FrameThiefs Frame Averaging feature will automatically reduce or eliminate the noise by averaging several images together into one. This process is automatically performed when the option is enabled. The result can produce dramatically better looking frames from DV and Web Cam sources.
- Upon customer requests, FrameThief incorporates time-lapse capture capability. A few clicks and FrameThief will automatically capture your animation
- The Audio-Sync feature allows for the loading of audio files into the program; enabling users to easily sync the animation to sound.
- FrameThief fully supports FireWire video peripherals such as DV Cameras.
- FrameThief is not in the least limited to DV frame capture. It works with virtually every QuickTime compatible video source such as USB Cams, Video Capture boards, and many other video peripherals.
- FrameThief plug-in architecture allows for the development of feeds based on Digital Still Cameras. This functionality adds a new dimension to animation software. Enabling the animator to produce HDTV or Film quality animations for a relatively tiny investment in equipment.1
- Advanced replay capabilities allow for real-time playback and looping. Looping can be customized to loop a section or the whole replay, delaying at the end. Users can also customize the compression settings of the replay, enabling capture boards with hardware compression to play the replay on the external video monitors (if supported by the hardware).
- Lightbox Tool expands on the functionality of classic Onionskinning. It enables the user to superimpose several previously captured frames on top of the feed to visually determine the progress of the animation.
- The Sketch Tool allows animators to draw markers over the live feed. This feature includes tools such as lines, squares and circles.
- And many more...