VHS Tapes and Video Capture
You can capture digital video clips or still frames from a VHS videotape or MiniDV tape. Video clips can be saved in a multitude of formats including Quicktime, Windows Media File, AVI and MPEG. Captured still images can be exported as JPEG files for use in other programs. (Captured stills are of relatively low resolution.) Videos can be edited and spliced together using iMovie, Final Cut Express or Final Cut Pro. Videos may also be written to a DVD suitable for playing in a standard DVD player using iDVD or DVD Studio Pro. Edited videos may also be copied back to blank tapes. Spatial quantification of images can be performed with Image-Pro Plus (see document ACHS-211).
Other Video Devices
If you have a video device of your own (such as an 8mm camcorder), ACHS's video capture workstations have RCA composite, S-video, and BNC inputs. You can connect the device to ACHS's video workstations; ask a lab assistant for help. Bring your own cables and blank tapes.
Still Photography
If you have a Petri dish, microtiter tray, or other type of specimen that you want to photograph, ACHS has a high-resolution digital camera that can be mounted on a photography stand. With the macro lens attached, photos can be taken with the camera as close as five inches from the subject. The specimen can be illuminated from above or below, and the resulting image can be imported into Photoshop and saved to disk. Ask a lab assistant for help in setting up this camera.
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