feature request: one-click photo shooting (video mode vs photo mode)

[Florin Andrei]

One thing I would hate to do is to go back and forth between video mode and photo mode. Let's say I'm shooting video, there's a break between two takes, and suddenly I need to take an instant photo, RIGHT NOW or the magic moment is gone.

If I have to manipulate I don't know how many controls, navigate a forest of menus, take a zillion steps before the camera is in "photo mode", that would suck.

Please put a separate button on the handle, for the sole purpose of taking still images while in video mode. Yes, I know the user interface is prime real estate. I do realize that more buttons mean a more complicated and more confusing user interface. But the ability to take instant photos is invaluable.
Actually, it would be nice if that button could take stills even while actually shooting video: just have the camera grab the current video frame and save it as a still image. This would eliminate the need to extract frames from the video on the computer.

This would be a great feature for many non-pro usage scenarios, and I'm sure some pros will find it useful as well.

While in photo mode, perhaps you can re-purpose that button for something else - you guys are smart, you'll figure out something. Maybe even reserve it for a "quick video shoot" while in photo mode, therefore mirroring its functionality from the other mode.

Or hell, do away with "video mode" and "photo mode". Just put two big buttons on the user interface, one for shooting video, the other for shooting photo, and have the camera ready for either at any given moment. So both buttons can be used independently: if you want to shoot video, just push the video button; for shooting photo, just push the photo button; and one button should not care what the other button is doing.
OK, this might be a lot more controversial, and I'm not 100% sure myself it's a good idea (*). But I'm just throwing it out there, if it's good maybe it will stick.

(*) - E.g., the settings while shooting video might not be optimal for shooting stills. Also, the camera should still have different config presets for video and photo anyway, but if it's able to shoot both at the same time then which one should take precedence? (probably video)

[Gleth]

Looking at the renders of the new Scarlet, I can see a switch that has 'Motion' and 'Still' marked by it. IIRC it was mentioned that this would mean you could have two setups for your Scarlet, one for stills and one for video, you could swittch between without losing the setting for either...

[Florin Andrei]

Originally Posted by Gleth

Looking at the renders of the new Scarlet, I can see a switch that has 'Motion' and 'Still' marked by it. IIRC it was mentioned that this would mean you could have two setups for your Scarlet, one for stills and one for video, you could swittch between without losing the setting for either...

Correct, and it's a good feature. The camera should have separate settings for video and stills. But that's orthogonal to the initial request - which was about switching between the two modes, or rather about having a shortcut for doing such a switch, or even have it ready for both at any given time and just apply the appropriate settings depending on which action is triggered by the user (shoot video or shoot stills).

[Jerrod Cordell]

If you happen to come across that situation, why don't you just take a screen grab from the video?

[Bryan Arnold]

I hate taking stills but extracting stills from a motion sequence is awesome and gives me much more freedom. Unfortunately I'm stucked with 1080i...for now <insert evil laugh with reverb>