The convergence of still and video went mainstream in the early days of multimedia. If I were to point to one moment in history it might be the introduction of the interactive CD-ROM, which quickly became a vessel for mixing still and video images. Prior to the interactive CD-ROM, multimedia was more of a theatrical production, viewed at shows or kiosks, with a cutting edge appeal that now seems quaint (imagine the sound of 12 carousel projectors tripping through slides for a 6 screen show, sequenced and triggered by an elaborate control system). Artists have long pioneered mixed media, from ancient tribal dance, to Dada, to Broadway. But for photographers and videographers, convergence has entered an era of viability being brought about, paradoxically, as much by tools, as by the need for the tools.

If you are reading my words here, I am willing to bet you have a digital camera. If you do, you may also have a digital camera that shoots stills as well as video, presently purveyed by consumer “point and shoot” models. If you have a video camera you may also have a camera that can shoot a moderate resolution still image. Convergence. If you are a professional photographer, with expensive, high-quality equipment, you may not have these dual purpose devices, yet. Most DSLR (digital single lens reflex) cameras do not have video functionality, even though the imaging technology is similar. In fact, the earliest digital cameras were essentially video cameras that captured a still image by blending a couple of interlaced video frames into one still image.

Leap ahead to 2008. Let’s look at some recent signs of convergence that I’ll be exploring in upcoming columns:

    *      Last fall Casio announced a new Exilim model still camera that will shoot bursts of 60 frames per second (FPS), JPEG. That is certainly fast enough for stacking stills into Photoshop CS3 Extended, to output to video. The camera will also shoot video at 300 frames per second, fast enough for slow motion video projects. All in a consumer oriented form factor (and presumably a consumer friendly price).
    *      Video cameras are incorporated ever increasing still image capabilities.
    *      Prominent photography magazines have begun to feature articles on the still image capabilities of video cameras.
    *      Software companies, such as imaging industry leader Adobe, have incorporated tremendous video functionality into, previously still-oriented, Photoshop with the introduction of Photoshop CS3 Extended last year (to be fair, Photoshop CS2 had some excellent video functionality built in as well).
    *      Apple is turning handheld devices into hubs for both still images and video, and mobile phones in general are becoming multimedia devices.
    *      Televisions are evolving from a moving-picture-only device into a place to view still images as well, via card readers, Apple TV and iTunes, WiFi enabled cameras, and so forth.

The list goes on, and will go on, with new industry announcements and we’ll watch some of them here as well.

(Posted by Steve Weinrebe, Copyright 2008, All Right Reserved.)