JPEG to AVI conversion

[David Clark]

This time of year, I do alot of high school highlight videos. I wind up with hundreds of jpegs. Does anyone know of a program that converts them to AVI's?

[Jimmy McKenzie]

Seeing that your post is in the Premiere forum...

For simple slideshow playback with crossfade, prep your images at 720x480 pixel count.

Set your default frame amount to your desired amount in preferences. Then import each of the still into a bin. Select the entire bin and then automate to timeline. The will all appear in the active sequence with your default transition already applied.

[David Clark]

Thanks I appreciate that. However I need to see these in real time to add the proper motion to each photo. Premiere 6 had a batch converter that did that (although not always successful) , they left it off the Pro series.

[Steven Gotz]

Any halfway decent PC will show the motion in realtime using Premiere Pro. I seldom have to render stills anymore with a 3.06GHz PC just to see the motion.

[David Clark]

Thanks guys, I don't mean to sound rude......but, as they say in legal speak, "objection, non responsive". I am using the Matrox RX-100 with Prem 1.5.1, 3.1 gig proc. and 1 gig ram. I use the Matrox tools to add motion.

Because of so many different sources and sizes of photos, I reduce the photos in Photoshop. Sometimes I have to futher reduce some photos with the Premeire motion tool, and then add motion with Matrox. They say real time, but it's semi-realtime, and if your working with hundreds of photos, this can take alot of time. I could just add a generic motion to all and go on, but I don't work that way. I have loaded my Premiere 6.2 in this system to do that function, but it is very slow and doesn't always finish the task. I am hoping someone has created a program that would use the newer technology of today for that task.

So, like my first question said, does anyone know a program that will convert JPEG's to AVI?
Thanks again for the responses.

[Steven Gotz]

Any NLE will convert a JPEG to an AVI. Just export it. But why? Once it is an AVI you only have 720X480 and can not zoom or pan on it.

I don't mean to be non-responsive, but the question is not clear. Use Premiere Pro.

You can do a few stills using motion in a project and then export the AVI. Do that in a few projects. Combine all of the AVIs into one project. That should keep your system running smoothly.

[David Clark]

Thanks Steve, yes any NLE will do that, but why one at a time? If I have hundreds (and hundreds and hundreds from other projects) if they were batch converted (like Prem 6 could do) they can save alot of time. And if left as JPEGS, they eventually have to be rendered. The project I just finished had over 1100 photos. (And yes I do automate to timeline)

And why can't you zoom in or out on a 720X480 image? I always do, such as a face or particular part of a photo. Thanks!

[Steven Gotz]

If you zoom in on a video, it loses quality. The information is not there, so the NLE has to calculate what it thinks should be there. Zoom in on a still image and you get the original pixels (up to 100%).

If you want to export all of the JPG files to AVI in a batch process, I imagine that After Effects would do it for you. But I don't know of any automated way to do it. Nor do I believe that is what you really should do. But that's your business, not mine.

You could put them all on the sequence, export to AVI, then take the new video into the Source window and set i/o points, making subclips out of each still. But it still does not get you what you really believe you want.

Seriously, I would reconsider my workflow if I were you. It sounds like you could animate a couple of dozen effects and save them as presets.

[Richard Maloney]

I think Steven meant without loss of resolution (pixelation). I agree with him, why reduce the size if you don't have to.
Anyway, Canopus imaginate or there are a few others will do this quite nicely, there is a demo of it off the homepage: LINK

[Jeremy Davidson]

Do the JPEG's represent individual frames of an animation, or are they completely separate photos? Could you post a sample of your work so we can better understand the kind of motion you're trying to apply?

[David Clark]

These are completely separate photos. I'm doing subtle zooms, nothing really extreme. I see very very little quality loss this way, and never had a complaint (they keep coming back for more!), but it looks fine, I wouldn't do it if it looked crappy. Converting the JPEGS over to AVI's, I just don't see any quality loss, it depends on the original picture of course, but also there is no moire on plaid or patterns appearing, and the cropped edges stay still. Plus it gives a general smoother appearance. I will place an example soon. Thank you for trying.

[Steven Gotz]

Well, you seem to know what you want. I am just sorry I could not think of a way to do it easily.