X

Turning video clips to still images (images)

Microsoft researchers have come up with some pretty neat tricks for turning rather so-so video clips into some pretty decent still images. Here's a look.

Ina Fried
mt_rainier_single_image.jpg
1 of 10 Microsoft

Hazy Mount Rainier

This is a typical hazy image of Washington's Mount Rainier. However, Microsoft researchers have found a pretty unique way to cut through the fog.

At this week's TechFair in Mountain View, Calif., Microsoft researcher Neel Joshi showed a technique that uses video clips and burst-mode photography to create surprisingly sharp still images and panoramas from a blurry source.

mt_rainier_single_image_dehazed_1.jpg
2 of 10 Microsoft

A little less hazy, but now grainy

This is what a typical photo-editing program might be able to do to remove the fog from a hazy image of Mount Rainier.

Click on the next photo to see what Microsoft Research was able to do using a video clip of that same hazy view.

mt_rainier_multi_image_dehazed_denoised_2.jpg
3 of 10 Microsoft

Much clearer

By using just a short video clip of the hazy mountain, researchers were able to come up with a surprisingly sharp image.
jump_vid.jpg
4 of 10 Microsoft

ready to jump

Capturing moments like jumping off a cliff can be difficult, making one more likely to take a video instead.
jump_vid_summary_superres_1.jpg
5 of 10 Microsoft

Using video to capture the moment

Researchers show how a pretty dramatic still of the jump can be created using the video.
bldg99_pano_2.jpg
6 of 10 Microsoft

Microsoft's Building 99

This panorama of Building 99, home to Microsoft Research, was created from a rather wobbly video pan of the building.
cranes_single_image_1.jpg
7 of 10 Microsoft

Cranes?

These cranes are hard to see in the still image.
cranes_multi_image_dehazed_denoised_1.jpg
8 of 10 Microsoft

That's more like it

However, the cranes and the background come into better view when the image is de-hazed and de-noised from a variety of frames taken out of a video.
seattle_single_image_1.jpg
9 of 10 Microsoft

Seattle, through the fog

Here's a typical shot of downtown Seattle, fog and all. Click the next photo to see what Microsoft researchers were able to do to clear things up a bit.
seattle_multi_image_dehazed_denoised_1.jpg
10 of 10 Microsoft

Clearing Seattle's sky

Once again, using the multi-image method, researchers are able to remove much of the fog from the shot.

More Galleries

Yamaha motorcycle and instrument designers trade jobs (pictures)
yamaha01.jpg

Yamaha motorcycle and instrument designers trade jobs (pictures)

16 Photos
CNET's 'Day of the Dead Devices' altar (pictures)
dia-de-los-muertos-3318-001.jpg

CNET's 'Day of the Dead Devices' altar (pictures)

9 Photos
2007 Los Angeles Auto Show: concept cars
conceptss01_440.jpg

2007 Los Angeles Auto Show: concept cars

14 Photos
Best sound bars under $300
polk-magnifi-mini-15.jpg

Best sound bars under $300

18 Photos
2018 Ford F-150 Power Stroke reports for diesel duty
2018 Ford F-150 diesel

2018 Ford F-150 Power Stroke reports for diesel duty

22 Photos
Music-friendly cell phone accessories

Music-friendly cell phone accessories

11 Photos
Cosplay at Comic-Con 2016: From Stormtroopers to Sansa Stark
dsc0515.jpg

Cosplay at Comic-Con 2016: From Stormtroopers to Sansa Stark

34 Photos