windows 7 capture image from webcam

i've been searching to no avail I just need a FREE(no demo) program to capture an image from a webcam in windows 7. The webcam is built in, it works fine, but I have no programs to capture. MovieMaker wasn't installed and I installed that, but there is no option in that to even record.

Everything I'm finding is either for chatting or doing video. i need a static picture taken. And I want to be able to have it automically save the captured images without me having to go to another menu and setting up a new file. it should be sequential in other words. IT CANNOT BE WEB BASED!

UserZer0

Posted 2013-09-28T13:32:35.883

Reputation: 563

Shopping recommendations are off topic here. I suggest editing your question to ask for a process instead of a product – Canadian Luke – 2013-09-28T18:43:24.873

Answers

1) best and fastest tool for this is Microsoft AMcap.

It works via native DirectX functions

Its free and comes via DirectX SDK - and here is a direct link to Amcap.exe.

2) free online flash app

Fahad Saleem

Posted 2013-09-28T13:32:35.883

Reputation: 662

Exactly What I needed. for #1 . #2 though I had specifically asked not to include, I cannot used a program that has access to the internet as I'm scanning sensitive information. But Perhaps it will help someone else so I'll allow it. – UserZer0 – 2013-09-28T21:50:06.230

I found out that in Windows 7 you can't use "Take a picture" anymore (like in Windows XP). You could try starting Paint and choosing "From scanner or camera" in 'main'-pulldown, but you need to save them manually.

You want a program that captures it manually but saves automatically. There are tons on the web.

One i found is WebCamImageSave.

Haven't tried it myself but should be able to do what you want.

You can also manually capture a single image by pressing F8. and if you disabled automatically capture every... it saves just 1 image after pressing f8.

WebCamImageSave

Rik

Posted 2013-09-28T13:32:35.883

Reputation: 11 800

You didn't explain how you can do this in windows itself. This is exactly what I wanted to do. I have no use for a program that captures periodically. Yes there are a ton of them out there. – UserZer0 – 2013-09-28T21:51:26.893

Wow, you're right. Windows 7 does not have "Take a picture" anymore. You could use Paint to import "From scanner or camera" but have to save it manually. But the given solution with WebCamImageSave does give you the abilty to just automatically save 1 image with a click of the button (f8). I adjusted my answer.

– Rik – 2013-09-28T22:14:23.817

Thanks Much better. I'l probably end up using this now. Haven't tried it yet though. – UserZer0 – 2013-09-29T13:47:05.790

For some reason though what you mentioned about paint doesn't work for me. When I go to paint I can see the import from scanner or camera, but it's greyed out. WebCamImageSave is exactly what I was looking for though. – UserZer0 – 2013-09-29T13:49:13.380

FFMpeg can do this.
You can capture, crop, resize, change quality, (... and so on) with it.
Also it can capture video, audio and so on.
It has no GUI, but if you can use command-line, then it can be the easiest way for you.
The advantage is that it is a standalone, open-source application, and doesn't require any dlls and installation. And there are versions for Linux, Windows, OS X. You can download them here.

Jet

Posted 2013-09-28T13:32:35.883

Reputation: 2 232

What is the command to do this? – Joshua Meyers – 2017-03-17T03:08:24.043

No gui wouldn't be very helpful to most people on this, you can't see what your doing. But FFMpeg is definitely one of the best tools you can use. – UserZer0 – 2013-09-28T21:53:41.730

1@UserZer0 yes, and that's why I wrote "if you can use command-line" – Jet – 2013-09-29T05:41:29.237