Screenshots in Blu-ray Reviews

[Lincoln6Echo]

I've done my share of looking at Blu-ray.com's Blu-ray reviews and their screenshot galleries, and I'm just wondering who does, and what criteria do these people use to determine what a good screenshot is?

Because I notice that very seldomly do they show what I, myself, would take a screenshot of. Most of the time, they're screenshots of faces or similar items. So what I'm saying can be pretty much summed up with the recent review of Minority Report. Screenshot gallery. I mean, with all the interesting imagery in that movie we get these 10 non-descript screens that show absolutely nothing really interesting. And don't tell me face shots are important to show facial detail when the screenshots are .jpg compressed in the first place.

[LordCrumb]

You answered your own question... face shots are great because they DO show fine detail.

[DetroitSportsFan]

Since we're on the subject, can anyone recommend a program (preferably free) for taking screencaps?

[Lincoln6Echo]

Originally Posted by KaiGusto

You answered your own question... face shots are great because they DO show fine detail.

Well, umm..no they don't. Because as the Disclaimer says:

Disclaimer: Please note that this screenshot is only a still-image frame, captured at 1080p using specialized techniques.
A still-image screenshot of a moving image can show more - or less - artifacts due to the non-moving nature of the screenshot.
The screenshots should not be used to discuss whether a Blu-ray title features good or bad video quality, screenshots are included for descriptive
and entertainment purposes and to give the viewer a general idea of what a title will look like.
Screenshots are not representative of the true quality that Blu-ray offers.

So, like I said, because they are NOT a true representation of the true quality of the BD, why give us boring shots as examples? Out of all the interesting imagery in this film, like the futurisitic cityscapes, vehicles, etc. all we get is these boring face shots. It'd be like taking pictures at a NASAR race event and giving us a bunch of close-ups of average people in the inner field tailgating instead of the actual race cars.

I'm just dying to see the Saving Private Ryan review where we get to see close-ups of Vin Diesel's mug. Yeah, forget all those glorious battle scenes, I wanna see Paul Giamonti's face.

I guess it may come down to how people take pictures in general. You know, like those who always go on vacation and they take pictures of themselves rather than of the locales that they're actually at? Like "Here's me at the Grand Canyon" (where you are 80% of the picture and the Grand Canyon is a second thought.)

My point is that there can be as much, if not more, detail in the surroundings in a picture (Blu-ray image) than there is on a close-up face shot.

[LordCrumb]

Ya get what your given.

[pchin]

Those images are just samples taken to show various scenes: face details, dark scenes, color, etc. The images could be taken randomly due to the chunk of reviews at hand, hence reviewers can't be too choosy. Besides, they are very subjective. What constitute "good" screenshots for one person might not be so good for another.

As the disclaimer says they are not the actual representation of the actual film PQ. They are merely "give the viewer a general idea". Look at it this way: A review or report without a single screenshot/image/graph is really boring...

Anyway, one can always read up the review for details & info on the film PQ & SQ. If need to, compare to another review for second opinion (for verification purpose).

[Lincoln6Echo]

Originally Posted by pchin

Those images are just samples taken to show various scenes: face details, dark scenes, color, etc. The images could be taken randomly due to the chunk of reviews at hand, hence reviewers can't be too choosy. Besides, they are very subjective. What constitute "good" screenshots for one person might not be so good for another.

As the disclaimer says they are not the actual representation of the actual film PQ. They are merely "give the viewer a general idea". Look at it this way: A review or report without a single screenshot/image/graph is really boring...

Anyway, one can always read up the review for details & info on the film PQ & SQ. If need to, compare to another review for second opinion (for verification purpose).

Oh, I do, but I'm just saying that out of all these great films with breath taking scenery, we get boring screenshots to show us what doesn't accurately represent the actual PQ of the BD. Like I said..."Here I am at the 2010 Great American Airshow and I'm standing next to the brand new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter." Except all you see is my mug and the front landing gear strut to show the not quite accurate representation of my 10 megapixel camera.

So for my example of Minority report, I might have used one of the shots of Tom Cruise jumping from one of those tracked cars on the side of the building to another. Or one from the scene in the factory with the sonic gun.

I think what I'm saying here, is that the reviewers and I have a completely different idea of what would make for good screenshots to show people what the BD's PQ looks like to some degree. And it relates to how different people take regular everyday photographs. For instance, I tend to hate pictures of people in those grouped "drunkin' party" shots. You know, the "girls gone wild" kind of shots. I tend to like photos of the surrounding environment with minimal persons in it.

Now I realize that it is tough to get a clear still shot of a motion picture due to the motion blur in the frame-by-frame motion in the action, but subject matter should still be highly considered.

[crazyBLUE]

Personally I don't mind the screen shots we get . It's part of the movie isn't it so what does it matter

Just my opinion !

[pchin]

So in another words, you'd prefer those interesting screenshots in a more "artistic angle".

Perhaps you could contribute or volunteer to help out in the screenshots department. It's time to spice up the images we are seeing here.

[Lincoln6Echo]

Originally Posted by pchin

So in another words, you'd prefer those interesting screenshots in a more "artistic angle".

Yes, the more artistic angle, if you will. Basically, the exciting stuff you'd see in the trailers for the films.

Perhaps you could contribute or volunteer to help out in the screenshots department. It's time to spice up the images we are seeing here.

I'd love to believe me, but I don't have the hardware, nor the software to do so. I'd assume one needs a BD drive in their computer, no? I don't have one...just a DVD drive.