As a video creator and editor with over 10 years of experience, I often get asked what tools I use to record high-quality videos. My go-to software for both video capture and editing is TechSmith’s Snagit.
In this comprehensive guide, I’ll walk you through the main video recording features available in Snagit and how to use them effectively based on my decade of hands-on experience.
An Overview of Snagit’s Video Tools
At its core, Snagit is screen capture software that allows you to grab images and videos from your screen. What sets it apart, however, is the robust set of editing tools built right in.
For video creation specifically, Snagit enables you to:
- Record your screen
- Capture webcam footage
- Combine screen recordings and webcam videos
- Trim and cut clips
- Add transitions
- Insert text, arrows, and callouts
- Customize video properties
I rely on these tools daily to create high-quality tutorial videos and demonstrations for my clients. The ability to seamlessly integrate screen captures and webcam video makes Snagit an invaluable part of my video production toolkit.
Let’s explore the main video recording capabilities in more detail:
Recording Your Screen
Snagit provides two approaches to recording your screen – Manual Capture and Auto-Scroll Capture.
The Manual Capture mode allows you to select a region of your screen or an individual window to record. You can capture video with or without audio from your microphone or system sounds.
I typically use the Manual Capture when I want to highlight the step-by-step process of using a particular software tool. Being able to specify an area of the screen to record ensures my tutorial video remains focused without unnecessary distractions.
The Auto-Scroll Capture is helpful when you want to record content that extends beyond the visible area on your monitor. For example, when creating documentation videos that involve scrolling through a long web page or large Photoshop canvas.
Simply turn on Auto-Scroll Capture and Snagit will automatically scroll and record as you move through the content. It’s a huge time saver compared to manually recording and stitching together multiple video clips.
Overall, Snagit’s screen recording capabilities allow me to quickly and easily capture high-quality footage of exactly what I want my audience to see.
Recording Webcam Video
In addition to screen recording, Snagit enables you to add a picture-in-picture webcam overlay to your videos.
Being able to simultaneously capture my screen and record myself explaining a process brings a lot of value. It allows me to demonstrate concepts visually and reinforce them verbally in real time.
The webcam recording tools in Snagit provide extensive customization too. You can set the video size and placement, add various borders and effects, and enable auto-zooming on your face.
I like to position my webcam video in the bottom right corner with a clean border to maximize visibility without becoming too distracting. The auto-zoom feature is also great for maintaining emphasis on your facial expressions as you speak.
Combining Screen and Webcam Recordings
Here is where Snagit shines — it makes compiling separate screen recordings and webcam clips into a cohesive video incredibly simple.
For example, when creating a software tutorial, I’ll often record my intro and outro on the webcam. Then I use screen recording to demonstrate the key features of the application itself.
Within Snagit’s video editor, I can easily import all my clips onto a single timeline. Then I add transitions between segments and sprinkle in callouts, captions, and graphics where needed.
In a matter of minutes, I have a professional-grade tutorial video that combines the value of seeing my screen and seeing me explain the concepts.
The built-in editing workspace enables me to produce these videos without ever leaving Snagit or needing advanced video editing skills. It’s been a total game changer for efficiently creating compelling tutorial content.
Advanced Recording Options
Beyond the core recording tools outlined above, Snagit has a few advanced options worth mentioning:
Variable Recording
The variable recording mode allows you to speed up and slow down your cursor movements for demonstration purposes. This helps emphasize important clicks and transitions when covering complex workflows.
Multi-Capture
If you need to record the same process across multiple software versions or browser windows, Snagit lets you batch-record them simultaneously. It’s perfect for showcasing how a particular task or workflow may differ between applications.
Animated GIF Capture
In addition to standard video exports, Snagit enables you to save your screen recordings as animated GIFs. This is super useful for creating simple demos and walkthroughs to easily embed or share on blogs and social media.
Recording Tips and Best Practices
Over the past 10 years of creating thousands of tutorial videos, I’ve learned a few tips and tricks for getting the most out of Snagit’s recording capabilities:
Use keyboard shortcuts to start/stop recording – It reduces fumbling and ensures you capture exactly what you intend.
- Record short segments – Quick demos focused on individual concepts are less overwhelming for viewers. They also give you more flexibility in post-production.
- Capture at high frame rates – Recording screen activity at 60 fps or higher ensures smooth playback, especially during rapid cursor movements.
- Use cursor highlighting – Subtly magnifying the mouse pointer draws attention to the key clicks and interactions.
- Minimize distractions – Close unnecessary programs and browser tabs to keep the viewer focused on the main action.
- Practice your script – Know what you’re going to demonstrate and say ahead of time for an efficient recording process.
Follow these best practices and the powerful screen and webcam recording capabilities in Snagit will help you create professional-level software tutorials and demonstration videos with ease!
Conclusion
As you can see, Snagit provides a robust set of tools for capturing and combining screen recordings and webcam video. After a decade of video production experience, it has become an indispensable part of my workflow.
The ability to quickly record high-quality footage of your screen activity and seamlessly edit everything together makes Snagit perfect for creating software tutorials, how-to guides, and product demonstrations.
I hope this overview has shed some light on how you too can leverage Snagit to produce compelling instructional videos or presentations. Let me know in the comments if you have any other questions!
Also Read – What’s the difference between Screencast-O-Matic’s free and paid versions?