Convert Samsung Motion Photos to Still Photos without Losing Quality

Convert Samsung Motion Photos to Still Photos without Losing Quality

Have you ever received several photos from a friend who uses a Samsung phone, only to find out that they are motion photos? The Windows Photos app might not provide an option to extract the original photo without losing quality. In this article, we will guide you through the process of converting Samsung motion photos to still photos without losing quality, using a simple and effective method.

What are Samsung Motion Photos?

Samsung Motion Photos, also known as Live Photos, are a feature that captures a short video clip along with a still photo. This feature allows users to relive the moment by playing the video clip. However, when sharing these photos with others, the motion part might not be desired, or the recipient might not have a compatible device to view it.

Why Convert Samsung Motion Photos to Still Photos?

There are several reasons why you might want to convert Samsung motion photos to still photos:

• Sharing with friends or family who do not have a compatible device to view motion photos.
• Reducing file size and storage space.
• Preserving the original photo without any motion or video distractions.

How to Convert Samsung Motion Photos to Still Photos?

To convert Samsung motion photos to still photos without losing quality, you can use the following method:

1. Transfer the motion photos from your Samsung phone to your computer.
2. Install a free photo editor that supports motion photo conversion, such as GIMP or Photopea.
3. Open the motion photo in the photo editor and locate the motion part of the photo.
4. Use the photo editor's crop tool to select the still part of the photo that you want to keep.
5. Save the new still photo to your computer, using a file format that preserves the quality, such as PNG or TIFF.

Code Example: Using GIMP to Convert Samsung Motion Photos to Still Photos

Here is an example of how to convert a Samsung motion photo to a still photo using GIMP:

1. Open GIMP and select File > Open to open the motion photo.
2. In the Layers panel, right-click on the motion layer and select Duplicate Layer to create a new layer with the motion part of the photo.
3. Select the new motion layer and use the Rectangle Select tool to select the still part of the photo that you want to keep.
4. Select Layer > Crop to Selection to crop the motion layer to the selected area.
5. Create a new layer by selecting Layer > New Layer and name it "Still Photo".
6. Select the "Still Photo" layer and use the Bucket Fill tool to fill it with the background color of the motion photo.
7. Select the cropped motion layer and use the Move tool to move it over the "Still Photo" layer.
8. Select the "Still Photo" layer and use the Layer Mask to blend the still part of the motion photo with the background color.
9. Save the new still photo by selecting File > Export As and choosing a file format that preserves the quality, such as PNG or TIFF.

import os
import cv2

# Set input and output directories
input_dir = "input"
output_dir = "output"

# Loop through all files in the input directory
for filename in os.listdir(input_dir):
    # Check if the file is a motion photo
    if filename.endswith(".mp4"):
        # Open the motion photo using OpenCV
        motion_photo = cv2.VideoCapture(os.path.join(input_dir, filename))

        # Get the total number of frames in the motion photo
        total_frames = int(motion_photo.get(cv2.CAP_PROP_FRAME_COUNT))

        # Calculate the duration of each frame
        frame_duration = motion_photo.get(cv2.CAP_PROP_FRAME_COUNT) / motion_photo.get(cv2.CAP_PROP_FPS)

        # Calculate the index of the frame to extract
        frame_index = int(frame_duration / 2)

        # Set the frame index and read the frame
        motion_photo.set(cv2.CAP_PROP_POS_FRAMES, frame_index)
        ret, still_photo = motion_photo.read()

        # Check if the frame was successfully read
        if ret:
            # Save the still photo to the output directory
            cv2.imwrite(os.path.join(output_dir, filename[:-4] + ".png"), still_photo)

        # Release the motion photo
        motion_photo.release()

In this article, we have discussed what Samsung Motion Photos are, why you might want to convert them to still photos, and how to do it using a simple and effective method. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can extract the original photo from a Samsung motion photo without losing quality, and share it with friends and family who do not have a compatible device to view motion photos.

References

• What is Motion Photo?
• GIMP
• Photopea
• cv2.CAP_PROP_FRAME_COUNT
• cv2.CAP_PROP_FPS
• cv2.CAP_PROP_POS_FRAMES