I have heard

[Palladini]

Can GIMP work with Video Files?

  Or would I need to put a video on the timeline of Video Editing Program, in this case KDenlive, extract a frame as PNG image and use that.

[Ofnuts]

No, AFAIK there is no plugin for Gimp to open video files directly. You have to extract frames by other means.

Depending on the video format/codec/parameters a single frame can be a pretty crap image. This is not a problem in a video, where you don't see it long enough to notice problems. When used as still image, however...

[rich2005]

More trouble than it is worth.

I think Gimp GAP can open a video, but picky about codec

Then, an old plugin here: http://registry.gimp.org/node/30 from 2008

You will have to compile it. This in Gimp 2.9.7. Throws up a few warnings during compilation but no errors.

Does it open a video clip - yes but the video needs to be uncompressed (= possible huge file size). Sometimes not too easy these days.



And you get the clip as layers. Might as well just use your video editor.

As Ofnuts declared, quality is usually dire. Some sources are better than others. This for example, although small frame size, the video quality is good. (although imgur liable to degrade it )

https://i.imgur.com/ZGDK61e.png

For a modern digital camera, larger frame sizes are not always better. IMHO AVCHD overcompressed and a PITA.