CamStudio - Screen Recorder

Free screen recording software

Video Capture, Screen Capture
Windows

CamStudio records screen and audio activity on your computer to create AVI video files and turns them into bandwidth-friendly, streaming Flash videos (SWF). CamStudio also lets you add screen captions or video annotations to your recordings through anti-aliased images, or by producing a Webcam movie of yourself (screen in screen) on your desktop. And CamStudio comes with its own lossless codec that produces crystal clear results with a much smaller filesize compared some popular codecs, like Microsoft Video 1. Additional options include cursor controls, the ability to record an entire screen or a portion of it, and selections for output quality. Best of all, CamStudio is easy to use and navigate, plus it includes a built-in Help file.

Official release builds: http://p.sf.net/camstudio/stable
Source Tree: http://p.sf.net/camstudio/mercurial
Patches sent to the dev mailing list.

Consider joining the CamStudio project by emailing one of the admins.

  • Record your screen and audio to AVI files
  • Convert AVI into Flash
  • Highlight the cursor path
  • Automatically pan
  • Record with sound
  • Add text comments to videos

Category

Video Capture, Screen Capture

License

Official website
Download
Intended Audience
End Users/Desktop
User Interface
Win32 (MS Windows)
Programming Language
C++

Review

CamStudio is a great tool to create quick demos and screencasts on your computer in AVI and, if you wish, you can convert them into Flash format. CamStudio's features include options to highlight the cursor path during a recording session, automatic panning, and the ability to record with sound. An effects menu lets you annotate and append videos with comments, plus add a time stamp or watermark. CamStudio also captures screenshots if you set the frame rate, drag the mouse over the area for capture, and tap on the coordinates. While CamStudio doesn’t contain any fancy compressors, file types, or even a video editor, we found it easy to convert AVI files into MP4s, for example, using other free software free software. Overall, CamStudio is a great way to take advantage of open source software to produce both instructional videos and screen captures and share them with the world!

CamStudio at a Glance

CamStudio is a compact little program with some nice features tucked away to maximize its allure. Installation is a breeze. However, when you launch CamStudio, a private product upgrade is offered that has not been verified by SourceForge. You’ll have to decide if you want to take a chance on CamStudio’s private upgrade or not. Yet, once you launch CamStudio, you’ll find several helpful features to make your screen recording journey quite enjoyable. For example, controls to record an entire screen or a portion of it, sound options, and the ability to add comments to videos and screen captures. CamStudio and its codec are released under GPL license.

Product Details

Here is a detailed breakdown of CamStudio’s features:
  • Records your screen and audio to AVI files
  • Converts AVI into Flash
  • Highlights your cursor path for clarity
  • Automatically pans
  • Records with sound
  • Lets you add text comments to videos

Pros

Cons
CamStudio lets you create training tutorials and has a nice selection of video styling features. CamStudio outputs only to AVI with a conversion to Flash.

Comments