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What has worked out really well for me is a simple Python script that uses QT to generate movies from individual frames. I've used it for time-lapses, but it could probably be used for stop-motion movies too. Of course, you don't get all the composing features of these tools, but it's free and works exceedingly well.

http://www.ecogito.net/anil/2010/09/howto-create-a-time-lapse-movie-from-a-sequence-of-images/

Using Thunderbird, without having to rely on 'pulling' it from Gmail. http://www.ecogito.net/anil/2005/04/howto-archive-your-old-email-in-gmail.html

For a whole year I used a Point&Shoot (The Canon S410) and only last year did I dare to venture into the realm of the DSLR (I own a 350D). I have pictures from both eras for comparison (Point&Shoot and Mostly DSLR) The point I have to make is this:

1. A great picture does not require an SLR. A great picture is mostly about composition, and very little about the actual quality of the image. If nothing, a P&S will teach you to put composition over lens wizardry, and when you actually graduate to an SLR, you'll be the master of both.

2. A P&S has one great advantage over a DSLR -> Size! I lug my SLR around on lots of occasions, but most of the time it's a planned thing. When I used my P&S, it used to be in my pocket the whole time, and I got a lot more spontaneous and interesting shots. Photography is not just for those trips you make.. it's for the times you see a great shot while walking down the street, in the mall.. in the classroom... everywhere... the P&S will make you start framing shots in your head every time you step out of your house.

3. DSLRs have bigger sensors and generally much better image quality, but the Canon P&S cameras I've used have a great picture quality that's virtually indistinguishable from an SLR unless you zoom in too much. (A 10MP picture is really worthless unless you are actually gonna blow up the image to that size.. most of the time you'll be posting them at 1024px or smaller.

For a whole year I used a Point&Shoot (The Canon S410) and only last year did I dare to venture into the realm of the DSLR (I own a 350D). I have pictures from both eras for comparison (Point&Shoot and Mostly DSLR) The point I have to make is this:

1. A great picture does not require an SLR. A great picture is mostly about composition, and very little about the actual quality of the image. If nothing, a P&S will teach you to put composition over lens wizardry, and when you actually graduate to an SLR, you'll be the master of both.

2. A P&S has one great advantage over a DSLR -> Size! I lug my SLR around on lots of occasions, but most of the time it's a planned thing. When I used my P&S, it used to be in my pocket the whole time, and I got a lot more spontaneous and interesting shots. Photography is not just for those trips you make.. it's for the times you see a great shot while walking down the street, in the mall.. in the classroom... everywhere... the P&S will make you start framing shots in your head every time you step out of your house.

3. DSLRs have bigger sensors and generally much better image quality, but the Canon P&S cameras I've used have a great picture quality that's virtually indistinguishable from an SLR unless you zoom in too much. (A 10MP picture is really worthless unless you are actually gonna blow up the image to that size.. most of the time you'll be posting them at 1024px or smaller.

Since not all the settings in the converter will give you iPod ready videos, I have typed out a quick tutorial.

A brief history of Lena. The page is worksafe, but if you wish to click, there are links to non-worksafe images of Lena over there.