There are two methods of getting your frames or images into your claymation software. First is directly capturing to you animation software using a DV camera or a web camera. The second method is by taking the snaps with a digital still camera and then importing them to your stop motion claymation software.

Using a good quality webcamera for claymation is becoming very popular due to the improved quality of web cameras available on the market in the last few years. The Logitech, Quickcam 9000 for example (released May 2009 - Review here) uses a Carl Zeiss glass lens and some very good quality driver software to deliver excellent image quality for claymation animation. It can capture at up to 30fps (refresh) at 640x480 resolution (standard TV broadcast quality). It also can capture HD quality images (960x720) at a very respectable 15fps. Using a web camera means capturing images straight in to your stop motion claymation software. For non professional use we would recommend software such as iKITMovie from iKITSystems. More on software later. Also make sure you secure your web camera on to some type of solid base and secure that base to your set using BluTack or tape.

A second method is to capture your snaps / images by using a digital still camera mounted on a tripod and then importing them in to your claymation software when finished animating. Things to watch out for here is to secure your tripod so that if you accidentally it will resist moving (within reason) and also check your digital still camera resolution is too high. By default modern still cameras a set to a very high resolution such as 1680x1050 or higher. This is great for snaps of your favorite landscape or whatever but way too high for stop motion animation. I would recommend 640x480 up to 960x720 (HD) maximum. Of course you can use higher resolutions but your PC or stop motion software may find it heavy going loading and displaying 1mb jpegs 15 or more times per second!

Claymation or Stop Motion animation with clay does not require any specials tools. All you need is a few basic tools such as those shown in figure 1 below, your imagination and your hands. Manipulating clay with your hands is the best way to get good results. With practise you can get very good at making any shape needed for your claymation characters.