SOFTWARE REVIEW: SNAGIT

Part of every job is to use different software and hardware tools. Unfortunately, some of these software and hardware are doing us more damage than good, and some are so useful that you cannot work without them. In this article series, I will discuss the software and hardware I use as a mechanical design engineer. In this article, I will talk about the software Snagit, the screen capture tool I use to create images for reports, presentations, articles, blog posts, etc.

Introduction

Does not matter if I am creating a report or writing an article; I love to include as many graphical representations as possible to demonstrate the concept I am explaining. If you have been reading my content, you have already seen the images I created. Usually, I would capture certain screen regions with the snipping tool, paste it into Microsoft Word, add lines, arrows, callouts, etc. and then use the snipping tool to capture that region and create an image from it. This works, but it can be really time-consuming.

Somewhere down the line, I found out about the software Snagit. Snagit lets me capture a screen region and immediately work on it in the editor. So, for example, if you read my article Introduction to the engineering drawing you probably saw this picture:

I used Snagit to take a screenshot and directly add rectangles and automatic numbering to different regions. Furthermore, if you read my article Basic elements of engineering drawing, using Snagit, this image was created:

Easy, and in a few steps, I magnified the region of interest with the branding colors previously defined in Snagit. You can find many images on my website that I created with this software.

Now I am using Snagit to create almost any image I need for my website, reports, presentations, reviews, explanations, e-mails, etc. It is a powerful tool that saves you time and frustration.

What is Snagit?

Software Snagit is a screen capture and recording software. You can capture your screen, add additional information, and share images. Or you can record your screen together with your camera and microphone and share a video. Furthermore, you can record your screen and create a gif, like I did below, to demonstrate some of the features I use in Snagit.

Features

Here is the list of the Snagit’s features:

Screen capture (entire desktop, a region, a window, or a scrolling screen),
Panoramic scrolling capture,
Screen recorder (you can include your camera or microphone in the video),
Image edition (Snagit editor, annotations, step tools, stamps, magnifier, crop, blur, etc.)
Create images from templates,
Create video from image,
Different file type export, etc.

Buying options

There are two options for using Snagit: a free trial and paid version.

A free trial gives you access to all product functionality for a limited time, while a paid version is a one-time purchase (lifetime license).

Pros and Cons

Pros:

Ability to capture screen or record it,
Ability to edit images with plenty of features to do so,
Use of templates,
Different export options,
Easy to use,
One-time license purchase.

Cons:

The range of available templates is limited; additional content requires a subscription.

Conclusion

Snagit is a powerful tool for capturing your screen and recording it. Therefore, it can be used to create any type of graphical content required for reports, presentations, etc. Furthermore, Snagit is an excellent tool for recording your screen and creating, for example, tutorials.

I am using Snagit for most of the images I am creating, and I found it to be an excellent ratio between the quality and the price I paid.

This is my experience with using Snagit. Do you have experience with it? Are you thinking about buying it? Share your experience and thoughts in the comments below!

Do you like what you read? Then, share it with your friends, colleagues, and on your social media channels. And if you want to become a part of the Newtonians, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter!