ScreenHunter Pro 5.1.763

ScreenHunter is a free program that captures the Windows screen, active window, client window or rectangular areas chosen by the user.
The program is completely free, allows you to save as captured in BMP or JPG or copy in the Windows Clipboard.
And can set custom key combinations for the capture or capture a portion of the screen automatically after the specified number of seconds have elapsed.
Deals with few resources.
For the more demanding there is a shareware fee taken from here (1 MB approx.)

ScreenHunter Pro 5.1.763

MWSnap 3.0.0.74

MWSnap is a small but extremely powerful program that allows you to capture any window to be displayed on the screen.
This program is able to capture the entire screen or parts of it (windows, menus ,...). MWSnap supports BMP, JPG, TIFF, PNG and GIF, you can manually set the color depth and image quality.
An excellent program and easy to use one of the best among those free of charge.

MWSnap 3.0.0.74

RIOT (Radical Image Optimization Tool)

It's a program that allows us to reduce the space occupied by an image, for example if we post on the Web, this is not to use strange formats (actually, you can upload images of many formats), or specific algorithms compression, but tries to let us use the best tools we already have.

For example, we have an image in JPEG 4MB of which we can minimize the space to put it on the Web via the GUI RIOT we will see how we're going to compress the image further, trying to Jpeg compression up (but also trying to exclude extraneous data as EXIF profile, comments, etc.).. The initial and final size of the image are written very clearly, so very easy to make a comparison.

RIOT tries to do his best not only lossy graphic formats, just like JPEG, but also non-lossy formats such as GIF and PNG.

Compress the image if there is sufficient, you can also resize it with good algorithms (Catmull Rom, Lanczos and some others): here, the advantage is that we can see the initial and final images side by side and easily decide if the quality of chosen algorithm satisfies us.

RIOT is also in portable version (no installation required).

RIOT

GreenShot

Through GreenShot can capture screenshots of the desktop, neither more nor less than with other programs in this category.
The peculiarity of Greenshot, however, in addition to being open source (which never hurts) is that the editing of captured images is in fact possible, always within the program, insert text, arrows, ellipses, etc.. in its captured image, so you do not have to use a photo editing program later.

The size of the text, color and line width can be changed inside the program.
The simplicity and immediacy of the entire procedure GreenShot make further noteworthy.

GreenShot

Wm Recorder, Record audio and video from your computer

Fails to register any type of video and audio on the PC steps (video, music, news feeds, videos with multiple windows or password protected), subject to read through WMP (Media Player or other user-specified). It is not particularly complex to use, except for video (usually sites that require subscription) password-protected, in which case you need some more action.

Cam Studio is more general and far more immediate, WM Recorder can record while certain things that otherwise would be impossible, at the cost of increased learning time.

Wm Recorder

BB FlashBack Express, capture video and record video from desktop computers

It's a good program to capture video in Windows, which uses a proprietary driver to better succeed in its intent, through which you can also register with the Aero interface of Vista. To coincide with the video, you can also record sounds.
And possible to save the recorded video in AVI and FLV, but there are paid versions of BB FlashBack, which allow you to save in other formats.
Unfortunately this is where the limits of BB FlashBack Express in this free version is very good if you just record a video from the PC and save it to avi or flv, but becomes useless if you want something more, for example, deal separately with the audio video (as dictating an audio commentary aside), or add images or annotations, or modify in any way recorded video (in addition of course to save in different formats to those already mentioned), and more.
If we like the free version, we are obliged to register (free) within 30 days.
Overall BB FlashBack Express is a program to capture video very interesting, however, that sin is only partly free. For this reason, as far as possible I tend to favor programs really free, I can not put it on the page real video capture.

BB FlashBack Express

ZD soft screen recorder, powerful application for recording/sharing

Can record the content of everything that passes through the screen of your computer, using proprietary drivers. Uses a proprietary compression algorithm that allows you to save the video file very small and this file can be in exe format, so you can run on any computer without the need for ZD Soft Screen Recorder or some other program or codec is installed.
Usually can also record streaming content from different sites, provided the pass for our desktop, but also often succeeds where other similar programs (such as Cam Studio) fail.
Remains a good program, although unfortunately no longer free.

ZD soft screen recorder

Taksi, for interactive 3D applications

It's a good open source program that lets you record video games and other 3D applications. It can save these videos in any format supported by the system (which have the codec), such as DivX, XviD, etc.. It works easily, using the keyboard: just click the buttons (or use the default program) and you can now record, stop recording, make screenshots, etc.
Immediate and effective (if there are video screens, or for interactive 3D applications, because it works only with them).

Taksi

TipCam

Like Debut CamStudio and even TipCam is a good program to capture video windows, however, aimed more at creating video tutorials (perhaps for purposes of guides / educational, etc..), Not the actual video capture (for streaming from sites such as, for instance).
Audio can be added later. To save directly on the Internet are asked for ID and password for the server, but their use is not necessary if we are to save the video on the PC (TipCam works the same).
Good program, simple and light, although my preference is still to Debut. Among the more interesting notes, that is able to record directly into the FLV format, so you have video clips ready for the web (such as YouTube, to understand).

TipCam

Cam Studio, Programs to capture video windows

It's a program very simple, yet highly efficient, allowing you to save a file (.avi for example) everything that happens inside the computer, either using the full desktop area setting to our liking (which will be transformed into a kind of video recording area).
It can be used to record streaming video that are shown in the computer, and that otherwise would be lost in some cases (depending on the programs used for viewing, etc..), or to record real guides (for example when you want to show the using a program).
And immediate and very simple to use.

Cam Studio

Debut, Programs to capture video windows avi wmv

Really great program to capture video created by NCH Software (the house that develops excellent WavePad Sound Editor).
In just 400 kb (!) Debut is able to record the video screen of your computer, then adding the ability to insert an audio commentary. Thus become very useful if you want to create guides and video tutorials.
You can choose the video codec (avi, wmv, etc..), As well as the settings of the codec itself, fully configurable. It can also record from video sources connected to the computer or a webcam.
The video can be configured in the format and size (640x480, etc.). All functions can be done by Debut keyboard (hotkeys) via user-configurable combinations.

Debut

Gadwin Print Screen, Screen capture enhance your screen shots

It very simple and lightweight. You learn to use in seconds, and performs his job honestly. It also allows a preview of the screen (or window) to save, and to redefine the keys to our choice of catch-screens.
The programs of the category captures window screens offer more (sometimes much more), but if you look for something very simple even Gadwin Print Screen may suffice.

Gadwin Print Screen

Screen Grab Pro, Freeware capture tool

It has many interesting features, rarely available in the free competitors, including automatic image capture time, and the ability to copy directly into the system clipboard, so you can make a quick copy / paste in our favorite image editor. It can capture full screen or user-defined regions (or windows selectable from a list). Very easy to use (because options are not many).

Screen Grab Pro

MWSnap, screenshoot maker

Although the 2002 MWSnap still remains the best free programs for image capture. It has features that enable him to capture a fixed rectangle, a rectangle defined by the user, a window or the entire desktop. It works both via GUI or via keyboard hotkeys. Images can be saved in five formats, including GIF, JPG and PNG.

MWSnap

PicPick, software for developers graphic designers

PicPick is a powerful screen capture program that has the interesting feature being also available in portable, it requires no installation.
And Light, but at the same time full of interesting features: you can capture the entire screen, a window, page, web, user-definable area, etc.. If a window is too large to fit on the screen, PicPick will automatically scroll across the window.
Eventually you can edit the captured image of a small utility included in PicPick same photo (do not know what this last feature is useful, but this is the same).

PicPick