[FFmpeg-user] Newbie question: Can FFMPEG grab frames from webcam?

[Eric Hollis]

Hello.  Looking for some guidance. Thanks in advance for your time...

I currently use ffmpeg to assemble still images into movies.  I have
developed a 16mm film scanner, based on a projector, that gathers frames,
similar to this project, which was the inspiration to my machine.  (
http://hackaday.com/2011/01/15/converting-8mm-film-to-digital/) I am using a
webcam (Microsoft LifeCam) in front of the projector lens. As each frame
advances, the projector "clicks" an embedded mouse, taking a high res jpg
image, utilizing the (gag) Microsoft lifecam software that the camera came
with.  I then use irfanview to crop/flip/renumber the images, and ffmpeg to
assemble them into the movie. The trouble is...the Microsoft Lifecam
Software has a memory leak, and after about 5000 frames (about 2 hours), the
software chokes.  So, I'm rethinking the workflow.  Can FFMPEG be used to
grab frames from a webcam with a mouse click?

Thanks for any hints you can provide.