Best Free Screen Capture Utility updated 2013

Screenshot Captor supports multiple screens, full screen, window, rectangular area, and fixed area captures

 from either hot keys or from the programs menu. The cursor can be included or excluded. 

It's the only capture facility that can take a self-portrait. The software can acquire images from a scanner.

Once captured the program can automatically do the following to the image: keep, save,

 print, move to the clipboard, display in the built-in editor, email, or upload to hosting services.

The built-in editor is rich with features. You might not find it necessary to use an image editor.

Requests for free registration on start up.

DuckCapture supports snapping a region, window or object, scrolling 

window and fullscreen. You can choose which snapping mode you like

 with a hot key or by mousing over the program icon in the system tray.

With this program you can choose to select an image outline, set 

output target to the clipboard or auto-save to a file.

I found this program easy and intuitive to use, but it lacks a 

simple built-in image editor and a setting for a delayed capture.

SnapDraw is a screenshot capture, editor and annotation tool.

  It only supports window or full screen capture, but the image

 can be cropped with the built-in editor. There is no delayed

 capture setting. Operates from either a hot key or th

e notification icon.

Where it excels is in the built-in editor. There are many

 tools available such as callouts, magnifying lenses, 

3D perspective, and reflections.

Images can be saved to clipboard, file, email or FTP. 

There is no direct to printer option.

Lightscreen captures screen, window and area from 

hotkeys or tray icon. It supports screenshot delay,

 cursor and multi-monitor. Auto-saves its outputs 

to file or clipboard. No other output functions are supported.

Cropper makes it fast and easy to grab parts of the screen 

from either a hot key or from the notification icon. Fullscreen,

active window and rectangular area are supported. No auto-save,

 auto-scroll, or delayed capture. A screenshot and a thumbnail

 can be created simultaneously. 

Output can be directed to the clipboard, printer or an image file.

Microsoft's Snipping Tool comes already installed in Windows

 Vista and Windows 7. A capture must be initiated by firs

t launching the program. From there one can select a screen

 capture type or press Escape and the PrintScreen button hot key.

 Full screen, active screen, rectangular area, and freehand area

 seletions are supported. No auto-save, auto-scroll or delayed capture.

Output is displayed in the editor window and sent either to email 

or an image file. The editor is limited to two tools--a freehand highlighting tool and a freehand line drawing

 tool. There is no printer output function.

Screen Grab Pro features one-click grab of desktop, active window

 and region from the main interface or hot keys. It also allows for

 timer operation and copies images to the clipboard or external editor. 

I liked that it had an option to automatically open the external editor after saving the file.

Lowers screen resolution when attempting to capture a rectangular region so nealy half of the right and

 bottom sides are unavailable.

Requires an email address for registration. 

Jing only supports rectangular screen captures.  However, it can also 

capture a video of activity within the selection.  Delayed capture, hotkeys, 

auto-save, and scrolling windows are not supported. Output to clipboard, 

file, and Screencast.com.   Includes an image editor but not a video editor.

Requires registration with Screencast.com.