The processor added nothing to the signal. To be honest, in five years, digital camera technology will be at a point where video is unnecessary. But you're not setting up an imaging system five years form now, you're looking for a solution today . And today, video remains superior for many applications. Because video systems run at 30 images per second.
Most digital cameras run at one full image every few seconds.
Think about that. If you use a digital camera, chances are that you'll miss those events. With video, you get 30 images per second, every second. So fast calcium transients - you see them. Microtubule dynamics - you see it.