fps1000HD Software Update Ads USB3!

fps1000HD Software Update

Warning: The parent company of FPS cameras “The Slow Motion Camera Company Ltd.” went out of business and entered liquidation proceedings. No further development of cameras is expected. More information here on Google Search

The fps1000HD camera has been shipping to the majority of the Kickstarter backers and initially it was limited in scope to a specific ISO, frame rate and other common settings.  That all changes with the latest firmware update which unleashes ISO, resolution selection, and USB3 support for live monitoring , control and real time video transfer up to 60fps. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Planet Earth II Slow Motion Techniques!

Planet Earth II Slow Motion

The British BBC has always been at the forefront of image techniques that revolutionize our understanding of the nature around us. Planet Earth II is the culmination of millions of hours of work condensed into 6 episodes showcasing the wonders of the natural and human built world. The news site Vox has created some mini segments that explain some of the techniques used to create the series.

Of particular interest is the use of slow motion 4k Phantom cameras, a Sony a7s for low light and the use of an IR sensitive RED Epic camera shooting at up to 300fps in complete darkness.  The videos go into camera evolution as well as techniques perfected over decades. We encourage you to subscribe to the Youtube Channel for Vox Here and of course watch Planet Earth II which is a real majestic piece of modern documentary film-making. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Chronos 1.4 Production Update 3!

Chronos 1.4

The Chronos 1.4 Kickstarter Project is advancing forward with FCC and CE approval which is crucial for shipment. Also the battery shipment issue seems to have been sorted out which could have halted delivery. Li-Ion batteries have special shipment requirements that make it hard for such electronics to travel by air for example or in tightly packed containers.  No details on the fix are specified.

There has been a setback however and that has to do with the LCD panels having a quality control issue. So the supplier will take 4 weeks extra to ship them. So all backers will have their camera deliveries pushed back by 3 weeks. The first week has already passed.  Other than that it seems to be ready for mass production. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Phantom Flex4K-GS Introduces Global Shutter!

Phantom Flex4K-GS

The Phantom Flex 4k camera has made a big splash in TV, Film and Youtube with it’s amazing 4k resolution at 1000fps with a large S35mm sensor. However the first iteration of the camera only had a very fast reading; but in the end a rolling shutter sensor. This made the camera an option for visual recording only; leaving scientific research at 4k out of the realm of the camera due to distortion.

That changes today with the Phantom Flex4k-GS which offers the option to use the sensor in both rolling shutter and Global Shutter mode which is a first on a camera of this resolution. Now scientists can use the resolution prowess of the camera  to examine minute detail that needs extreme speeds to be recorded. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Samsung Exynos 9 8895 Series 4k 120fps Capable!

Samsung Exynos 9 8895

The new Samsung  Exynos 9 Series 8895 Chipset for smartphones has impressive new specs.  It claims the most advanced 3D and general processing performance for use in flagship smartphones. What interests us a lot is the direct claim that the chip can handle both recording and playback of 4k video at 120fps.

The UHD 4k resolution is 3,840 by 2,160 pixels or 8,294,400 pixels rounded up to 8.3MP per frame.  At 120fps this equates to 995 Megapixels /sec or near one Gigapixel.  This translates exactly to 480fps at 1080p full HD resolution or 1080fps at 720p.  This is quite astounding for bandwidth specs for a phone and opens the door wide open for real super slow motion on Samsung Tablets and Smartphones. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

URSA Mini Pro Offers Pro Features and 120fps!

URSA Mini Pro

Blackmagic Design has announced a new camera today.  The URSA Mini Pro is a marriage of their higher end URSA camera with the still in the product line URSA Mini.  It offers built in ND Filters, 15 stops of dynamic range “which is huge for filmmakers”, tons of ports, in body buttons and controls and easy interchangeable lens mounts.

For our slow motion fans there is not a whole lot offered by the camera but there are some built in features.  60fps in 4k DCI and also at 4.6k full sensor resolution is very useful and keeps the trend with the 4k over-crank frame rates debuted in 2016 on several cameras. The other is 120fps at 2k windowed resolution which is passable but not ideal. However the slow motion on these cameras is high quality and seldom does it have artifacts. → Continue Reading Full Post ←