Tag Archives: action cam

Z E2 Camera Rumor of 4k 120fps!

Z E2 Camera

The Z Cam E1 which delivered excellent quality 4k footage from a tiny package and was able to do 720p 240fps frame rates “at less than ideal quality”, however,  a new Rumor from 4/3 Rumors here shows a Twitter message that hints at a new Z E2 m4/3 camera that is able to do 120fps at full 4k resolution.  If this turns out to be true it could yield further performance improvements in 1080p and 720p along with higher quality that could be usable.

As far as linear specs go a 120p 4k pipeline could in theory yield 480fps 1080p and 960/1000fps 720p without going out of spec. As we have come to know over the years, however, it is usually wrong to extrapolate these specs to the maximum possible metric as the sensor or memory could be bottlenecks that limit the performance. So this rumor could have some legs to it and NAB 2018 could be the show that makes 4k 120p a regular feature for cameras. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Samsung 1000fps Sensor and GoPro Hero 6 240fps FHD!

Samsung 1000fps Sensor

A new Samsung Rumor estimates that Samsung has been working on a 1000fps capable sensor for years now but the latest aims to have it present on their next 2018 flagship phones. These will be able to compete with the Sony Stacked Mobile sensors present on the Xperia XZ Premium and XZs Phones.   The Korean Site ET News has the information on a 3 layer stacked sensor that will allow for 1000fps frame rates on the next generation imaging systems for the Samsung flagship smart-phone line.

If Samsung’s Galaxy S9 debuts with this new stacked sensor technology it will be a first for Samsung to get really serious about slow motion performance on mobile phones.  Apple, Google and Sony have been far above Samsung in Performance for many years and this will be a way for the Korean manufacturer to get the foot in the door and compete with Sony on their own turf. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Sony RX0 Slow Motion Aims at Pro Action Market!

Sony RX0 Slow Motion

As expected by recent rumors, Sony unveiled the RX0 a compact action camera that is more high-end oriented than any action camera before it. A Crash cam for video production that has a large 1″ sensor with high sensitivity and S-Log 2 flat profile.  It also has features like focus assist, full 4k 4:2:2 HDMI output to an external recorder and a 1/32000 shutter like other RX series cameras that gets rid of most of the rolling shutter distortion apparent in other action cameras.

While the GoPro Hero 4 and 5 have access to a Pro Tune Log style video profile; the camera is not really geared for high-end production. The RX0, however, is limited to 1080p 60fps internally with 4k output from HDMI to an external recorder as the only 4k output option. This gives GoPro, Yi 4k+, and Sony’s Action Cam series an edge of internal 4k recording. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Barnacle Action Camera 2.0 with Slowmo!

Barnacle Action Camera 2.0

The Barnacle Action Camera 2.0 is a Kickstarter project from Canberra Australia, that aims to democratize good quality action cameras for every one.  They have just 14 days left in their funding goal with just under 1/3rd of the required pledge total.  This is an unconventional camera that aims to go toe to toe with the best action cameras out there.

The shape and tiny size is different with everything controlled from Apple or Android devices besides a basic power and record buttons on the top of the camera.  It however aims at the professional market with features that are usually twice the cost on other brands. It is a decent camera for very little money in the end. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Nikon KeyMission 170 4K Does 240fps!

nikon keymission 170 4k Action Camera

One of the Photokina announcements that peaked our interest was the Nikon KeyMission 170 Action Camera which aims to disrupt the already crowded space of all weather sports segment.  We have a plethora of options from the leader GoPro and close competitors like Sony, Xiaomi, Olympus, Garmin and even Panasonic.  So another entry by Nikon seems to go by unnoticed however this hardware looks to be very capable and can go head to head with the best.

The slow motion capabilities are the standard for high end action cameras here with 120fps at 1080p and 240fps at 720p.  While these are becoming standard frame rates for the most part; there is a clear distinction on quality between cameras with Sony Action Cam being clearly superior in compression with XAVC S to GoPro for example.  ProTune on the Hero 4 and 5 does make a difference but Sony has the edge with an overall better codec that is low artifact. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Sony FDR-X3000 4K Action Cam Update!

Sony FDR-X3000

In a very quiet update last week Sony released a low end action camera to cater to the lower end crowd that wants better performance than the current GoPro options but with a limited budget resource. In comes the Sony FDR-X3000 4K Action Camera that brings 4k and impressive image stabilization to the $399 USD action camera bracket.

The big deal in this camera is the Balanced Optical SteadyShot (or B.O.S.S.) which uses the entire optical lens path to reduce vibration and motion. Previous systems only moved an element inside the lens to alter the light path. The new system is  more effective at reducing rolling shutter artifacts and wearer induced motion to produce stable and less jittery video even at 4k. → Continue Reading Full Post ←