Tag Archives: Apple vs Sony

iPhone 13 is years behind in Slow Motion!

Apple has finally announced the iPhone 13 which may be one of the most underwhelming refreshes of the handset in many years. While there is a lot of new stuff, nothing added is really groundbreaking in the way previous phones have awed when it comes to features in imaging. It is certainly a clear refinement of nearly every aspect of the hardware and software with better low light gathering and a first for a phone the addition of ProRes recording at 1080p and 4k 30p depending on the phone storage spec.

There are neat features like rack focusing which allows for AI-assisted machine learning depth of field selection based on people’s faces whenever their eyes are visible and or enter or exit the frame.  It is kind of gimmicky as it seems to do away with precise manual control of the feature but this is yet to be explored fully by reviewers. When it comes to Slow Motion capture, we have essentially no change for the 4th year in a row! → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Sony Xperia 1 III is Slow Motion Capable!

Sony has now released the third iteration of their Xperia 1 series which are the flagship phones from the company that really push the capabilities of the brand. Many point out that Sony smartphones are excellently made and perform admirably while also including the now coveted 3.5mm audio jack which has been removed at the behest of Apple iPhone influence in the vast majority of phones. We will say it once more, USB C audio adapters are terrible connections compared to 3.5mm jacks which offer the best possible audio transmission possibilities without compression and other trade-offs.

The new Sony Xperia 1 III continues the 120fps 4k HDR pedigree of the Xperia 1 II which is clearly a much-coveted feature for video enthusiasts. This time around the phone improves color, compression, and HDR fidelity to deliver an outstanding image when light allows it. The phone also has the typical 1080p 120fp and 240fps frame rate that have been showing up as commonplace features in flagship smartphones but absent is any higher frame rates that were included the Motion Eye TM technology used in previous Sony phones allowing 1000fps 1080p recording for a short time. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Sony a7s III Slow Motion Samples!

Sony a7s III Slow Motion Samples

Now that the excellent a7s Mark III video recording mirrorless camera has been out for over six months, it is time to revisit the slow motion component and see what quality we can expect from the Sony a7s III Slow Motion Samples. Many have praised the 4k 120fps mode which is heavily detailed, low noise and suffers from only a very small crop factor that is hardly a problem.

We looked at the Full HD 1080p 240fps mode on the camera and it was clear it did not match the 120fps 4k mode as it was not only less detailed but full of aliasing and moire if you looked for it. It was clear the camera was not up to professional standards when in this mode which is to be expected from a full-frame sensor cropping to 1080p. That said, this camera is a powerhouse that easily takes the mantle as Sony’s best mirrorless compact video camera.

Sony a7s III Slow Motion Samples:

Be aware that 120fps in 4k is not only highly detailed and full of dynamic range but it is the best high frame rate this camera has to offer. You can easily use this mode for professional broadcast or film work is shot in good conditions.  The a7s Mark III is the best Sony Alpha line camera for low light performance and it is evident by the samples this translates directly into higher frame rates.

CHAINSAW VS SONY A7SIII | SLOW-MOTION by Moment:

Sony A7S iii Slow Motion footage 120fps 4k by Josiah Mendoza: → Continue Reading Full Post ←

iPhone 11 Slow Motion Video Samples!

iPhone 11 Slow Motion Video Samples!

Now that Apple’s latest and greatest phone the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro Max have been out in the wild for a few weeks, it is time to revisit the performance of the slow motion video mode of this all-encompassing handset.  The iPhone has always been a good slow mo performer but the new cameras and bigger lenses with more advanced processing gave us high hopes for increases in video quality and fewer artifacts.

The slow motion quality should be better across both the 11 and 11 Max since they share essentially the same system of optics and bionic chip. Quality must be identical except for the two or three camera configurations.  One thing that separates the iPhone is that you can shoot slow motion in all cameras and not just in the standard wide like Samsung or other Android phones. This is one thing Apple wins in spades and we hope to see other manufacturers adopt as  standard.

iPhone 11 Slow Motion Video Samples:

iPhone 11 Pro Max Slow Motion Video – Shot in 1080/240FPS – Arrma RC Bashing by CRAZY RC POWER:

iPhone 11 120 fps vs 240 fps slow motion! Wide & Ultra Wide Cameras by R3LOAD Network: → Continue Reading Full Post ←

iPhone 11 Now Offers Selfie Slow Motion!

iPhone 11 Slow Motion

Ok let’s get the bad news out of the way which is that the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro all have essentially the same 120fps and 240fps of the previous iPhones on their main cameras which depending on the phone is two or three. All at 12MP and all capable of 4k UHD at 60fps and all slow motion capable at 120p and 240p at 1080p.   So no new frame rates but a consistent capture across all cameras which seems unique compared to the competition.

The real new thing is the availability of 120fps at 1080p in the TrueDepth or Selfie front camera which allows for “Slofies” as Apple calls them.  It would have been more impressive to have the full 240fps on the selfie camera too but they will save it for a future model. 120p is good and lets you shoot funny and compelling content. It is probably the best looking selfie camera image we have seen yet so Apple has an easy head start there.

iPhone 11 and 11 Pro Camera Specs:

TrueDepth Camera (Selfie)

  • 12MP camera
  • ƒ/2.2 aperture
  • Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and Depth Control
  • Portrait Lighting with six effects (Natural, Studio, Contour, Stage, Stage Mono, High‑Key Mono)
  • Animoji and Memoji
  • 4K video recording at 24 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps
  • 1080p HD video recording at 30 fps or 60 fps
  • Slo-mo video support for 1080p at 120 fps
  • Next-generation Smart HDR for photos
  • Extended dynamic range for video at 30 fps
  • Cinematic video stabilization (4K, 1080p, and 720p)
  • Wide color capture for photos and Live Photos
  • Retina Flash
  • Auto image stabilization
  • Burst mode

Video Recording (Main Back Camera):

  • 4K video recording at 24 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps
  • 1080p HD video recording at 30 fps or 60 fps
  • 720p HD video recording at 30 fps
  • Extended dynamic range for video up to 60 fps
  • Optical image stabilization for video (Wide and Telephoto)
  • 2x optical zoom in, 2x optical zoom out; digital zoom up to 6x
  • Audio zoom
  • Brighter True Tone flash
  • QuıckTake video with subject tracking
  • Slo‑mo video support for 1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps
  • Time‑lapse video with stabilization
  • Cinematic video stabilization (4K, 1080p, and 720p)
  • Continuous autofocus video
  • Take 8MP still photos while recording 4K video
  • Playback zoom
  • Video formats recorded: HEVC and H.264
  • Stereo recording

Apple shows off the new slow-motion selfie by CNET Highlights:

So Apple is adding Slow-Mo Selfie or (Slo-fie) to their arsenal and making a great marketing push right off the bat. If you look at the quality it seems to be even better than what the XS Max was capable of which probably means that we may have improved 120p and 240p in the main back cameras too.

The XS & XS Max had resolution loss and dynamic range problems in slow motion that were not class-leading. Sure they looked good but hardly production quality. IF apple can have clean 240p in the iPhone 11 it may qualify for a top spot in our slow motion phone of the year as quality trumps higher frame rates especially when the other phones that shoot 480p and 960p have a very hard time with resolution.

What Can we Expect from the iPhone 11 Slow Motion Mode?

iPhone XS Max Slow Motion Camera Test by Phone Battles: → Continue Reading Full Post ←

iPhone XS Slow Motion Samples!

iPhone XS Slow Motion Samples

After a few weeks of iPhone XS ownership, we can already gage the quality of the video coming out of the device in 1080p slow motion mode. We have a dozen samples for you too look at and make a decision. It is, however, a bittersweet realization that last year’s iPhone X is pretty much just as good as the XS in slow motion with just a tiny difference in per-pixel quality and dynamic range.

If you own an iPhone 8, X or Samsung Galaxy S8 or S9, for example, the slow motion feature on the iPhone XS should not be a factor in your decision to upgrade. The new XS has the best 4k video the iPhone has ever produced and the image stabilization is also much improved. The XS camera shoots pretty amazing still images and regular frame rate video but it is competitive with the best out there. The phone still is the best 240p 1080 mobile device today, see why below.

iPhone XS Slow Motion Samples:

iPhone XS Ducks SlowMo 2 FullHD by e PHOTOzine:

Trafalgar Square Fountain in Slow Motion 1080p@240fps by Johnny Chan: → Continue Reading Full Post ←