The Summer is usually a time of slow product releases with little to show for in the way of new products. That, however, means that the fall product cycle is close by and now releases should be picking up the pace. We have some rumors and information that may be valuable when considering upcoming high-speed capable devices.
Do note that rumors and speculation are subject to change or be completely incorrect so take a lot of this with a grain of salt. We strive to weed out the most outlandish rumors but concentrate on the most probable technology announcements.→ Continue Reading Full Post ←
With NAB 2018 getting near, new announcements are starting to trickle in. The two newest are the Canon EOS C700 FF Full-Frame Cinema Camera & the RED DIGITAL CINEMA EPIC-W BRAIN with Gemini 5K S35 Sensor. These two are serious cinema cameras aimed at recording in high-end codec formats and supporting RAW codecs. Both cameras support higher frame rates but do not offer extreme high speeds like dedicated slow-motion cameras.
In the case of the RED EPIC-W with Gemini S35 sensor, it is the first time RED has used a dual Native ISO sensor like the ones seen on the Panasonic EVA1 and GH5s which have two different native sensitivities to deliver extremely clean footage with the widest dynamic range. Witha claimed 16.5 stops of dynamic range in standard mode & a gain of approximately two stops of light, from 800 to 3200 ISO without increasing the image noise. DPs of all kinds will savor these advances to shoot in dark situations knowing the output will be dependable.→ Continue Reading Full Post ←
On Semiconductor has launched two new 4k ready CMOS global shutter sensors with new technology for reduced noise and improved image quality. The parts are geared to surveillance, automotive, consumer devices and industrial applications. Both sensors are able to do high frame rates at 4k at full resolution.
The XGS 8000 is an 8.8 Mp (4096 x 2160) 4k / UHD resolution Global Shutter CMOS image sensor in 1/1.1 inch optical format capable of 120fps at full 8.8MP resolution. This first one geared for smaller devices. The XGS 12000 is a 12.6 Mp (4096 x 3072) CMOS image sensor in 1″ inch format, supporting up to 90 fps readout at full 12.6MP resolution. This sensor is better for higher resolution solutions.→ Continue Reading Full Post ←
The Chronos 1.4 Team has now posted the first incarnation of the RAW Camera data to DNG File tool to convert the sensor information files to usable Adobe DNG sequences. They also have posted a sample image comparing the before and after characteristics of the image quality if saved on H.264 in camera and then the same scene shot and saved in RAW format which converted to DNG yields a substantial improvement in image quality as we explored in our previous post about this issue here.
The camera is expected to allow direct to DNG format file saving in the future but now you can shoot in the camera RAW format and later convert as an interim solution without sacrificing quality on the H.264 files. Maybe in the future, the camera will be able to simultaneously save RAW and H.264 files as a proxy feature to be able to easily sample clips in editing before conversion. We believe the DNG format should be your one-stop solution for this camera if image quality is important for your use case.→ Continue Reading Full Post ←
We received a set of Adobe DNG image samples from Krontech to check the resolution, dynamic range and grading potential of the camera when using the RAW recording mode. As of now the utility to convert the raw data is still being tested but we were impressed by the results the camera was able to achieve by offloading the de-bayering process to a more capable converter like the Adobe Camera RAW module.
The Chronos files were already good when properly exposed but did suffer from some aliasing and moire in fine detail while resolution also took a hit by saving in a compressed H.264 format. Now with the DNG RAW capability, we are glad to see that the camera image quality made an enormous improvement in the resolution, color fidelity, and dynamic range. It really brings out the real potential of the camera for a variety of applications, also creating a cleaner result in the noise department when processed correctly.→ Continue Reading Full Post ←
Canon at CES 2018 was showing three CMOS sensor products that can be used in a variety of devices like DSLRs, Mirrorless, Surveillance, Manufacturing and Scientific experimentation. These new parts feature massive improvements in resolution, class-leading low light ability and a Global Shutter in one instance.
While none of the sensors could be named a really slow motion capable part, the 5 Megapixel 2/3″ sensor can scan the full chip at 120fps which may mean higher frame rates if using windowed resolution. The small size of the sensor also means it will need a lot of light to deliver a noise-free image. This sensor also sports a global shutter design which is perfect for high-speed applications.→ Continue Reading Full Post ←
