Something that came out of NAB 2016 is the paper launch of the CRAFT Camera a modular low cost professional camera that can record in Pro Res and Cinema DNG RAW with more formats to be announced.
It is unclear at this point if frame rates will ever be higher than 120fps but since the 4k spec also includes them; it remains a solid option for 4k slow motion at 120fps or 5x slow motion at 24p playback. For a 4k camera the pricing of $2,984 for a full 4k Cinema package is not to shabby!
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 fps1000 May update shows for the first time the camera case with a compatible Canon EF mount attached of the Platinum 4k model. However it is confirmed as well that some Platinum standard models which have a top recording rate of 720p HD at 500fps have been shipping in small quantities to backers.
Our reader Andy Urtu alerted us to the firmware updates for the JVC prosumer camcorder line which add among other improvements the 120fps high speed video mode at full 1080p 1920*1080 resolution to the popular camera line. Thanks Andy!
This week’s announcement of the Lenovo ZUK Z2 Pro smartphone has been plagued with misinformation and spec sheets that were not complete. We have received a full spec sheet for the phone now translated from Chinese that confirms the existence of 960fps video.
The phone will have 4k UHD video as well and a plethora of features that are completely new in smartphones like the ability to read wet fingerprints with it’s sensor and several health directed sensors like UV light, heart rate and blood oxygen which were also present in the Galaxy S6 last year. The slowmo spec is the standout feature for us!
The latest update of the Google Android Camera App on Android Marshmallow OS which is available on Nexus devices like the Google Nexus 5p and 6p has now a dedicated Slow motion mode built in the GUI menus.
The Slow motion mode on these devices used to be buried in the video options menu but now has a more prominent role in the Camera Menu that slides out. While support is limited to Google Nexus devices for now, it seems that Slow motion might be an increasingly important feature for smartphones.
Resolution is one of the most important aspects of any camera image. In slow motion it could be the difference in showing important details or just obscure an event all-together. In machinery failures during manufacturing; low resolution and high resolution can mean the difference in spotting a crack or bend in the process and that is hugely important.
For film makers and videographers resolution weights a lot when deciding upon a slow motion camera solution. Not to long ago slow motion cameras at or under 1 megapixel 1024*1024 for example was a novelty and a luxury. Nowadays 1280*720px or the lower end of HD resolution is easy to find and widely used. However 1080p and or 4k are the resolutions that seem to cause the most interest.