Tag Archives: iOS

Alice Camera and why the Future is Bright!

Alice Camera

The Alice Camera, launched to great success this month has to be the most hopeful product for the future of cameras that we have seen lately. It marries the Sony IMX294, a 10.7 megapixel 4/3 sensor with a custom chipset including the Edge TPU chip from Google for AI and an FPGA for calculations.  The result is a camera body with the same sensor as the GH5s which is a killer low light camera capable of excellent 4k footage and images with super low noise.

Then the camera back is attached to your Android or Apple smartphone to gain an interface and software to control it. The camera is capable of using the latest research for computational photography including HDR with multiple exposures merging, tracking, night mode, averaging of pixels, and as an open-source architecture, you can add features by other coders or your own to make the camera increase the feature set. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Insta360 One X Breaks the 3k 100fps barrier!

Insta360 One X

The Insta360 seems to be on a roll by delivering several products this year in quick succession. They want to own the 360-degree video market and they have no plans of letting go of that goal by making some very cool new features available to the masses.  The new Insta360 One X camera is able to stabilize the footage on the fly with incredible accuracy and steady-cam like feel without gimbals with its high-resolution capture and by using cropping along with telemetry data and a proprietary algorithm they are able to deliver rock-solid imagery in heavy motion environments.

The small camera is also able to shoot 100fps at 3k which is a first in the segment will let you crop if needed to get a better frame of the action.  There is also a very clever rubber housing that is designed to be thrown aerodynamically  “Drift Shot” while leaving the camera well protected on impact. This revolutionary technique is really something out of the box and what this camera will probably be known for. Expect to see an explosion of these shots in TV and film pretty soon as others copy the technique.

 Insta360 One X Main Features:

Aperture: F2.0

Photo resolution: 18 MP (6080*3040)

Video resolution: 5760*2880@30fps, 3840*1920@50fps, 3840*1920@30fps, 3008*1504@100fps

Photo format: insp, jpeg(can be exported via App), RAW(dng)

Video format: insv, mp4(can be exported via App), LOG

Video coding: H264

Stabilization: Built-in 6-axis gyroscopic stabilization

Compatible devices iOS :Phone Xs, iPhone Xs Max, iPhone X, iPhone8/8 plus, iPhone 7/7 plus, iPhone 6s/6s plus, iPhone SE iPad Pro(10.5-inch), iPad (2018)

  • Insta360 ONE X Android minimum configuration requirements:
  • 1. OTG: Supports OTG
  • 2. System on Chip(SOC): Qualcomm 653/Qualcomm 820/Kirin 950/Exynos 8890 or above
  • 3. System Version: Android 5.1 or above
  • 4. RAM: RAM 2G or above
  • Insta360 ONE X Android compatible devices (Phones not included in the list do not necessarily mean they are incompatible. Please refer to the minimum requirement of phone configuration.)
  • HUAWEI: P20 Pro/P10/P9/Mate 9/Mate 10/Honor 9
  • Samsung: S9/Note 8/S8/S7/S7 Edge
  • XIAOMI: Mix/Mix2/Note3/6/8
  • OnePlus: 5t
  • Google:Pixel/Pixel 2
  • Vivo: X9Plus L
  • OPPO: R11
  • Waterproof 5m and 30m with optional enclosures!
  • MSRP $399

Insta360 ONE X – Introducing the Insta360 ONE X:

The camera does a lot of things right like really great stitching, color accuracy and by reducing the mega-pixel count to 18MP from 24MP in their previous consumer camera they have improved per-pixel quality while gaining better low light and detail remains very close.

The slow motion at 3k 100fps is a great feature that can be accessed in real time and you can switch on the fly while recording from 30, 50 and 100fps modes with the expected resolution loss all recorded in the same clip without interruption which is pretty amazing.

FlowState Stabilization:

The 100fps 3k quality looks like a good 720p but not close to a good 1080p when you are looking at a specific portion of the 360 frame. That is to be expected as all-around video tends to be intended for VR displays which need full coverage. Your 100fps 3k frame will look extremely distorted if you want to do  a planar projection but can look good as a special effect with spherical deformation. Do not confuse this camera as a 100fps 3k rectangular camera because the resolution un-wrapped will be just regular HD in your vision. It is a good image overall but we could spot some aliasing and moire in the 3k 100fps mode which is still in its infancy when it comes to cameras targeted to consumers.

INSTA360 ONE X: Best 360 Camera of 2018? by Ben Claremont: → Continue Reading Full Post ←

GH5 Firmware 2.2 Update for VFR And More!

GH5 Firmware 2.2 Update

Panasonic has released an updated firmware that claims to fix some instability issues while recording video at higher frame rates using VFR. The Firmware Version 2.2 Available here aims to reduce or eliminate instances where the camera could stop recording video or in some instances refuse to record in VFR mode. Some users have reported rare incidents of corrupted files, recording stops and some camera lockups that could be related to the VFR function buffer and write to SD card procedure.  It will be a matter of testing this new firmware to see if it resolves these issues.

In some instances, it was narrowed down to slow SD cards that could not keep up with the data rates necessary or cards that had internal fragmentation that could cause corruption on clips.  Glad to see Panasonic addressing this issue. The camera also adds a new menu item for customizing the function button on the new Leica H-ES200 200mm 2.8 lens to different parameters.  Firmware Link!

Other recent developments Freefly Movi for iPhone:

 

Freefly Movi Motorized Gimbal Stabilizer for Smartphones has been released and it could really up your game if you own an iPhone especially that shoots slow motion video.    It can really stabilize images and get rid of rolling shutter for most shots with abilities like timelapse panning, cinematic shots, joystick motion, speed time progression and more.

Freefly Movi – Your Personal Cinema Robot by Freefly Systems:

While the new device may be used with Android phones, for example, the software it ships with does not work on the Android platform as of now to deliver features above what the stock video recording on the phone is capable of.  There is no word if Android will be supported in the future.  There are other alternatives for Android phones that offer similar capabilities at lower prices here!

At a price of $299, we think it’s an excellent choice if you own an iPhone 6s, 7, 8 or X to up the stabilization capabilities of these great devices.  Be sure to turn off the built-in stabilizer on the phone in order to avoid motion jitter that can occur while moving.

The Freefly Movi for Phones is available for Pre Order at Adorama Camera here for $299 for an April 1st 2018 estimated Ship Date.

We have been following the AXIOM Camera development for a while and while they are yet to ship, recent developments suggest the day is nearing.  New finalized case designs and locked in specs allow for up to 300fps shooting in slow motion which could be just what you needed.  The camera will be able to record from sensor to the USB 3.0 out at up to 400MB/s on one port & 800MB/sec using the two ports on the body which allows for higher frame rates not just in HD but 4k to be saved into a commodity RAID, SSD array.

For more information about possible frame rates and sensor choices, go directly to their website here: https://www.apertus.org/axiom-beta-imagesensors

That is it for now,  thanks for reading -HSC

CNET Makes Basic Phone Slow Motion How-To Video!

 We find that while the video is simple, it does a good job in explaining the methods on Apple’s iOS and Android to get slow motion footage ready for posting on the web or social media.   There is some basic editing and trimming for cutting the nonaction parts.

You can find the official video link here if needed: https://www.cnet.com/videos/make-slow-motion-videos-on-a-phone/

Insta 360 One Has Dual Slow Motion!

Insta 360 One

The Company Insta360, maker of the Insta 360 Pro which is a more high end multi camera solution has released a new 360 degree action camera that can be mounted almost anywhere and deliver pretty good quality for VR and 360 degree videos on the fly. The new Insta 360 One is a democratization of 360 degree cameras and probably a direct competitor to the upcoming GoPro 360 degree camera solution.

The camera includes two slow motion modes that allow it to shoot 360 degree video at higher frame rates but with some drawbacks. Resolution takes a big hit compared to the 4k native resolution which is great. However it is still usable enough to produce web results that allow for some degree of flexibility on smaller screens.

Insta360 One specifications:

  • Aperture: F2.2
  • Photo resolution: 24 MP (6912*3456)
  • Video resolution: 3840*1920@30fps, 2560*1280@60fps, 2048*512@120fps
  • Photo format: insp, jpeg, RAW
  • Video format: insv, mp4, LOG
  • Stabilization: Built-in 6-axis gyroscopic stabilization
  • Compatible devices: iPhone 7/7 plus, iPhone 6s/6s plus, iPhone 6/6 plus iPad Pro(10.5-inch), iPad Pro(9.7-inch), iPad Pro(12.9-inch), iPad Air 2;
  • Android version coming soon

Photo, video specifications:

  • Photo modes: Standard 360 photos, timed 360 photos
  • Video modes: Standard 360 video, time-lapse mode, bullet time
  • Live-streaming: 360 live-streaming, FreeCast (user controls visual perspective)
  • EV: -2EV~+2EV
  • Exposure modes: Auto, Manual, Shutter Priority, ISO Priority
  • WB: Auto, Cloudy, Sunny, Fluorescent, Incandescent

Design:

  • Color: Black
  • Weight: 82g
  • Dimensions: 96mmx36.5mmx25mm(DxWxH)

Storage & Connectivity:

  • Bluetooth: BLE4.0
  • Lightning: Lightning connector for Apple devices
  • USB: Micro-USB 2.0 For Android Devices
  • SD Card: Supports UHS-I, exFAT(FAT64) format; max storage capacity is 128 GB.

Battery:

  • Battery Capacity: 820mAh(5V1A)
  • Charging method: Micro-USB
  • Endurance: 70 min (continuous video shooting)

Introducing the Insta 360 One:

The video above shows the capabilities of the camera pretty well. You will also notice that camera promotion campaign people in many camera releases; seem to act unnaturally and ultra excited by what is happening. Funny thing to watch 😉 !

Slow Motion Modes:

  • 2560*1280@60fps
  • 2048*512@120fps
  • 2048*512@240fps Bullet Time (Interpolated 120fps)

The 2560 x 1280 pixel 60fps mode offers a 3,276,800 pixel 3.27Megapixel footage option which retains the most quality.

The 120fps mode which is a 1 megapixel 2048*512 lower resolution image also has a bullet time mode which when paired with the selfie stick (Which can be removed from footage automatically) Creates a “matrix style” bullet time effect that rotates around the user to generate freeze 360 degree motion.

Insta360 ONE – Bullet Time Tutorial by Insta360:

As you can see from the video above you get a cool effect from the Bullet Time effect. However all of the footage has the unfortunate side-effect of having the camera shooter having his or her arm raised in an unnatural way.   We can imagine creative shooters using a string tethered to a harness or bite with the camera at one end to get better results without arms raised.  However there is no substitute to a real bullet time setup when you want quality and shot control.  Still a fun feature.

The 240fps interpolation or 8x on the software will derive the footage from the original 1 mega-pixel 120fps source.

The slow motion quality will not win any prizes for resolution or detail but it is good to have a mode available. We imagine most of the users will stay at the 3MP 60fps mode or just leave it at 4k 30fps default to get the best quality possible.

Log Shooting:

The Insta360 One camera can shoot in a flat desaturated profile for easy grading later. The Log format will allow better retention of highlights and shadows with the ability to grade it in post to give the desired color profile later.  This is a pro feature that Go Pro and others have implemented as needs by editors for Log footage were met.

Pricing and Availability:

The Insta360 One Price is $299.99

You can get it at Amazon.com Pre Order Here: http://amzn.to/2wdhD6T

Or at the Insta360 Store here: https://mall.insta360.com/product/one?inspm=77c1c2.35e7ad.0.0

The Insta360 One Camera software app is available for the iPhone at launch but will be later released for the Android ecosystem from the Google Play Store. There is a standalone desktop application that comes bundled with the camera for PC editing of the footage, A Phone is only needed for custom control and monitoring. The camera is able to shoot on its own without an external device.

We will have more slow motion samples of the Insta360 Pro When available.  The footage above will give you a good idea of its capabilities in the mean time. -HSC

amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0";
amzn_assoc_search_bar = "true";
amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "hispeedcams-20";
amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual";
amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart";
amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon";
amzn_assoc_region = "US";
amzn_assoc_title = "VR 360 Cameras!";
amzn_assoc_linkid = "f00f39759ddf37475da649bf1d21072a";
amzn_assoc_asins = "B074VW233J,B01MT9BRNL,B01M0E8EKR,B01D9LVL3G";

Lumia Phones Will Now Have Slow Motion!

Nokia-Lumia-930-Large

Due to overwhelming user requests Microsoft has finally added with an update to its Windows 10 Camera app the ability to shoot slow-motion video on some Lumia smartphones. The feature is not terribly groundbreaking as it is limited for now to 120 fps at 720p resolution. However this may open the door to higher frame rates like 240p and 480p in future devices as now the feature is not completely ignored. Windows 10 Phone users rejoice, well until the platform fully launches in the near future.

Microsoft: “Slow-motion video has been one of the most frequent requests we hear from people using the Camera app on Windows Phone and Windows 10,” Microsoft says. “So, we’re happy to announce that you can now capture slow-motion video with Camera for Windows 10.”

Windows 10 Phones supported for now:

  • Lumia 930 – Confirmed
  • Lumia 1520  – Confirmed
  • Lumia Icon  – Confirmed
  • Lumia 950 – Estimated to be supported
  • Lumia 950 XL  – Estimated to be supported

Microsoft Workflow: “To adjust your clips, select Edit slow motion when viewing the video in the Photos app,” “Trim your videos and play some parts back in normal speed and other parts in slow motion. Select Super slow to dramatically highlight a specific part of the video.”

Activation of slow motion video on the camera App is done by pressing the cute and simplified Turtle icon.   It does convey slowness as an icon and it sure beats Slow-mo or some text descriptor like on other platforms.

As to even older phones being supported it is all up in the air for now but it is encouraging to see Microsoft entering the slow motion portable device arena with a retro active update for some phones.  Remember it is a matter of hardware and software coupled with a capable sensor to do slow motion so support on your device will depend on those factors.   Now lets wait for Lumia phones to get to 240fps to get real interesting!

Interpolation: The windows camera app will let you slow the video even further via interpolation to 480fps like the samples below but these are not real frames as the maximum for now is 720p at 120fps.

Slow Motion Windows 10 Mobile 120fps / 480 fps Lumia 930 part 1 by My Windows Mobile:

Slow Motion Windows 10 Mobile 120fps / 480 fps Lumia 930 part 2 by My Windows Mobile:

→ Continue Reading Full Post ←