Tag Archives: 1″ Sensor

Nikon Stacked CMOS Sensor Will do 1000fps in 4k!

Nikon Stacked CMOS Sensor

Nikon Japan has been busy creating the next generation of 1″ stacked sensors.  The latest is a 17.84 Megapixel stacked design with hyper-fast memory interconnect that shoots up to 1000fps at 4k resolution which is no slouch. The sensor is still in development but it will be a possibility to see it in a camera that could compete head to head with the Sony RX series which now dominate prosumer P&S sales.  It was announced at ISSCC (International Solid-State Circuits Conference) held in San Francisco, February 15, 2021.

The sensor works by shooting in buckets of 16 x 16 pixels as one block, and then subsequently 264 x 264 pixel blocks (4224 x 4224 pixels) are conformed to form the final image at nearly 18MP.  It is unclear at this time if 4k video will be a windowed resolution or a supersampled then reduced final image from the full sensor.  The market for this sensor goes beyond consumer cameras as it is aimed at other applications like self-driving cars and production lines. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Insta360 ONE R action cam can do 200fps in 1080p!

Insta360 ONE R 4k

2020 is already becoming a very busy year for camera releases. The CES Show this past week had a bunch of announcements in the professional, amateur and aerial drone markets that shoot high frame rates.  We will try to cover the most useful cameras in the coming weeks.  We want to start with the Insta360 ONE R Modular camera from Chinese company Shenzhen Arashi Vision Co., Ltd. which is a very interesting product that de-couples the sensor module from the body so you can interchange the actual imaging hardware on the fly for specific shots/jobs.

The real gem for slow motion fans is the 4K version instead of the 360 and or the 1″ version which both max out at 120fps 1080p instead of 200p.   Many people will cry foul at the 200fps spec when GoPro and DJI do 240fps as do most slow motion capable smartphones but 200fps, if done well with the 100Mbps codec, could be a real diamond in the rough for your arsenal in action cameras.

Insta360 ONE R 4k Camera main specs:

  • Aperture F2.8 16.4mm lens
  • Photo Resolution 4000 x 3000 (4:3)
    4000 x 2250 (16:9)
  • Video Resolution
    4000×3000@30fps,
    3840×2160@60fps,
    3840×2160@30fps,
    2720×1530@100fps,
    2720×1530@60fps,
    2720×1530@30fps,
    1920×1080@200fps,
    1920×1080@120fps,
    1920×1080@60fps,
    1920×1080@30fps
  • Video Coding H.264 / H.265
  • Video Modes: Standard video, HDR video, Timelapse mode, TimeShift mode
  • 4K@60fps – 70 minutes
  • Photo Modes: Standard photos, HDR photos, Burst, Interval photos, Night Shot
  • WB: Auto, 2700K, 4000K, 5000K, 6500K
  • USB: Type C – Charging and files
  • Price: $299.00

So we get 200fps & 120fps 1080p, plus 60fps 4k and 2.7k at 100fps which is very close to what other action cameras are doing.

The video above by Insta360 is the only slow motion sample of the One R we could find. It is still not ideal as the compression is not so good for the web.  Still, you can hardly see any jagged edges or moire which means the camera might be doing a great job capturing the full 1080p resolution at 120 and 200fps.

What about the 2 camera TWIN bundle?

So since the camera is modular, you can get the 360-degree camera module combined with the 4k camera for a reduced price…

So if you are getting the 360 One R camera it makes absolute sense to get the Twin bundle since that will only add $20 to your price tag. However, if you only need the 4k camera the Twin bundle adds $180 USD to your purchase which is significant.   You may not be able to go the Twin route if all you need is the action camera without 360-degree capability.

Leica 1″ What?

The 1 Inch edition of the Insta360 R has a Leica lens and a 1″ sensor which shoots at 5.3k at excellent quality.

Frame rates supported:

  • 5312×2988@30fps,
  • 3840×2160@60fps,
  • 3840×2160@30fps,
  • 2720×1530@60fps,
  • 2720×1530@30fps,
  • 1920×1080@120fps,
  • 1920×1080@60fps,
  • 1920×1080@30fps

It can also shoot 60p at 4k and or 120fps at 1080p which is ok considering the quality should be very good.  Wondering if there is a crop for those modes or if it is supersampled.  We probably can expect a sensor crop at 1080p here which means a reduced field of view.

The 1-Inch edition probably delivers the best action camera video quality yet and at $ 549.99 it is not that expensive considering you may be able to use this footage commercially and or on film productions.  We would like to see video samples without compression for the web to see how good it is.

If you need the best video quality on an action camera the bar has been raised by the 1-inch version of the Insta360 R, wonder what DJI, GoPro and maybe Sony are thinking to counter this.

What to do?

These cameras will ship by the end of this month which means you have time to see more samples show up before pulling the trigger.  There is a limitation of 5m underwater for the modular design without a case which is actually very usable, if you need more you will need to get a rugged case.

It is refreshing to see so much innovation on a camera of this size and even when it does not break new ground in high frame rates, it may be doing better in the quality department. We will have to wait and see how good 1080p 200 and 120p look at full resolution.  If the images are clean, it may mean that these will be the recommended action cameras for high frame rates.

****You can get the Insta360 cameras for Pre-Order at Adorama Camera here and help HSC at no extra cost!  ****

The Insta360 One R cameras here can do so much automation like color grading, hyper-lapse, stabilization, shot editing and HDR that feels kind of daunting at first. This is the sign of things to come as the editing bay is only reserved for higher-end productions. Maybe you will be able to ditch that PC or Mac in the near future for a phone and a camera that does it all before you download the clips.  For highlights maybe but for a story, we have our high doubts.

We will try to get slow motion samples other than the one above as soon as possible.  We are working on other camera previews that were announced at CES so stay tuned and have a great 2020 ahead! Rock On -HSC

Canon G7 X III and G5 X II Released With 120fps Full HD!

Canon G7 X III and G5 X II Released With 120fps Full HD

The newly released Canon G7 X III and G5 X II Powershot cameras are finally upping the stagnant slow motion features of these lines to a very 2014 spec of 120fps Full HD.  Up to now Canon had capped the Full HD Performance at 60fps 1080p and a maximum of 120fps at 720p with a severe crop. There is no mention of a 240fps 720p spec which makes us believe that there is no 720p video option besides maybe a 30p mode.

Both cameras sport a 20.1MP 1″ inch Stacked CMOS sensor and DIGIC 8 Image Processor reminiscent of the Sony RX series. We estimate this might be the same Sony sensor employed but without the super slow motion capabilities of 480/500fps and 960/1000fps modes that have made that line of cameras a cut apart.

Canon Powershot G7 X III Main Specs:

  • 20.2MP 1″ Stacked CMOS Sensor
  • DIGIC 8 Image Processor
  • 5x Optical Zoom f/1.8-2.8 Lens
  • 24-100mm (35mm Equivalent)
  • 3.0″ Tilting Touchscreen LCD
  • UHD 4K30p and Full HD 120p Video
  • 20-fps Shooting
  • Built-In Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
  • Live Streaming & Vertical Video Support

Canon Powershot G5 X II Main Specs:

  • 20.2MP 1″ Stacked CMOS Sensor
  • DIGIC 8 Image Processor
  • 5x Optical Zoom f/1.8-2.8 Lens
  • 24-120mm (35mm Equivalent)
  • 2.36m-Dot Pop-Up Electronic Viewfinder
  • Tilting Touchscreen LCD
  • UHD 4K30p and Full HD 120p Video
  • 20-fps Shooting, 30-fps Raw Burst Mode
  • Built-In Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
  • Manual Control Dials, Star Shooting Mode

Both cameras offer very much identical features except for form factor and lens which in the case of the G5 X II offers a little more reach at 120mm in the long end and it is geared more as an SLR companion interface feature wise. Both cameras offer live streaming for vloggers on Youtube, facebook live, periscope etc. which is a sought after feature and could be the main selling point for both cameras and a first for such a line.

Both cameras allow charging and shooting at the same through USB C which means you can add external battery packs and shoot time-lapse for many days non stop.  The image quality is very good but not m4/3 or APS C size like which is understandable. The one inch 1″ sensors are much better than the tiny 1/2.5 and 1/1.9 sensors of the PowerShot pedigree of the last decade and match the Sony RX series except for slow motion features.

Sample High Speed?

At the 2-minute mark the video above shows a very small rendition of High-Speed Movie which is 120fps at Full HD 1080p. We will have to wait for the cameras to ship in August to offer more samples of this mode. Considering the sensor is good, we estimate the 120p mode will be more than acceptable if Canon has not crippled the codec bitrate or done funny things with the line capture.

Pricing and Availability:

Both Cameras will ship by August 2nd 2019!

Take Away:

In all, we cannot recommend either camera for slow motion enthusiasts as they lack advanced high-speed imaging (i.e 240p, 480p, 960p) like that present in the Sony RX Series for about the same money. The features these cameras offer like live streaming and USB C support for live shooting are probably coming over on a new Sony RX replacement this year since it seems to be the next big feature for compact cameras to try to stave off the siege from the smartphone market.

However, you are better off with the Sony RX Cameras if you need high-speed features that are worth something. The Canon cameras will be popular for vloggers but not for slow-motion enthusiasts. We will have image samples at 120p when they become available.-HSC

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Sony RX0 II Slow Motion The Same With New 4k Internal!

Sony RX0 II Slow Motion

Sony has released the RX0 Mark II which now includes the ability to record 4k internally as opposed to using an external recorder. Other goodies include a new flippy screen which while tiny, it allows for easy framing and selfie vlogger styles. A new stabilizer is included for reducing shake and it is a definite improvement even when the rolling shutter is a real problem.

Most of the camera is the same as before when it comes to body shape and usability, the higher frame rates are identical as the 2017 RX0 Mark I with essentially the same resolution and time recording. The big improvement comes in the screen and internal 4k recording with stabilization which seems to be directly aimed at vloggers. The sensor is, however, a tad less crowded by pixels at  15.3MP on the Mark II vs 21MP on the Mark 1. That should help in the low light department.

Sony RX0 II Main Specs:
  • 15.3MP 1″ Exmor RS Stacked CMOS Sensor
  • ZEISS Tessar T* 24mm Equivalent f/4 Lens
  • Internal UHD 4K30 Video & S-Log2 Gamma
  • HFR Mode for Slow Motion
  • 1.5″ 230k-dot 180° Tilting LCD
  • Water, Dust, Shock, and Crushproof
  • Electronic SteadyShot; Clean HDMI Output
  • Interval Recording; Microphone Input
  • ISO 12800 and 16-fps Continuous Shooting
  • Wi-Fi & Bluetooth; Multi-Camera Control

Sony | Cyber-shot | RX0 II | Product Feature by Sony:

Sony RX0 II HFR Slow Motion Specs:

Quality Priority 2 Seconds Record Time:

  • 240fps/250fps(1,676×942)
  • 480fps/500fps(1,676×566)
  • 960fps/1000fps(1,136×384)

Shoot Time Priority 4 seconds record Time:

  • 240fps/250fps(1,676×566)
  • 480fps/500fps(1,136×384)
  • 960fps/1000fps(800×270)

Sony RX0 IISlow Motion Video Sample:

As you can tell from the sample at 500fps which is 1,676×566 resolution and then saved up-resed to 1080p we have the same quality as the RX0 Mark 1 of 2017 since they share the same exact slow motion specs.

We do have an improvement in color science with the Slog2 and the larger 15MP vs 21MP pixel pitch sensor does output better video quality with less noise and artifacts. The AF is also handling face recognition and eye AF now with much better hit rates which should work well for stills, however, the video review below shows a lot of misses because once focused video continuous AF is not available in the camera. That is right the camera does not AF in video mode probably due to battery saving. Too bad and a big miss!

There is also a shorter minimum focusing distance from 20cm to infinity from the Mark 1 50.8 cm to infinity which is a big difference if you want to do Vlogging.

Sony RX0 II Hands-on – What The Flip?! by Kai W → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Panasonic TZ200 does 1080p 120fps!

Panasonic TZ200

Panasonic announced two new cameras this week the ZS200 America / TZ200 Europe  which offers the worlds longest wide to super zoom range in a 1″ sensor form factor with a 24-360mm equivalent F3.3-6.4 lens and the larger sensor 4/3ds 20MP “Same as GH5″ Lumix GX9 which tops out at 60fps 1080p which we will not cover any further. We have a cut off of 120fps for slow-motion cameras.  The ZS200, however, looks to be Panasonic’s answer to the excellent and full-featured RX series of cameras like the RX10 IV and RX100 V.

The main selling point of this camera is the appeal of carrying a 15X zoom in your pocket along with a 1″ sensor which beats most superzoom cameras that use tiny 1/1.8″ or 1/2.5” sensors.  Panasonic is able to do this by extending the lens to almost 3 times the camera’s width footprint including lens ring which looks kind of ridiculous but is effective at contracting enough to fit on a large pocket.   The image below shows only 3/4ths of the extension.

FZ200 Video Specs
Format MPEG-4, AVCHD, H.264
Modes
  • 3840 x 2160 @ 30p / 100 Mbps, MOV, H.264, AAC
  • 3840 x 2160 @ 24p / 100 Mbps, MOV, H.264, AAC
  • 1920 x 1080 @ 60p / 28 Mbps, MOV, H.264, AAC
  • 1920 x 1080 @ 60p / 28 Mbps, AVCHD, MTS, H.264, Dolby Digital
  • 1920 x 1080 @ 60i / 17 Mbps, AVCHD, MTS, H.264, Dolby Digital
  • 1920 x 1080 @ 30p / 20 Mbps, MOV, H.264, AAC
  • 1920 x 1080 @ 30p / 24 Mbps, AVCHD, MTS, H.264, Dolby Digital
  • 1920 x 1080 @ 24p / 24 Mbps, AVCHD, MTS, H.264, Dolby Digital
  • 1280 x 720 @ 30p / 10 Mbps, MOV, H.264, AAC
  • 1280 x 720 @ 120fps VFR Mode!

Panasonic TZ200 DFD Auto Focus again?

The camera used the Lumix DFD Depth from Defocus algorithm for acquiring continuous and single AF which has been ridiculed for it’s hit and miss quality in video mode on the higher end Lumix cameras for over a year.  Still, however, it does a perfectly acceptable job for stills and not demanding video scenes.

There is also the fact that recently, youtube channel YodaYeo was able to improve the DFD performance on the GH5 to near Sony and Canon phase detect levels by just changing the shutter to a faster mode than 180° degrees to something like 120° to create a perfectly usable system even with adapted Canon Glass.  This is based on the technology limitation that a rolling shutter sensor has when scanning the image which has to wait for an extra frame to use an AF assist.  The channel explains this fully in this footage here! Highly recommended video to watch.

So if the TZ200 / ZS200 uses the same system you could, in theory, achieve similar results by going with a faster shutter speed.  This is not ideal in all modes as 24p simply will not show any improvement but 25p and 30p will, in fact, work fine.    Your mileage may vary. In our view, it is time for Panasonic to accept defeat and offer hybrid contrast and Phase detection systems in their cameras.

Panasonic LUMIX TZ200 | Travel Photography Field Test in Valletta by Wex Photo Video:

ZS200 TZ200 Slow Motion Mode:

The camera of choice for HSC in the segment for two years in a  row has been the Sony RX100 V which offers excellent slow-motion quality continuous 120fps Full HD, slightly lower resolution 240fps 1080p and up to 960/1000fps at sub VGA resolutions.  So two years later we get a somewhat odd answer from Panasonic with a maximum 120fps VFR mode at Full HD which is certainly an improvement but it is missing the variety and simply better slow-mo of the Sony models.

Both Sony and Panasonic are using a 1″ sensor which is probably a Sony built part which makes use of the BSI spec to improve low light ability.  Panasonic offers 4k up to 30fps and 60fps continuous Full HD 1080p but nothing more than a 120fps Full HD mention in the specs which seems to us a bolt-on feature.  We think this mode may be time-limited as well as probably sacrificing compression quality and scrapping audio as it is common for most cameras in this segment.   All we know of the 120fps mode at this point is that it is accessed in a special function menu and it is recorded in the card at 30p.  Which kind of confirms of audio-less suspicions.

We will have to wait for samples from this camera to share and be able to rank it. It is probably going to disappoint in the quality department but the ability to have a pocketable 120fps full HD camera with a 5 axis stabilized 15X lens is one reason to remain hopeful about its performance The camera will ship April 1st 2018 with a price tag of $799.99 and it is available for Pre order at Amazon.com here.  Stay Tuned for more and full specs below-HSC

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ZS200 / TZ200 Full Specs Below:
Pixels Camera Effective Pixels 20.1 Megapixels
Sensor Sensor Size / Total Pixels / Filter 1-type High Sensitivity MOS Sensor / 20.9 Total Megapixels / Primary Color Filter
Lens Aperture F3.3 – 6.4 / Multistage Iris Diaphragm (F3.3 – 8.0 (W), F6.4 – 8.0 (T))
Intelligent Zoom 30x
Lens LEICA DC VARIO-ELMAR
Optical Image Stabilizer 5-Axis HYBRID O.I.S. +*
Focus Focusing Area Normal: Wide 50 cm – infinity / Tele 100 cm – infinity/AF Macro / MF / Intelligent Auto / Motion Picture: Wide 3 cm – infinity / Tele 100 cm – infinity
AF Assist Lamp Yes (On / Off)
Post Focus Yes
Focus Stacking Yes
AF Metering Face/Eye Detection / Tracking / 49-area / Custom Multi / 1-area / Pinpoint/(Full area touch is available)
Shutter Shutter Speed [Still Image] Approx. 60 – 1/2,000 sec (Mechanical Shutter)/Approx. 1 – 1/16,000 sec (Electronic Shutter)/Time (Approx. 120 sec)
Shutter Speed [Motion Picture] Approx. 1/25 – 1/16,000 sec/Approx. 1/2 – 1/16,000 sec (Creative Video M Mode / MF Mode)
Recording Modes Mode Dial Intelligent Auto, P, A, S, M, Creative Video, C (Custom), Panorama Shot, Scene Guide, Creative Control
4K Photo Mode (*2) 4K Burst: 30 frames/sec, max. 15 min/4K Burst (S/S): 30 frames/sec, max. 15 min/4K Pre-Burst: 30 frames/sec, approx. 2 sec
Continuous Recordable Time (Motion Pictures) (*2) AVCHD 4K/30p, 4K/25p: Approx. 90 min/FHD/60p, FHD/50p: Approx. 100 min
MP4 FHD/50p: Approx. 100 min/FHD/50i: Approx. 100 min
Actual recordable Time (Motion Pictures) (*2) AVCHD 4K/30p, 4K/25p: Approx. 45 min/FHD/60p, FHD/50p: Approx. 50 min
MP4 FHD/50p: Approx. 50 min/FHD/50i: Approx. 50 min
Exposure Parameters Exposure Program AE, Aperture Priority AE, Shutter Priority AE, Manual
Light Metering Intelligent Multiple / Center Weighted / Spot
ISO Sensitivity (Changeable to 1/3 EV step)
Picture Quality Still Picture Recording [4:3] 4864×3648 (17.5M) (L) / 3456×2592 (9M) (M) / 2432×1824 (4.5M) (S)/[3:2] 5472×3648 (20M) (L) / 3888×2592 (10M) (M) / 2736×1824 (5M) (S)/[16:9] 5472×3080 (17M) (L) / 3840×2160 (8M) (M) / 1920×1080 (2M) (S)/[1:1] 3648×3648 (13.5M) (L) / 2592×2592 (6.5M) (M) / 1824×1824 (3.5M) (S)
Image Quality RAW / RAW+Fine / RAW+Standard / Fine / Standard
White Balance (2-axis adjustable)
Picture Adjustment Contrast, Sharpness, Noise Reduction, Saturation*, Color Tone**, Filter Effect**/*Except for Monochrome mode. **For Monochrome mode only.
Bracket AE Bracket 3, 5, 7 images in 1/3, 2/3 or 1 EV step, Max. +/-3 EV
Other Digital Red Eye Correction (Red-Eye Removal) Yes (On / Off)
Wi-FI IEEE 802.11b/g/n/2412 MHz – 2462 MHz (1-11 ch)/WPA / WPA2/Infrastructure Mode / WPS
Self Timer 2 sec / 10 sec / 10 sec (3 images)
Display Rating / Rotate Image / Protect Yes / Yes / Yes
Playback Mode All, Picture Only, Video Only, Slideshow (All / Picture Only / Video Only, duration & effect is selectable), Calendar
Thumbnails / Zoomed Playback 12,30-thumbnails / Yes
Show Histogram/ Show Highlights Yes / Yes
Edit Retouch Clear Retouch
RAW Processing Yes
Direct Print PictBridge compatible
Title Edit / Text Stamp Yes / Yes
Video Divide Yes
Setup OSD language Japanese, English, German, French, Italian, Spanish
Monitor LCD Monitor Static Touch Control
Media Recording Media SD Memory Card, SDHC Memory Card, SDXC Memory Card/(Compatible with UHS-I UHS Speed Class 3 standard SDHC / SDXC Memory Cards)
Built- in- Memory
Audio Microphone / Speaker Stereo / Mono
Interface Interface microHDMI typeD (*3), USB2.0 Micro-B
Power Power Li-ion Battery Pack (7.2V, 1025mAh, 7.4 Wh) (Included)/USB power charging
Standard Package Included Software ・ The software to process RAW file on computer is not bundled with this camera. To do this, SILKYPIX Developer Studio is available for download at Ichikawa Soft Laboratory’s website using computer connected to the Internet./http://www.isl.co.jp/SILKYPIX/english/p/ (For Windows / Mac)
Standard Accessories Battery Pack, AC Adap

  → Continue Reading Full Post ←