Tag Archives: 4k slow motion

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BEST SLOW MOTION CAMERAS OF 2021!

January 12, 2022 admin Leave a comment

We have passed another year in slow motion land and while camera releases were more plenty than expected considering the chip shortage and teh COVID disruption, it’s time to take a look back through the year’s camera releases, and see which delivered on the price/performance scale when it comes to slow motion frame rates. Phones are stagnationg while high end cameras are getting more frame rate options in higher resolution. Our Best Slow Motion Cameras Of 2021 have been selected and ordered by recommendation! → Continue Reading Full Post ←

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Sony Xperia 1 III is Slow Motion Capable!

May 7, 2021 admin 2 Comments

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 ←

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BEST SLOW MOTION CAMERAS OF 2020!

January 2, 2021 admin Leave a comment

As the end of 2020 nears, it’s time to take a look back through the year’s camera releases amid the COVID 19 chaos, and see which delivered on the price/performance bracket with slow motion frame rates as the primary goal. Phone slow motion took a back seat this year as the interest of the feature in phones was subdued or even eliminated. Our Best Slow Motion Cameras Of 2020 have been selected and ordered by recommendation!

We saw some surprises including a mostly affordable 4k slow motion solution and the adoption of 4k 120fps on many cameras which makes us think 240fps at UHD should be something to think about in the coming years as a regular option once 8k video is commonplace on consumer recording devices and TVs. The increase in resolution should theoretically allow for a lot of 4k frame rates to be offered as 8k delivers 4x the pixel count of 4k for any given frame rate. Keep on reading for our 2020 picks!

BEST SLOW MOTION CAMERAS of 2020:

Without further ado here are what we believe are the best value slow motion cameras in their respective categories for the year 2020:

Best Slow Motion Phone Category:

3rd Place) Sony Xperia 5 II:

The Sony Xperia 5 II is all about capturing the best video possible on a smartphone and in HDR. The kick here is that the phone is capable of 4k 120fps in full HDR which is pretty much class-leading.

The footage below will give you a taste of what the phone can do. In good light, it will let you capture excellent quality 4k 120p footage with the possibility to grade as it records a gradable flat profile. In low light, it will be a pretty unremarkable image with grain and artifacts as could be expected from the light requirements when shooting at high speed.

Sony Xperia 5 II: 4K 120fps video footage by CNET Highlights:

Sony Xperia 5 II Slow Motion Specs:

120fps 4k
60fps 1080p

This is one of the first phones to offer 120fps in 4k which will probably become a standard spec in 2021 for flagships. However absent is the slow motion at 1080p which considering the 4k oomph, it should have been capable of 480fps at 1080p or similar. It is a shame that the spec was completely avoided considering HDR in 120fps 4k requires 240fps full pixel readout before merging. In theory, 240fps non-HDR is possible on this phone but not available for unspecified reasons. Phones are becoming more powerful by the day and this is one that has our attention. The just under $1k price tag is not ideal but some of the best phones are going to cost you.

2nd Place) OnePlus 8T:

One Plus continues to offer compelling slow motion features on their phones with 480fps 1080p and up to 480fps at 720p. It gives you a quad 48MP camera module which is literally insane considering the phone sells for under $750USD and has 120hz refresh rate. Feature-wise it has probably everything under the sun and then some and will not disappoint in the performance realm.

Fireworks in Slow motion – OnePlus 8T 480fps in dark by sternking: → Continue Reading Full Post ←

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Z CAM E2 M4 Slow Motion With Affordable 4k 160fps!

June 7, 2020 admin Leave a comment

The new Z CAM E2 – M4 Micro 4/3″ sensor cinema 4k camera offers performance that punches way above its own price weight of just $1,499 @ Adorama which is $500 less than the very similar regular Z CAM E2 just lacking Multicam synch support which is a very minor trade off considering the power and benefits you gain. It has Triple native ISO of 80 / 160 / 800 and 13 stops of DR using their ZLog profile, and 16 stops of DR in WDR mode which does some HDR processing.

The frame rates are also outstanding for such a low-cost camera and while the higher setting requires H.265 encoding which for many is not ideal considering it lowers the bit depth from 10 bits to 8, it offers what many cameras only dream of. 160fps in 4k in beautiful resolution and up to 240fps in 1080p which has very good quality with some compromises.

Z CAM E2 and E2 M4 Main Specs:

Dynamic Range13~15 Stops (Z-Log2) / 16 Stops (with WDR activated)
Sensor Type4/3″ WDR CMOS Sensor
Effective Pixels10.28M
Lens MountMicro Four Thirds 19.0 x 13.0 mm
Max Variable Frame Rate120 fps for 4096 x 2160 (H.265 only)
120 fps for 3840 x 2160 (H.265 only)
150 fps for 4096 x 1728 (H.265 only)
160 fps for 3840 x 1620 (H.265 only)
160 fps for 2704 x 1600 (H.265 only)
59.94 fps for 3696 x 2772 (Apple ProRes & H.265)
59.94 fps for 3312 x 2760 (Apple ProRes & H.265)
240 fps for 1920 x 1080 (H.265 only)
MediaCFAST 2.0
Max Bit RateH.265 / H.264
300 Mbps for 4096 x 2160 / 3840 x 2160 / 4096 x 1728 / 3840 x 1620 / 3696 x 2772 / 3312 x 2760 / 2704 x 1600
200 Mbps for 1920 x 1080
-ProRes
Please check “Apple ProRes White Paper” for the bit rate of ProRes encoding.
12-Bit ProRes RAW
10-bit (H.265 & ProRes) & 8-bit (H.264)
Triple native ISO 80 / 160 / 800
Video EncoderProRes Raw, ProRes 422 HQ / ProRes 422 / ProRes 422 LT / ProRes 422
ZRAW (partial debayer) / Proxy / H.265 main 10 profile / H.264 high profile
Connectivity
HDMI
HDMI 2.0 Type A (video output up to C4K @60fps)
USB USB 3.0 Type C for camera control & data transfer only
I/O 10-pin LEMO port for synchronization (requires additional Sync Cable, not included)
COM DB-9 connector, supports RS-232
Remote Control 2.5 mm jack socket (Sony LANC compatible)
Audio In – 3.5 mm stereo jack socket for active microphone only, or 5-pin LEMO port for dual-channel XLR microphone (requires additional XLR audio connector)
Audio-out 3.5 mm stereo jack socket
Wi-Fi 802.11n, 2.4G with external antenna port
Ethernet Gigabit Ethernet port for control, setting & live streaming
Power Battery Sony NP-F series compatible (Battery not included)
External Power Supply – DC 12V 5A (4-pin LEMO socket), with LEMO connector and AC/DC power adapter

Material Aluminum Alloy
Weight 757 g (without lens)
Dimensions (W x H x D) 91.2 mm x 99.2 mm x 89.1 mm (without lens)

So just from a specs point of view we can see the E2 being a real powerhouse with a variety of excellent options for shooters. If you also ad a speedbooster then you get APS-C like performance on a sensor that performs like that of the Panasonic GH5s with excellent quality up to ISO 6400-12800.

Z CAM E2 M4 Slow Motion how good is it?

The slow motion aspects for the Z Cam E2 M4 are class-leading with 160fps at 4k DCI and UHD with what we have confirmed to be pristine quality with no real artifacts besides H.265 compression. You will of course get 8-bit limitations on gradients and single shade subjects like blue skies but for everything else will be more than adequate. See the beautiful sample below by Ludeman Productions of the E2 shooting in 4k at 160fps H.265.

ZCAM E2: 160p by Ludeman Productions:

When it comes to 240fps there is of course a trade-off that we have seen in the GH5s and other cameras that use this similar sensor design. The color, dynamic range, and frame rates are beautiful but you do get jagged edges on detail segments of the frame and especially lines with the characteristic stair-stepping of aliasing by the fact that the frames are captured by throwing out some lines. It is still very good and for many users, it will be just as capable but if you value pixel perfection then the 240fps 1080p mode will disappoint purists. See the samples below to get a sense of the quality offered here.

Z Cam E2 240 FPS Fountain by Newsshooter: → Continue Reading Full Post ←

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fps4000 first 480fps 4k Footage Revealed!

June 30, 2019 admin 10 Comments

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!

It’s been a while since we’ve covered the fps4000 camera mainly due to development time taking longer than initially estimated. However, Graham Rowan the engineer behind the camera has now posted the first 4k 480fps footage shot in RAW on the fps4000 camera which uses a sophisticated memory arrangement on the onboard super-fast flash RAM to be able to record lengths of time unimaginable before on slow motion cameras at high resolution.

This camera is a very different kind of technology from regular high-speed cameras that record to volatile DRAM. The fps series records to flash chips that are soldered to the mainboard and allow a variety of frames rates and resolutions depending on the sensor used but all is saved on the flash memory as a non-volatile stream of data. Modern SSD chips are so good at re-allocating reading and writing bits that the life of the components is now measured in decades of regular use instead of a few years. The fps4000 is using this technology fully to enable memory bandwidth magnitudes greater at a significantly reduced cost.

fps4000 first 480fps 4k Footage:

First UHD video from the fps4000
3840 x 2160 resolution
480 frames per second

The Blue & Yellow Macaw video above shows the quality you can expect from full RAW DNG capture on the fps4000 camera at it’s higher-spec of 1280GB SSD £5,000 British Pounds plus Shipping and taxes. The fps4000 in 4k is also sold as a 1/2 speed 250fps maximum 4k UHD camera with 640GB SSD at a lower price of £3,500 British Pounds plus Shipping and taxes. You can clearly see the 4/3 sensor used is delivering excellent quality even with 3.9µ pixels. Notice the 720 version on the same sensor size has a 13.5µ pixel size which should prove to be outstanding in low light.

Also, note that the camera is able to record 60 full seconds of slow motion at 4k UHD 480p full resolution. This type of recording length is unmatched in any professional high-speed camera solution. We have only seen this type of rec length on custom lab camera systems and it usually involved a fast SSD disk array with fiber channel connections.

Here are the fps4000 configurations:

The lens options are varied with the Micro 4/3 mount as you can use any m4/3 adapter to Canon, Nikon, Minolta, Pentax, and other systems.

We should be able to test a review fps4000 unit in the not so distant future. Shooting 4k 480fps will create a mountain of data that will probably need an expanded drive array. The quality, however, will be worth every bit of space. -HSC

For more information on the fps4000 line of cameras and an order page you can go to the official website at: https://www.slomocamco.com/cameras/

→ Continue Reading Full Post ←

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Slow Motion News March 2018!

March 16, 2018 admin Leave a comment

After several camera announcements where slow motion was a main feature instead of an afterthought, things have been calming down until the next wave which will break closer to NAB 2018 from April 7th to 12th in Las Vegas. There will probably be quite a few announcements in the professional space which is mainly where things heat up when it comes to higher quality resolution at higher frame rates.

We expect Sony to steal the show with probably the a7s Mark III which by any measure will probably retain the low light king title for the foreseeable future. If the a7 III released recently is any indication then a lower megapixel sensor anywhere between 12-16MP Full Frame with the same technology in a stacked sensor will give us a camera so capable that room for improvement will be mainly on the ergonomics, interface and higher frame rates going forward.

Phone Slow Motion Tutorials Posted Online:

Now that Sony and Samsung have been touting their 960fps slow-motion modes it was only a matter of time until tech & phone sites started exploring the slow-motion modes in more depth. Here are two guides that explore the new features and gives tips on getting the shot:

1) Galaxy S9: Everything you need to know about Super Slo-Mo videos by CNET

https://www.cnet.com/how-to/galaxy-s9-everything-you-need-to-know-about-super-slo-mo-videos/

2) How to shoot better slow motion video at 120fps, 240fps, and 960fps by Android Central:

https://www.androidcentral.com/how-shoot-slow-motion-video

Phantom HD Gold Camera Sold For Parts on eBay for $6,999:

ITEM DESCRIPTION – Link Here

** Please Note: SDI Output is Defective, Will Drop Image Every Several Seconds; Missing 4 out of 6 mounting screws for PL mount; Missing 2 body screws; Unable to Fully Test Camera **

1,052 frames per second in 1920 x 1080

=&0=&

Power Supply
PL Mount
Top Handle
Mag Cover
Body Cap
Ethernet Wire
Custom Pelican Case ** Please Note: SDI Output is Defective, Will Drop Image Every Several Seconds;

HSC – Our Take: This camera was worth 118,000 when launched in 2011. If you are a technical expert that can repair this camera and bring it back to full working condition it may be worth a try. However, for everyone else, this is best to avoid as there is no telling what is wrong with this camera.

If you could repair it then it is of note that you will not get a warranty of any kind and will be using a camera that could, in theory, be worth much more. If anyone out there is able to fix it then let us know to feature your progress on getting this camera to work and produce great images.

GH5s vs G9 Video Comparison:

This is an excellent review by Camerahoarders on the video quality and capabilities of both cameras.

HSC- We still believe that the standard GH5 delivers the best slow-motion quality of these three cameras at up to 180fps due to the oversampling capability. The G9 codec is much lower bit rate on slow motion and allows fewer frame rates choices. The GH5s has up to 240fps Full HD but aliasing, moire, and softness negate the frame rate advantage.

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