Tag Archives: apple

iPhone XS Slow Motion Samples!

iPhone XS Slow Motion Samples

After a few weeks of iPhone XS ownership, we can already gage the quality of the video coming out of the device in 1080p slow motion mode. We have a dozen samples for you too look at and make a decision. It is, however, a bittersweet realization that last year’s iPhone X is pretty much just as good as the XS in slow motion with just a tiny difference in per-pixel quality and dynamic range.

If you own an iPhone 8, X or Samsung Galaxy S8 or S9, for example, the slow motion feature on the iPhone XS should not be a factor in your decision to upgrade. The new XS has the best 4k video the iPhone has ever produced and the image stabilization is also much improved. The XS camera shoots pretty amazing still images and regular frame rate video but it is competitive with the best out there. The phone still is the best 240p 1080 mobile device today, see why below. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

iPhone Xs Slow Motion Official Apple Sample!

Apple has released a preview video showing the video capabilities of the iPhone Xs in 4k 30, 4k 60 and slow motion 1080p 240fps.  You can see in the liquid and sound part of the demo the quality delivered by the full HD slow motion but it is hard to judge per pixel sharpness and or artifacts from such a short high shutter video. We will need more real-world samples in order to see if there has been an improvement from the iPhone X of 2017.

We have isolated a part of the footage to see the slow-motion compression and we could detect aliasing in the edges, softness and compression artifacts which are typical of mobile phone high frame rates. The iPhone Xs seems to still have them to some degree. Color and motion on the codec seem to be excellent especially in 4k which looks extremely detailed and with more than acceptable dynamic range. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

iPhone Xs Slow Motion Lacks Improvement!

iPhone Xs Slow Motion

Apple just released 3 new iPhones and a 4th generation watch.  These are all about the screen and speed and not really big new capabilities. It is all refinement and flawless execution but video fans will look at these phones as a continuation of last year’s specs with a better codec and possibly better bit rates and image quality but not much else. The iPhone X and 8 still remain relevant which is expected in an “s” upgrade cycle.

Gone are the big leaps of frame rates and Apple is capping at 1080p 240fps while completely ignoring rivals like the Galaxy S9, OnePlus 6 and Sony Xperia XZ series when it comes to super slow motion video. Apple was at the forefront of these technologies with the iPhone 6 but now have really rested on their laurels while the competition leapfrogs in video capabilities when it comes to frame rates. Others will point out that even when the high speed is restricted you will now get better quality footage in all modes which is certainly an upgrade. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

SONY IMX586 Stacked Sensor 48MP and High Frame Rates!

SONY IMX586 Stacked Sensor

Sony has released specs for a new IMX Cellphone oriented sensor that has a whopping 48 Megapixel photosite grid with a new Bayer altered pattern of quad pixel colors that aims to quadruple the dynamic range of the signal and increase detail retention significantly by supersampling every photosite and creating a final 12MP image with excellent characteristics.

As far as frame rates go we were glad to see very high-end read-out speeds for this sensor as full 4k video can max out at 90fps and other high fps settings include 1080p 240fps full area downsampling and 720p 480fps but with a cropped windowed frame extraction.  At 48MP or 12 regular De-Bayered then we expect the crop to be quite extreme at the 720p mode unless they do a 4 or 6MP downsample. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

BEST SLOW MOTION CAMERAS OF 2017!

BEST SLOW MOTION CAMERAS

The end of 2017 is upon and its time to look back through the year’s camera releases and see which delivered quality at an affordable price in slow motion.  HD quality slow motion options took a big leap this year in the phone space and on new entrants in the semi-professional camera fields. It was quite a year in many respects!

Many promised cameras still have not seen the light of day which means they will not be counted in the running. Only cameras that are shipping in quantity with a reasonable wait time and available now are being considered for this post. We will still make note of what may be coming soon for high-speed enthusiasts. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Black Friday Slow Motion Deals 2017!

Black Friday Slow Motion Deals 2017!

It is that time of the year again when you get to use your savings to get that piece of gear you have been eyeing for a while. Discounted cameras and lenses start to inundate the web to make way for new upcoming releases next year.  We have distilled the slow motion capable gear that has a discount and listed it for easy access.

Be mindful that many cameras are being discounted for the sake of clearing inventory, which means that new models that may replace that line will come sometime soon usually after CES and NAB events.  If you still feel you can wait for new gear, by all means, do so but if you simply need a camera or lens right now and want a good deal, we try to make that task easier. → Continue Reading Full Post ←