Tag Archives: Blackmagic

BEST SLOW MOTION CAMERAS OF 2021!

 

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 ←

BEST SLOW MOTION CAMERAS OF 2020!

BEST SLOW MOTION CAMERAS OF 2020

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 ←

BEST SLOW MOTION CAMERAS OF 2019!

As 2019 comes to a close its that time to take a look back through the year’s camera releases and see which delivered the goods at an affordable price in slow motion.  Phone slow motion continues to be a strong category, so strong in fact that we made a Best Slow Motion Phones of 2019 list that you can see here.

Stagnation in many camera segments aside from phones is still ongoing, the semi-professional and pro markets stay at 120fps and 240fps with the occasional 320fps camera that delivers just a tad better quality but at a price.  For professional slow motion, there were announcements but not a shipping product yet, however previously released cameras like the Chronos 1.4c and edgertronic still own the affordable quality market. Read on for our best of 2019 results!

BEST SLOW MOTION CAMERAS of 2019:

Without further ado here are what we believe are the best value slow motion cameras in their respective categories for the year 2019:

Best Slow Motion Phone Category:

We had 5 finalists for slow motion phone of 2019 and while the Mate 30 Pro below got the top marks, the iPhone 11 and OnePlus 7 series had great showings, go to the dedicated article for the rest of the phone options.

 Huawei Mate 30 Pro:

Coming out of left field from a company that has been in the news as being in trouble with the US government, the Huawei Mate 30 Pro which is not shipping in the US officially but can be found from online import sellers, is the slow motion phone champ of 2019.

Huawei Mate 30 Pro Slow Motion Specs Dissected:

  • 120fps 1080p Continuous
  • 240fps 1080p Continuous
  • 960fps 1080p for 1 full second (960 frames in total)
  • 1920fps 720p for 1/2 second  (960 frames in total)
  • 7680fps 720p interpolated 4x (lasts for 32 seconds on a 30p timeline.)
  • All super slow motion modes at 960p and above last 32 seconds of playback at 30fps regular speed.
  • The entire buffer for the slow motion feature is 2GB and gets filled by data then dumped and encoded on the fly by the Kirin 990 chip.

This is the first phone that truly records 1920fps slow motion in 720p mode for 1/2 a second or 960 frames and then does excellent interpolation to a whopping 7,680fps 720p to create mind-bending images.   It is especially good for people, animals, and hard non-deformable objects. It will of curse fail as any algorithm with fluids, powders, and heavily detailed objects and will create a soft mushy in-between frame in those cases.  If you do not choose interpolation mode then you can get real slow motion for up to 32 seconds of playback on a 30p timeline which is excellent for a phone.

If you decide to buy it, the phone has a few issues to keep in mind. Due to US government restrictions, it will not ship with a  full version of Android with the Google Apps and not have access to the Playstore.  However several workarounds have been worked out in forums to make this phone usable. The other is that it is a Chinese phone which may need you to get help from someone who understands/reads Chinese to make the setup and get to work in English after.    We do not recommend this phone as your main handset as the support of updates will probably be negated in the US but if you are in China, this is a great flagship phone.  If you are outside of China, make sure you can live with the limitations in the software.

960fps,1920fps and 7680fps test – Huawei Mate 30 Pro incredible Slow Motion by Slow Experiment:

As you can see from the sample above and these other samples at HSC, the quality is quite good and the time is usable easily as a sports and experimentation high speed mode.  It will of course not replace a dedicated slow motion camera for quality work but it is still an amazing development to get real 1920fps 720p and 960fps 1080p even with some artifacts in a portable device.

Huawei may be in hot water with the US government for some time but they have consistently delivered amazing hardware that is probably the cutting edge worldwide.  We are excited about the future of phone slow motion and considering the giant leap that happened here, it is not unrealistic to think that really good 1080p 2,000fps or similar could be very close.  At least for a small-time recording but it will really be magical.

Huawei has made an incredible slow motion phone on the Mate 30 Pro and if they read this, send a handset our way to test and offer samples of reference.  As of now, their new handset is the one to beat. -HSC

Mid Range Professional Cameras:

This year the semi-pro camera market had some very good surprises when it comes to cameras that can shoot RAW files at very high quality and also allow for windowed slow motion modes.

Two of our picks are from Blackmagic design which is a known name in the affordable quality camera market. They have been able to deliver RAW and compressed RAW with BRAW format for very little investment compared to many other brands.  The quality delivered by these cameras are really cinema-quality so the trade-offs when stepping down are more to do with changing a camera system for producers rather than giving up the footage grading ability or low light performance.

Third Place: URSA MINI PRO 4.6K G2

The URSA Mini Pro G2 had a firmware update mid-year that allowed for 300fps in a windowed 2k pixel mode that has great quality and can be stabilized for excellent 1080p production quality.  For under $6k for body only the price is not that high for a camera that can really bring your production values up.   It gets a third place because the cost of owning the camera goes up with accessories like media, lenses, batteries, monitoring, and storage for editing. A good kit can easily get in the 15k range. The BRAW format is excellent but not for everyone.  ProRes is also a possibility and probably what many producers will shoot in when need to deliver in a rush.

High Speed Frame Rates on the URSA Mini G2:

Blackmagic RAW 8:1

4.6K Full – Up to 120 fps
UHD Windowed – Up to 150 fps
HD Windowed – Up to 300 fps

With 4k UHD at 150fps it makes for a killer feature rarely available on other cameras and the 300fps in HD or 2k allows for that extra oomph within your creative shoot.

300fps UMP G2 test 190629 by Reel Eagle Studios: → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6k has 120fps!

Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6k

The folks at Blackmagic design are at it again when it comes to destroying spec sheets compared to price. The BMPCC 4k was already one of the best-reviewed and popular choice among budget filmmakers that needed excellent quality and dynamic range. At only $1,295 that camera was a smash hit but had only a four thirds (4/3) sensor which was not ideal in size and required speed booster adapters to get the needed depth of field to simulate an S35 image.

Now the BMPCC 6k  ($2,495.00) with EF Canon mount comes in with a  full APS-C sensor with dual ISO characteristics like before but with the added imager size and full electronic lens support for EF glass.  It would have been in our view ideal to use an electronic mount with shorter flange like the Sony Alpha or the new Canon RF mount so you could adapt even more lens combinations but they are catering to a large installed base of glass owners.

Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6k Specs:

Recording Modes ProRes 422HQ: 
4096 x 2160 at 23.98/24/25/29.97/30/50/59.94/60 fps (24.25 to 117.88 MB/s)
3840 x 2160 at 23.98/24/25/29.97/30/50/59.94/60 fps (22.4 to 110 Mb/s)
1920 x 1080p at 23.98/24/25/29.97/30/50/59.94/60/120 fps (27.5 MB/s)
ProRes 422: 
4096 x 2160 at 23.98/24/25/29.97/30/50/59.94/60 fps (78.63 MB/s)
3840 x 2160 at 23.98/24/25/29.97/30/50/59.94/60 fps (73.6 MB/s)
1920 x 1080p at 23.98/24/25/29.97/30/50/59.94/60/120 fps (18.4 MB/s)
ProRes 422LT: 
4096 x 2160p at 23.98/24/25/29.97/30/50/59.94/60 fps (54.63 MB/s)
3840 x 2160 at 23.98/24/25/29.97/30/50/59.94/60 fps (51 MB/s)
1920 x 1080p at 23.98/24/25/29.97/30/50/59.94/60/120 fps (12.75 MB/s)
ProRes 422 Proxy: 
4096 x 2160 at 23.98/24/25/29.97/30/50/59.94/60 fps (24.25 MB/s)
3840 x 2160 at 23.98/24/25/29.97/30/50/59.94/60 fps (22.4 MB/s)
1920 x 1080p at 23.98/24/25/29.97/30/50/59.94/60/120 fps (5.6 MB/s)

Image Sensor

Image Sensor Size 23.1 x 12.99 mm (Super35)
Sensor Type CMOS
Sensor Resolution 6144 x 3456
Shutter Type Rolling Shutter
ISO 100 to 25,600 (Expanded)
Advertised Dynamic Range 13 Stops

Dual Native ISO 400 & 3200 ISO to 25,600

Camera

Lens Mount Canon EF
Lens Communication Yes
Built-In ND Filter None
Built-In Microphone Type Stereo
Recording Media 1 x CFast 2.0 Card Slot
1 x SDXC UHS-II Card Slot

External Recording

Video Output 4:2:2 10-Bit via HDMI: 1920 x 1080p at 23.98/24/25/29.97/30/50/59.94/60 fps 
Raw Output USB: 
6144 x 3456 at 23.98/24/25/29.97/30/50 fps 
6144 x 2560 at 23.98/24/25/29.97/30/50/59.94/60 fps 
5744 x 3024 at 23.98/24/25/29.97/30/50/59.94/60 fps 

Interfaces

Video Connectors 1 x HDMI Output
Audio Connectors 1 x Mini XLR Mic/Line Level (+48 V Phantom Power) Input
1 x 1/8″ / 3.5 mm Stereo Mic/Line Level Input
1 x 1/8″ / 3.5 mm Stereo Headphone Output
Other I/O 1 x USB Type-C Video Output
1 x 3.5 mm Timecode Input (Shared with 3.5 mm Mic/Line input)
Wireless Interfaces Bluetooth Control

Display

Display Type LCD
Screen Size 5″
Touchscreen Yes
Screen Resolution 1920 x 1080

What about the 120fps?

As you can see the BMPCC 6k camera is capable of recording up to 120fps in 1080p full HD in all flavors of ProRes codec even HQ which will mean impeccable quality if you intend to use that frame rate.  However, you will note that the 120fps mode is a cropped 2X area of the sensor which will effectively double your focal lengths. This is to maintain 1:1 pixel quality in slow motion without introducing artifacts. You will have to forego the APS-C area for 120p and it effectively becomes a 4/3 sensor sized image in slow motion.

The BMPCC 4k also had a crop but that was on top of the already smaller 4/3 sensor so you are getting a larger image here. We estimate image quality to be better on the 6k camera as the 4k version had some softness to the image. You can see in the video below how the Panasonic GH5 is better at slow motion than the BMPCC 4k at 120fps.

Blackmagic Pocket 4k 120 fps vs Panasonic GH5 120fps – Slowmotion battle by Arber Baqaj:

2.8k at 120fps is also an option using Blackmagic RAW codec:

2.8k 17:9 – 2868 x 1512 is also an option for this camera. ProRes will not do this at 2.8k but the Blackmagic RAW codec unleashes the full power of the camera.  We recommend you use their codec to get better specs with this camera. After all 2.8k even with the slightly wider image, trumps full HD if you need stabilization.

Slow Motion samples of the 6k at 120fps:

Neumann Films has already shot with the camera in all frame rates and we are happy to report that the video quality in the 120fps mode at 2.8k is astonishingly good.  It may be the clearest 120p image 1080p and under 3k for under $3,000 USD you may be able to find.

BMPCC 6K Frame Rate Tests by Neumann Films: → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 4.6K G2 Has 300fps in RAW!

Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 4.6K G2

Blackmagic Design has been working behind the scenes to deliver yet one more professional camera solution that at $5,995 for up to 300fps in RAW recording at 1080p and 2k in windowed mode; makes it possible to have flawless image quality without breaking the bank.  New Super 35mm sensor with 15 stops dynamic range with the ability to shoot at 120fps 4.6k full sensor RAW and 150fps at 4k UHD and DCI 4k makes it possible to really deliver on the slow motion promise for quality projects.

If you need more the 300fps 1080p and or 2k recording in the cropped windowed sensor should help you get that extra edge. It also records in Blackmagic RAW and delivers flawless looking 1:1 pixel footage with no aliasing or moire due to throwing away information. This camera has the capacity to really up your video game with these frame rate options.

Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 4.6K G2 Camera Features:

Effective Sensor Size

25.34mm x 14.25mm (Super35)

Lens Mount

EF mount included. Interchangeable with optional PL, B4 and F lens mounts.

Lens Control

Electronic control via EF mount pins or 12pin broadcast connector for compatible lenses

Dynamic Range

15 Stops.

Shooting Resolutions

4608 x 2592, 4608 x 1920 (4.6K 2.40:1),4096 x 2304 (4K 16:9),
4096 x 2160 (4K DCI),
3840 x 2160 (Ultra HD),
3072 x 2560 (3K Anamorphic),
2048 x 1152 (2K 16:9),
2048 x 1080 (2K DCI),
1920 x 1080

Frame Rates

Maximum sensor frame rate dependent on resolution and codec selected. Project frame rates of 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 50, 59.94 and 60 fps supported.

High Speed Frame Rates

Blackmagic RAW 8:1

4.6K Full – Up to 120 fps
UHD Windowed – Up to 150 fps
HD Windowed – Up to 300 fps

ProRes 422 HQ

4.6K Full – Up to 80 fps
UHD Windowed – Up to 120 fps
HD Windowed – Up to 240 fps

Built in ND Filters

Four position ND filter wheel with clear, 2-stop, 4-stop and 6-stop ND filters.

Focus

Focus button turns on peaking, auto focus available using compatible lenses.

Iris Control

Iris wheel and touchscreen slider for manual iris adjustment on electronically controllable lenses, iris button for instant auto iris settings on compatible lenses so no pixel is clipped in film mode. Scene average auto exposure in video mode.

Screen Dimensions

4 inch

Screen Type

LCD capacitive touchscreen.

Metadata Support

Automatically populated lens data from electronic EF, B4 and i/Technology compatible PL lenses. Automatic recording of camera settings and slate data such as project, scene number, take and special notes.

Controls

Touchscreen menus on 4 inch screen. Push buttons for other controls. 2 assignable shortcut keys.

Timecode Clock

Highly accurate timecode clock. Less than 1 frame drift every 8 hours.

“URSA Mini Pro 4.6K G2 is a more powerful second generation camera with entirely new electronics and a new high performance image sensor that lets you shoot crystal clear slow motion footage. You can record full sensor 4.6K images up to 120 frames per second, windowed DCI 4K at up to 150 frames per second, and regular windowed 1080 HD at an amazing 300 frames per second. A dedicated off-speed button on the camera’s body lets you quickly switch between your preset high frame rate and regular frame rate shooting! When it comes to high frame rate shooting, URSA Mini Pro 4.6K G2 is ideal for fast action sports, high speed nature photography and more!” Blackmagic Design

HSC: As you can see from the video sample above, expect to have incredibly good dynamic range, noise control and color accuracy in the high frame rate modes. As we have seen in previous Blackmagic cameras, there is a tendency to allow frame rates only when quality is not thrown by the wayside. Expect your images to look as good as possible when shooting HFR with no added artifacts because the camera will not throw away lines in the image to achieve these frame rates.

Blackmagic Update March 5th, 2019: → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Blackmagic RAW Codec Opens the Future!

Blackmagic RAW Codec

Blackmagic Design may have just solved the problem of RAW video capture for any camera and every type of user. In essence, it gives the benefits of RAW capture while allowing flexibility in file size depending on production needs.  It is a compressed format but by using a clever demosaic algorithm that happens in-camera, it shrinks the file size much more than other formats while preserving quality and RAW features like White Balance, ISO,  exposure,  NR, clarity and color bit depth.

For Slow motion cameras, it may be the codec of the future as it will allow the best quality without the enormous file sizes associated with image sequences like DNG or other RAW formats.  Being open source and free of licenses it aims to be adopted by the entire industry faster than other formats and will be free of the platform-specific nature of codecs like Apple’s ProRes which only works on Mac OS X.  The Blackmagic RAW beta is already available here!

Blackmagic RAW Codec Features:

  • Compression: 3:1, 5:1, 8:1 and 12:1
  • Constant Quality Encoding (Best Quality)
  • Constant Bitrate Encoding (Lower File Size)
  • Up to 12 Bit Color
  • ISO, Exposure, White Balance adjustable
  • Real Time Playback and Editing (DaVinci Resolve Now)
  • Platform Agnostic
  • Mac and Windows .BRAW Players Available now
  • License free and Free SDK

As you can see from the 4k frame size graph above expressed in Megabytes/sec, the codec allows for incredible compression levels close to the best H.264 out there at 12:1 while retaining RAW capabilities. The higher quality levels allow for up to 274 MB/sec if needed for production. Contrast that to regular RAW uncompressed at 548MB/sec and you can see the huge benefits this codec has to offer.

Introducing Blackmagic RAW by Blackmagic Design:

Blackmagic RAW Explained by LumaForge: → Continue Reading Full Post ←