Tag Archives: Cheap

Chronos 1.4 Mods Make Improvements!

Chronos 1.4 Mods

We would like to share a few modifications users of the Chronos 1.4 have made to the camera in the few short weeks they have had to put it through its paces.  In our case, we got the Pro AM 5″ Sunshade for LCD screens and had great success curing what could have been a big nuisance for the camera.  In bright daylight, the Chronos screen completely washes out like most phones out there and makes it impossible to judge focus, controls and reviewing clips.

There are also case mods and more strap accessories that have made the camera better.   While the software is still in the early stages, the camera is fully functional and has been able to deliver outstanding image quality.  There are a few image artifacts that firmware will address in the future, that are pushing back our full review of the camera. For those that have been asking, rest assured we are on it! → Continue Reading Full Post ←

One Plus 5 Debuts With Only 720p 120fps!

One Plus 5

There were a lot of expectations for the phone that would replace the One Plus 3T which was a mighty seller for the performance hungry crowd without the high price tag that typically goes along with the best phones.  The new One Plus 5 is a good upgrade from the One Plus 3 and 3T in that the performance goes neck and neck with the best of the best out there and tied with the Samsung Galaxy S8 in benchmarks.

The tale, however, is not completely rosy as the camera module taking a page from the iPhone 7 Plus includes two camera sensor modules, one for wide-angle at 16MP and the other for telephoto with 20MP resolution.   We say it falls short because the slow motion frame rates are pegged to a 720p resolution and only at 120fps. This is not flagship performance for video even when it ticks off all the other boxes like 4k 30p and 1080 60p. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

iPad Pro Refresh Matches iPhone Slowmo Specs!

iPad Pro

The newly released iPad Pro 2017 refresh in both 10.5 and 12.9 inches share a new camera module that really is a direct transfer from the iPhone 7.  It makes sense for Apple to offer their best camera yet in the best iPad they have ever built when it comes to performance.  However, you will not get anything in the camera department that makes the iPad Pro a leap forward in frame rates or other imaging specs.

The dual camera setup of the iPhone 7 Plus is not included in the iPad Pro so that is one aspect where the iPhone is still ahead.  The new tablets are for all intents and purposes a refinement with speed and software productivity capabilities as the two main goals for the line. They want to be a laptop replacement and they are aiming at the crowd who is fed up with the weight and bulk of traditional laptops. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Chronos Camera Must Have Accessories!

Chronos Camera Must Have Accessories

So now that many Kickstarter backers have received the Chronos 1.4 including HSC, we have had a few days to test it out and see what kind of accessories the camera needs to be customized for full usability.  There are quite a few hardware cages that may fit it but we rather use the camera as is with some clever low-cost fixes.

The camera is performing well with operation being solid for the 4 days we have taken it through its paces.  Some things do scream out as essentials in order for the camera to be safe from drops and shield it from the sun in order to see the LCD screen properly which is not particularly good in direct sunlight as most LCDs suffer from this. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Fake Slow Motion Is It Worth It?

Fake Slow Motion

There has been a lot of work put it developing software that can interpolate frames for video editing and compositing applications. Twixtor in the late 90’s was perhaps the first time the technology could make something worthwhile and really produce acceptable results in a computationally acceptable timeframe.

Today the most used algorithm is Adobe’s Optical Flow in Premiere or Time Warp in After Effects which use vector directional plus acceleration of pixel values to derive in between frame data to generate new frame information from the preceding frame as point A and the next frame as point B.  The results can do some wonders to really slow down things above the frame rate ceiling of the camera. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Chronos 1.4 First Day Test Footage !

Chronos 1.4

Today we received the Chronos 1.4 camera from krontec.ca and we had just about 2 hours of overcast sunlight to give it a test drive. We have big expectations for this affordable slow motion Kickstarter project camera and will be putting it through its paces soon enough.  We are sharing our first-day production camera test footage which you might find interesting.

We were able to adapt our Canon glass with the help of a C-Mount to EOS mount adapter and it really makes a difference in sharpness and glass quality compared to C-Mount lenses. Not to say that the kit lens is bad by any means but it is simply not to the standards of full frame legendary Canon glass.  It is a big plus to be able to adapt almost any lens to the Chronos which opens up a lot of experimentation possibilities. → Continue Reading Full Post ←