Tag Archives: CMOS

Announcements, Development, Hardware Development, Previews

Sony IMX472-AAJK sensor offers huge frame rates in 4/3ds format!

2 Comments

Sony has released some white paper specs on a new Micro 4/3rds sensor that is as of now, the most advanced ever on the format considering the mix of Backside illumination, Stacked technology and high resolution color at 10 bits on full sensor read outs. The frame rates offered are also quite impressive with up to 1139fps at 0.46 Megapixels or 1760px Horizontal x 262px Vertical on the fastest range and 121fps at the full sensor area read-out at 20.9MP.

The Panasonic GH6 is coming later this year and it is estimated that this new sensor is actually the one that will be used on that camera. If Lumix technology can make full use of the sensor specs even for small fractions of time, we could have a killer slow motion mass produced camera.  The VFR mode on Panasonic Lumix cameras has always been more than acceptable and they could breathe new life into the format if these sensor specs are used to their fullest. We expect at least 1080p at 240fps which will be a slightly stretched delivery from the 1760 x 1318 240.2fps mode listed on the sensor specs.  → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Announcements, Articles, Development, Hardware Development, Science

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

Leave a comment
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 ←

Announcements, Camera News, Media Showcase, Previews, Slowmo Samples

Canon C70 Slow Motion is finally pushing the envelope!

8 Comments

Canon C70 Slow Motion

We consider the Canon C70 as the real successor to the 5D Mark II which started the ILC  DSLR revolution.  It ticks almost all the boxes for a vast array of users and does so on a somewhat realistic price point. We get a Cinema caliber sensor in S35 format at 4k Cinema and UHD that is capable of producing 16 real stops of dynamic range. The camera actually is using simultaneous dual gain technology to merge the exposure from both settings into an amazingly beautiful progression between light and dark.

The Canon C70 Slow Motion Mode has real 120fps 4k with HDR and full Canon dual pixel AF technology and even can crop to Super 16mm to record 180fps at 1080p and 2k resolution to provide you with that extra oomph which was sorely needed in Canon land. The camera does have some drawbacks but it is so good out of the box that we may have an avalanche of switchers to the format from Sony, Nikon, and Panasonic.

Canon C70 Main Features:

  • Super35 Dual Gain Output (DGO) Sensor
  • 4K 120p, HDR
  • 2K Crop 180p/1080p HDR Capture
  • Canon Log 2, 3, PQ & HLG Recording
  • RF Lens Mount / EF Mount with Adapter
  • DIG!C DV7 Image Processor
  • 16+ Stops of Total Dynamic Range
  • Built-In ND Filters / Auto ISO & Gain
  • Dual Pixel CMOS AF & EOS iTR AF X
  • 1 BNC Timecode / 2 Mini-XLR Audio Inputs
  • Dual SD Card Slots, LUT/Long GOP Support
  • $5,499.00 MSRP Pre-order at Adorama
  • Estimated release date of December 2020.

As you can see the camera is a powerhouse for a vast majority of users. Studios can use it without problem for paid projects as an A or B cam for a C300 Mark III for example or just build an army of C70s to cover events from many angles. The camera performs great in low light with ISO 25600 being the first initial noise bump that may need Noise reduction software in post but below that, a 6400 ISO shoot should be extremely clean.

Canon C70 Slow Motion Component:

  • 120fps 4k and UHD
  • 180fps 1080p/2k Super – 16mm Crop
  • 4k 50/60p
  • Resolutions:
  • 4096 x 2160p up to 119.88/120 fps
    3840 x 2160p up to 119.88/120 fps
    2048 x 1080p up to 179.82/180 fps
    1920 x 1080p up to 179.82/180 fps
  • All with up to 4:2:2 10-Bit capture.

The image quality at 4k 60p and 120p is excellent, we see crisp detail and the codec options are plentiful enough to deliver a good to excellent image in those modes.

However, the 1080p and 2k with a Super 16mm crop loos soft and mushy.  Compression is not that bad but detail is sacrificed from what we have seen. We need to wait for more samples but the ones we have seen make us believe that it looks more like soft 720p upscaled than real 1:1 pixel capture.  4k is immune to this but not 2k and below.

Canon C70 Slow Motion Footage Samples:

We found some samples and we made sure to copy the time stamp so they should start playing at that point.  We find the quality in 2k to be passable but it is not very detailed which makes us think it is not really a 1080p or 2k signal but a soft upscaled one.

Canon EOS C70 – In-Depth Review & Test Footage by CVP:

CANON C70 Full Review – A small but powerful beast from Canon! by Giannis Saroukos: → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Camera News, Hi Speed Phone Video, Media Showcase, Previews, Reviews, Rumors, Slowmo Samples

Nubia Red Magic 3 Slow Motion 1920fps and Its Not A Typo!

8 Comments

Nubia Red Magic 3 Slow Motion

The Nubia Red Magic 3 phone is something of a hyper-customized piece of gear for the performance-oriented gamer with crazy high-quality 3D specs and even fan cooling inside the case which is a first for a phone and a testament to the engineering to get it to fit in such a slim case.  The specs that really caught our attention are that the phone does 8k video recording and 480fps 1080p with a beta mode to bring that all the way up to 1920fps.

We had no indication that the 1920fps mode is indeed real for a few days until we found out it is actually an option on the phone and not a typo which many including us thought up as 1920pixels for 1080p not frames. But yes it is frames which makes it confusing but in our estimation also allows for decoding the truth behind this spec and if it is actually all that it claims to be.

Nubia Red Magic 3 Camera Specs: 

Software Settings Exposure compensation
Camera Features Digital Zoom, Auto Flash, Face detection, Touch to focus
Image Resolution 8000 x 6000 Pixels

48 MP, f/1.7, 26mm (wide)
Sensor Exmor-RS CMOS Sensor IMX 586
Autofocus Yes
Shooting Modes Continuous Shooting, High Dynamic Range mode (HDR)
Resolution 16 MP Front Camera
Physical Aperture F2.0
Flash Yes Dual LED Flash

Video Recording:

  • 4320p 8k – 30fps
  • 2160p 4k 30fps & 60fps
  • Slow Motion 480fps Full HD and 1920fps Full HD

Looking at the specs it seems the phone can do no wrong but the first clue in discovering the truth about frame rates comes from the IMX 586 sensor that the phone uses.

Sony IMX 586 Frame Rate Specs:
Frame rate Full 30fps
Movie
4K(4096×2160)
90fps
1080p
240fps
720p
480fps(w/crop)

The 48 Megapixel IMX 586 is a marvel of sensor design by allowing a 4k capture at 90fps but there is a limit as to the power of their stacked design. It can only deliver 480fps 720p video in a severe crop of the sensor area which shows just how misleading the 1920fps spec. You can see the full Sony IMX 586 specs here!

The phone is upconverting the 480fps 720p to 1080p which is also a misleading spec then it is in our estimation doing interpolation or just slowing down the playback by 4x to give exactly 1920ps. 480fps * 4 = 1920fps.  It is not uncommon for Chinese phones to tout crazy specs and that is why you have to take them with a big grain of salt since the beginning.  Reviewers that have the phone from China as an import also have the trouble of having nearly no Google Play store app support so it is a dicey proposition until Google approves it as a supported device.

The video below by Tech/NickBrazer shows the frame rate interface on the Red Magic 3!

Nubia Red Magic 3 Unboxing & Initial Review – The Everything Smartphone by Tech/NickBrazer:

The phone could, in theory, do the 90fps 4k feature of the IMX 586 some justice but the current 60p at that frame size is probably the limit of the frame buffer. However, being able to shoot 8k means that it should easily pump that many frames to a file. There is also the horrible rolling shutter performance when shooting 8k, any slight motion creates a wobble effect that ruins the 8k video feature.  You are much better of recording in 4k and getting usable video.

The Video below claims to be a real sample from the 1920fps feature of the Red Magic 3.  It looks like 480fps slowed down by 4x which would make sense but we are unable to authenticate the veracity of the footage.

Nubia Red Magic Mars 3 1920FPS Super Slow motion and 8k Support by Sparrows News:  → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Camera News, Firmware/Software, Media Showcase, Slowmo Samples

OSMO Pocket will do 200fps with a catch!

4 Comments

OSMO Pocket 200fps

It looks like DJI has not set in stone the frame rate spec of the recently released OSMO Pocket which we found to be excellent in handling and gives a beautiful low light stabilized image considering the small sensor size and price. It even beat out the GoPro Hero 7 in dynamic range and noise control but fell short of frame rates being on our good side. Thanks to our reader Frank for the tip!

In a new video by Drone NewsGuy from Youtube, the pro app and latest beta firmware for the OSMO Pocket are tested and you can enable a somewhat hidden setting to get 200fps in real terms out of the small device. The catch is that the setting requires the phone app to be activated every time you want to use it and will remain there until you change settings to something else. We would love for DJI to allow the 200fps setting right out of the box on the interface and not only that, allow for even greater fps in 720p mode and even a small VGA mode for users needing that extra frame rate.

Osmo Pocket 200fps enable video by Drone NewsGuy:

We were not too impressed by the slow-motion quality at 120fps compared to some more recent cameras like the Sony Alpha series which do sharp and flawless 120fps but the little device is not useless either.  You can also see that in 200fps mode the quality will take another hit down to sub 720p quality but scaled up to a 1080p wrapper.  A good feature to have but not the quality you want for broadcast or high-quality vlogging.

Note: that you will need to have the app and the firmware that supports this when it is released to use the feature. It seems some reviewers had early access!

DJI Osmo Pocket Slow Motion 120 FPS Testing (+ 120fps vs 60fps) by DroningON:

Thanks for the visual link of our site by DroningON on the video above, we appreciate it! 

You can see a very good real-world quality assessment on the footage above at 120p 1080p and 60p 4k taken with the OSMO pocket.  You will be able to use it in good light with acceptable results but not really professional capture. You want something like a GH5 or alpha a7 III series to get that 120p and up to 180fps GH5 and 240fps GH5s with better quality on those cameras.

As we mentioned on our earlier OSMO pocket post, we expect the little device to do very well and produce some amazing footage, however, we can’t wait to see a Pro version of this device and the competition it will bring along with it. A new category of ultraportable camera with quality that punches way above its price and diminutive size.  -HSC

amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0";
amzn_assoc_search_bar = "true";
amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "hispeedcams-20";
amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual";
amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart";
amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon";
amzn_assoc_region = "US";
amzn_assoc_title = "OSMO pocket and GH5 at Amazon Deals!";
amzn_assoc_linkid = "fddc29ed8627da8eb8c6e9a36c44cb7e";
amzn_assoc_asins = "B07KVV1W5S,B07KZNF9S6,B07L9HJ75N,B071RT7M4X";

Action Cameras, Camera News, Firmware/Software, Hardware Development, Media Showcase, Slowmo Samples

DJI OSMO Pocket Slow Motion will have 120fps!

2 Comments

Early on in the beta testing of the device, the OSMO Pocket by DJI released this week had gimbal stabilized 1080p 120fps included in the specs. However, by launch, the slow motion frame rate disappeared. There were anecdotal discussions that the device overheated in the mode and that is why it was pulled out of the product launch. However, there are no official statements to back this up.

DJI Should release the new firmware update for the OSMO Pocket by December 15th just in time for Christmas delivery of the product. At Just $349 USD, it will probably be a GoPro killer as a stocking stuffer during the holiday season.  Initial samples show the low light video quality besting the GoPro but the slow-motion mode is still less detailed than the Action Camera.  The stabilization is incredible and beats everything in its price range including the Hero 7 Black.

DJI OSMO Pocket Video Camera Specs:

Sensor 1/2.3” CMOS
Effective pixels: 12M
Lens FOV: 80° F2.0
ISO Range Photo: 100-3200
Video: 100-3200
Electronic Shutter Speed 8s-1/8000s
Max Image Size 4000×3000 pixels
Still Photography Modes Single Shot, Panorama, Timelapse, Motionlapse
Video Resolution 4K Ultra HD: 3840 x 2160 24/25/30/48/50/60p
FHD: 1920 x 1080 24/25/30/48/50/60/120p
Video Recording Modes Auto; Slow Motion
Max Video Bitrate 100 Mbps
Supported File Formats FAT32 (≤32 GB), exFAT (≥64 GB)
Photo Formats JPEG/JPEG+DNG
Video Formats MP4/MOV (MPEG-4 AVC/H.264)
Supported SD Cards microSD (Max. Capacity: 256 GB)
Audio Output 48 KHz AAC

DJI OSMO Pocket Slow Motion Mode:

In this amazing video sample by Newsshooter you can clearly see that the camera stabilization is movie-like and extremely good with real gimbal performance in a tiny package.

DJI Osmo Pocket Slow Motion footage by Newsshooter:

Sure the slow motion is pretty much the same as in the drone version of this gimbal and records the footage to a 30p wrapper file format. So you have a pre-slowdown footage capture with compression that seems to be a bit harsh.  The GoPro should give better slow motion performance at 240fps than the OSMO Pocket’s 120fps but it is still better than most phones out there in quality due to the better camera pipeline.

What about low light?

Osmo Pocket vs Hero 7 Black (Low Light Test On Motorcycles) by My First Drone: → Continue Reading Full Post ←