Tag Archives: cool

Solar Eclipse Slow Motion Recording?

We have received quite a few messages about how to shoot the solar eclipse next Monday, August 21st 2017 in slow motion.  After all the more frames you capture, the more temporal detail that will be preserved but there is a threshold when diminishing returns from shooting high fps take a toll on image quality, dynamic range and color accuracy.

In short, the rule of shooting the total solar eclipse at high speed will be based on timing on one hand and detail retention on the other. We have found in our research that you really do not need more than 120fps in order to get a great solar corona snapshot with enough detail and variance.  24 and 30fps regular frame rates are also good and perfectly acceptable. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

OnePlus 5 Slow Motion Video Samples!

OnePlus 5 Slow Motion Video Samples

Now that the OnePlus 5 Phone has been shipping to customers for a few weeks it is time to re-visit the phone and the slow motion footage it can record. We were disappointed by the 120fps 720p limitation on the phone since most new flagship handsets aim at the 120fps 1080p and 240fps 720p spec as a competitive plateau.  Still, the OnePlus phones are very popular worldwide with the mix of great optics, lack of software bloatware and true performance unencumbered by ROMs that slow the phone down.

It is true that the phone slow motion will not win any prizes due to slight compression artifacts and aliasing that shows the sensor is skipping lines and applying a lower bitrate at the end.  Slow motion seems to be an afterthought in the OnePlus 5 while stills and 4k recording are solid. We are sharing new examples for you to judge. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Slow Motion News August 2017!

Slow Motion News

This week has brought a flurry of new rumors when it comes to smartphones that do slow motion. Now is the turn for Apple and the rumored iPhone 8 that will now according to a supposed software leak will be able to shoot 4k at 60fps on both the front and back cameras in order to allow for new features that need more resolution and frame rates in order to function as intended.

There is also a slight delay on the Chronos camera production second round due to PCBs being bumped at the factory for a different order. This should push the delivery to end of August but not much more as the camera is not only proven but with all of round 1 out there in client’s hands it is a near certainty that the camera is not only on solid footing but will be a contender for camera of the year at HSC! → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Galaxy S8 Active and Note 8 Rumors!

Galaxy S8 Active Note 8 Rumors

Two new handsets from Samsung should be released pretty soon. One is the overly leaked Galaxy S8 Active which will be an AT&T exclusive in the USA and the other is the long awaited Galaxy Note 8 which should be a clean slate for the company after the battery fire debacle last year which had the Note 7 removed from production.

The Galaxy S8 was kind of a let down in slow-motion specs with just the 720p 240fps as the really important metric. Absent was the 120fps 1080p mode of other competitive phones which is now becoming a must have for the video format.  The Note phones have always pushed the specs forward in Samsung phones and we were waiting for the Note 8 to increase frame rate specs. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Underwater Slow Motion on Lumix GH5!

Underwater Slow Motion on Lumix GH5

The Youtube channel Backscatter has posted a glowing review of the Panasonic Lumix GH5 for underwater shooting. The camera is a favorite of low budget film makers and those looking for the utmost quality with 10 bit color in a small package.  The Backscatter review also points out that the slow motion feature of up to 180fps in Full HD works really well underwater.

We, however, recommend you stay at 120fps full HD to avoid some artifacts like moire and aliasing which the at 180fps show up easily and at 150fps are there to a lower degree. The GH5 can white-balance under water and does a stellar job at different depths according to the review. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Is Slow Motion In Movies a Passing Fad?

Slow Motion In Movies

In a new column written by Dann Gire of the Daily Herald, Slow Motion is questioned as a passing moment in film history where it is overused and loses power and effect over time.  We agree that some movies rely so heavily in slow motion effects that it becomes a primary role in the movie.  Movies such as Sherlock Holmes and 300 1&2 take it above the regular mundane level and truly makes art out of the technique.

We feel that with the democratization of slow motion devices in consumer pockets with phones and now professional high-speed cameras are dropping in value while improving performance. We expect the slow motion trend of screen time will not diminish but increase for years to come as gear is now flooding the market with high frame rates. → Continue Reading Full Post ←