Tag Archives: Dynamic Range

Panasonic Lumix GH6 does 300fps in Full HD!

We have been expecting Panasonic to deliver a GH5 and or GH5s replacement camera for over a year now. The pandemic and component shortages pushed back the release of almost all high tech imaging equipment. The Lumix GH6 is now announced and it does everything right for Micro 4/3 and then some but will that be enough to make the format survive in a world of ever-decreasing Full Frame camera prices getting cheaper?  

The GH6 has a new sensor, new Venus processing engine, new IBIS with up to 7.5 stops which is bordering on ridiculous, and a body that has active cooling. For HSC however, only one set of specs matters and that is frame rates for video. The camera is now on top of the Lumix and almost all of their pro division cameras by shooting up to 300fps 10 bit Full HDish, 240fps Full HD 10bit, and 120fps at 4k 10 bit.  For slow motion enthusiasts, it looks to be a great camera on paper and at just under $2,200 USD it is not going to break the bank.  But after all of this, should you invest in the GH6 as a slow motion tool or save more for an affordable dedicated high speed camera? → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Canon New Cinema Camera Will do 240fps in 4k!

Canon it seems is thinking 3 steps ahead of everyone else when it comes to pro 8k video.  After being left behind in the adoption of 4k and playing catch up to the format, they seem intent on making their cameras the new 8k default option with specs that seem out of a dreamer’s wish list.  Be warned that these cameras will probably start at $10k USD and go up from there. The low end should be about 10k to $15k for the C300s at the low end, and the high end a $30k price tag for a C700DR.  

The most impressive of the new rumored cameras is the Canon EOS C700DR (DR Stands for Dynamic Range) which will be capable of recording 4k not just at 120fps but a class-leading 240fps with excellent quality. It also hints at a 180fps mode that will have expanded dynamic range if needed.   It is interesting that 1080p as a slow motion mode is not even considered here but these cameras are geared to a specific market and that is digital cinema which needs much more resolution nowadays than what even 2k can deliver, much less 1080p.  → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Sony a7s III Slow Motion Samples!

Sony a7s III Slow Motion Samples

Now that the excellent a7s Mark III video recording mirrorless camera has been out for over six months, it is time to revisit the slow motion component and see what quality we can expect from the Sony a7s III Slow Motion Samples. Many have praised the 4k 120fps mode which is heavily detailed, low noise and suffers from only a very small crop factor that is hardly a problem.

We looked at the Full HD 1080p 240fps mode on the camera and it was clear it did not match the 120fps 4k mode as it was not only less detailed but full of aliasing and moire if you looked for it. It was clear the camera was not up to professional standards when in this mode which is to be expected from a full-frame sensor cropping to 1080p. That said, this camera is a powerhouse that easily takes the mantle as Sony’s best mirrorless compact video camera.

Sony a7s III Slow Motion Samples:

Be aware that 120fps in 4k is not only highly detailed and full of dynamic range but it is the best high frame rate this camera has to offer. You can easily use this mode for professional broadcast or film work is shot in good conditions.  The a7s Mark III is the best Sony Alpha line camera for low light performance and it is evident by the samples this translates directly into higher frame rates.

CHAINSAW VS SONY A7SIII | SLOW-MOTION by Moment:

Sony A7S iii Slow Motion footage 120fps 4k by Josiah Mendoza: → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12k Camera Setup 7 new Frame Rates!

Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12k Camera Setup 7

Blackmagic Design has released Camera Setup 7.0 which upgrades the URSA Mini Pro 12k camera in several areas including improved frame rates at different resolutions.  At 12k the maximum frame rate has increased to 75fps from 60fps and at 4k we now have up to 240fps in BRAW format from 220fps on a Super 16mm crop of the sensor. We also get 8k at up to 160fps from a maximum before of 110fps which is improved by leveraging the fast pipeline in the camera and delivering usable frame rates with good multiples.

While the camera is not cheap at $9,995, it is certainly a bargain considering the resolution and frame rates you have access to in BRAW RAW-Like format.  It may be essentially the most powerful camera you can buy today for this price range and available with an F, EF, or PL mount the flexibility is there if needed.  Blackmagic Design are also the owners of DaVinci Resolve and usually bundled it with their cameras. It makes for a hard to beat all in one system for shooting, editing, and postproduction. Dig in for more details…

Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12k – Full High Speed Frame Rates After Update:

12K 17:9 full sensor up to 60 fps
12K 2.4:1 up to 75 fps
8K DCI full sensor up to 120 fps
4K DCI full sensor up to 120 fps
8K 2.4:1 and 4K 2.4:1 up to 160 fps

6K Super 16 up to 120 fps
4K Super 16 up to 240 fps

Ursa Mini Pro 12K Unboxing & Footage by Epic Light Media: → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Canon C70 Slow Motion is finally pushing the envelope!

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 ←

Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K is Frame Rate Beast!

Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K

The Black Magic Design URSA camera line has been one of our favorite high frame rate options for many years now as it is a blend of excellent quality at a relatively low price with the added bonus of RAW recording and ProRes options.  Now the company has announced the latest iteration of the camera with a monstrous pixel size of 12k or 80 Megapixels per frame. All of this in an APS-C super 35mm crop from Full Frame sensor that is built to satisfy the requirements of their Black Magic RAW codec or BRAW for short which is in this camera the only recording format available.

What interests us as always are the high frame rates and this camera does not disappoint when it comes to this spec. The only real problem we see is that recording is made only from 4k resolution and up, completely avoiding 3k, 2k and HD resolutions which could yield even higher frame rates with probably a huge crop in the 80MP frame which will probably yield a noisy and artifact prone image hence why they probably avoided recording down on those modes.

Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K Main Specs:

High Speed Frame Rates:

  • 12K 17:9 full sensor up to 60 fps
  • 8K DCI full sensor up to 110 fps
  • 4K DCI full sensor up to 110 fps
  • 8K 2.4:1 and 4K 2.4:1 up to 140 fps
  • 6K Super 16 up to 120 fps
  • 4K Super 16 up to 220 fps

Shooting Resolutions:

  • 12,288 x 6480 (12K DCI)
  • 11,520 x 6480 (12K 16:9)
  • 12,288 x 5112 (12K 2.4:1)
  • 7680 x 6408 (12K Anamorphic)
  • 8192 x 4320 (8K DCI)
  • 7680 x 4320 (8K 16:9)
  • 8192 x 3408 (8K 2.4:1)
  • 5120 x 4272 (8K Anamorphic)
  • 6144 x 3240 (6K Super16)
  • 4096 x 2160 (4K Super16)
  • 4096 x 2160 (4K DCI)
  • 3840 x 2160 (4K 16:9)
  • 4096 x 1704 (4K 2.4:1)
  • 2560 x 2136 (4K Anamorphic)

Built in ND Filters: Four position ND filter wheel with clear, 2-stop, 4-stop and 6-stop IR ND filters

Effective Sensor Size: 27.03mm x 14.25mm (Super35)   80MP

Lens Mount: PL mount included. Interchangeable with optional EF and F lens mounts.

Lens Control: 12pin broadcast connector for compatible lenses and electronic control via EF mount pins on optional EF lens mount.

Dynamic Range: 14 Stops

MSRP: $9,995.00 (PRE ORDER HERE at Adorama)

Blackmagic Design Camera Update by Blackmagic Design:

https://youtu.be/sV8iFzpuecA?t=1808

The camera looks very familiar because it shares the exterior with other URSA Mini cameras but the inside components are completely revamped. This makes sense as DPs and other BlackMagicDesign camera users want to jump straight into a tried and true design without having to re-learn muscle memory or new controls. The cameras work well and are ready to shoot. Simply put if you have shot with an URSA Camera you are easily ready to shoot on this new 12k beast within a few minutes.

Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K Test Footage and Highlights by Love What You Do: → Continue Reading Full Post ←