Tag Archives: explained

Multiply Your Video Frame Rate with Dain-App !

Multiply Your Video Frame Rate

We got over 20 messages with essentially the same video sample in our inbox this week. They all touted the new interpolation from the DAIN experimental App or (Depth Aware Video Interpolation App)  which now analyses footage with a Neural network AI algorithm that crunches motion vectors and even what seemed impossible before “Object Occlusion” to generate higher frame rates from lower fps sources.  The technology is pretty fascinating and should be further improved by more training and samples over the coming years.

For stop motion animators, this is a complete game-changer as now you could animate with as little as 8fps and then interpolate to 30fps or 60fps with very little in the way of tearing and artifacting as long as the footage is well lit and objects clearly defined.  To make matters more interesting, it also analyses footage with shallow depth of field yielding impressive results. → 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! → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Panasonic G9 vs GH5 for Video Compared!

Panasonic G9 vs GH5

Panasonic seems to be doing a lot of things right lately with their fantastic GH5 with 10 bit recording and 4k 60p for the first time in a mirrorless camera and of course the 180fps Full HD slow motion to boot.  The just-announced Lumix G9 is a monster of a camera in its own right but Panasonic is right to segment it as a Stills first and video second machine.

The GH5 is the best video-centric portable camera in recent memory and the aim with the G9 is to go after the Sony a9 which is arguably the best stills camera ever conceived performance wise.  The G9 is capable of shooting 60 RAW images in a single burst per second and while the buffer is only 50 RAWs worth; it becomes easily renewed thanks to dual card slots. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

GoPro Trade Up Program Worth it?

GoPro Trade Up Program

GoPro has instituted for a limited time a Trade Up program to get a brand spanking new Hero 5 Black or a Hero 5 Session by turning in your old GoPro Hero camera all the way back to Version #1 to the Hero 4.  The program will shave off $100 off a GoPro Hero 5 Black or $50 of a GoPro Hero Session.  It can also be traded in if it’s dented, damaged, not working, destroyed or fried.  They will pay for shipping both ways.

So does it make sense to do it? Depends on which GoPro you wan’t to exchange in return for a new 5 model.   We believe you should look for any GoPro you have around and the older the better as newer models will still be in our view as valuable or more so than the trade in. We analyze if it make sense to do it. The Hero 5 Black is a pretty good slow motion camera on a budget that just works! → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Planet Earth II Slow Motion Techniques!

Planet Earth II Slow Motion

The British BBC has always been at the forefront of image techniques that revolutionize our understanding of the nature around us. Planet Earth II is the culmination of millions of hours of work condensed into 6 episodes showcasing the wonders of the natural and human built world. The news site Vox has created some mini segments that explain some of the techniques used to create the series.

Of particular interest is the use of slow motion 4k Phantom cameras, a Sony a7s for low light and the use of an IR sensitive RED Epic camera shooting at up to 300fps in complete darkness.  The videos go into camera evolution as well as techniques perfected over decades. We encourage you to subscribe to the Youtube Channel for Vox Here and of course watch Planet Earth II which is a real majestic piece of modern documentary film-making. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Slow Motion Educational Videos!

Slow Motion Educational Videos

We want to share a few videos that explain the principles behind slow motion video shooting. There is a lot of confusion when it comes to slow motion; how to shoot it, how to play it back and the dos and don’ts to get the best footage possible.  The principles of shutter speed, light sensitivity, triggering and playback are all based on classical photography techniques with the main difference being extremely short time-scales and the need for inordinate amounts of light… but it can get tricky!

The internet is an information tool that democratizes the ability of the audience to learn and experience new information shared by millions of individuals. Gladly this also includes high speed camera information and sample videos.  Be sure to subscribe to the channels behind these videos so that they can continue sharing their knowledge with all of us. → Continue Reading Full Post ←