Tag Archives: Google

Canon EOS R5 Makes it Expensive to record 120fps 4k Video!

Canon EOS R5

Canon has now released the final specs and estimated release dates for the EOS R5 and R6 cameras. There is a lot of good advancement in features especially in video mode as what many believe is an afront to Sony and Panasonic who dominate video recording on ILCs.  The R5 can record 24fps and 30fps 8k video or 8192 x 4320 pixels in RAW quality which is a staggering 1TB of storage or 2600 Mbits/s for only 51 minutes of recording time. That means that every hour you will eat up through a full TB of your RAID backup storage. We see this mode being transcoded to an intermediate format like Blackmagic RAW or BRAW or Apple ProRes as soon as possible.

There is more bad news, on the 120fps 4k front there is no other option of recording but All-I which saves every frame independently in 10-bit 4:2:2 which is good for excellent quality but at the cost of 1,880 Mbits/s  which is 224MB/sec or 13,447MB / minute of recording time. Better get a ton of memory cards and hard drives ready! → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Canon EOS R5 gets serious about high frame rates!

Canon EOS R5 Slow Motion

We were very skeptical earlier in the year when the R5 specs were just a rumor. Canon has not really been delivering powerful video features out of their Cinema line and we expected this new camera to be a crippled continuation of the trend.  We were not only wrong but now know that Canon is banking the future of the EOS line on cameras like the R5 with features that really put it in a class all by itself.

The original video darling was the EOS 5D Mark II which made it possible to use the EOS line of lenses with a video mode that delivered good enough quality for the web and some careful productions.  The camera had issues like severe rolling shutter and a tendency to moire and alias so bad that many shots were really ruined.  However, the excellent Canon color quality and lens choices made it so popular that it really forced companies to change the video options forever.  Now Canon intends to do as big a splash with the introduction of 8k video internally on the new camera. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Google Pixel 4 Slow Motion Specs Unchanged!

Google Pixel 4 Slow Motion

Today Google unveiled the heavily leaked Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL phones which have the latest and greatest camera module geared up for computational photography enthusiasts.  It brings in the dual camera back design of many competitors and also drops the notch in turn for a thicker bezel which looks in our view better.  The phone is sporting the latest Snapdragon 855, 6GB of RAM and up to 128GB of fast flash memory.

Sadly the phone is keeping the exact same high frame rate specs of the Pixel 3 of last year. So 240fps is staying at 720p and 120fps at 1080p is the max at that resolution. It is clear Google is not interested in delivering performance in high frame rates like their rivals in the Android space. Even Apple offers a much better 1080p 240fps spec which is offered on the back cameras with little trouble. Even the iPhone 11 bests the Pixel 4 in the Selfie department as it allows up to 120fps 1080p for (Slofies™) which is a prominent feature of the handset. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Mi 8 and Mi 8 Explorer Get 960fps Firmware Update!

Mi 8 and Mi 8 Explorer

Xiaomi is soon releasing a new Firmware Update:  ROM – MIUI V10.1.2.0.PEHCNFI – based on Android 9 Pie and available first in China now.  The 2.1 GB update will include two new features that will make these phones more competitive. Search online for the ROM – MIUI V10.1.2.0.PEHCNFI  and be sure to follow the instructions while updating your phone.

The first feature is the inclusion of a 960fps slow-motion mode which is a big increase from the 240fps max setting before. As with other Xiaomi releases of the past, the slow motion samples are very hard to find or non-existent and there is a huge likelihood that they will use image interpolation from that same 240p to yield the 960fps. In a previous article, we referenced this test that showed the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 using clear software interpolation to reach those frame rates. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Google Pixel 3 Slow Motion is Lackluster!

Google Pixel 3 Slow Motion

The newly announced Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL phones do impressive things with machine learning when it comes to their camera app. The ability to do resolution comparable 2X  zoom to an optical lens by using exposure merging is genius.  Their portrait mode is also the best ever made on a phone with incredible separation of background and foreground depth of field based on learning algorithms that can tackle hair transitions and other objects all with only a single lens.

When it comes to video however it is not as good as either the Samsung’s or Apple’s latest flagship phones. The pixel tops at 4k 30p and the slow motion while doing 240fps which matches the iPhone XS it is only 720p instead of 1080p. Google seems to have beefed up the phone for still images and selfies and left the video features on a secondary plane. The slow motion mode is essentially identical to last year’s Pixel 2 and 2 XL at 120fps 1080p and 240fps 720p. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Black Friday Slow Motion Deals 2017!

Black Friday Slow Motion Deals 2017!

It is that time of the year again when you get to use your savings to get that piece of gear you have been eyeing for a while. Discounted cameras and lenses start to inundate the web to make way for new upcoming releases next year.  We have distilled the slow motion capable gear that has a discount and listed it for easy access.

Be mindful that many cameras are being discounted for the sake of clearing inventory, which means that new models that may replace that line will come sometime soon usually after CES and NAB events.  If you still feel you can wait for new gear, by all means, do so but if you simply need a camera or lens right now and want a good deal, we try to make that task easier. → Continue Reading Full Post ←