Tag Archives: sensor size

Samsung ISOCELL GN2 does 480fps!

The hegemony of phone sensors has been the purview of Sony with their Exmor sensors for many years but now Samsung has started making inroads in the space with their ISOCELL chips. The latest is currently mass-produced and shipping in handsets already which is not a paper launch, but a real thing. The chip is capable of massive low light improvement compared to other sensors because it is essentially a near 1″ sensor with 1/1.12-inch measurements. This is close to what Sony RX cameras use as a main sensor, and a first for a phone.

As to how they are able to fit this sensor on phones, it is a dance between a protruding camera bump that is a little larger than usual and also a lens system that creates a full imaging circle from a minute distance. The GN2 is capable of recording 480fps in HD 720p, 4k 120fps, 30fps in 12.5MP windowed size and 10fps in 100MP mode which uses a clever algorithm and three RGB exposures to derive a 100MP image from the 50MP source. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra Slow Motion Mode 1920fps Fake?

Xiaomi has surprised this year with now the Mi 11 Ultra phone which is a big step up from the Mi 11 released earlier this year. The huge difference lies in the size of the sensor which is close to a 1″ camera sensor like those found on the Sony RX camera series for example. The phone has two 48MP sensors and a main 50MP sensor for the main camera with a highly protruding camera bump that really screams for a case to be able to balance well on a flat surface.

The slow motion modes on the phone are rumored to be the garden variety with 120fps/240fps 1080p, 60fps 4k, and also a selfie camera that does 720p 120fps which is becoming commonplace. What is really peaking our interest is the 1920fps slow motion mode that is touted by some reviews. It is unclear what the phone is capable time-wise as the specs are still not all there. The samples we have seen show detail loss and the clear signs of interpolation. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Slow Motion on DJI Pocket 2 & Fuji X-S10 Offers 240fps!

Slow Motion on DJI Pocket 2 & Fuji X-S10

Two very different new cameras were released this week that are able to shoot in 240fps Full HD 1080p. One is the Fujifilm X-S10 which is an all-rounder mirrorless camera with 6 stop IBIS and cinema video profiles for $999 body only, the other is the sequel to the very well received DJI Osmo Pocket now named DJI Pocket 2 dropping the OSMO part of the name & starting at $349 in its most basic form. Slow Motion on DJI Pocket 2 & Fuji X-S10 is close on both.

Both cameras are able to do 120fps as well but the interest peaks at 240p where the speed makes things moving slower more detailed, especially people as at that speed lifeforms moving relatively slow are excellent subjects. For faster animals like birds or flying insects, you need many more frames per second, usually in the 700+ range to create a good enough effect.

Slow Motion on DJI Pocket 2 & Fuji X-S10 – Two cameras that are very different but can shoot the same fps!

Fuji X-S10 Video Modes:

Video Recording Modes H.264/MOV 4:2:0 8-Bit
DCI 4K (4096 x 2160) at 23.976p/24.00p/25p/29.97p [100 to 200 Mb/s]
UHD 4K (3840 x 2160) at 23.976p/24.00p/25p/29.97p [100 to 200 Mb/s]
DCI 2K (2048 x 1080) at 23.976p/24.00p/25p/29.97p/50p/59.94p [50 to 200 Mb/s]
Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 23.976p/24.00p/25p/29.97p/50p/59.94p/100p/119.88p/200p/239.76p [50 to 200 Mb/s]

So starting with the Fuji X-S10 we cans ee that it has a plethora of video recording modes with the absence of the now much coveted 4k 60p which is not here in any form. We do have a 2k cinema mode with 60p which is an ok consolation prize but in a world of 4k it seems they could have added that 4k 60p just to be competitive.

We get 100fps and 200fps at 1080p in PAL format and 120fps and 240fps in NTSC mode. As far as we know every camera can be switched with a single menu to be able to use either of the two systems.

The great news here is that the slow motion modes at 1080p offer up to 200Mb/s in the codec which is pretty remarkable considering not many cameras pass 50Mb/sec in these modes.

The bad news is that the slow motion seems a bit mushy and pixelated which is an unwelcome sight. We found a short video showing this mode at the video below at 8:16:

Fujifilm X-S10 Hands-on Review by DPReview TV:

While we need more samples for full confirmation it does look more like a 720p up-rez than true 1080p, which is common in cameras that shoot these kinds of frame rates and are not dedicated slow motion cameras.  Even Jordan the reviewer above states that the quality of the footage at 240p is nothing to brag about and it is pretty low quality. Kind of sad considering the maximum bitrate of 200Mbps at 1080p.

The Fuji X-S10 is an interesting camera that can do a lot of things right, it is great that it offers very good frame rates as options and we will re-visit this camera in the future when more samples are available. If you are a Fuji system enthusiast, we actually think the new X-S10 is probably the best bargain for a powerful camera in Fuji Land and you really cannot go wrong if you want to shoot video with its great stabilization and flip out Vari-Angle screen.

DJI Pocket 2 Video Modes:

Slow Motion:

  • 240 fps Recorded at 1920 x 1080p
  • 120 fps Recorded at 1920 x 1080p
Video Rec Formats 3840 x 2160p at 24/25/30/48/50/60 fps (100 Mb/s MP4 via H.264/AVC, MPEG-4)
2720 x 1530p at 24/25/30/48/50/60 fps (100 Mb/s H.264/AVC, MPEG-4)
1920 x 1080p at 24/25/30/48/60 fps (100 Mb/s MP4 via H.264/AVC, MPEG-4)

The DJI Pocket 2 is a very impressive device. On the one hand, it has a larger sensor than its predecessor, one rivaling the old P&S prosumer cameras like the Canon G series back in the last decade.  The sensor is  1/1.7″ 64 Megapixels which allows for 8x true zoom crop on the image if needed.

On the other hand, it has a gimbal that is the main selling point that this camera has going for it. A true stabilized system akin to those on DJI drones but on your pocket/hand.  The performance of stabilization is remarkable and the addition of an optional lavalier mic. option with a clip-on module makes it ideal for Vloggers to shoot on a minute and cheap all in one package.

The slow motion modes at 120fps and 240fps are there and easily accessible which is great news since the original Pocket maxed out at 120fps with a 200fps hack that was not really usable.

We found a couple of great samples of slow motion 120p and 240p in the video review below at 9min 45seconds run time:

DJI Pocket 2 | Wider FOV, Bigger Sensor, 240fps by Potato Jet: → Continue Reading Full Post ←

CES 2020 New 120fps Cameras from Nikon, Canon and Panasonic!

CES 2020 New 120fps Cameras from Nikon, Canon and Panasonic

CES brought a lot of weird tech like smarter toilets, personal companion robots and the occasional wearable smart tech that you really can’t wash in your home.  As it is always the case at HSC we were looking for slow motion capable cameras and sadly we saw very little at the show. We are now showcasing three manufacturers who had 120fps Full HD cameras announced at the show and no frame rates above that.

These are primarily 4k 30 and 60p cameras that have a 1080p 120fps mode as a feature that no new camera can really ship without. Sony has already standardized this format in the last few years on most Alpha cameras and Panasonic has even gone above at 180fps and 240fps in some cases like the GH5 and S series.  The cameras presented here are mainly either stills full-frame beasts or more standard video camera like.  By 2020 we would have hoped to see better than 120fps 1080p on cameras of this caliber but it seems we will have to keep waiting…

New cameras with impressive features and subdued frame rates for video:

Here we are in 2020 at 120fps, seemingly stuck in the past as far as frame rates go. We would have expected 4k 120fps and 1080p at least at 240fps by this time frame on many cameras but it looks to be a mirage that simply did not materialize.

Canon 1Dx Mark III Video Features:

Video Recording Raw12-Bit
5.5K (5472 x 2886) at 23.976p/24.00p/25p/29.97p/50p/59.94p [1800 to 2600 Mb/s]
MP4/H.265 4:2:2 10-Bit
DCI 4K (4096 x 2160) at 23.976p/24.00p/25p/29.97p/50p/59.94p [170 to 1000 Mb/s]
UHD 4K (3840 x 2160) at 25p/29.97p/50p/59.94p [170 to 1000 Mb/s]
Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 25p/29.97p/50p/59.94p/100p/119.88p [18 to 470 Mb/s]
MP4/H.264 4:2:0 8-Bit
DCI 4K (4096 x 2160) at 23.976p/24.00p/25p/29.97p/50p/59.94p [120 to 940 Mb/s]
UHD 4K (3840 x 2160) at 23.976p/25p/29.97p/50p/59.94p [120 to 940 Mb/s]
Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 25p/29.97p/50p/59.94p/100p/119.88p [12 to 360 Mb/s]
External Recording Modes 4:2:2 10-Bit
DCI 4K (4096 x 2160) up to 59.94p
Recording Limit Up to 29 Minutes, 59 Seconds
Video Encoding NTSC/PAL
Audio Recording Built-In Microphone (Stereo)
External Microphone Input (Stereo)
Audio File Format AAC, Linear PCM (Stereo)

Canon 1DX Mark II – 120FPS Slow Motion – Paige Lorentzen by samfregonese:

Hey wait that video above is from the Mark II version of the camera and that is right. There is no available footage from 120fps mode on the Mark III that is available outside of Canon testing.  So we included the same 1DX Mark II spec of 120fps 1080p so you can get an idea of how it will perform on the Mark III. Anecdotal comments from testers say that video quality is improved across all modes which means the 120fps quality should also be better along with even tighter Auto Focus.

For $6,499.00 Body only with a  February 13th Ship-Date, the 1Ds Mark III is not a camera to buy for 120fps Full HD shooting, it is a tool for professional sports photographers to go and kill at the Olympics and World Cup at 20fps 21MP stills.   Good to have 4k 60p also which will probably be used more by shooters but don’t expect either mode to be class-leading. This is a beast of a stills camera, probably the best out there for the price and video while very good, is relevant for lower frame rates at higher resolutions.

Nikon D780 Video Features:

Video Mode:

Recording Modes MOV/H.264
UHD 4K (3840 x 2160) at 23.976p/25p/29.97p
Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 23.976p/25p/29.97p/50p/59.94p/100p/119.88p
External Recording Modes 10-Bit
UHD 4K (3840 x 2160)
Full HD (1920 x 1080)
Recording Limit Up to 29 Minutes, 59 Seconds
Video Encoding NTSC/PAL
Audio Recording Built-In Microphone (Stereo)
External Microphone Input (Stereo)
Audio File Format AAC, Linear PCM (Stereo)

Video Sample below 120fps Full HD at Time: 5:40

Nikon D780 – Hands-On Review & Comparisons to D750 by digiDirect: → Continue Reading Full Post ←

DJI Mavic Air Ultra Portable 4k Drone!

DJI Mavic Air

The new Mavic Air may actually be the drone you have been waiting for.  It has most of the technologies that have evolved on pricier drones like the Inspire series and Phantom high-end consumer offerings like obstacle avoidance, awareness sensors, and now at this tiny size, a 4k 30p 3-axis gimbal stabilized camera.  The 4k recording ups the ante at 100mbps compared to the Mavic Pro’s 60mbps which was a big issue for motion artifacts and clearly separated the quality lines on phantom and Mavic series.

The new drone also has the ability to shoot 120fps Full HD 1080p video in what looks like improved quality “but still a little noisy” which is also a plus.  The sensor is the same as on the Mavic Pro with a 1/2.3″ size at 12MP with HDR still shooting mode and an 85°-degree FOV. The main feature of course is the size which is slightly bigger than last year’s spark but with finally 4k image quality. Portability is probably the most important drone feature today.

DJI Mavic Air Camera Specs:

Sensor 1/2.3” CMOS
Effective Pixels: 12 MP
Lens FOV: 85°
35 mm Format Equivalent: 24 mm
Aperture: f/2.8
Shooting Range: 0.5 m to ∞
ISO Range Video:
100 – 1600 (auto)
100 – 1600 (manual)Photo:
100 – 1600 (auto)
100 – 3200 (manual)
Shutter Speed Electronic Shutter: 8 – 1/8000s
Still Image Size 4:3: 4056×3040
16:9: 4056×2280
Still Photography Modes Single shot
HDR
Burst shooting: 3/5/7 frames
Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB): 3/5 bracketed frames at 0.7EV Bias
Interval: 2/3/5/7/10/15/20/30/60 s
Video Resolution 4K Ultra HD: 3840×2160 24/25/30p
2.7K: 2720×1530 24/25/30/48/50/60p
FHD: 1920×1080 24/25/30/48/50/60/120p
HD: 1280×720 24/25/30/48/50/60/120p
Max Video Bitrate 100Mbps
Supported File System FAT32
Photo Format JPEG/DNG (RAW)
Video Format MP4/MOV (H.264/MPEG-4 AVC)

AIRCRAFT Specs:

Takeoff Weight 430 g
Dimensions Folded: 
168×83×49 mm (L×W×H)
Unfolded: 
168×184×64 mm (L×W×H)
Diagonal Distance 213 mm
Max Ascent Speed 3 m/s (S – mode[1])
2 m/s (P – mode)
2 m/s (Wi-Fi mode)
Max Descent Speed 2 m/s (S – mode[1])
1.5 m/s (P – mode)
1 m/s (Wi-Fi mode)
Max Speed (near sea level, no wind) 68.4 kph (S – mode[1])
28.8 kph (P – mode)
28.8 kph (Wi-Fi mode)
Max Service Ceiling Above Sea Level 5000 m
Max Flight Time (no wind) 21 minutes (at a consistent 25 kph)
Max Hovering Time (no wind) 20 minutes
Max Flight Distance (no wind) 10 km (at a consistent 25 kph)
Max Wind Speed Resistance 29 – 38 kph
Max Tilt Angle 35° (S – mode[1])
25° (P – mode)
Max Angular Velocity 250°/s (S – mode[1])
250°/s (P – mode)
Operating Temperature Range 0°C – 40°C
Operating Frequency 2.400 – 2.4835 GHz
5.725 – 5.850 GHz
Transmission Power (EIRP) 2.400 – 2.4835 GHz
FCC: ≤28 dBm
CE: ≤19 dBm
SRRC: ≤19 dBm
MIC: ≤19 dBm5.725 – 5.850 GHz
FCC: ≤31 dBm
CE: ≤14 dBm
SRRC: ≤27 dBm
GNSS GPS + GLONASS
Hovering Accuracy Range Vertical:
±0.1 m (with Vision Positioning)
±0.5 m (with GPS Positioning)Horizontal:
±0.1 m (with Vision Positioning)
±1.5 m (with GPS Positioning)
Internal Storage 8 GB

Mavic Air – Introducing the Mavic Air by DJI:

What Has been Taken Out?

At first glance this looks like a killer drone compared to most everything out there in a package that is so small it boggles the mind but there have been some compromises that you have to be aware of.

Flight time has been reduced to 21 minutes from the Mavic Pro’s 27min due to the smaller battery size, build quality while still good is not really as strong as the Mavic Pro for example.  And the biggest drawback is the fact that it looses the Radio OcuSync signal feature for the controller-drone link and replaces it with WiFi which can really cause some scrambling of signal if several WiFi devices are competing for the same air space. Expect this drone to be shorter range when in congested areas to be on the safe side and not loose the link. You cannot always rely on return to home feature in case signal is lost, it is common for any drone to miss once in a while.  Other than that it is hard to fault it for the price and what it offers. Stay at close range and you should be fine. The Original Mavic had a 4.3 mile 7km distance threshold while the Mavic Air has a 2.4mile 4km limit which seems a little optimistic.

Higher Frame Rates:

Higher frame rates take a bump up with the inclusion of:

  • 100/120fps 1080p Full HD 
  • 50/60fps 2.7K: 2720×1530

4k, however, is not record-able above 30fps which for a drone this size is to be expected.  You will need a bigger drone for that. However, the inclusion of 60p at 2.7k is a nice feature to have and can be used alongside 4k footage with easier matching.

Skip to 1:25 to see 1080p 120fps Kayak Slow Motion on this launch film from DJI:

Air Hand Gestures:

The video below goes into great detail showing how you can control the Mavic Air with your hand, much like what the Spark was able to do last year but with higher reliability and more object / obstacle sensing awareness for a truly marvelous technology put to good use.

DJI MAVIC AIR – Hands On Impressions! by devingraham: → Continue Reading Full Post ←