Tag Archives: stabilizer

Announcements, Camera News, Hi Speed Phone Video, Previews, Slowmo Samples

iPhone 13 is years behind in Slow Motion!

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Apple has finally announced the iPhone 13 which may be one of the most underwhelming refreshes of the handset in many years. While there is a lot of new stuff, nothing added is really groundbreaking in the way previous phones have awed when it comes to features in imaging. It is certainly a clear refinement of nearly every aspect of the hardware and software with better low light gathering and a first for a phone the addition of ProRes recording at 1080p and 4k 30p depending on the phone storage spec.

There are neat features like rack focusing which allows for AI-assisted machine learning depth of field selection based on people’s faces whenever their eyes are visible and or enter or exit the frame.  It is kind of gimmicky as it seems to do away with precise manual control of the feature but this is yet to be explored fully by reviewers. When it comes to Slow Motion capture, we have essentially no change for the 4th year in a row! → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Action Cameras, Announcements, Camera News, Media Showcase, Previews, Slowmo Samples

GoPro Hero 7 Black Has Killer Stabilization but Same fps!

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GoPro Hero 7 Black

GoPro has released 3 new cameras including the Hero 7 Black which is now the flagship product for the company.  The key feature is HyperSmooth which is a predictive stabilization technology based on scene analysis and sensor telemetry to accurately anticipate motion and correct the image to generate a gimbal-like smooth appearance to the video.  When you see the footage it is clear it is a huge improvement compared to even the Hero 6 Black which had a pretty good stabilizer.

The Stabilization, however, is limited to  4k 30/60p and other resolutions below 120p but anything above 120fps will use the previous stabilization feature which is not predictive and have no stabilization support at all at 1080p 240fps which is the highest slow motion mode.  No 480fps or other higher fps settings are available as the camera uses both the same Hero 6 Black sensor and the same GP1 system chip for this new camera.

GoPro Hero 7 Black Frame Rate support:

4k Recording:

  • Wide FOV: 60,30,24 with HyperSmooth!
  • Super View: 30, 24fps
  • 4:3 4k  30,24

2.7k Recording:

  • Wide FOV: 120, 60, 30, 24 fps
  • SuperView FOV: 60, 30, 24 fps
  • Linear FOV: 60, 30, 24 fps

1440p Recording:

  • Wide FOV: 120, 60, 30, 24 fps
  • Linear FOV: 60, 30, 24 fps

1080p Recording:

  • Wide FOV: 240, 120, 60, 30, 24 fps
  • SuperView FOV: 120, 60, 30, 24 fps
  • Linear FOV: 120, 60, 30, 24 fps

960p Recording:

  • Wide FOV: 240, 120

720p Recording:

  • Wide FOV: 240, 60p

Formats:

  • File Format: MP4 (H.264/AVC), MP4 (H.265/HVEC)
  • 78 Mb/s (4K)

Introducing HERO7 Black – Shaky Video is Dead by GoPro:

There is no question that the Hero 7 Black is the best GoPro ever introduced. The quality and features are top-notch considering it remains an affordable $399.99(Available At Amazon Now) which is in line with other competitors.

The lack of above 240fps frame rates is disheartening as the spec has remained pegged to the camera since the Hero 5 black with only improvements in aliasing reduction and codec bit-rate. The footage does look better in the Hero 7 Black compared to the Hero 6 mostly due to increased bit-rate but not because the imaging system has changed because it remains exactly the same. The changes are mainly in the addition of a 1GB of extra RAM memory to help with Timelapse/Hyperlapse modes and the new HyperSmooth stabilizer. The extra GB helps the camera buffer enough information for real-time stabilization that is in a word unique.

This new stabilizer is so good that it really kills off gimbals for the Hero series like GoPro’s own Karma stabilizer which may still offer an edge but much less so now.  The Stabilization will, of course, reduce image quality with cropping but it does so intelligently by sampling a larger sensor area and then trimming as little as possible to maintain resolution across the board.

As mentioned earlier, the stabilizer will not work in 240fps slow-motion modes but many will point out that at that speed it will be overkill and redundant since stabilization in slow motion happens as a side effect of the high fps capture and regular speed playback.

GoPro Hero 7 Black Review: 16 THINGS TO KNOW by DC Rainmaker: → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Announcements, Camera News, Media Showcase, Previews

Nikon Z7 and Z6 Mirrorless Have 120fps Slow Motion!

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Nikon Z7 and Z6 Mirrorless

The slumbering Nikon has awakened to the mirrorless present and future and has shown their cards in a very strong but not class-leading mirrorless product line.  The Nikon Z7 & Z6 are nearly identical bodies with changes in the sensor and AF. The more expensive and higher resolution Z7 screams pixels with a 45.7MP Full Frame sensor  ISO 64–25600 range which should be a direct replacement for D850 users. The other Z6 is a better low light camera geared more at wedding shooters and videographers at 24.5MP which should produce outstanding low light  ISO 50–204800 with ISO expansion.

There is a lot to like in these cameras like a real 5 axis (5 Stop) IBIS stabilizer on the full frame sensor which also works on adapted lenses and works with Nikkor VR lenses from DSLR cameras to increase the 3 stops to a real 5 stops hybrid stabilization feature. The video modes offer 4k at 24, 25 and 30p which is so 2014 as is the 120fps full HD 1080p slow motion mode.  AF also changes between models at 493 points on the Z7 and 273 on the Z6.

Nikon Z7 Mirrorless Main Specs:

  • 45.7MP FX-Format BSI CMOS Sensor
  • EXPEED 6 Image Processing Engine
  • UHD 4K30 Video; N-Log & 10-Bit HDMI Out
  • 120fps Full HD Slow Motion
  • 493-Point Phase-Detect AF System
  • Built-In 5-Axis Vibration Reduction
  • 0.80x 3.6m-Dot EVF with NIKKOR Optics
  • 3.2″ 2.1m-Dot Tilting Touchscreen LCD
  • 9 fps Continuous Shooting; ISO 64-25600
  • Top-Panel Dot-Matrix OLED; XQD Card Slot
  • 8K Time-Lapse Mode; Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
  • MSRP $3,396 Body Only (Pre Order Here)

Nikon Z6 Mirrorless Main Specs:

  • 24.5MP FX-Format BSI CMOS Sensor
  • EXPEED 6 Image Processing Engine
  • UHD 4K30 Video; N-Log & 10-Bit HDMI Out
  • 120fps Full HD Slow Motion
  • 273-Point Phase-Detect AF System
  • Built-In 5-Axis Vibration Reduction
  • 0.80x 3.6m-Dot EVF with NIKKOR Optics
  • 3.2″ 2.1m-Dot Tilting Touchscreen LCD
  • 12 fps Shooting; ISO 100-51200
  • Top-Panel Dot-Matrix OLED; XQD Card Slot
  • Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
  • MSRP $1,996 Body Only (Pre Order Here)

Nikon Z Series: Z 7 in N-Log by Nikon USA:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMXNWl5U30Q

As you can see the Nikon Z series is all about taking the wind out of the sales of Sony Alpha Mirrorless cameras and to a lesser extent from Olympus and Panasonic.  The cameras do have an Achilles heel when it comes to storage as the trend now is dual card slots on professional cameras. Since these only have a single slot, many professionals will not be able to use them in the field which may be a protectionist move to still keep DSLRs alive a little longer. This is a completely wrong move in our opinion as it cements Sony’s leadership in reliability.

Others point out to the lack of Eye AF which is a Sony feature that uses your eye to track subjects you are looking at in the frame. This is a minor omission but one that Sony users have become accustomed to using for dependable subject AF tracking in the viewfinder.  Battery wise it should be a good set of cameras as the 300 shot spec when tested yields much more in normal use which is standard for mirrorless cameras.

Nikon Z Slow Motion Features?

Right off the bat, there is no 4k UHD 60fps or 48fps or 50fps which have been used successfully in current high-end video mirrorless cameras for over two years now. This is a big omission as the Z6 should be able to do this with the lower MP count.

Testing the Nikon D850 Slow motion by majed sultan: → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Announcements, Camera News, Media Showcase, Reviews, Slowmo Samples

Fuji X-H1 Aims to Compete in Pro Video!

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Fuji X-H1

The Fuji X-H1 just announced does a lot of things right; It has a 200mbps 4k codec in UHD / DCI, 120fps Full HD which from the initial looks of it looks gorgeous and it finally has the 5-Axis Stabilizer on the sensor 5.5 stops worth that had eluded Fuji cameras for two years now.  It even has a new Eterna color profile which makes it easy to color correct without being too flat or too processed.

However, the X-H1 is based on the same 24MP X-Trans APS-C sensor found on the X-T2 which while overall good, it has problems with color moire and fine textures due to the processing on the unconventional RGB pattern which has 4 adjacent green pixels and differs quite a lot from Bayer sensors. See this article from PetaPixel comparing both technologies here.  But as far as video mode is concerned it looks to be a good contender to options like the GH5 and Sony 7 series.

Fuji X-H1 Main Specs:

– 5-axis shake correction with  up to 5.5 stops
– Electronic front curtain shutter, electronic shutter
– 24.3 MP, X-Trans CMOS III sensor
– X-Processor PRO
– Rugged magnesium alloy body
– EVF is 3.69 million dots, the maximum refresh rate is 100 fps
– 3 inch 1.04 million dot touch type liquid crystal monitor
– Film Simulation ETERNA
– Cinema 4K 24 fps, 4 K 30 fps
– 120 fps slow motion video in full HD
– F-log (can be recorded on F-Log directly to SD card at 4K)
– Video bit rate up to 200 Mbps
– Built-in high-performance microphone
– Improvement of AF algorithm
– ISO 200 – 12800 (ISO100, 25600, 51200 in extension)
– Dual card slot
– Wifi
– size 139.8 x 97.3 x 85.5
– Weight 623 g (including battery included 673 g)

As you can see Fuji has been able to produce an entirely new camera system based mainly on the X-T2 components and still generate a lot of excitement. The new camera is better than the X-T2 in all perceivable ways except size/portability and it has become the default go-to for Fuji enthusiasts.

X-H1: IBIS System Video:

The IBIS system at 5.5 stops looks to be on par with the one present on the Lumix GH5 which is class leading.  Fuji has done what they themselves dismissed as impossible on their cameras just a year ago. The IBIS system on an APS-C is not only possible but has been able to match the best out there. Good on Fujifilm for this engineering triumph.

X-H1: Steve Christo x Gymnastics -Proud of- by FUJIFILMglobal:

As you can already tell from the Gymnastics video above, the camera seems to struggle in low light video, this is not only in the footage above but can be seen in most promotional material as well as early reviews. The NR in camera seems to be either too low or not adequate enough to compete even with smaller sensor 4/3 cameras like the GH5s.  Youtube compression aside the presence of artifacts in low light scenes is concerning.

Fuji X-H1 Slow Motion Performance:

Based on the samples below the camera can do very good 120fps Full HD slow motion but it suffers from severe moire and aliasing that is visible in most shots. Be it the X-Trans sensor pattern or processing from a less than optimal sensor down-sample, the X-H1 is not going to be competitive with the GH5, G9, GH5s, a7r III, a9 and even the discontinued Samsung NX1. Noise also seems to be a problem in slow motion settings generating ample amounts of shadow artifacts.

Fujifilm X-H1 120p slow-motion footage by Digital Camera World: → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Action Cameras, Camera News, Development, Hardware Development, Media Showcase, Slowmo Samples

Removu K1 All in One Stabilizer Sports Slow Motion!

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One of the few under the radar products that caught our attention is the Removu K1 all in one stabilized three axis gimbal camera system which has an included LCD screen and 4+ hours of battery life. It has advanced features for creating several kinds of moves, time lapse, panning motion and crane-like shots.

It also includes three high frame rate modes to spice up the package. It can shoot 1080p 120fps with GoPro Hero 5-6 like quality and 720p 240fps which we have yet to see due to a lack of samples. However, for a reasonable price of $429 USD this ultra-portable stabilized camera system might be the best option for vloggers on the move.  The 4k 30p quality is pretty respectable in itself with similar quality to the Hero 5 Black as they use similar components.

Removu K1 Camera Specs:

Introducing REMOVU K1 by REMOVU:

REMOVU K1 – Pre-Production vs HERO6 EIS by REMOVU: → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Announcements, Availability, Camera News, Development, Firmware/Software, Media Showcase, software

GH5 Firmware 2.2 Update for VFR And More!

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GH5 Firmware 2.2 Update

Panasonic has released an updated firmware that claims to fix some instability issues while recording video at higher frame rates using VFR. The Firmware Version 2.2 Available here aims to reduce or eliminate instances where the camera could stop recording video or in some instances refuse to record in VFR mode. Some users have reported rare incidents of corrupted files, recording stops and some camera lockups that could be related to the VFR function buffer and write to SD card procedure.  It will be a matter of testing this new firmware to see if it resolves these issues.

In some instances, it was narrowed down to slow SD cards that could not keep up with the data rates necessary or cards that had internal fragmentation that could cause corruption on clips.  Glad to see Panasonic addressing this issue. The camera also adds a new menu item for customizing the function button on the new Leica H-ES200 200mm 2.8 lens to different parameters.  Firmware Link!

Other recent developments Freefly Movi for iPhone:

 

Freefly Movi Motorized Gimbal Stabilizer for Smartphones has been released and it could really up your game if you own an iPhone especially that shoots slow motion video.    It can really stabilize images and get rid of rolling shutter for most shots with abilities like timelapse panning, cinematic shots, joystick motion, speed time progression and more.

Freefly Movi – Your Personal Cinema Robot by Freefly Systems:

While the new device may be used with Android phones, for example, the software it ships with does not work on the Android platform as of now to deliver features above what the stock video recording on the phone is capable of.  There is no word if Android will be supported in the future.  There are other alternatives for Android phones that offer similar capabilities at lower prices here!

At a price of $299, we think it’s an excellent choice if you own an iPhone 6s, 7, 8 or X to up the stabilization capabilities of these great devices.  Be sure to turn off the built-in stabilizer on the phone in order to avoid motion jitter that can occur while moving.

The Freefly Movi for Phones is available for Pre Order at Adorama Camera here for $299 for an April 1st 2018 estimated Ship Date.

AXIOM Team Talk Volume 13.2 Posted:

We have been following the AXIOM Camera development for a while and while they are yet to ship, recent developments suggest the day is nearing.  New finalized case designs and locked in specs allow for up to 300fps shooting in slow motion which could be just what you needed.  The camera will be able to record from sensor to the USB 3.0 out at up to 400MB/s on one port & 800MB/sec using the two ports on the body which allows for higher frame rates not just in HD but 4k to be saved into a commodity RAID, SSD array.

For more information about possible frame rates and sensor choices, go directly to their website here: https://www.apertus.org/axiom-beta-imagesensors

That is it for now,  thanks for reading -HSC