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This series concentrated on three high speed cameras, the Vision Research Phantom Gold and FLEX and the Photron BC2In the second of a series of articles by Michael Ganss of high speed specialists Pirate, production workflows for high speed footage shot on Vision Research's Phantom and Photron's BC2 cameras are explored and explained.
Broadcast equipment manufacturer FOR-A, not known for making cameras, showed the VFC-7000 HD Variable Frame Rate (Super Slow Motion) Camera at the 2010 NAB Show in Las Vegas. It offers high-speed play out and recording in full frame HD (1280x720) at up to 700 fps, and allows for the recording speed to be varied from 125 fps to 700 fps.
It comes complete with camera head, main body, an F lens mount, and recording component in one integrated package. With its high-sensitivity CMOS colour sensor, it features an electronic high-speed shutter that can operate as fast as 1/200,000 second for filming fast moving events and subjects without blur.
The unit also includes internal storage memory for 2.3 seconds of HD recording (full frame), which is expandable to about nine seconds with optional maximum memory installed. The Ethernet interface offers high-speed transfer of footage to an external storage or production system. The VFC-7000 is equipped with two channels of HD-SDI output, which also allows the user of the camera to provide a live video output while at the same time outputting recorded video stored in the camera in parallel.
The VFC-7000 will be available in August 2010.
IDT's new Diablo High Speed camera Pic © Inspirational StudiosWe missed this camera and thank Inspiration Studios for blogging about it. The HDiablo was apparently near the Vision Research booth at the NAB 2010 show - smart move. Inspirational Studios blogged this about it: "This is a PL mount, 20mm diagonal 2K sensor capable of 750fps at full frame and 1000fps at 1920x1080. Sensitivity is claimed as ASA 800. The camera has 16GB internal storage, which equates to eight seconds real time at 1000fps. Full PC app controls the camera via Ethernet; can spit out image sequences or AVI files. There's also limited iPhone control available as an option (there's a bolt-on WiFi module). Lens mounts available: C/EF/F/PL. Price: US$60k - a bargain for this kind of camera."
The HDMI output is live and they're claiming a 30-bit colour performance. Oh and these were the guys who produced the camera that provided those great slomo shots from The Hurt Locker - best bits of the movie!
The New Phantom Flex Vision Research has launched the Phantom Flex which boasts a specially engineered four mega-pixel colour CMOS sensor offering a maximum resolution of 2560x1600. When set to Standard Mode, users get a maximum recording speed of 1,560 frames-per-second (fps) at the camera’s maximum four mega pixel resolution. Higher recording speeds can also be achieved by reducing the camera’s resolution. For example, when used in full-HD resolution (1920x1080), the Phantom Flex offers a maximum recording speed of 2,800 frames-per-second. When reduced to 720p HD resolution (1280x720), the Phantom Flex offers a maximum recording speed of 6,100 fps. The camera can go even faster, recording at 13,000 fps at 640x480. In addition the Phantom Flex can also be used to record at more traditional speeds with frame rates starting as low as 5 fps.
The HQ shooting mode is a high performance setting which yields the ultimate in image quality. A step-up from Standard Mode, Phantom HQ Mode employs Vision Research’s proprietary image enhancement technology. Phantom HQ Mode ensures stable blacks, low noise, higher dynamic range and repeatable shots over the full range of supported resolutions, frame rates, and temperatures, all without the need to conduct pre-shot black references. When set to Phantom HQ Mode, the Flex trades speed for enhanced image quality; however, the camera still offers impressive maximum recording speeds of 780 fps at 2560x1600, 1,390 fps at 1920x1080, and 3,000 fps at 1280x720.
Additional high performance features include:
- Breakthrough sensitivity: increased peak quantum efficiency and reduction in noise-equivalent power
- 1000 ISO (measured using ISO 12232 SAT method)
- 12-bit pixel depth
- Flexible lens options: choose between 35mm (PL, Canon EOS, Nikon F, Panavision), Super 16mm, and 2/3” lenses
- Global, electronic shutter down to one-microsecond
- Select raw digital workflow, video workflow, or combine both for maximum control and flexibility
- Internal mechanical shutter for hands-free and remote Current Session Reference
- Dual HD-SDI outputs: 2 x 4:2:2 HD-SDI ports can be configured as dual-link 4:4:4 video
- On-camera controls for mode selection, settings, playback, edit & save
- Frame synchronization to external signals allows multiple cameras to be synchronized, essential for stereo 3D recording
- Two 12V DC auxiliary power outputs for powering external devices
- Remote port for connecting Phantom Remote Control Unit
- 16GB or 32GB of high-performance built-in dynamic RAM
- Phantom CineMag™, CineStation™ and CineStream™ support
Thursday, February 10, 2011 at 2:19PM