Film & Digital Times Issues 36-38 - Imago

Phantom Flex
Why do we call digital slow motion “High-Speed?” The action
takes place in real time, and we’re trying to slow it down. Why
not call it “Slow-Speed?”
The theory of high-speed cinematography is the same in
both film and digital. In film, a “high-speed” motor pulls film
through the gate at an alarming rate, say 1,000 fps, exposing
many more images per second than the normal 24. Let’s
say your product shot of a champagne cork popping lasts
1 second in real life. At 1,000 fps, you have exposed 1,000
frames in that 1 second. When you screen the shot in dailies,
you will have to patiently sit watching the cork slowly popping
for an eternity of 41 seconds. Actually longer, because you
started rolling long before the cork popped, and cut when
you ran out of film. The producer is fuming, because you shot
so much film, the editor is fuming because she can only use
1 second, and the best part of the take lasts 4 seconds. You
should have shot at 250 fps.
Vision Research’s Phantom Flex is the latest digital “highspeed”
camera. Instead of motors and film running at high
speed, the image is being captured electronically at high
speed.
The Phantom Flex shoots slow motion at many resolutions
and frame rates: from 5 fps to over 10,750 fps. At 2K resolution
(2560 x 1600 pixels), the camera goes from 10 fps to 1,455 fps.
Maximum speed increases as the resolution decreases: so you
can shoot up to 2,570 fps at 1920 x1080.
The Phantom Flex works in raw digital files, video, or a
combination of both. Lens mounts include PL, Canon EOS,
Nikon F, Panavision, and B4.
What are the features that make the Phantom Flex unique?
Abel Cine Tech’s Mitch Gross explains:
• 4:4:4 output, with over-sampling for improved
•
MTF and Dynamic Range. If a resolution larger than
1920x1080 is selected, then the camera will scale the
image down so the full frame fits in the standard video
resolution. Over-sampling is good: it improves resolving
power and lowers noise.
HQ mode automatic black balancing. HQ mode
captures the static charge level of every photosite
immediately after capturing a frame, essentially
•
recording alternate Image/Black/Image/Black. The result
is a very stable image that requires no black balance
adjustment between shots. For 4:4:4 video output the
process is invisible.
Global Shutter CMOS sensor. No rolling shutter
artifacts. The entire image is captured at once, in the
same instant.
• Two power ins and two power outs. There are two input
jacks for 24VDC power, so the camera can be “hotswapped”
between an AC power supply and a battery
without ever needing to power down and reboot. There
are two 12VDC outputs on the accessory side of the
camera.
Phantom is available in the US and Canada from Abel Cine
Tech. (abelcine.com) (visionresearch.com)
Dec 2010
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