In Preview Mode at NAB, Ultra-High-Speed Camera Is Slated to Ship After IBC
Some of the biggest buzz at NAB 2013 has built around the new Phantom Flex 4K camera from Vision Research, which will have the capability of recording at up to 900 fps at full res (4096×2304) when the company releases it later this year.
At 4096×2160, the camera can capture up to 1000 fps, but if you're willing to step down to HD resolution, you can get 2000 fps out of it. And, just for good measure, the Flex 4K will support 720p recording at a bracing 3000 fps.
The camera has a Super 35 sensor size, and comes standard with a PL mount, which is interchangeable with Canon EF and Nikon F mounts. It can use Sony and Panasonic HD viewfinders via a component output, but the company tells us a new viewfinder is in the works and should be available later this year.
Vision Research is not just increasing capture resolution, but also updating the Phantom's raw workflow with this new camera. "The Flex 4K maintains the use of raw cine files, but now, for the first time, this camera can also record compressed files directly in the camera," Vision Research Cinema Product Manager Toni Lucatorto told StudioDaily. "The new Phantom CineMag IV saves cine raw files at the fastest possible speed, which is extremely important for high-speed cinematography."
For ultra-high-speed shooting, you would record directly to the camera's RAM (up to 64 GB is available), then dump the footage to a CineMag. The 1 TB CineMag IV can transfer at up to 1 gigapixel per second, and the 2 TB version can hit up to 2 gigapixels per second. For lower-frame-rate shooting, the footage can be recorded directly to the CineMag IV.
Users will also be able to record compressed formats to the CineMag IV, or to bring 4:2:2 4K video out via two 3G SDI outputs and record it on their device of choice.
The camera is being demonstrated at the company's NAB booth, but development will continue over the summer. Vision Research expects to start shipping the camera shortly after an official introduction at IBC. The price is targeted at between $100,000 and $115,000, depending on memory capacity. A completely tricked-out version with CineMags and the new viewfinder will likely run $150,000.
For more on the Phantom Flex4K, download the preliminary data sheet. [PDF]
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