Mobile Magazine » slow motion

Slow Motion Skydiving Video Is Beautiful

Fabrizio Pilato — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 03:44:02 +0000

If you ever had fears of skydiving, have a look at this. A slow motion video in HD made by the Melbourne SkyDive Center in Australia may make you think twice about that nerve wrecking descent from an airplane. I know I did. You have a chute strapped on your back, free falling at 180 mph from 15,000 feet up, but if you slow it down, like a lot, with some post production after effects, it turns out to be a very beautiful thing.

[Vimeo via Giz]

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Slow motion: cute kittens and speeding bullets

Raggy Jin — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 01:07:21 +0000

In the 1920s, a fat, shirtless man in dress shoes somehow discovered the ability to survive being shot at close range by a cannon – and did so with a smile. To better display the feat to viewers, a videographer intentionally cranked his camera faster than usual while filming the cannon man so that when the reel was played back, the footage appeared to be slower; viewers could better take in what has happening on screen.

More than half a century later, the same filming method was applied to discover the samurai sword’s ability to survive being shot by a pistol. Though, this time the overcranking happened inside the camera, and the slow motion effect was aided by video editing software that duplicated frames to prolong the scenes.

As new methods emerge and old methods are refined, slow motion video has become a regular feature in videography of all kinds, from the awe-inspiring close-up slow motion sepia intro to Girl Skateboarding’s “Yeah Right” to this disturbingly cute super-slow-mo video of a kitten frolicking in the grass.

But it’s not all in the realm of professionals. Many cameras and camcorders nowadays offer multiple frame rates for video, and more hardware and software options are hitting the market every year. With a bit of instruction, it’s easier than ever for the everyman to pop the effect into their own YouTube productions. Emphasis, emotion and Baywatch reminiscence, slow motion is a valuable tool for those looking to add a bit of pizzazz.

Consider the Casio Exilim EX-FH20. Released in 2008, the SLR-style camera boasted super-slow-motion video recording at 1000 frames per second. Considering playback often sticks to 30 fps, every second of video shot at that speed could be stretched out to more than half a minute without looking jerky.

Even Casio’s slim TRYX point-and-shoot camera from this year’s CES offers 240 fps, which doesn’t seem impressive until you see the size of the camera.

But this internal overcranking isn’t the only way to slow a video. In fact, the whole process can happen during the production and editing process regardless of the camera’s frame rate. It does have limits and often won’t look as good, but for an 80 percent speed, it does the job.

Older video editing software used to simply duplicate every frame, or certain frames, to drop the playback from normal to slow speed. But if a clip is filmed at 30 fps and essentially played back at 15 fps, it won’t look very smooth at all.

That’s why video editing programs such as Final Cut Pro developed a sidestep to this problem by “blending” frames rather than duplicating them, which allows natural-looking slow-mo similar to overcranking. The same technique was employed for the Matrix’s rotating bullet-dodge scene, but each frame was a photo taken by a separate camera on a spiral scaffold surrounding Keanu Reeves. Video software then created blended frames in between each of the photos for smooth transitions and crisp-looking playback.

As new technologies emerge and prices fall, you can expect to see more HD and even 3D high-speed cameras on the consumer block over the next years.

Let us know your all-time favourite slow-motion scenes or videos in the comment section below.

Last but not least, the cannon man. Reproduction rights permit us from embedding this video, but you can check it out on Google here.

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Super sleek Casio TRYX camera unveiled at CES, does slow-mo @ 240fps

Andrew Anderson — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 21:36:44 +0000

Casio’s new TRYX camera has been launched at CES and oh boy is she ever pretty. With so many point and shoots on the market they all tend to converge into one dog pile, but TRYX is the kind of camera you’d bring home to mom but wouldn’t let her touch.

It comes loaded with a gorgeous 3” 480×320 LCD screen that swivels around so that you can not only get yourself framed correctly in the uber-important self-shot, but you can also effectively swing the camera body out to act as a tripod to get the equally uber-important timer dash shot.

We love that the camera is packing 12.1 megapixels and it also takes 1920 x 1080 full-HD video at 30FPS or even 432×32 slow-mo video at 240FPS! And did we mention it’s pretty?

There’s the usual included: a microphone and speaker for your video, rechargeable lithium ion battery and the SD Memory Card (1GB card included) but no word on built-in memory yet, not that it really matters.

The one complaint (and we hate to complain about pretty things) is there is no optical zoom but with up to 15.9x digital zoom we hope that’s enough to off-set the optically-disappointed. Let’s face it, this is your trophy camera, the one you take for a night on the town or let slip out when you’re trying to impress someone. If you need optical zoom go buy a clunky SLR and visit the butterfly conservatory and we’ll meet you tomorrow for brunch because me and my TRYX have VIP at Pure tonight.

TRYX retails for $249.99 and should be available in April 2011. If you’re at CES you’ve already seen the 100-foot posters of this lovely camera, but check out their booth to see it in person and let us know if she looks as good as she does in these pictures.

Casio Leverages Ces 2011 To Usher In New Era In Digital Imaging
The Casio TRYX^® Boasts Boasts Radically New Form Factor and Raises Bar for Style and Innovation

LAS VEGAS, NV, January 5, 2011 ― Casio America, Inc. and its parent company, Casio Computer Co., Ltd., today unveiled TRYX^®, a revolutionary new camera that will allow consumers to stand out and be noticed. Strikingly different than any other camera on the market today, TRYX impresses with a distinctive, variable frame design which knows no bounds. With TRYX, consumers can do more and be prepared to capture their photographic lives in ways they were never able to before.

“TRYX truly is a remarkable camera and its announcement is a defining moment for Casio,” said Toshi Iguchi, Senior General Manager, Digital Imaging Division, Casio America Inc. “Unlike anything the industry has ever seen, TRYX brings unparalleled innovation and versatility straight to consumers’ hands with a radical new design. This is a camera which was designed specifically to meet the needs of the creative and connected consumer, looking for a unique digital imaging experience and a camera to compliment their lifestyle and personality.”

Tricked-Out Design

Thanks to its super thin (.59-inches thick), variable frame design, TRYX can adapt to fit the user’s preferred shooting style or to help them capture an image from just about any angle or in any environment. Users can hold the camera horizontally, in a traditional point-and-shoot style to capture still images or flip out the rotating, three-inch, touch-screen LCD and swivel the body to experience countless other positions. The frame rotates 360-degrees and can be adjusted so that the body can act as a tripod, allowing TRYX to stand on its own, or the LCD screen can be rotated up to 270-degrees so that users can perfect their own self portrait and see themselves in the frame. Users can even flip out and rotate the body so that the camera can hang from a hook, doorknob or other surface. The Casio TRYX’s body can also be adjusted so that users can record full-HD, 1080p video (30fps) with the traditional feel of a dedicated camcorder, either in a left‑ or right-handed grip or use it vertically, like a pocket camcorder.

High-Speed and High-Performance

In addition to its good looks, the Casio TRYX also boasts an equally impressive feature set. At the heart of the camera is a 12.1 megapixel back-illuminated CMOS sensor which will help capture stunning images thanks to its enhanced sensitivity and low-light performance. The TRYX’s CMOS sensor is also coupled with dual core processors as well as Casio’s state‑of‑the‑art EXILIM^® ENGINE HS, which add significant processing speed and enhance the overall imaging experience. Together, they power many of the camera’s unique creative functions, including High Dynamic Range (HDR) imaging, High-Speed SR Zoom, and slow‑motion video.

Expressing One’s Creativity

TRYX is fully-loaded and packed to the brim with a full range of functions, such as Slide Panorama and slow-motion video recording, which users can take advantage of to boost their creativity and truly express themselves through images. With Slide Panorama, users can effortlessly capture 360-degree panoramic images, and with slow-motion video, users can record events that are ordinarily too fast for the eye to see, at speeds up to 240 fps (432×320). TRYX also incorporates Casio’s revolutionary HDR-ART technology, which gives users the ability to effortlessly transform any photo from ordinary to extraordinary, all with just the touch of a button. HDR-ART works by combining continuous shots with differing exposures and performing highly-precise image analysis to locally change the contrast and level of color saturation. Users can select from three different processing levels to suit their artistic tastes and produce results that are guaranteed to impress.

Empowering the Fingertip

Housed within TRYX’s rotating, three-inch LCD screen (460K pixels / 3:2 aspect ratio) is the camera’s intuitive touch-screen interface which puts all camera controls right at the user’s fingertip. Through the touch-screen LCD, users can activate TRYX’s touch-shutter, which can focus on an area or subject in the frame and capture the photo, just by touching the screen. TRYX’s advanced self-timer can also be activated using the touch-screen LCD. Featuring a clever little twist, the self-timer can be triggered using the camera’s built-in motion sensor. Users can configure the self-timer using their finger to designate an area in the frame on the LCD where TRYX needs to monitor for motion. When motion is detected in the specified area, the self-timer will be triggered, enabling users to take pictures of themselves or allowing them time to get in the photo with a group of friends after placing the camera in just about any location, whether it be hanging it from a wall or setting it on a tabletop.

Ultra-Wide Angle Lens Makes it Easy

Taking a self-portrait, group shot, or an image of a landscape is typically a hassle with a standard lens and narrow focal length. With a standard lens, consumers are forced to sacrifice what they can actually capture, as they can’t fit exactly what they want in the frame. That’s no longer an issue with TRYX, as the camera offers an impressive, ultra-wide-angle, 21mm lens. With such a wide-angle lens, users can fit more of their desired scene into the frame, ensuring that they’ll be able to capture their own image as well as the background they’re in front of, or even a large group of family and friends.

TRYX’s 21mm ultra-wide-angle lens is also outfitted with Casio’s state-of-the-art High-Speed SR Zoom technology. Significantly more advanced than traditional digital zooms, High-Speed SR Zoom captures multiple still images at high-speed and combines them to produce sharp and clear photos. Image quality can be maintained up to two times the range of the focal length.

Social Media Simplified

Casio also preloaded the TRYX with software that facilitates the uploading of images and video directly to the Internet, including many of today’s most popular social networking platforms such as Facebook, Flickr and YouTube. Users can simply select which photos and videos they would like uploaded from the camera beforehand, and upon connecting it to a computer, the files will automatically be sent to each specified destination.

The Casio TRYX will be available April 2011 for $249.99.

TRYX Specifications

						TRYX
Number of Effective Pixels						12.1 megapixels(/million)
Image Sensor						1/2.3-inch high-speed CMOS(back-illuminated type)
	Total Pixels					12.75 megapixels(/million)
File Format	Still Images					JPEG (Exif Ver2.3), DCF2.0
	Movies					MOV format, H.264/AVC, IMA-ADPCM (monaural)
Built-in Memory						TBA
Recording Media						SD Memory Card, SDHC Memory Card, SDXC Memory Card compatible
Number of Recorded Pixels		Still Images				12M(4000×3000)、3:2(4000×2656)、 5M(2560×1920)、VGA(640×480)
		Movies				FHD : 1920 x1080(30fps) , HD：1280×720(30fps) HS : 432×320(240fps)
Recording Capacity		Still Images			SD Memory Card 1GB*¹	TBA
		Movies			Recording Time	TBA
					SD Memory Card 1GB*¹	TBA
Lens		Construction				5 lenses in 5 groups, including aspherical lens
		F-number				F2.8
		Focal Length				F=3.8mm
			35mm-Film Equivalent			Approx. 21mm
Zoom Ratio						1.5X Single Frame SR Zoom, 2.0X High-Speed SR Zoom (10M), 4X digital zoom, 15.9X maximum digital zoom (in combination with HD Zoom, VGA size)
Focus		Focus Type				Contrast Detection Auto Focus
		Focus Mode				Auto Focus, Macro, Infinity Mode
		AF Area				Spot(Intelligent for Premium Auto)
		AF Assist Lamp				None
Focus Range (From Lens Surface)		Auto Focus				Approx. 3″~Infinity
		Macro				Approx. 3″~ 20″
		Infinity Mode				Infinity
		Manual Focus				None
Exposure Control		Exposure Metering				Multi pattern by CMOS
		Exposure Control				Program AE
		Exposure Compensation				-2EV to +2EV (in 1/3EV steps)
Shutter						CMOS electronic shutter
		Shutter Speed^*2		Auto		1/8 to 1/40000 second (not fixed)
Aperture						F2.8
White Balance						Auto WB, Daylight, Overcast, Shade, Day White Fluorescent, Daylight Fluorescent, Tungsten, Manual WB
ISO Sensitivity (SOS^*3)	Still Images					Auto/100/200/400/800/1600/3200
	Movies					Auto
Other Functions						HDR, HDR ART, BEST SHOT, Premium Auto, Motion Shutter, Slide Panorama
Self-Timer						10 seconds, 2 seconds, 2～10 seconds
Built-in Flash		Flash Mode				None
		Flash Range				None
Monitor						3.0-inch TFT color LCD ( Super Clear LCD ), 460,800 dots (960 x 480) , Touch screen
Timekeeping Function		Date and Time				Recorded with image data
		On-image Time Stamp Function				Yes
		Auto Calendar				To 2049
		World Time				162 cities in 32 time zones, City name, date, time, summer time
External connection terminal						USB port (Hi-Speed USB compatible), HDMI^TM^4 output(Micro/Type D)^5
Microphone						Monaural
Speaker						Monaural
Power Requirement						Rechargeable lithium ion battery (Built-in)
Battery Life						TBA
Dimensions		W × H × D (CIPA Standards)				4.83” x 2.32” x .59”
Weight (CIPA Standards)						Approx. 5.54oz (Including Memory Card^*1) / Approx. 5.47oz (Excluding Memory Card )
Bundled Accessories						USB-AC Adapter, AC Power Cord, USB Cable, Strap

1 When using Panasonic Pro High Speed 1GB SD Memory Card.

2 May differ according to camera settings.

3 SOS: Standard Output Sensitivity.

4 HDMI, the HDMI logo and High-Definition Multimedia Interface are trademarks or registered trademarks of HDMI Licensing LLC.

5 1080/50i output is not supported for PAL output using an HDMI™.

EXILIM and TRYX are trademarks or registered trademarks of CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD. YouTube is a registered trademark of YouTube, LLC. Any other company or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

About Casio America, Inc.

Casio America, Inc., Dover, N.J., is the U.S. subsidiary of Casio Computer Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of consumer electronics and business equipment solutions, established in 1957. Casio America, Inc. markets calculators, keyboards, digital cameras, mobile presentation devices, disc title and label printers, watches, cash registers and other consumer electronic products. Casio has strived to realize its corporate creed of “creativity and contribution” through the introduction of innovative and imaginative products. For more information, visit http://www.casiousa.com orhttp://pressroom.exilim.casio.com.

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