Gizmodo: slo-mo

10 Extreme Cameras for Taking Impossible Shots

John Herrman — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 16:00:00 EDT

Modern consumer cameras can manage almost anything you throw at them, but sometimes even the swankest DSLR just won't do. In photography, when the conditions get crazy, the cameras get crazier.

Here are ten cameras designed to capture the kinds of images that humans by all means shouldn't be able to see, and that you and I will probably never have the opportunity—or need—to shoot.

DIY High Speed Photography Studio In the Comfort of Your Own Home

Jack Loftus — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 15:30:00 EDT

Do you want to create your own slow motion water gun fight, just like Gizmodo? You do? Then head on over to Lifehacker, where they've discovered a DIY project that will create a high speed studio in the garage. [Lifehacker]

SprintCam V3 HD Shoots Breathtaking Full HD Video at 1,000 FPS

Adam Frucci — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 12:00:00 EDT

Sure, the Casio EX-F1 shoots great slow-mo footage for a consumer camera. But it can't touch the footage that the SprintCam V3 HD pumps out. Good lord.

This is a professional broadcast camera that is likely to cost as much as a house, so it's not something you'll be picking up at Best Buy anytime soon. But you can bet that we'll start seeing incredible HD footage like in the below video on sports broadcasts in the very near future. Get ready to analyze the throws of pitchers and quarterbacks in a whole new way. [SprintCam V3 HD via NotCot]

Greatest Living Samurai Reduced To Slicing Vegetables, BBs in Slow-Mo

Sean Fallon — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 17:40:00 EDT

The noble Samurai has found his role in Japanese society reduced over the decades from a fearsome fighting warrior to a skilled cutter of vegetables and BBs that's paraded on TV shows for our amusement.

Granted, this video illustrates Samurai Isao Machii's impressive skill and hand-eye coordination, but until he can slice actual flying bullets instead of BBs, he will be nearly useless in battle (although he is still great for ratings). [Tokyomango via Neatorama]

Casio Brings 1,000fps Slow Motion Video to Point and Shoot Cameras

Adam Frucci — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:11:12 EST

Casio is bringing the slow motion hotness of its hulking EX-F1 to the world of point-and-shoots. Yes, that's right: point-and-shoot cameras that can shoot 1,000fps video.

We're looking at two models: the EX-FC100 and the EX-FS10. The EX-FC100 will retail for $400 and has a 9-megapixel sensor. It'll be able to shoot 30 fps of 6-megapixel pictures, 720p HD video and high speed movies at up to 1,000 frames per second. You get a 5x optical zoom and a 2.7-inch LCD with that.

The cheaper EX-FS10 will run you $350, and it has the same sensor and slo-mo specs as the FC100. The $50 you save knocks the optical zoom down to 3x and the LCD down to 2.5 inches.

These are pricey cameras for point-and-shoots, but there are no other cameras out there that pack such robust slow motion functionality into such a small package. If you've wanted to get in on the slo-mo fun without carrying around a huge camera, these are the way to go. No word on release dates at the moment, but expect them sometime this year.

Lighters Will Blend, But Also Ultimately Pwn "Will It Blend" Blender

Elaine Chow — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 04:30:00 EST

Will lighters blend? Yes, they will. And the explosive results, filmed in slo-mo, have finally warmed me up to this otherwise inscrutable internet meme. Good thing we didn't try this at the Giz Gallery! [Kotaro269]

Discovery Channel's Time Warp: Slo-Mo Videos of Crazy Sh*t Go Primetime

John Mahoney — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 09:20:00 EDT

Overheard in a recent Discovery Channel producer's meeting: "Hey—here's a crazy idea: you know how videos of things happening in slow motion tend to blow up the internet? Let's make that into a whole show. And in HD to boot. Face punches, raw chicken exploding, champagne blowing its top (the more latent sexuality the better!)—that kind of thing. We'll start it off next week, and yeah, we'll put some pretty great interactive slo-mo videos on our website that can be controlled frame-by-frame. I don't know about you guys but I'm sold!" [Discovery Channel]

10 Ejection Seat Tests in Sloooowww Moooootion

Sean Fallon — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 18:00:00 EDT

From lighting strikes, to Mentos explosions, the bottom line is that everything is cooler in slow motion. In this case OObject has collected 10 ejection seat tests that are enjoyable to watch at any speed—but in slo-mo it's like watching a nerdy ballet of planes, fire and rockets. [OObject]

Slow Motion Lightning Video is Mindblowing, Will Sell a Thousand Slo-Mo Cameras

Adam Frucci — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 17:00:00 EDT

Well, this is just about the most amazing thing I've ever seen. It's a lightning bolt that's shooting down from the sky, shot in slow motion. I'm not sure exactly how fast this camera is, but it's got to be shooting at a speed faster than the Casio EX-F1 can shoot at, at least at a resolution this high. Whatever, who cares? Just watch this and prepare to be blown away.

Update: A reader says this is from the BBC documentary The Power of the Planet – Atmosphere. [Today's Big Thing]

More Casio EX-F1 Slow Motion: BB Guns and Frisbees

Kit Eaton — Sun, 18 May 2008 14:30:00 EDT

I know we've been raving on about the Casio Exilim EX-F1 camera and its amazing high-speed shooting capabilities. And I know: we've shown you lots of very nifty footage indeed, including some shot by the lucky Wilson, who actually got to play with the thing. But we've not shown you this footage before, made by a reader and starring a BB-gun, a can, some wildlife and a dog with a frisbee. It's amazing, and it's a quiet Sunday, so check it out. It got me wondering what I'd film if I had one of these cams to hand. I decided I'd capture the old "custard powder on a stove flame" trick. What would you film for some super slo-mo action, guys? [Trivue— Thanks Larry]

Spud Gun Destroys Eggs At 1200fps: Even More Casio EX-F1 Slo-Mo Love

Elaine Chow — Sun, 04 May 2008 16:30:00 EDT

Hungry for more slo-mo action after the Mentos and Coke and Tomato Carnage tributes to the Casio EX-F1 camera's unique feature set? Fear not Gizmodo reader, for your compatriot Robert Woodhead has delivered once again! This time around: eggs getting obliterated by a potato gun. Genius! [Robert Woodhead]

Mentos and Diet Coke Explosion at 1200fps: Casio EX-F1 Strikes Again

Benny Goldman — Sun, 04 May 2008 13:30:00 EDT

Giz reader Robert Woodhead combined two things that I just can't seem to get sick of seeing: Stuffing Mentos into Diet Coke bottles and the super-slow-mo action of Casio's EX-F1 camera to create this stunningly beautiful video.

Woodhead compensated for the 1200fps' paltry 336x96 frame size by stitching four different Mentos tests together, and the results are awesome. Globs, ribbons and rings of Coke that are impossible to track in real time come to life when seen in slow-motion.

Watch out later today for another homemade slow-mo video; things will only get messier. [Robert Woodhead]