"Filming the bouncing toad was very challenging; the remote mountain plateau is one mile high and 26 square miles in area, whilst the toad is one inch long and very elusive. The tarantulas which prey on them are also very hard to find. To give the crew the best chance of finding and filming them, the expert on these creatures came on the shoot. He searched for a week before the crew's arrival to find both species and a location where they could come together and where the toad would demonstrate its bouncing-ball method of escape. This allowed the cameraman to set up his slow-motion camera in the right place. The scientist was able to ensure that the toad was never in danger of being harmed by the tarantula as a result of us filming them. The technique was a total success - the toad tucked its legs in, rolled and bounced, allowing the crew to film its method of escape in slow-motion detail."

"A Jesus Christ lizard running on water is so fast that a human would have to run at 65 miles per hour to achieve the same trick. The speed makes it an enormous challenge to film. After consulting with a scientist at Harvard University who has made a ground-breaking study of the lizard's water sprint, the crew decided that as well as filming the behaviour at normal frame rates they would attempt to capture the close up details of the lizard's run with a slow-motion camera filming at 2000 frames per second (i.e. slowed down by 80 times).

It's very hard to predict exactly where and when a lizard will run, what's more it's all so quick that once the lizard is spotted it's gone in a blur! Learning from the scientist's observation methods was essential and as a result it was decided to film the details of the sprint would need some degree of control to ensure that the crew had some idea of where and when the lizard would run. They travelled to Belize, home of the lizard, to work with local animal experts who had some lizards in natural forest enclosures. If, and when, these lizards decided to run, they always ran along the same stretch of water, where the cameraman could station his camera.

The key to success was using the latest digital slow-motion camera that continuously records into a memory buffer, so that when the cameraman hits the trigger button he downloads the action that took place a second or so before that moment. Whenever a lizard sprinted past the cameraman over the water the cameraman hit the trigger, desperately trying to keep the lizard in the frame and in focus. The final end result of this was stunning, slow motion shots of the lizards, with every drop of water visible as they sprinted through the surface."

OK, we don't actually have any notes on how this was shot. But the macro shot of water beading up on the gecko's hydrophobic skin is gorgeous.

The above clips are from Episode 2: Reptiles and Amphibians. The series is playing now on BBC One.

To reach far beyond typical high speed photography (keep in mind, we're talking over 41,000 times the speed of traditional film), the footage was captured using dual Shimadzu HPV-1 cameras shooting at a scant 312x260 resolution. Regardless, the black and white tonal detail is still more than good enough to astound.

For a special treat, load the clip around 7:30 in to watch what happens when a hollow point bullet strikes what looks like cement. The bullet's clinical deconstruction...I don't even know what to say, other than I have an inkling why those bad boys are illegal no idea why those bad boys aren't illegal (sorry, I get all my bullet knowledge from 80s movies). [Kurzzeit]

There's a reason why both Canon and Nikon are both made in Japan. And if you're asking how I know this is Japanese without seeing the faces? Trust me, I can tell. [Boobieblog (NSFW) via Fleshbot (NSFW)]

Also in this episode, you'll get a look at the technology being used on the show, including an explanation of how their high speed cameras work.

Time Warp—a show that uses high-speed cameras to capture every-day actions in slow motion—airs every Wednesday at 8PM on the Discovery Channel. [Time Warp]
The image associated with this post is best viewed using a browser.

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]

The Price: $350

The Verdict: It's got some picture-quality flaws as a still and video camera, but its unique attributes make it something you may want to have a look at, especially if you think you're better than Tarantino at crafting a slow-mo scene.

Similar to the more expensive, chunkier EX-F1, the EX-FC100 has three modes, but this time, they're 210, 420 and 1000 frames per second. It's fewer frames than the big boy, but it gets the job done. It's even got the "she walked into the room" setting, with a standard 30fps jumping to 210 to punctuate a particular moment in time, then back to 30 to signal that the moment has passed. Same caveats apply: The lowest setting has a much higher resolution than the 420, which is in turn higher than the 1000. Also, slow-mo shooting at 420 and 1000 require too much light to use them in anything but brightly lit rooms, or better yet, outside. And any indoor shooting is pretty much noisy as hell, whether you jack the ISO up to 1600 yourself, or let it do it automatically.

Like the EX-F1, the EX-FC100 also has continuous-burst shooting so you can get at least one perfect shot out of 30 in a split second, and you can even set it to remember shots from before you press the shutter. Other tricks like this include a "move in CS"shot, where you can set the camera to take a burst when something flies into the shot, and a "move out CS" shot, for the opposite. The camera has a continuous-burst toggle button on its top next to the shutter button which may be convenient for some, but that I found annoying. I kept entering CS mode when I didn't want to.

I was fairly happy with the low-light still shooting indoors—it's definitely better than the Olympus I recently tested, though I wouldn't think it would come close to a typical Canon Digital Elph. What I like about the EX-FC100 is that it has a very cool trick for making any questionable shooting environment slightly better: There's a little button that just says "SLOW" on it that, when pressed, gives you "slow motion view"—a slideshow of the best shots taken in a three-second window, that you can pick from by just clicking your shutter. Aim the camera at your moving, potentially unfocused subject, click SLOW, and then see a series of shots will appear, hopefully one nice and clear one. I haven't figured out how to really control slow motion view, but I like it.

Now, about those picture-quality problems. One big one is noise. Lots of shots are noisier than hell, a typical Casio problem, one that you can mitigate a bit manually by adjusting your ISO. You can see how manual adjustment affects shots:

But most important, how is the quality of that crazy SLOW-MO VIDEO? As you can see, outdoor shooting is a lot nicer than indoor shooting, no matter how cute the cat:

All in all, it's a cheaper way to get some slow motion in your life, and some of those other shooting tricks are original and unique enough to make the camera worth considering. But if you just want nice pictures, indoors and out, we wouldn't exactly make fun of you if you said, "Oh, I think I'll just go with the Canon instead." [Casio product page]

First, How Slow Motion Actually Works
Understanding the basic principle of slow motion is helpful for both properly following and bending the format's rules, so bear with me for just a second. The film effect has its origins in overcranking—in the early days of film, camera operators literally cranked the film reel when shooting a scene. By cranking the reel faster, they saw their films projected more slowly.

Why? That's where we get to the basic premise of slow mo. Slow motion captures a bunch of pictures very fast—at least 120 images per second, and often 300 or more. Meanwhile, video typically plays back at an eyeball-friendly 24-30 frames a second.

So when you play back those 300 fast images at the speed your eye is happy with, you have a huge excess of images. Your 300 images may have been filmed in one second of real shooting, but they will last for 10 seconds on screen—slow motion is born.

And while digital video has traditionally struggled in capturing the high frame rates necessary for true slow motion, many new cameras work just like overcranking, shooting hundreds of lower-resolution pictures per second. The tips here concern cameras and camcorders capable of high speed frame rates—not just cameras from Casio, but camcorders from Samsung and JVC, a Japan-only camera from Ricoh and LG's Viewty cameraphone. This is not about slowing down your regular-speed footage in some kind of video editor.

1. Use Lots of Light
When you shoot slow mo, you are taking pictures quickly. And when you take pictures quickly, light has less time to create an image in your camera. Shoot in plenty of light, or you will get dark and gloomy slow-mo.

In real terms, that means that super high-speed shooting might not work indoors. On the Casio EX-F1, for instance, you can shoot 300fps indoors, and maybe 600fps if you're near a window, but you can't pull off its 1200fps setting without adding bright light. For the same reason, night shooting may very well be out of the question, depending on your particular rig and just what you expect from the image in terms of detail—artsy stuff may be fine, but don't expect to film a hummingbird under the soft glow of the moon.

2. Mind Your FPS
As stated above, slow motion really doesn't work very well on camera systems not designed for it in the first place. So if your camera only shoots 24 or 30 frames per second of video, your slow motion will be merely faked by whatever editing software you use. (It'll suck.) This is about capturing life you normally can't see: The flitting of a bug's wings, the popping of a water balloon, the fleeting microexpression of joy or pain on a person's otherwise complacent face.

Choosing the right frame rate for your subject is of vital importance. Here's a chart with exemplary clips to get you started:
120fps: Baseline slow motion, just a quarter the speed of real life; it's the go-to speed for sports replays



300fps: Good for narrative slow motion like walk scenes, love scenes and displays of manliness (see aforementioned Top Gun)




600fps: The beginnings of slow-mo porn, human movement becomes less narrative, more anatomical





1000-1200fps: Human subjects move too slowly for this rate, now you're into explosion mode; 1200fps is the fastest Casio's EX-F1 can shoot




5,000-10,000fps: Bullet-time explosions, shards of glass split and float in the air...and you can see the intricate design of lightning. Storebought cameras can't do this—yet

3. Think Outside Stabilization
You're always better off shooting on a tripod for optimum clarity, but if there's one time you can really stretch your imagination with shooting video, it's slow motion. Because you are shooting so many frames in such a limited space, you can take advantage of time stretching to make video appear more stable.

So not only can you shoot most slow-mo clips without a tripod, but you can even toss your camera in the air to try that crazy shot you wanted. It might not come out, and you might want to insure your camera first, but why not push the limits? We're talking 300-1200 frames per second. That's a lot of room to fudge things.

4. Compensate for Slow-Motion Side Effects
The downside to shooting in slow mo is that you almost always end up with more footage than you need. Remember, six seconds of shooting produces one minute of video at 300fps, two minutes at 600fps. Some cameras let you trim your clip right there on the spot, and you should take advantage of it, as it frees up wasted memory, too.

Another issue is aspect ratio. As the frame rates go up on the Casio EX-F1, they get longer, slimmer and lower in resolution. At 1200fps, you get strips of video 336x96. Our friend Robert Woodhead made up for this in his Mentos and Diet Coke video by stitching four vertically oriented videos together in Final Cut.

The final problem with slow mo is sound, as in, there is none. That's the reason you often hear music playing over clips. It's not necessary to add music, though clearly Tarantino enjoyed that part.

Still, the ultimate reality about slow-motion shooting is that it's surprisingly simple with today's equipment—not necessarily any more difficult than normal video if you are shooting with enough light. Until this meme is done (and in our book, it most certainly is not), go out there and shoot with confidence. It's an interesting artistic medium that's just become democratized to the public, so let the whoring commence.

Today's Slow-Motion Cameras, Camcorders and Cameraphones
• Casio Exilim EX-F1
• Casio Exilim EX-FH20
• Casio Exilim FC-100 and FS-10
• JVC Everio X
• Samsung HMX20
• Ricoh CX1
• LG Viewty

If you liked these camera tips, check out our guide for getting started with a digital camera.

The Exilim slow motion EX-F1 isn't new anymore, but it's still one of the most fun cams out there. What's key for me is the switch to quickly jump from 30 to 300fps, which I've mapped to the focus ring.

The song is These Days from the Royal Tenenbaums Soundtrack, which is one of my favorite movies. [Amazon]

Snowmodo is our snow sport winter meet up at Lake Tahoe, with prizes, discounts, tons of fun snow activities, a party and GADGETS. If you can make it (and people are coming from TEXAS) please RSVP. I'll let you wear my hat (below).

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.

The camera also has increased low light sensitivity, decreasing noise compared to previous Xactis (a weakness of theirs.) They're pushing the bitrate from 12 to 14Mbps, too, to help picture quality. There's a 10x optical zoom with an impressive f/1.8-2.5 lens (more light never hurts) with a 35mm equivalent range of 38-380mm. It's also got image stabilization, a 2.7 inch LCD, HDMI out, and in camera editing. I have to say I've always been a fan of the line, and it's nice to see the Sanyo line keep evolving with new features while fixing previous flaws.

SANYO FULL HD CAMCORDER HAS “FACE CHASER” TECHNOLOGY FOR VIDEO AND STILLS; FEATURES SLOW-MOTION VIDEO MODE AND 7-FPS SEQUENTIAL SHOOTING

Compact, Lightweight Xacti HD1010 Offers Improved Image Processing and Simplified Operation

CHATSWORTH, CA, June 5, 2008 – SANYO, a world leading digital camera manufacturer, debuts the Xacti HD1010, an ultra-compact, full 1920 x 1080 (1080i) high-definition digital camcorder featuring “Face Chaser” face detection technology for both video and stills, plus a new slow-motion video mode and seven frames-per-second sequential shooting for superb action photography. The sleek and simple-to-use HD1010 takes 4-megapixel digital still images and records video and stills to convenient SD memory cards or SDHC cards (sold separately) up to 32GB.

The SANYO Xacti HD1010 will be available in the U.S.A. in July 2008 at an MSRP of $799.99*1.

“The SANYO Xacti HD1010 is our second-generation Full HD camcorder and offers a full complement of innovative features such as automatic ‘Face Chaser’ face detection for both video and stills, along with improved image processing for even better image quality*2,” said Tom Van Voy, Vice President and General Manager of SANYO’s Audio Video Division. “The HD1010 offers advanced, high-definition video performance and high-quality stills in one small, lightweight device.”

FACE DETECTION/FACE CHASER TECHNOLOGY
The latest in digital still photography – Face Detection and Face Chaser technology actually monitor the subject’s face and adjust brightness and focus to incredibly clear photos. This technology can be used to recognize up to 12 faces at a time in both video and still photos.

SLOW-MOTION VIDEO MODE
For great sports videos and many other fast-action video projects, the HD1010 can record video at 300 frames-per-second*3 to produce smooth, super slow-motion 60fps video playback.

7 FRAMES-PER-SECOND SEQUENTIAL SHOOTING
Shoot digital still images like the pros with up to seven photos in a single second. Ideal for special effects or action photography.

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SMALL AND LIGHT FULL HD CAMCORDER
The HD1010 weighs only 9.9 ounces (with battery and SD card). It incorporates advanced MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 video compression, enabling up to approximately 87 minutes of Full HD (1920 x 1080) video recording on an 8GB SDHC memory card (sold separately).

WIDE DYNAMIC RANGE MODE
Wide Dynamic Range Mode allows improved images in varying degrees of light and shade.

FOUR MEGAPIXEL DIGITAL IMAGES
The Xacti HD1010 enables simultaneous shooting of 4-megapixel still images and HD movie clips, with a simple press of the shutter button during the recording of a video clip. Users need never miss another precious photo opportunity. (Depending on the mode used to take still images, simultaneous video clip shooting may be interrupted. While shooting video clips, using the digital image stabilizer may change the angle of view for still images.)

COMFORTABLE, ERGONOMIC DESIGN
The HD1010 is designed for easy, one-handed operation with “one thumb” operation of all key functions. The camcorder is comfortable to hold, even for extended periods.

FULL 1080i HD SENSOR
Incorporating the latest high-definition CMOS sensor, the SANYO Xacti HD1010 captures full 1080i high-definition video (1920x1080) at 60 frames-per-second. Designed to record the rich and vibrant colors of real life, the HD1010 also captures subtle tones to provide a natural-looking result. SANYO’s latest high-speed image processing engine capably handles the high capacity demands of Full HD data. Signal processing has been optimized for gamma correction and noise reduction, improving lens color-sensitivity and image quality when filming in darker locations. In addition, the video codec algorithm has been adjusted from 12 to 14 Mbps to allow more data per second, for improved imaging.

10X OPTICAL HD ZOOM LENS
At the front of the HD1010 is a commanding 10x all-glass HD lens. The camcorder’s fast f/1.8-2.5 lens is capable of allowing almost four times more light through to assist in lower light venues. Consisting of eight groups and eleven total lenses with a built-in neutral density filter, the HD1010's lens provides a spectacular field-of-view with a 38-380 mm range (35 mm equivalent).

IMAGE STABILIZATION
High-definition can't hide shaky or erratic camera movement. So, SANYO's HD1010 comes with a sophisticated image stabilizer for both stills and video. This handy feature operates in both wide-angle and telephoto modes, giving every shot a solid, professional-looking feel. Image stabilization allows for clear pictures of the subject even when moving or rotation occurs.

LARGE 2.7 INCH WIDESCREEN DISPLAY
The HD1010 features a large 2.7 inch widescreen Liquid Crystal Display (LCD). The display flips out from the camera and rotates up to 285 degrees on axis, allowing you to take great video or still images even from difficult-to-view positions, which is especially useful when shooting in large crowds or in small rooms.

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HDMI HIGH-DEFINITION OUTPUT
It’s easy to view and share high-definition video on your HD television with the HD1010. Using the HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) terminal built into the base station, just one cable connects your camcorder to your TV for a totally digital output. HDMI carries both the video and audio signals in digital form for the highest quality playback.

EASY CAMERA TO PC CONNECTION
Sanyo's HD1010 streamlines the confusing and complicated component connection process with an innovative docking station. This dock provides instant connectivity via HDMI cable (sold separately), component, composite or S-video connection to a TV, DVD player and computer. The HD1010 even recharges its internal battery when nested in the docking station.

RECORDS TO CONVENIENT SD/SDHC MEMORY CARDS
The SANYO Xacti HD1010 records high-definition and photos directly to a standard SD or SDHC Memory Card. The camcorder is capable of recording up to 87 minutes of 1080i high-definition video on a single 8GB card (sold separately). When connected to a computer via the USB cable, the HD1010 acts as a standard card reader. Transferring images and videos to your computer has never been easier.

ADDITIONAL HD1010 FEATURES:

Random Access: Each video is recorded as an individual MPEG-4 and each still as a JPEG so you can have true random access allowing you to review a specific image or video quickly and easily, without waiting for tape rewinding or fast forwarding.

Super-fast Startup: With its tapeless design, the HD1010 eliminates the need to queue up a tape deck or get a DVD or hard drive spinning, allowing the camcorder to begin shooting in as little as two seconds! When the HD1010 is powered on, closing the LCD display puts the HD1010 in standby mode. Simply open the display and the camcorder automatically powers up and can begin recording virtually instantaneously.

Equipped with ‘SIMPLE’ mode so even beginners can create high quality, beautiful high definition movies

New 1920 x 1080, 30 fps mode allows further possibilities with Full HD and computers (when in Full-SHQ 30 fps/12 Mbps mode)

Features 2.7 inch 230,000 pixel, widescreen TFT-LCD monitor, ideal for viewing HD footage

Wind Roar and Red Eye Reduction

Web Cam function

Built-in, pop-up flash

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A variety of manual controls are available for versatile, advanced shooting. These include manual focus adjustment (16 settings); aperture adjustment (6 stops); exposure compensation (1.8 EV, 0.3 EV steps); shutter speed (13 settings); and image-quality adjustment (for sharpness and color saturation)

Bundled with “Nero 8 Essentials for SANYO” for easy playback and editing

Uses included, long-lasting 1900 mAh Lithium-ion battery (DB-L50)

Compatible with a variety of optional accessories using cold shoe mount, such as external strobe, video light, microphone, etc.

Optional adapter lenses available: telephoto, wide-angle and semi-fisheye

Continuous Still Image Shooting function – 7 frames per second*4

Able to take still pictures while in the middle of Full HD movie recording*5

9-image quick display function

In-camera editing

48 kHz, 16-bit, 2-channel sound

PictBridge compatible

Headphone Jack

• Both can do full high-def shooting—Casio at 1080i but Samsung beats it, with 1080p
• The Samsung can do slow-mo at 300 frames per second (presumably in standard def, but maybe in HD; Casio can do 300fps, 600fps and 1200fps
• Both can take still pictures while shooting video—very helpful indeed
• Although the Samsung is positioned as a camcorder and the Casio is called a camera, they both have 6-megapixel CMOS sensors

Given the CES announcement and the Korea launch, we can only assume that the HMX20 will be one of the items in Samsung's summer line show lineup. That's good news for everybody—except maybe Casio. [Samsung Press Release via PC World]