This is the first time we have been able to directly observe the vibrational spectrum of the system in real time. - Nano work Nanotechnology Spotlight.

For of my written study I will investigate the shutter speeds that can be used with cameras and the different types of cameras that specialize in different speeds. By looking at both I will be studying photography from both high speed and time lapse ends of the spectrum. A society named the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) was created in 1948, in which they defined high-seed photography as any set of photographs captured by a camera capable of 128 frames per second or greater, and of at least three consecutive frames. One of the first common uses for high-speed photography was to freeze specific things in motion, reducing motion blurs.Camera’s that I may be studying during this written study may include the Phantom Flex that has been used in many movies, music video’s and advertisements, as well as the newer models that have came out. I may also look at infrared cameras and the effects that the higher definition and faster recording may have on high speed filming. As well as these high speed and high definition cameras, I will be studying the companies that work with these cameras and the projects they have worked on, and the progress they have had throughout the years.

The Phantom Flex is a professional high-speed camera capable of shooting 10,750 frames per second at the lowest resolution, or 1,455 frames per second with the highest resolution – all in standard definition. When in high quality, the highest frame rate is 5,285 with the lowest resolution, and the lowest frame rate is 725 with the highest resolution. Blow is a table that includes all the variables.

Resolution Frames Per Second Frames Per SecondStandard Definition High Definition

2560 x 1600 1455 7251920 x 1080 2570 12751280 x 720 5350 2640640 x 480 10750 5285

The digital cinematic camera has extreme flexibility at 2.5K pixel resolution. It goes beyond HD and supports 4 megapixel imaging, when required. At 2,500 fps in HD the camera will record for 4 seconds because of the large memory capacity needed. Before the Phantom Flex there was the Phantom Gold. The differences between the two are:

The Phantom flex can run faster, taking more pictures per second.

The flex has a global shutter, whereas the Gold has a progressive shutter. This means that the Flex will be better at shooting extremely fast changing events such as lightning strikes.

The Flex has the choice of shooting in standard definition and high definition.

The Phantom Flex has been used in quite a few major motion pictures such as, Hot Fuzz, Snow White and the Huntsman, Judge Dredd and Sherlock Holmes: a Game of Shadows. Speed rails are used when the camera is needed to move alongside the subject at high speed, creating a fantastic shot. One of these shots was used in a scene from Sherlock Holmes: a Game of Shadows.

Another concept of using the Flex in motion, especially when filming Sherlock Holmes, is the timing. Using a Bluetooth Control Unit the Flex can be wirelessly controlled, allowing perfect use with the Steadicam or Crane or Speed Rail. When filming Sherlock Holmes they also used this to trigger the explosives.

Slow motion capture has become more frequently used as the camera age went from film to digital, allowing the entire process to become cheaper. Film high speed is extremely expensive – having to buy a thousand feet of film for a seven second scene and not even being able to view what you had filmed until is was already done and had been developed.

Digitally filming in high-speed is also easier in the terms of functionality, rather than using a film based camera. With digital cameras the sensor controls the shutter. Photo-sites (a form of light-gathering wells used by digital sensors when capturing images) are read in rapid succession, row by row and then reset between exposers, then read again for the next exposure. Doing this simplifies things by reducing the number of parts, and permits full shutter angle control since film no longer has to advance between frames. Increasing the speed all together.

For the film ‘The Hobbit’ the director Peter Jackson used cameras that filmed 48 fps, which is twice as much as regular film shutter speed, allowing the footage to seem much more smoother – but only for 3D viewings. The angle of the shutter was also altered from the regular 180° to 270°. This means that more light will be let in as 75% is

missing instead of 50% as it spins 48 times a second because of the frame rate. By doing this the footage will not only appear twice as high in standard, but will also result in it looking seamless. Examples can be seen below.

Here is a diagram of how a mechanical shutter works:

Modern mechanisms for shutters are becoming increasingly diverse. Each shutter type is just a different way to record motion, similar to how different shutter angles have various applications. Fast rolling shutters are well suited for a vast majority of scenes. However, with specialized applications a global shutter can be helpful.

Below are examples of photographs

taken in both fast and slow shutter speeds, in that order. I’ve arranged the images from the fastest to the slowest shutter speeds.

Fast Shutter Speeds:

Slow Shutter Speeds:

From this study I have learnt what will be needed for me to create the best quality images possible whether it be for fast or slow shutter speeds. Further more, I now understand the effects that can come from the different variable when setting the shutter speed, and how to manipulate them to create the images I would like to produce. When creating my work, I will now know the impact it will have when I set the resolution, saturation and definition, and how these things could either improve or distract from my work. I feel that I am now capable of creating images to the best of my ability.