How Does Slow Motion Work?
Let’s say you want to shoot some slow motion video and you have a camera that can shoot 120 frames per second (hey, kind of like the MUVI K-1!) What exactly does that mean? Why do I care about frame rate if I’m after slow motion?
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When you watch a video you’re just watching a lot of individual images flying past your eyes in order to create the illusion of movement. We all know that from early childhood when we could make stick-figure books that when you fanned the pages, it seemed the images move. Each image is called a frame.
Believe it or not, the standard speed for cinematic pictures in the U.S. is only about 24 frames per second. But even this seeming slow rate of frames per second results in a smooth appearing movement, just fast enough to make you think things are moving. The key for this is that the footage must also be shot at 24 frames per second. Let me restate: For normal motion, the frames per second shot must match the frames per second watched.
Here’s the important part, so pay attention! With today’s cameras, you can actually shoot at a higher frame rate than what things are being played back as. So let’s say you shot something at 48 frames per second, but want to play it back at 24 frames per second. This means you are watching it at half the speed that you shot it. It will take two seconds to play back. In other words, the 48 frames per second that you shot only covers a period of time of one second. So if you play back only 24 frames per second on your player, it will take two seconds to show what you had filmed in one second. 48 frames per second divided by 24 frames per second equals two seconds.
On the K-1 if you shoot at 120 frames per second, and then play back at 10% of the original speed, you would only be looking at 12 frames per second. It would take ten seconds to play back that one second of film.
All you need is a player that will allow you to slow down the number of frames per second that is played, and you are in business. Of course, some video players will allow you to advance one frame at a time using the right arrow key. Ultimate slow motion!
Hello Mike,
It was nice talking with you this morning regarding K series MUVI cameras and Tennis.
You are very passionate with Tennis and vedio. Your wide Experience has helped lot of Tennis enthusiasts, thank you fir your help.
I am planning to order either K1 or K2 bundle tomorrow.
– Paul
Houston,TX