Small fps1000 Camera Boasts 18500fps
Kickstarter is funding Graham Rowan's fps1000 high speed camera that records video at a much higher speed than normal video cameras which allows it to capture motion than would normally appear as a blur. The goal is to create a relatively inexpensive high-speed shooter that is also portable.
This high frame rate camera takes from 840 to over 10,000 frames per second to produce amazing slow motion video at a low cost. When played back at normal video speeds the images seem to move in slow motion with all the fine detailed movement that is normally missed. For comparison, standard video rates are 30-60 fps.
Operation of the camera is through the LCD touch screen. The screen allows you to see in real time what the camera is seeing, even during high speed recording. This allows you to frame a shot and keep focus even with a moving target. The LCD display can then be used to play back the recording at any speed from single frame to real time, backwards and forwards. The start and end points of a clip can be marked and then saved to the on-board micro-SD card controller to an external card for transfer to another device.
The fps1000 uses a standard C mount fitting which makes it suitable for almost any lens on the market with the wide range of low cost C mount adapters that are available.
The fps1000 is available in monochrome or colour versions. All images are saved from the board in RAW format, preserving all colour and luminance details for easy post-processing.
The fps1000 is essentially a single board fully integrated camera which can easily be adopted into your own custom application. You have full access to the on-board STMicro ARM processor which can be programmed and debugged via a Serial Wire Debug (SWD) port on the board. All the driver software to access the on-board peripherals including the LCD display, touch screen, USB and micro SD card sockets and the high speed video grab controller.
Three versions of the fps1000 are available: SILVER, GOLD and PLATINUM, differing in the amount of recording memory, maximum resolution and maximum frame rate.
The fps1000 has exceeded its goal with a current pledge amount of £43,849. Backers can get the SILVER, GOLD, and PLATINUM models by making a pledge, but the cameras will retail for £349, £649, and £999 when they launch.