Phantom V5.1 Digital High Speed Video Camera

The Phantom V5.1 digital colour high-speed video camera records high-speed images up to 1,200pps (pictures per second) using a true 1024 x 1024 pixel array, not interpolated as some camera manufacturers offer. Higher frame rates can be achieved by lowering the number of pixels used to a maximum 95,000pps. The Phantom V5.1 uses a .CIN format invented by Vision Research. CIN is an un-interpolated lossless format; with colour information is stored in the header. Frame rates are infinitely variable not fixed.

At 1,200pps the V5.1 will record for 3.4 seconds, at 500pps it is 6.8 seconds and at 250pps 13.6 seconds. The camera can be triggered before OR after the event or anywhere during the capture period.

Unlike a high-speed film camera, there is no waiting for the camera to run to speed. Once the camera is powered up, it is continuously recording (and over records when the camera memory is full) until we press the on/off button. The effects companies’ love this feature as there is now no pressure on the technicians as we can end trigger after the product has fallen.

Various aspect ratio choices are available using CAR (Continuously Adjustable Resolution) feature. Adjustments in 64 x 4 pixel increments

Frame Size vs. Speed

Camera Power
An isolated 240/220volt 13amp supply is required for the camera and the laptop computer. We can power the V5.1 using a 28vdc 5amp battery. We can supply adapter leads for either Arri or Panavision batteries. Please let us know if you require this option when ordering the camera. (A small charge will be made for the hire of our batteries and charger).

Camera Sensitivity
The sensitivity of the V5.1 is approximately 100 ISO compared with cine film stock.

Camera Mount
The camera is supplied with either PL, PV or Nikon Mount. (Please specify mount when ordering the Phantom camera). The PL and PV mount allows the use of wide aperture 35mm cine lenses.

Green Door does NOT supply PV or PL lenses; they should be hired by production.

The V5.1 is normally a non-reflex camera; set up is via the laptop computer. We provide a TransVideo colour monitor connected to the camera for assistance is setting the shot. This is a normal speed picture, viewing the high-speed images is via the laptop. Using on board monitors allows real time viewing of the image and ideal if you wish to follow a moving subject as there is no image lag.

Camera Accessories
We have designed a riser block to make the camera compatible with the Arri BP-6 or BP-8 bridge and balance plate, 19mm bars, follow focus and matt box.

These items, if required, should be hired by production.

Note: if you wish to use remote follow focus, a separate power source is required as it is not available via the V5.1 camera.

Lighting for High-Speed Video
Because these cameras record in high-speed they can pick up “flicker” from lights of lower wattage. Using either 5kW tungsten or 4kW HMI lights (with flicker free ballasts) AND higher are generally fine. The longer the filament the better and especially if the lamps are the latest type with bulbs in the best condition. Finally don’t forget Daylight.

Light Flicker
The flicker you see in tungsten units at high-speeds is introduced by AC power, because the power is not continuous the light bulb is flashing on and off 50 or 60 times per second (50/60Hz), because the filament is losing power cooling down and then regains its power back and turns back on and repeats this 50 or 60 times in one second. The larger the filament the longer it takes it to come back down, 5K's, 10K's, and 20K's are the choice of lights when using AC power, if you can get DC power then any tungsten light will work just fine. With HMI's (NO MATTER THE SIZE), the flicker that you see is Arc wander... meaning that you see the change in brightness from the arc in the globe moving around, this can be overcome by diffusing the light and moving it further away from the subject. The larger lights are easier to use because you can move them away from the subject and still have enough light to get an image.

Playback/Video Assist
A new feature of the V5.1 is that once the sequence is captured the camera automatically sends out an analogue colour image of the scene in slow motion. Connected to your video payback equipment recording at 25fps, this gives an instant result of what the shot looks like. This is a “quick-look-see” option; the results still have to down loaded from the camera to the computer.

In some situations, for example when using the V5.1 for close up table-top shots, the camera can get hot from the close proximity of the lights. We would ask you supply an electric fan to keep the camera cool as well as the camera crew!!For UK shoots we provide a Magliner Trolley for the laptop computer. This has to be near to the V5.1, within the 15ft Ethernet cable connection between the camera and the computer. For overseas work we ask that production provide a Magliner or similar.

If you intend to use the Phantom V5.1 on a crane or jib arm please let us know so we can supply the extra Ethernet and BNC camera trigger cables.

The Phantom V5.1 captures images using its own unique file format. These images are called CIN files (not to be confused with systems from other manufactures).

These CIN files are downloaded from the camera onto the laptop and then the camera can be re-armed ready for the next shot. If, on viewing the captured images, it is decided that the shot is not wanted, these images are deleted, freeing up computer hard-drive space.

Downloading from the Phantom camera to the laptop computer is not instant, (please be patient) but quicker than waiting for a 16mm, Super16 or 35mm high-speed film cameras to be cleaned, oiled and magazines reloaded.

Processing
Just like film cameras the images from the Phantom V5.1 have to be processed from the original CIN images to tif24 images for your post-production. We will supply the original CIN files plus the Phantom CineView 606 free software for you to process the images. During the shoot we will show you the conversion process. Because the Phantom V5.1 records images into its camera internal solid state memory, NO tape stock is required and more importantly there is no need to supply images on tape as the tiff’s are directly imported into your edit suite via our free loan LaCie Hard Drive. We will process images in downtime during the shoot, but please do allow extra time for processing to be completed on the day or later. Another option is for Green Door to supply a Phantom Assistant, with computer, to process the CIN’s for you during the shoot. Cine Viewer is a PC BASED SOFTWARE (not Mac) and will work on Microsoft 2000 2nd Edition or Microsoft XP Professional.

Cine Viewer is also available from Green Door during the shoot or can be downloaded here.

Our technicians have the right to refuse operation of the Phantom V5.1 camera if he believes that the camera and/or he would be put in a dangerous situation.

How long does it take to convert from CIN to tif24?
Our current Laptop is a Pentium 4 2.4 GHz from Dell and converting 1,200 frames at the 1024x1024 pixel setting takes approx 12 minutes to process to the tif24 format.

We will let you have the LaCie Hard-Drive for FIVE working days FREE OF CHARGE and then it must be returned to us. For longer periods please contact us for the rental charge. However, should you wish to keep the Hard-Drive, then it may be purchased from us for £150 plus VAT. Please let us know before the start of the shoot if you prefer this option. We do ask that the Pelican case be returned to us as soon as possible. We also offer a “back up” service of your Phantom CIN Files, FREE OF CHARGE, on our own library hard drive for ONE MONTH from the date of your shoot. This gives you the opportunity to back up the files on your own system.

It is the responsibility of production to insure their production and the Phantom camera system for all eventualities. See our terms and conditions which are available on request or can be downloaded via our web site.

Tiff to Video Conversion
We take your hard drive full of tiffs and transfer it via firewire onto some network attached storage, in a location that can be accessed from our main suites. The faster the network the better! We can then return your drive to you. We import the frames onto our compositor (Flame or Smoke), usually overnight. Any resizing is also done at this point, i.e. on the rare occasion we need to convert down to 720x576. The resulting clips are then played out to Digi-Beta, and a Beta-SP clone is made with matching time code for the editor. He cuts the film and gives us an edl, which we conform from the Digi-Beta, and hey-presto! If we have re-sized on import, we occasionally need to go back to the original tiffs to choose a different racking, but they exist on our network and are easily re-imported. In this case we would import them in their native resolution and resize and re-rack within Smoke or Flame.
Derek Moor, Head of 2D, Clear, London.

Our recommended method of converting the stream of tiff files produced by the Phantom camera into a .mov video file is to open the sequence in QuickTime® Pro. and then export it as a QuickTime® video file. Importing the tiffs directly into your video edit software will take much longer.
Andy Matheson, Director, Panache Productions.

Tehcnical Specification of the Phantom V5.1