Two wanted features in your planned Spark camera

Spark Series
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I’m a wildlife filmmaker since 1972. 

Back in 1985, as a guest filmmaker at Oxford Scientific Films, I used their Redlake Locam 16mm Hi-Speed camera and “dared” to reach its peak 500fps - A thing they were afraid to do…

I well remember my extremely careful film spool loading through the complicated sprocket teeth wheel mechanism: They warned me of crashing the inside camera if I miss a frame. Camera was 7kg ano very noisy. Two shots and the reel is finshed!

I use my Sony RX10 IV for slow motion and the 1000fps gets very low in resolution. ISO range is fantastic.

I wish your planned Spark camera would have 2 major things of top importance: 1. High ISO sensitivity - Hi-Speed cinematography requires A LOT OF LIGHT and ISO is vital!  FreeflyEmber S5K has a fixed ISO 300. Chronos 4k12 has ISO 100-400. These two brands does not allow a sufficient light to for 1800fps 2K or even higher frame rates that “swallows” light. I know it, I’m well-experienced.  So If I’ll purchase your upcoming camera or not depends on its light sensitivity of at least ISO 4000 and even more, without creating a rough grain that cannot be fixed via Neat Video App or similar.

  1. As nature poses critical speed challenges that might require speeds of 10,000fps and even more - I pray for your success in reaching such speeds and ever further, at lower resolutions, of course, in 16:9 aspect ratio. It can be sharpened in post. Some creaters are so swift, that I MUST capture their activity in as many frames per second possible. No AI can fill the gap! It must be a physical burst of thousands of frames to get it (Springtails jumping, for instance).

I truly hope these two features will be found in your camera! For commercials, Freefly and Chronos are more than enough.

For my kind of filmmakers it’s definitely not. And who can afford the Phantom Flex 4K that offers dreamy frame rates?  

I challenge you… GOOD LUCK TALENTED PIXBOOM PEOPLE!!  Warm wishes,  Doron.

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Hi Doron, Thank you for your insightful feedback! We completely agree that high ISO sensitivity is crucial. The Spark camera features a BSI sensor, which enhances light collection compared to traditional high-speed cameras. This means it can capture more photons per unit time and area. Additionally, the Spark will have a higher base ISO with a wider selectable range.

As for the 10,000fps capability, it’s indeed an impressive number. However, at that frame rate, the vertical resolution might be limited to only a few hundred pixels (less than 200). We’re still evaluating its usability and would love to hear your thoughts!:heart_hands:

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Thanks for your encouraging highlights about the planned sensor sensitivity: It is really a major issue for Hi-Speed cameras. I don’t understand the concept of other manufacturers that releases cameras to the market with such a low sensitivity to light. At Oxford Scientific Films slow motion shots were flooded with lights, could reach to 10,000W-20,000W just to get the proper exposure in speeds of 2500fps (when they used their Redlake Hycam II, that I wasn’t allowed to use).

This was the FILM era. Video for Hi-speed was not available. Life was very hard in this specialized technology. Sean Morris, one of OSF founders, told me that birds and animals ran-away from the camera alarming noise when they presseed the trigger… And today’s technology went so far, that maybe even you can’t understand my stories - unless you have experienced it yourself.

This is the reason I mention ISO sensitivity. We used 400ASA film spools and reels and at 500fps daylight, the flies I filmed were very grainy. 

As for 10,000fps, I guess image crop is needed. You offer 2K 1800fps for 4/3" sensor - which on its own is very impressive and a major breakthrough comparing to other makers nowadays. The question is if you can enable your Spark model to go further: That the next resolution of HD 1920x1080 could reach 3500-3600fps, and next resolution of 720p could reach 7000fps. The Phantom Miro LC321S with 19.2x10.8 sensor size, reached HD 1500fps and 2,250fps at 1152x1152. If you utilize even 20%-25% of your full Spark sensor size, I think you can significantly increase the frame rate. Maybe not 10,000fps, but definitely higher than 2K 1800fps. You have already reached a dramatic fps-to-resolution achievement!  If you did so, then your team is top-talented and superior to other manufacturers. Of course, Vision Research Phantom is a class of its own, therefore their prices are beyoud reach to most independent filmmakers.

I encourage you, genious people, to go deep into this issue that could attract many filmmakers beyond the “commercials” level (they don’t really need such speeds!). I pray for your success! You are made of the material of pioneers.  Warm wishes,  Doron.

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Hi Doron,

Thank you so much for your suggestions and for sharing your insights and observations about the history of high-speed photography!

As you mentioned, one of the core challenges in high-speed photography is the signal-to-noise ratio. In the digital era, this depends on two factors: the ability to capture light and the ability to suppress noise. Both of these have seen significant advancements over time, and Spark reflects some of these improvements. Additionally, Spark can achieve higher frame rates by cropping resolution, breaking through the 2K 1800fps limitation.

As you pointed out, there is a boundary to the extreme pursuit of frame rates. For creators, beyond physical specifications like frame rate, there is a lot of additional work required to produce great high-frame-rate content. Therefore, reducing workflow complexity is also a key focus for Spark. For example, features like pre-recording can help users capture those fleeting, beautiful moments in high-speed photography that are often missed due to delayed reactions.

These are all directions that Pixboom is committed to pursuing in the long term.

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Hi Young!

I always use the End-Trigger of my beloved Sony RX10 IV. When I want to capture the critical moment, I wait for it to happen and then I press REC. The camera render the shot and the important action is there. I have around 4 sec for 250fps and about 3 sec for 1000fps (a “so-called” HD but in practice, a poor resolution).

So I wait curiously to see your camera released! 

I wish it will answer my needs and that its price will be more affordable than the Freefly or Chronos. 

I believe in you. You have a great potential and an open credit to surprise and “break” the market with an impressive instrument that is not meant to be sexy but perform seriously beyond the trend fashion, but to address more to users who are thirsty to real technical breakthrough. They are the silent voice, they won’t jump ahead.

And by the way Young - I don’t belong to the majority who imitates all others like “Cinematic” specs of, let’s quote, 24fps, motion blur to make it look “real”, very shallow depth-of-field that doesn’t let you enjoy beautiful background landscapes sharply, and so on…

Who knows that 24fps was selected as the minimum speed that show natural movements, just because 35mm film was so terribly expensive and to project huge reels in cinema was physically heavy to load the projector?  I think 50fps or 60fps gives a much better look. If you pan the camera at 24fps, everything gets blurry until you stop the pan. What’s so desirable in it? Video gives you a blessed motion sharpness.

I tell you all this not because it is directly related to the Spark, but to give you a different view on what people are about (sometimes, fashion, without asking why). I see your role as creating a new way, a fresh and surprising shift in technology - and not necessarilly doing the same as others, but maybe in a different style or small improvements.

It’s in your company’s hands now - since you haven’t finish the craft and you are open enough to ask potential users’ opinion.

I express my humble point-of-view that many will disagree. I never followed others in my filmmaking. I created my own personal small world. Still unpopular… Maybe you should also hear my voice and not only the entire chorus…

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Thank you, Doron! What you’ve shared is exactly in line with what Pixboom aims to achieve.

Over the years, we’ve seen many innovative cameras revolutionize the “spatial dimension,” bringing unique and fresh shooting experiences—drones, 360 cameras, robotic arms, and more. However, the “temporal dimension” has remained largely untapped, with progress moving slowly.

Let’s take this step by step and embark on this long-term journey together!

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Hi-Speed world is one of the most demanding. I learned it in the last 40 years. Cameras were made mainly for military and balistics analizing, as well as car crash tests, Machine functioning etc. The variant many manufacturers didn’t put visual quality as a goal. Just like trail cameras that are made to watch animal behaviour - and mostly in poor image quality. I’ve witnessed very impressive specs on paper and a terrible quality in reality. I’ve also noticed brands with promising models, that after publishing them with some impressive demo - just died quietly. I mean one brand, for example, that I suddenly noticed no movement in their site. I stopped checking after 6 years (!) that nothing happened there. A silent death.

My late father was a very wise man, wisdom of life. He told me that he looks at a restaurant: If it’s empty or with only few people comes in, It’s not a good one. No movement, no fresh and renewing supply of food, dormant. As opposed to a crowdy and wanted restaurant that food is always fresh and tasty…  You see what I mean.

Please, dear Young, don’t fall into this trap. You need a lot of knowledge and highly skilled team to fulfill our dreams and high expectations. It’s a top technology. According to the prototype you demonstrate - it looks not only impressive, but very clever and practical. Like the build-in screen on top, the V-Mount (I have exactly such battery), The 4K and 2K high frame rate that you say will be extended at HD 1080p and more. It all looks very inspiring. And if you’ll go bellow $10,000 price - it will be possible for many many creators that can’t afford even the FreeFly or Chronos.

Can you feel the heavy weight on your back?..

Many eyes are now on you with great expectations. I pray for you to have full success and finally break the market and let creativity burst free!  Doron.

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I really hope they can sell for $5000 - $6000 for a stripped down version even if it means only 2-4 seconds of record time pre trigger. That’s plenty for me. That price is very reasonable for content creators. 

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I agree with you about expecting $6000 price tag. However, you should be aware that such specialized top-tech cams are very expensive to develope and build. They are not the cameras you find in $6000 range - especially when, like the Spark, the resolution is 4K and 2K at very high frame rates. This is totally different than Canon, Sony, Nikon and other large brands. The smaller you are as a manufactor, the less you can reduce the price of your product. Pixboom has an enormous challenge with this apparent revolutionary camera.

In my opinion, if they could sell it for around $9000-$10,000 - then we as filmmakers that pay it from our own private pocket, should make an extra effort to raise such sum, because you sometimes have to pay more than average just for such a camera. 

Please look at the alternatives in this market. Some we could never have, such as the Phantom Flex 4K - beyond $100,000!

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