The new Phantom Miro M320S high-speed camera has just been announced by Vision Research. This is the new flagship in the Phantom Miro line of ultra-compact high-speed cameras, whose form factors open up a new world of creative possibilities for super slow motion cinematography.

The Miro M320S features a 12 bit, 2 Megapixel sensor that’s near the size of 35mm film, and can capture up to 1500 frames per second at 1920×1080 resolution. The M320S features an HD-SDI output for high-quality monitoring or recording and is available with all popular lens mounts. Literally fitting in the palm of your hand, the Miro weighs in at only three pounds.

AbelCine has developed a new line of accessories specifically for the Miro. Watch my video blog above to learn more about the full Miro system and its workflow.

EDIT: Since the announcement of the AbelCine Essential Mounting Kit for Miro changes have been made to kit. Please refer to the product page for the most up to date information about this product.

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The new IMAX 3D film Born to be Wild, currently showing in IMAX theaters, tells the story of orphan orangutans in Borneo and orphan elephants in Kenya. The film was shot in both locations, combining footage from the IMAX 3D 15/65mm film camera and a prototype IMAX 3D digital camera. The IMAX digital camera uses a pair of Phantom 65 cameras and custom IMAX 3D optics.

On Born to be Wild, we used a prototype system to test the quality and reliability of the Phantom 65 cameras. As a Digital Cinema Specialist at AbelCine, I supported the Phantom 65 cameras in the field.

We shot in the jungles of Borneo for seven weeks under difficult environmental conditions from extreme heat to torrential rain. The temperature was over 100º almost everyday and the humidity was over 90%. This made for tough going on both people and hardware. The Phantom 65 cameras performed flawlessly in the heat and humidity of Borneo and in the dry, dusty heat of Kenya.

In addition to the reliability and quality of the Phantom images, the IMAX 3D digital camera allowed us to capture more spontaneous wildlife behavior than would have been possible with the IMAX Solido camera. The terms “lightweight” and “portable” are not often used on an IMAX 3D film shoot. However, the IMAX 3D digital camera allowed us to be much more mobile, often with the camera sitting on my lap as we changed locations. It also meant we could use smaller jibs and heads to support the camera, even a monopod for some shots!

…continue reading Phantom 65 in the “Wild” for IMAX 3D Shoot

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Over the past three years, there have been numerous high profile projects shot with Phantom HD digital high-speed cameras. Hollywood features like Sherlock Holmes and Zombieland, wildlife documentaries from National Geographic and Discovery, sporting events from the NFL, NASCAR and the Olympics, as well as high end commercials for Acura and Xbox 360 – these are just a few examples. But if ever there was an important individual to shoot with the Phantom HD Gold, it would be none other than President Barack Obama

NFL’s Play60 teamed up with President Obama’s United We Serve initiative for this Thanksgiving campaign to encourage physical activity and combat childhood obesity. The President, along with NFL players DeMarcus Ware, Drew Brees and Troy Polamalu, were all stars in this PSA, which was filmed on the lawns of the White House in early November 2009. I served as the Phantom specialist on this project.

…continue reading NFL and Obama Encourage Kids to Play60

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I recently had the opportunity to spend some time on the set of Step Up 3D, the latest in the popular Disney dance film franchise. The picture, scheduled for release in August 2010, is being shot entirely in 3D, with some of the footage originating on twin Phantom HD GOLD high-speed digital cameras.

I spent much of the last two weeks at the Brooklyn Navy Yard and at 25 Broadway in Manhattan working with Jeff Rios from PACE, suppliers of the Fusion 3D rigs for all the cameras used in the production. The PACE Fusion 3D rig mounts one camera vertically looking down at the reflected image off a partial mirror, with the other camera mounted horizontally looking through the partial mirror. Convergence is controlled with a motorized sled, which is very convenient.

Perfect synchronization is critical to successful 3D at high-speed. Each of the Phantom HD GOLD cameras was synchronized using IRIG military grade timecode, which is built into every Phantom HD and guarantees frame accuracy at any frame rate. Operating the two cameras in sync was relatively simple using the multiple camera control software from Vision Research.

…continue reading World’s 1st Phantom 3D Rig Used on Dance Film

With the recent acquisition of Phantom HD cameras by Panavision for their rental houses worldwide, I was fortunate enough to teach a Phantom Training class last month at the Panavision office in warm and sunny Sydney, Australia!

After a 22 hour flight from NY across the Pacific to Sydney airport, and then a taxi ride over the Harbour Bridge, which overlooks the Opera House and beautiful Sydney Harbour, I finally arrived at the offices of Sydney Panavision. I was warmly welcomed by John Virtue and Peter Lorz who gave me a tour of their impressive rental facility. They shared Panavision’s long history in Australia, which includes film credits like Star Wars Episode: 2, Wolverine, The Matrix, Crocodile Dundee, Mission Impossible 2, and, of course, the recent movie simply titled Australia.

…continue reading Phantom Training Class at Panavision Australia