Records 12-bit Raw Files to On-Board CIneFlash Drive

Vision Research has just announced the Phantom Miro M320S digital high-speed camera, which captures super-slow-motion footage at full HD resolution (1,540 fps at 1920×1080) or even a little bit higher (1,380 fps at 1920×1200).

The M320S has a 12-bit CMOS sensor with throughput of 3.2 gigapixels/second; the fewer pixels you need in each frame, the more frames you can push through in a second. That means the camera can shoot 3,280 fps at a very respectable (and easily upscalable) 1280×720. It tops out by delivering a 128×8 image at a massive 325,000 fps.

The M320S has an HD-SDI monitor output, but on-board recording takes place in internal RAM memory, which is configurable at 3, 6 or 12 GB. A camera with 12 GB of RAM can record 2.5 seconds of 1.540 fps material at full 1920×1080 resolution. An optional Phantom remote-control unit with a five-inch TFT touch-screen allows users to frame and focus a shot, review it, and save the raw file to an on-board Phantom CineFlash drive (with up to 240 GB of non-volatile flash storage) or external device.

The sensor has 35mm depth-of-field characteristics, and the camera is available with a variety of lens mounts, including Canon EOS, 35mm PL-mount, and Nikon F-mount and C-mount. When using the EOS (EF) mount, aperture and focus can be remote-controlled.

Along with the M320S, the Miro M-Series includes the M310, which shoots up to 3600 fps at a max resolution of 720p, the M120, which shoots 800 fps at 1080p, and the M110, which shoots 1500fps at 720p. Of the four cameras in the M-series line, the M320S is the only one with HD-SDI output. 

Want to add one to your kit? The Phantom's North American dealer, AbelCine, says the cheapest M-Series camera, the M110, starts at $24,900, including a 60 GB CineFlash drive and dock. The M310 follows at $30,900, and then the M120 at $33,900. The M320S can be had for as little as $43,900, with a well-equipped model topping out around $60,000. That's a good deal for a Phantom — AbelCine quotes other Phantoms as running anywhere from $50,000 and $150,000, depending on models and features.

For more information, visit visionresearch.com, check out AbelCine's Miro M-series FAQ, or go straight to the preliminary M320S data sheet [PDF].