Personally, I don't think the Chronos is the right tool for the job at shooting anything below 300 fps. Something like the Blackmagic URSA Mini can shoot 4K at 120 fps and 300 fps at 1080p. Cheaper options like a GoPro Hero9 or a modern phone will give better results at 240 fps and below. 300 fps to 1000 fps is a bit of a no-man's land with current cameras. The Chronos is really the only reasonably priced option that is a pretty awesome 1000-4000 fps camera but the base ISO of 500 is somewhat limiting. To get good results with the Chronos in the 10k+ fps range is really challenging, but it's fun to play around with.
While you couldnt be more right with that statement i have to politely inform you, that i own a camera that shoots up to 60fps in FullHD and 120 at 720p, and a Chronos.
Nothing else really. I also dont plan on upgrading or buying into an other Camera-System anytime soon. So, sure there are way better ways to do this, but while i have the 2.1, that can shoot these Framerates, i might as well use it for that, if you know what i mean. Then there is also the thing with low Light, i talked about in the Previous reply. There is just times, when i only got the Chronos on hand when i am somewhere, and there just isnt enough light for good Quality 1000fps, and 1000fps would be way too slow for what i am shooting anyways. So at least for me anywhere between 60 and 1000fps is a realistic usecase for the 2.1, even if it probably wont make any sense for anyone else.
I have a feeling the way the camera is windowing down the resolution and adjusting framerate/shutter is very complex at the hardware level.
Yes. i very much assume it is.
I was wondering if it'd be possible to have an option to shoot the color Chronos in BW to try and reduce the noise or perhaps increase the base ISO. I know the BW version of the Chronos uses a completely different sensor, but it'd be interesting if the color sensor could be tweaked in software in a way to get some of the benefit of the BW hardware.
not quite sure what you are trying to do there, but you could kinda run a Color Chronos in BW mode by setting every value on the custom Color Matrix to the Same Value (ideally use 1, tweak it a bit if you want to change contrast), see image attached.
also the DNG data should still be per-Pixel Data, meaning undebayered, so using Software like PIPP (
https://sites.google.com/site/astropipp/) you will still see what is basically a monochrome Image. I used PIPP to mess around with RAW files Quite a bit, helps you to understand what is going on really.
anymore than that, and you would need to go and actually remove the Bayer filter Layer on the sensor itself, which i wouldnt recommend for multiple reasons on a camera like this, the main one beeing, that there isnt even a point in that, as Krontech literally sells Monochrome ones...
For Reference and/ or anyone that has never heard of that:
https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/166334-debayering-a-dslrs-bayer-matrix/page/1/ .
Noise Characteristics should still be unchanged from how i understand it however, but you gain a bit of Light from removing the Filter Layer (or just getting a Monochrome Version).
Monochrome Cameras should however have less noise anyways, because of that bit of more light, and the camera generally doing a lot better in terms of noise if it has plenty light.
If you dont mind a casual Magenta/ pink tint on some parts of the image because of some IR Light, you could also just remove the IR Filter, that will also give you quite a bit more light, and help with the noise. Will mess with your Flange Focal distances and your color however.
but i guess the only way to know how the Monochrome actually does in terms of Noise, is to test one or ask someone who owns/ works one.
Only Person i know that uses one is Lauri from Hydraulic Press Channel. Username on the Forum is hydraulicpresschannel. He should know, he uses a Monochrome 1.4 alongside Color Models. I dont know, if he still has/ uses his Color 1.4, but he at least had them in use right next to each other for quite a while in the Past.
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P.S. Look into shooting 1472x720 instead of 1280x720. I think you'll find there is no difference in speed and you'll have an extra 192 pixels to play with framing your shot in post.
I might will at some point, but until now i just didnt bother remembering that quite specific Resolution. Standard 16:9 resolutions i can Quote from Memory, even if you where to wake me up in the middle of the Night and ask me, that one i would have to write down somewhere or something to remember. I guess i could try 1440x720, as that would be something, i will be able to remember no problem, but 1472px wide is quite the odd number to remember.
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Yeah, this was just an attempt at a scientific noise study, so the black frame is the best way to do that. To scientifically measure dynamic range across the entire range of sensor options would be a huge task.
Yes, thats why i never bothered to do a full on test worth publishing anywere, cause the amount of work that would take is just not fun anymore to do in my spare time.