Chronos > Chronos User Discussion
Extracting still images
rdemyan:
I am thinking about purchasing a Chronos camera. I need super slow motion video, but I also need 1 microsecond still images. I have emailed Sebastian at Kron and he replied as follows:
"I think the best method of extracting a still image from the camera is by saving the file as cinemaDNG. This will create a folder on your card containing a number of still adobe dng images that can be opened as a single image in your preferred photo post processing software or as a video sequence in your preferred NLE software by importing the whole folder.
One note when saving cinemaDNG files on the camera, they are much more data heavy (h.264 is up to 60Mbps, cinemaDNG is 1258Mbps) and the save time will be much longer. I recommend using a SSD if you wish to save cinemaDNG files since the transfer rate is much faster than the SD card."
Has anyone tried this? How good is the resolution of the image. Another choice I have is to try to buy a Vela One flash (as low as 0.5 microsecond), but they are not producing flash units at the moment. I feel confident that the Vela one will provide a very good image, but I thought I should maybe consider the Kron cameras since I would like to have super slo mo video as well.
Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.
Nikon1:
Hi, there is quite a number of people using the Cinema DNG format for video, since it will give the Highest Quality Output data possible and even allow for heavy Image Manipulation in Editing afterwards.
Since Video is Basically just a lot of still images, and the Cinema DNG format will give very high Quality, you will be able to extract still images from the Footage with no problem.
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I am Not familliar and havent even heard about that other camera brand you mentioned, but Sharpness / Resolution of Still images on an Chronos Camera comes down to a number of factors. One of the More important ones is the choice of Lens, use of Proper setting and use of enough light. You will need quite a lot of light if you want to shoot at one µs Exposure!
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For highest Image Resolution and Quality i can reccomend buying an Chronos 2.1 HD, this will give you an 1920x1080px Resolution image at ~1000fps. You didnt Mention, if you need Color for your Application, but if it is more important to you to get the sharpest, Highest Quality Image Possible, i would highly reccomend thinking about getting a Monochrome Version of the Camera. The Monochrome Version will give you an very Sharp image, while the Color Version will be a tic less sharp (this is due to the basics of Bayer-Sensors, which are used in any Color Camera today... If you want to know more about that, i can explain in detail).
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As far as Minimum Exposure Time (1µs) goes, the Hardware /Sensor in the Chronos Cameras, should be, as far as i Recall, able to do way shorter exposure Times than 1µs. It is just limited to this value because of legal reasons and i think it is because you will need an very special official permit to export cameras that go beyond 1µs (Like about any other Camera like this), i dont know how much work it would be, but you can ask the Krontech Staff, if they would sell/ Modify an Special camera firmware / Camera unit for you which can do shorter exposure times. The Hardware is Capeable of doing so.
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Hope this Helps
Nikon1:
ok, i just looked up that "Vela One flash" and it seems, this is not an camera but a Flash unit.
So, the Chronos Cameras and an High-Speed Flash will give you VERY different fields of application.
I am still not too sure what you try to do with any of both options, but if you consider to use something like a Flash, i am not sure if the Resolution of todays High-Speed Cameras will do the job for you. (I am thinking of very High-Resolution Fine-Art High-Speed-Photography and such...). .
If you want to do Large-Scale Prints or anything like this, i doubt, that an High-Speed Video-Camera will do the Job. If that is the case, you should propably look more into getting an very high-Resolution Full-Frame DSLR/ DSLM-Camera or even an Medium-Format Camera. Those will give you Resolutions of 50 to 100 Megapixel and sometimes even more. In Combination with a Flash and an otherwise completly dark Room, this will also allow for very short exposures! Difference to an Real High-Speed-Camera like the Chronos Cameras is, that such Photography Cameras are not able to do a lot of Images Per Second. For most time Very High Resolution Cameras wont allow for more than a few images per Second (if even that...), while an actual High-Speed-Video-Camera can do multiple Thousand Images Per Second without a Problem.
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So for now, i cant really say more about this, since i am just guessing at this point. for anything beyond guesswork it would be very good to know what kind of results you are trying to get with this. Thanks.
rdemyan:
Nikon1:
Thank you for your reply. Yes, the Vela One is a flash unit that will flash as short as 0.5 microseconds and my plan is to take pictures in darkness using the flash and a DSLR Camera. However, I'm thinking that, down the line, I might want to have high-speed video as well, so I'm investigating whether or not I can kill two birds with one stone by purchasing a Chronos camera. The company that produces the Vela One is currently not manufacturing due to the pandemic and is completely sold out of the flash unit.
I have been taking pictures of a special type of water spray with a DSLR capable of 25 megapixel resolution and a Nikon SB-800 flash capable of a flash as short as 24 microseconds. I have been getting some high quality still images, but need shorter "exposure" times since the water travels at least 120 microns during the 24 microsecond exposure.
Do you know if there is anyway to compare the "resolution" of a still image extracted from video taken with a Chronos camera with the resolution of a DSLR camera? So 25 or 50 megapixels for the DSLR for a still image versus ??? for a Chronos camera.
Regards.
Nikon1:
As far as the Whole situation now goes, Krontech also cant Produce Cameras right now, and especialy the 2.1 is sold out since a while, take a look on the Website. They however plan to start shipping Cameras Again soon.
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I dont know if this would help you (Also not knowing the Brand or exact model of DSLR you are using?...), but i assume your DSLR would be able to shoot Video with 1920x1080px Resolution as well? If so, you could just take a Still image and Video of something (Has to be as Sharp as Possible and an non-Moving Object, and shot from an Tripod, otherwise Compression will destroy the Quality of the video for a propper comparison), and Compare the Detail in both, that will give you an Idea of what the Chronos 2.1 should be able to do.
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The Monochrome version is basically just limited by the 1920x1080 Resolution. Images are as sharp as this resolution allows. color versions will be a bit less sharp, look up bayer sensors and anything related to learn more about this:
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayer_filter
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It is however not an extreme Loss in Shapness compared to Monochrome, but it is there. Monochrome Also allows for brighter images, requiring less light for such short exposure stuff you are doing.
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Most limiting Factor to The real world Resolution for those sensors is most of the time the Lens and Light situation (Sometimes also the User itself because of bad focus/ bad Settings), so you will need an Propper Lens to go with your camera if you want to get the most out of it.
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As far as actual still frames from the 2.1 Chronos go, i cant do anything for you right now, since i dont have my 2.1 yet. You can take a look at the other Thread here on the Forum, where you will find quite some Videos from People with a 2.1 Chronos. From what i have seen, the Footage from the 2.1 can get pretty close to the Maximum Image Quality, which 1920x1080 would be able to deliver, if used right.
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