Speed demon: The new Phantom T2110 will capture 1280 x 800 at an astonishing 21,000 fps, but you can crank it much higher than that.
Vision Research’s latest Phantom T2110 camera has a custom 1-megapixel (Mpx), back side illuminated (BSI) sensor. Which, of course, sounds like not much to worry any other camera manufacturer at all, but this is Vision Research and the Phantom is all about speed.
The camera will capture 1280 x 800 at a frankly astonishing 21,000 fps, meaning that every second of captured footage can be spooled out over 11 minutes. But drop the resolution down and it goes even faster, topping out at 483,330 fps when capturing 640 x 64. That stretches out that single second to over four and a half hours.
Obviously there are not a lot of creative uses there, though we can think of some directors famed for their glacial slowness who might be tempted, highlighting the fact that the main market for the Phantom once you reach those speeds is in scientific applications. Or, of course, you can set up a whole business around them like the superb Slow Mo Guys do. Here’s their latest: a triple mid-air paintball collision.
That was filmed at a massive 82,000fps on the Phantom TMX 7510. Yes, they do make faster cameras.
But back to the T2110. Pricing information is unavailable as per usual with Phantom, but the implication is that this is a cheaper model than the high end and also more compact too, meaning that it can be positioned in places currently inaccessible to the top range models.
Its proprietary 12-bit 1280 x 800 BSI sensor provides several benefits like 84.3 QExFF (mono) and 40 dB signal to noise ratio (SNR), translating to excellent image performance in difficult conditions. This sensor architecture also achieves an impressive image throughput of 21 gigapixels per second (Gpx/s). Internal memory starts at 32 GB and extends up to 256 GB, which you might well need as that will only provide you with 8 seconds of footage at max frame rate and 1280 x 800.
Configurable options include a UV-extended sensor, a CineMag interface, and a FAST option for 190 nanoseconds exposure time. Users also have the option of a fully automated workflow using image-based auto-trigger (IBAT), combined with multi-Cine partitions and continuous recording.
The camera’s programmable I/O supports applications requiring advanced synchronization and interfacing with data acquisition (DAQ) systems or measurement sensors. Which is a bit handy because you don’t really want to be relying on pressing the button at just the right moment when it comes to this sort of speed.