The world’s first full 4K super slow motion camera is due to be launched on Friday. The For-A FT-ONE will be shown at Cine Gear Expo (1-2 June) at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, writes David Fox. Although the camera is primarily aimed at high-speed usage for motion picture production, its ability to record up to 1,000 frames per second at a resolution of 4096 x 2160 will also make it very suitable for sports events where producers might want the ability to crop HD frames from the 4K pictures, or for archive in anticipation of 4K transmissions in future. The FT-ONE uses a high-sensitivity CMOS colour sensor, the FT1-CMOS, developed by For-A. Images are captured as uncompressed raw data on the system’s internal (RAM) memory, which has a recording capacity of 8.5 seconds. This data is then stored on one of two hot-swappable SSD cartridges. Each cartridge is capable of storing 75 seconds of full 4K resolution images, enabling up to 150 seconds with a maximum of two SSD cartridges. The FT-ONE will be able to simultaneously record and play back in full 4K resolution. At the user’s preference, one output channel can provide either full 4K output, or four 1080p HD-SDI outputs, while the other output channel provides down-converted HD-SDI for live viewing and the control menu. “While digital cinematography has been widely adopted within the motion picture production and post production communities, there has been a technology gap — the ability to record super slow motion image at full 4K resolution,” said Hiro Tanoue, president for For-A Corporation of America. “The new FT-ONE completes the 4K workflow by introducing this ability, with the high-level performance this application demands. We chose Cine Gear Expo as the venue for our breakthrough announcement since this event draws key decision makers and creatives seeking the latest solutions for high-end entertainment production. With the FT-ONE camera rolling, they can rest assured they won’t miss that critical action shot.” The FT-ONE camera uses a PL mount lens and the global shutter system makes the FT-ONE free from the picture distortion caused by the rolling shutter system. The camera is designed as a self-contained unit that is claimed to be dependable and easy to use. It weighs 7kg with dimensions of 235mm(W) x 294mm(H) x 384mm(D). www.for-a.com
