Today the cameras that come equipped in mobiles have become one of the most precious assets when choosing any type of terminal. This is because phones have been gaining a lot of ground over the years to traditional cameras, not only in the quality to take pictures, but also when recording any type of video.
It is very common to find a variety of options and functions within any camera application on our phones. If we look back, we can see how it was not long ago from that time when we had to choose the shooting or video recording options well. And how could it be otherwise, the latest trend that the mid-range and high-end terminals present is slow motion recording .
What it consists of and its different modes
For those who do not know or have not had the pleasure of trying this function on their mobiles. This option allows you to capture with maximum clarity different scenes that are practically imperceptible to our eyes.
It is also true that in recent years all mobile devices have made so much progress that they come standard with increasingly complete astrophotography and editing modes. However, one of the functions that takes the palm of the hand for its great progress is the slow or super slow motion . The only downside is that to record this type of video we must know how it works and the different options that exist today.
Slow motion modes
It is important to know that slow motion recording achieves a unique visual effect, which basically comes from slowing down an action in order to capture more details. For this, the videos must have more images per second than in a simple recording. With this, it is possible to have a greater number of images, giving the user a feeling that the scene is longer than normal and passes slowly.
The good thing is that, today, most of the mobiles that we can find on the market have some type of this recording mode, either in the mid-range or in the high-end terminals . Although, it will also depend on the additional settings that are included in said camera of a certain device, even going unnoticed by many.
In our devices we will find, when recording a video, the traditional mode or one of the different Slow Motion modes . Depending on the mobile you have, you can find the following slow motion recording modes:
- 4X (120fps) and 8X (240fps) : this is the basic slow motion, which fulfills the standard function in this mode. With both modes, we will be able to capture different fast movements and make them look like a cinema.
- 32X (960fps): this mode will be perfect for capturing those movements or objects that move at a higher speed. Like, for example, the fall of drops of water or the explosion of a bubble.
- 64X (1920fps) : If we raise the bar a little more, we find this mode. Which will be ideal to capture those objects that move at high speed.
- 256X (7680fps) : the latter mode becomes the jewel in the crown. We can record any type of explosion and event that occurs almost fleetingly. That is, we will be able to convert 0.12 seconds of video in 32 seconds.
You have to know how to choose the mode for each shot
It must always be borne in mind that each speed has a different resolution, so the purpose for which we are going to use slow motion will also have to vary. And as we have commented previously, depending on the terminal we have, we can record at one speed or another .
In addition, it must be noted that when we record at more than “fps” or frames per second , more space will occupy the video in the mobile storage and, therefore, the processing time will be more or less fast. And the shooting window also has an influence, as it is directly related to the recording quality. What does this mean? Well, the more frames per second it has, the higher the quality.
Differences between slow motion and slow motion
For some time now, many smartphones have been accompanied by these two functions to record videos in a totally different way than usual. If we start to see the differences between these two modes, we will see that in Slow Motion, or super slow motion, it will allow us to record things as we have never seen them in real life and capture unique moments. On the other hand, the recording speed in normal slow motion will be a little higher. So the videos will be a bit faster.
Slow motion videos taking up more?
We have already been warning it before, and the truth is that slow motion videos occupy a greater storage space on the terminal than normal videos. More than anything it is due to the number of frames per second that the final result contains. We give you an example, a video recorded in HD resolution at 60 fps, will occupy more space than the same clip recorded in HD, but at 30 fps.
Keep an eye on the movements
It goes without saying that a slow motion video without movement would not make any sense. However, you should always be clear about these movements, since when recording in this mode all movements will be magnified. Many even recommend planning the scenes you want to shoot with the aim that the resulting footage is good.
In this way, each of the movements can be truly appreciated and it will be possible to reproduce videos with different situations in a surprising way. Therefore, if you want to record something in slow motion and the intention is to make it look good, you will have to shoot fast movements , but not sudden movements.
The light will be your ally
Keep in mind that when you record videos in slow motion with a mobile, you have to bear in mind that the main friend of this type of recording is light. And it is that for this type of videos a low ISO is necessary . That is, when the light begins to fail, the video will continue to be recorded, but each frame will have a greater flicker. That is why it will always be essential to have enough light to do it correctly.
Beware of the heat
We have already told you about the extra space that recording video in slow motion can entail. But, it is also essential to know that this process will cause our mobile to consume many more resources than usual . So much so, that we could even make the terminal heat up more than necessary, and more if we are in a place with a high temperature or in the middle of the street in full sun. In the worst case, a rapid rise in temperature would lead to the automatic closure of the mobile camera app by the operating system.