Canon 7D @ 1000 fps / Cameron Moll / Designer, Speaker, Author

Canon 7D @ 1000 fps

published 20 September 2010

This is a test video shot by Oton Bačar with a Canon 7D at 60 frames per second (fps). Yes, the headline is confusing. It says 1000 fps. What up, Jack?

Well, from what I can gather reading through the 300+ comments on the Vimeo page, Oton used a plug-in called Twixtor that artificially alters the frame rate of footage. This plug-in is compatible with After Effects, Premiere Pro, Final Cut, and several other programs.

In Oton’s video, Twixtor took footage shot at 60 fps and slowed it down to 1000 fps by inserting artificial frames. Or in technical terms, here’s how Twixtor explains it:

Twixtor synthesizes unique new frames by warping and interpolating frames of the original sequence… employing RE:Vision’s proprietary tracking technology that calculates motion for each individual pixel.

In other words (assuming I’m understanding right), an extra 940 frames per second were artificially generated using the 60 frames per second available in the raw footage as reference. It’s not perfect. As some of the comments on Vimeo mention, if you look closely you’ll see some subtle artifacts on the edges of the bike and rider.

But this is some pretty impressive footage nonetheless. And to capture it with a stock Canon 7D (and Oton’s artistic eye)? Even more impressive.

/thx to reader Dan for the find