iOS Slow motion program?

[jamesapp]

Hello,
I have never programmed for the iPhone before. I have an excellent app called imotion on my iPhone. It is a stop motion animation program. You can time the camera to take pictures automatically at intervals. So like you can have the phone take a hundred pictures at an eight second interval inbetween shots. I have fooled around with it, the camera makes the noise when the picture is taken. It is really a well made app.

My question is: I wondered if I could write a program to do slow motion? I would think it could be like imotion but the program would have to take pictures very rapidly. And I wondered would the hardware of the iPhone and it's camera support this. Like could I take 60 still pictures in a second? And then I wondered, that is a lot of pictures and maybe it wouldn't be practical. Like at that rate there would be 180 pictures in three seconds. And they would potentially take up a lot of space.

Other concerns I had were battery usage, and the iPhone heating up. I would like to know what people think. Like even if it isn't pratical is it possible? I thought too that I would have to find out how to turn the shots into a video, like imotion. Any thoughts or help would be appreciated.

 

[rossipoo]

I don't know the iPhone specifics, but there is definitely no way the iPhone is capable of this. Generally, only higher end video equipment can do this.

 

[dejo]

I don't know the iPhone specifics, but there is definitely no way the iPhone is capable of this.

I don't know how you can say "definitely" when you admit you don't know the iPhone specifics.

 

[itickings]

I don't know how you can say "definitely" when you admit you don't know the iPhone specifics.

Personally, I would have written "highly unlikely" instead, but on the other hand knowing the specifics isn't strictly necessary to make a reasonable general claim.

If the hardware were up to the task, the camera and video applications for the iPhone would most likely be much snappier and smoother than they are now, wouldn't they?

 

[dejo]

Personally, I would have written "highly unlikely" instead, but on the other hand knowing the specifics isn't strictly necessary to make a reasonable general claim

"Definitely" does not seem to me to be a reasonable general claim. It's far more specific than that.

If the hardware were up to the task, the camera and video applications for the iPhone would most likely be much snappier and smoother than they are now, wouldn't they?

I would think. I also seriously doubt what the OP wants is possible. But without scientific proof to disprove the possibility, I would leave it in the realm of "possible, though highly unlikely".

 

[MrCrispy]

the iphone camera records video at 30 frames per second. Most cameras record at 32 frames per second as it creates the best illusion of movement. In order to create slow motion, you need to record at a higher frame rate then play it back at 32. The only small frame camera capable of that at the moment is the Kodak Zi8 which can record HD video at 60fps (which is essentially the bare minimum for a noticeable slow motion effect). The Zi8 has significantly different lens and digital sensor technology than the iphone does.

I can say, without a shadow of doubt, that decent high speed video is essentially impossible on a stock iphone. You may be able to code some shenanigans via a jailbroken phone but even then I doubt the results would be decent.

 

[itickings]

Most cameras record at 32 frames per second as it creates the best illusion of movement.

32 frames per second? Where did you get that? Sounds horribly inconvenient, it doesn't match any of the standard distribution formats I know of.

 

[MrCrispy]

32 frames per second? Where did you get that? Sounds horribly inconvenient, it doesn't match any of the standard distribution formats I know of.

32 is default for most computer animation programs. The human mind will perceive a flicker below 30 frames per second (on average).

NTSC runs at an interlaced 30fps, PAL is an interlaced 25. I used 32 as an average number but most cameras (of the non HD variety) shoot at 30. Sorry for not clarifying in the original post.

regardless: no slow-mo on iphone

 

[dejo]

32 is default for most computer animation programs.

Source?

 

[itickings]

32 is default for most computer animation programs.

Are you absolutely sure you're not confusing this with the fps required for computer games to be perceived as smooth? Computer gaming is a completely different situation.

I believe most digital cameras recording at 30fps is more because of NTSC rather than it being some sort of visual optimum. If you create or edit video, you don't want to do so with a frame rate different from your target medium unless you have to. 32fps won't work with PAL, NTSC or the standard HD formats. Sounds extremely strange.

Sorry for not clarifying in the original post.

...still waiting for clarification. I'm eager to learn.