In the never-ending pursuit of video capture at higher frame rates than ever before, the team at Vision Research has outdone itself with the latest camera in its Phantom lineup, the Phantom v2640.
The CMOS sensor inside the Phantom v2640 is only four megapixels. But what it lacks in resolution, it makes up for in just about every other category. At full resolution (2,048 x 1,952 pixels) it captures video at 6,600 frames per second (fps) and almost doubles that to 11,750fps at 1080p resolution. The dynamic range of the Phantom v2640 is also the highest in any Phantom camera to date, which is a critical feature considering how fast the minimum shutter speed of the Phantom v2640 is, at 142 nanoseconds. Yes, you read that right — nanoseconds.
Made with researchers, scientists, and engineers in mind, the Phantom v2640 comes in both color and monochrome models. The color model maxes out at 11,750fps, while the monochrome version can use a specialized mode to bump up the frame rate to 25,030fps, although that comes at the cost of resolution, dropping it down to just one megapixel.
As you would expect with so many frames, storage is a major factor in recording limits. It’s for this reason Vision Research is offering the Phantom v2640 with up to 288GB of onboard memory. If more space is needed, it’s also compatible with Vision Research’s 1TB and 2TB CineMags. Offloading data is done using a 10Gb Ethernet connection.
As for design, the camera looks like most other Phantom cameras released by Vision Research. It features a block-like design with a basic handle and massive vents on both sides to keep the internals cool.
Pricing for the Phantom v2640 hasn’t yet been announced, but it’s safe to assume this beast won’t come cheap. A recent predecessor of the Phantom v2640, the Phantom v2512, retailed for $110,000 at launch.
That said, if you have a hundred grand burning a hole in your pocket — or you just want to find out more specs of this thing — head on over to Vision Research’s website where you can find out more information and detailed instructions on how to pre-order the Phantom v2640.
