We want to share a few videos that explain the principles behind slow motion video shooting. There is a lot of confusion when it comes to slow motion; how to shoot it, how to play it back and the dos and don’ts to get the best footage possible.  The principles of shutter speed, light sensitivity, triggering and playback are all based on classical photography techniques with the main difference being extremely short time-scales and the need for inordinate amounts of light… but it can get tricky!

The internet is an information tool that democratizes the ability of the audience to learn and experience new information shared by millions of individuals. Gladly this also includes high speed camera information and sample videos.  Be sure to subscribe to the channels behind these videos so that they can continue sharing their knowledge with all of us.

1) Gavin Free from the Slow Mo Guys has posted an explanation on their BTS channel The Slow Mo Guys 2 of why it is important to present slow motion videos at 24p, 25p and 30p instead of 60fps as some viewers often ask for. This is something of a given for slow motion connoisseurs but causes confusion for the average viewer. He goes in depth about his personal reasons and why it is imperative to use the less fps possible to convey specific detail that the human eye might miss.

Why aren’t Slow Mo Guys videos 60fps? by The Slow Mo Guys 2:

2) Young French Scientist Experimentboy has posted a video explaining the basics of slow motion shooting with a couple of cameras; Chronos 1.4 and a Phantom Miro.  Subtitles are included so if you are not fluent in French then you can follow along.  He also posts some very cool footage of his experiments with high speed cameras at the end of the video.

The mysteries of Slow-motion! – [Science 2.0] by Experimentboy:

3) The Slanted Lens Channel has also an educational video that goes over the basics of shooting with a professional high speed camera. The footage is from 2015 but the samples at the end of camera gear being demolished are worth a look just by the coolness factor. Shutter angle and triggering are covered in this video as well.

Basics of Shooting Slow Motion Video by The Slanted Lens:

There you have it, if you find some more educational videos you would like to share or better yet personal experiences or tips; please post them in the comments below. Thanks -HSC