FREEFLY SYSTEMS WAVE

FREEFLY WAVE HIRE

The Freefly Systems Wave camera is capable of a range of frame rate options at different resolutions, with the highest possible frame-per-second capture of 9,259. Still, that speed is not entirely useful as it requires an odd resolution of 2048 × 128 pixels. For a more practical aspect ratio, the Freefly Systems Wave camera can shoot 2K at 1461 fps and 4K at 422 fps.

Unexpectedly, popular stabiliser manufacturer Freefly has just announced a small, high-speed 4K global shutter camera called Wave. The camera sports a Super 35 sensor with a native resolution of 4096 x 3072. The maximum frame rate it can achieve is 9,259 fps (2048 × 128) along with lower fps in a wide variety of aspect ratios, predominantly in 2K and widescreen 4K modes.

Because the sensor has a 4: 3 aspect ratio with a native resolution of 4096 × 3072, some of the aspect ratios you can choose from are not what you would call "standard" for filmmaking. However, they do offer more vertical space for post-production work. Freefly Systems Wave rental from Camaleon Rental.

The maximum frame rate depends on the resolution of the image set by the camera's Width and Height settings.

The 4K at 422 fps records at 0.89 GB/sec, while the 2K at 1461 records at an even lighter 0.74 GB/sec. The camera offers a continuous recording time of 19 minutes in 4K slow motion and up to 23 minutes in 2K slow motion with the 1TB storage capacity option. However, the type of SSD that can meet the speed requirements of the Freefly Systems Wave limits the number of third party options. Systems Wave rental at Camaleon Rental.

There are two width options: 4096 (4K) and 2048 (2K). The 2K width option uses subsampling, which preserves the crop factor of the sensor but does not increase its sensitivity to light. Continuous recording is possible at all frame rates from 1 fps to the maximum in 1 fps increments. Freefly Systems Wave uses an internal 1TB or 2TB SSD (which is removable) for recording and uses 5:1 compression to create a manageable file. Although the maximum bit rate can reach up to 1GB/s, more standard aspect ratios will record slightly less than that.

Freefly Wave has a native ISO of 250 and a decent dynamic range of 10-11 steps, plus it can record continuously at all frame rates, from 1 fps to the maximum in 1 fps increments. It is also advertised as the first camera on the market to offer unlimited recording time at high speeds.

The camera records compressed Bayer RAW on a removable M.2 NVMe SSD with a typical compression ratio of 5:1 to 6:1 which, for now, cannot be opened in popular non-linear editing systems. For this, you'll need WaveViewer, a proprietary software used to transcode and edit native Wave clips.

Other notable features on board include a full-size HDMI for motorisation, an internal battery that provides over 60 minutes of battery life, USB Type-C port, 802.11b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth v4.2 connectivity, and more. All of the Wave's settings can also be controlled remotely using Mōvi Pro from 2500 feet away.

Freefly Systems chose the E-mount for the Wave camera because it has a very short flange distance, making it the easiest lens mount to adapt. This decision is not a problem since an adapter can be used to fit any type of lens regardless of its mount. As a note, the Freefly Systems Wave E-mount is passive, meaning there is no electronic connection to the lens.

Therefore, if you were expecting autofocus, it is not possible. The Freefly Systems Wave camera is designed for use with lenses that cover an S35 sensor. Faster lenses (with a higher aperture f-number or T-number) are preferable for shooting at high frame rates, where light is a scarce commodity. Systems Wave rental at Camaleon Rental.

The application allows some basic editing operations, as well as applying basic image adjustments and exporting clips to other formats, such as Cineform, H.264 and PNG/JPEG streams.

Freefly Wave is constructed entirely of aluminium and has rigid mounting points on all sides, weighing only 600g. The device comes equipped with an ultra-lightweight, locking passive E-mount that can accommodate a wide variety of manual lenses covering an S35 sensor. Interestingly, RED DSMC mounts are also compatible with an optional spacer.

The Freefly Systems Wave camera itself takes many of its design decisions from another type of modular cinema camera, as it has no built-in monitor. However, it is designed to work seamlessly with the Movi Pro integration system, which would give the shooter control of the camera from up to 2500 feet away. Systems Wave rental at Camaleon Rental.