Vision Research Phantom V4.1 high-speed camera teardown - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: tesla500
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 25, 2015, 09:29:09 pm
content: Here's a teardown of a Vision Research Phantom V4.1 high speed camera from around 2001. This 512x512 1000fps camera was quite revolutionary in its day, being self contained and connecting to a PC via firewire.Product pagefrom the manufacturer's websiteUpdate:Thanks to Aimed Research for providing the software and factory config file! The camera is now working. Be sure to check out the demo starting at 19:48 in the video.

author: krish2487
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 26, 2015, 07:34:33 am
content: Very nice teardown video!and a cool product!!Anyone hear "arduino" for the way the boards are stacked using the high speed B2B interconnects!!

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 26, 2015, 07:59:40 am
content: Try booting a linux CD and looking at the raw video output using something like VLC on linux. Most Firewire cards doing video work natively under linux, so no drivers if it is supported as a regular firewire video source.

author: firewalker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 26, 2015, 08:07:06 am
content: Any VID/PID from the device info table?Alexander.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 27, 2015, 12:04:37 am
content: ISTR Firewire has some standardised remote control protocol for controlling VCRs etc. I wonder if they implemented that - have you tried any firewire-camcorder interface software?

author: Emo
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 27, 2015, 04:23:46 pm
content: The vendor ID visible in your video; VEN_1180&DEV_0832 leads to a Ricoh R5C551 IEEE 1394 controller for which the drivers can be downloaded at several places. After installation perhaps the standardized commands will work, or even better, the Ricoh manuals can be used

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 27, 2015, 07:35:20 pm
content: Enjoyed the video.Look forward to seeing some videos of it in action. High speed cameras are cool! One day.....

author: tesla500
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2016, 09:36:11 pm
content: Woo hoo! Got it working!. First post is updated with the video.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 18, 2016, 10:48:53 pm
content: Quote from: tesla500 on January 18, 2016, 09:36:11 pmVery cool!I need a high speed camera. I've heard the Sony RX100 Mk4 is the best bet these days?

author: tesla500
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 19, 2016, 07:28:56 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on January 18, 2016, 10:48:53 pmSomething better may show up in your mailbag at some point early to mid this year

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 19, 2016, 10:47:13 am
content: I'm sometimes rather envious of Dave's mailbag.......................

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 19, 2016, 10:54:40 am
content: Quote from: tesla500 on January 19, 2016, 07:28:56 amI was supposed to get a Red camera donated for teardown a while back, but I didn't hear back after a few emails

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 19, 2016, 01:29:57 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on January 19, 2016, 10:54:40 amMaybe 25% of things I get randomly offered (and express interest in) actually show up

author: encryptededdy
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 20, 2016, 04:10:18 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on January 18, 2016, 10:48:53 pmYes, colour and high sensitivity 1000fps at ~480p and 250fps at ~1080p for <$1500 AUD is really good.Just be aware that the interface for slow motion isn't the best. Once you go into the slow motion "standby" mode, you can't change any manual settings. You have to exit the slow motion "standby" mode to change Focus, Aperture, SS, ISO etc. which is kinda clunky. Although if you use it for slow motion only occasionally and in full auto mode it shouldn't be an issue.