Production utilised Photron's Ultima APX ultra high speed, high resolution camera to digitally capture the killer shark attack at 1000 frames per second (fps) in full colour 1024x1024 pixel resolution
Photron reports the use of its high speed Ultima APX camera in the critically acclaimed BBC/Discovery Channel production of Planet Earth.
The ground-breaking, super-slow-motion segment shows a great white, killer shark attacking a Cape fur seal at dawn, off the southern tip of South Africa.
The unique, high speed imaging wildlife sequence is part of an 11-part TV series produced by the BBC and airing in the USA on the Discovery Channel.
BBC's six-member production crew utilised Photron's Ultima APX ultra high speed, high resolution camera to digitally capture the killer shark attack at 1000 frames per second (fps) in full colour 1024x1024 pixel resolution, leaving the viewer no question as to the demise of its prey.
The complete, surprise attack is documented in a spectacular, slow-motion sequence lasting 47 seconds.
Photron's advanced high speed imaging technology is typically utilised in highly controlled environments such as automotive crash testing or missile/ballistics testing, although the Ultima APX has also been utilised in sports broadcasting.
In 2006, the camera won an outstanding innovative technical achievement Emmy award for its slow motion replay capability and close-up action at 12,500fps of the impact of a golf ball broadcast by Golf on CBS.
The Ultima family of cameras, like the APX used in the BBC series, can image up to 3000 frames per second at full resolution, up to 10,000fps at 512x512 pixel resolution and up to 250,000fps at reduced resolution.
Designed to withstand harsh conditions and operate reliably in truly hostile environments, the compact size and remote camera head make the Ultima APX ideal for extraordinary shooting conditions such as the open sea.
Andrew Bridges, director, sales and marketing at Photron notes: "We are delighted to be an integral part of the breathtaking, wildlife imagery in Shark Attack at Dawn, so skillfully captured by BBC's Planet Earth camera crew.
"We are also very proud to lead the industry with our technical advancements in digital high speed imaging.
"We look forward to future opportunities as the premier, high speed camera supplier for many more, great filmmaking adventures".
Photron recently introduced the world's fastest high speed, megapixel video camera, the Fastcam SA-1.
A breakthrough, CMOS high speed imager, the new SA-1 features revolutionary sensor technology that images up to 5400 full, megapixel resolution frames per second with true, 12-bit resolution.
Light sensitivity and colour fidelity are superior even to the Ultima APX camera used by the BBC.
Other applications for Photron's highest speed imager include biomedical imaging, military, sports and entertainment, manufacturing, automotive and industrial motion analysis.
