Editing Slow motion (section)

== Video file recording methods ==
Usually, [[digital video|digital]] [[camcorder]]s (including: [[bridge camera]]s, [[DSLM]], higher-end [[compact camera]]s and [[phone camera|mobile phone]]s) historically had two ways of storing slow motion video (or: [[high framerate video]]) into the video file: the ''real-time method'' and the ''menial method''.

{{anchor|realtime}}

=== Real-time method ===
The real time method treats the video as a normal video while encoding it. The output video file contains the same framerate as the [[image sensor]] output [[framerate]]. The duration of the video in the output file also matches the real-life recording duration. And the output video also contains an audio track, like usual videos.

This method is used by all [[GoPro]] cameras, [[Sony RX|Sony RX10/RX100]] series cameras (except in the time-limited "super-slow-motion" High Frame Rate (HFR) mode), [[Apple iPhone]]s with high framerate (slow motion) video recording functionality (starting with the [[iPhone 5s]] in late 2013), [[Sony Xperia]] flagships since 2014 ([[Xperia Z2]], first Sony flagship with precluded<!-- Possible on XDA-modified Xperia Z1 due to same CPU/GPU as Galaxy Note 3 that DOES support these capabilities. --> 120[[frames per second|fps]] video recording), [[LG V10|LG V series]] mobile phones <!--presumably G series as well--> and every [[Samsung Galaxy]] flagship phone since 2015 ([[Galaxy S6]]) for videos with 120 fps or higher.

Every [[video camera]] that is able to record at 60 [[frames per second|fps]] (e.g. [[Asus PadFone 2]] (late 2012: 720p@60 fps<ref name=GSM_Padfone2>[https://www.gsmarena.com/asus_padfone_2-5017.php Asus PadFone 2 on] [[GSMarena]]</ref>) and [[Samsung Mobile]] starting at the [[Galaxy Note 3]] (late 2013) with 1080p at 60 fps,<ref name=GSM_SGN3>[https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_note_3-5665.php Specifications] of the [[Samsung Galaxy Note 3]] at [[GSMArena]].</ref> labelled "smooth motion"), recorded it using the real-time method.

;Advantages:
* Video editing software (e.g. [[Sony Vegas]], [[Kdenlive]] and included software in mobile phones) and video playback software (e.g. [[VLC media player]]) allow treating such videos as both usual videos and slow-motion videos.
** During video editing and video playback, the indicated playback speed matches real life.
** Metadata viewing software (e.g. [[MediaInfo]]) shows a framerate and a time that matches the real-life conditions during the video recording progression.
* Video framerate and duration matches real life.
* Includes audio track, like normal framerate videos.

These advantages make the real-time method the more useful method for [[power users]].

{{anchor|menial}}

=== Menial method ===
The menial method saves recorded video files in a stretched way, and also without audio track. The framerate in the output file does not match the original sensor output framerate, but the former is lower.  The real-life timespan of the recording (while holding the camera) does not match the length of the video in the output file, but the latter is longer. The opposite is the case for [[time-lapse]] videos, where the effectively saved framerate is lower than for normal videos

This means that the action visible inside the video runs at slower speeds than in real life, despite the indicated playback speed of ×1.

This encoding method is used by the camera software of the following devices (incomplete list):
* [[Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000]] (2014; 1080p@120fps; 1/4×)
* [[Samsung Omnia 2]] ''GT-i8000'' (2009; [[QVGA]] 320×240@120fps;<ref name=GSM_Omnia2_review>[https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_i8000_omnia_ii-review-388.php Samsung GT-i8000 Omnia II review: "A surprising experience" – Page 1: Introduction.]</ref><ref name=PhoneArena_Omnia2_review>[https://www.phonearena.com/reviews/Samsung-Omnia-II-I8000-Review_id2231/page/3 PhoneArena review: Samsung Omnia 2 GT-i8000 – Page 3: "Camera, multimedia and software"].</ref> 1/4×<!--missing information: resolution-->) 
* Sony FDR-AX100 (2014; 720p@120fps; 1/4×<ref name=AX100manual>[https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/res/manuals/W001/W0014426M.pdf Sony FDR-AX100 user manual (help guide)] page 93: "This product records approximately 3-second-long fast actions or motions as an approximately 12-second-long slow-motion movie."</ref>)
* [[Sony RX#100 Series|Sony RX100]] IV, V, VI and VII: High Frame Rate (HFR) mode records at 240 fps up to 1,000 fps for 3–7 seconds.  This is saved at 24 - 60 fps, i.e. from 1/4x down to 1/40x speed.
* All [[Samsung Galaxy]] flagship devices starting from late 2012 to late 2014:
** 2012: [[Galaxy Note 2]]: 720×480@120fps
** 2013 <abbr title="First half of the year">H1:</abbr> [[Galaxy S4]] (800×450@120fps)
** 2013 H1: ''[[S4 Zoom]]'' (720×480@120fps)
** 2013 H2: [[Galaxy Note 3]] (1280×720@120fps)
** 2014 H1: [[Galaxy S5]], [[Galaxy K Zoom]], H2: [[Note 4]] (1280×720@120fps)
* Earlier{{which|date=September 2019}} [[OnePlus]] [[flagship]] devices (1280×720@120fps).
** [[OnePlus One]]<ref name=GSM_OnePlus1_review>[https://www.gsmarena.com/oneplus_one-review-1101p8.php GSMArena: "OnePlus One review: When opportunity strikes" – Page 8: "Camera and video":] "And finally here's a 720p video at 120 fps – slow motion. The phone captures the footage at 120 fps but then renders it in-house to 30 fps […]."</ref>

;Advantages:
* The output video file is directly playable as slow motion in video players that do not support adjusting the playback speed (e.g. on a [[Galaxy S3 Mini]]).
* The output video file is directly playable in video players and/or on devices that can only handle limited framerates (e.g. on a [[Galaxy S3 Mini]]).

{{anchor|table}} {{anchor|compare}}

=== Comparison ===

;Example:
A 120<sub>[[framerate|FPS]]</sub> video whose real-life recording duration is 00h:00m:10s can be encoded in the following methods seen in the table on the [[Samsung Galaxy Note 2]], [[SGS4|S4]], [[SGN3|Note 3]], [[SGS5|S5]] and [[SGN4|Note 4]] (example devices that use the menial method for 120fps video recording).

In this example, the real-time-method recording device can be an [[iPhone 5s]], a [[Galaxy S6]] (including variants), a [[Galaxy Note 5]], a [[Sony Xperia Z2]], [[Xperia Z3]] or [[Xperia Z5]].

This table also includes references from other video recording types (normal, low-framerate, [[time-lapse]]) to facilitate understanding for novice people.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-📽️
! 🎬 [[Encoding]] mode !! Complies with [[#realtime|real-time]]?  !! 📹 Exemplary [[image sensor]] output [[framerate]] !!  Effectively saved framerate<br /><small>Relative to real-life time</small> !! 🎞️📝 Output video file framerate !! 🕒🎥 Exemplary real-life recording duration !! 🕒📽️ Output video duration !! Total number of recorded frames !! 🎤 Audio recorded?
|- style="background:linear-gradient(to bottom,#bbb,#f8f9fa);"
| 🎞️ Slow-motion {{frac|1|2}} ([[#menial|menial]] ×1/2) || ✗ || 120fps || &nbsp;&nbsp;60fps <small>(because half truncated)</small> || &nbsp;&nbsp;30fps <small>(60fps if no frames truncated)</small> ||  00:00:10 || 00:00:20 || 600 <small>(1200 if no frames truncated</small>)  || {{no}} 🔇
|- style="background:linear-gradient(to bottom,#bbb,#f8f9fa);"
| 🎞️ Slow-motion {{frac|1|4}} (menial ×1/4) || ✗ || 120fps || 120fps || &nbsp;&nbsp;30fps || 00:00:10  || 00:00:40 || 1200 || {{no}} 🔇
|- style="background:linear-gradient(to bottom,#bbb,#f8f9fa);"
| 🎞️ Slow-motion {{frac|1|8}} (menial ×1/8) || ✗ || 120fps || 120fps || &nbsp;&nbsp;15fps  || 00:00:10 || 00:01:20 <small>(80 seconds)</small> ||1200|| {{no}} 🔇
|- style="background:linear-gradient(to bottom,#AFF,#0AF);"
| 🎞️ [[#realtime|Real-time]] slow-motion{{efn|"Real-time slow-motion" videos can be treated as normal videos by playing it back at original 1× speed. Their high [[framerate]] could appear as additional [[:wikt:smooth|smooth]]ness on [[computer monitors]] that support displaying higher framerates (i.e. gaming monitors).}}  ([[high framerate|HFR]])  || ✓ || 120fps || 120fps || 120fps  || 00:00:10 || 00:00:10 || 1200|| {{yes}} 🔊 
|- style="background:#ddf;"
| 🎞️ [[video recording|Normal video]] <small>(as reference)</small>   || ✓ || 30fps{{efn|Some cameras might use/offer [[variable frame rate]]s, although it is less common than constant framerates.}} || 30fps || 30fps  || 00:00:10 || 00:00:10 || 300 || {{yes}} 🔊 
|- style="background:#ffa;"
| 🎞️ Low-framerate <small>(as reference)</small>{{efn|Common example for [[surveillance camera]]s. It might also be 5 fps, but 10 fps is most suitable for this example.}}{{efn|The video can be sped up to be viewed as a [[time-lapse]].}}{{efn|Some cameras might record at lower framerates due to technical limitations, e.g. the [[Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1]] records 2160p@15fps instead of the usual 30fps, likely due to insufficient processing performance. On the Lumix CM1, 30fps can only be achieved at lower video resolutions such as 1080p.}}   || ✓ || 10fps || 10fps || 10fps  || 00:00:10 || 00:00:10 || 100|| {{yes}} 🔊{{efn|Not all [[CCTV]]'s record audio, but they do usually.}}
|- style="background:#ffd;"
| 🎞️ [[timelapse|Time-Lapse]] (×4) <small>(opposite example reference)</small> || ✗ (menial){{efn|In this example, the time lapse video gets saved in a sped-up (condensed) way, in the same way it is elongated in the menial slow motion method. One second of playback at an indicated playback speed of ×1 shows 4 seconds of real-life action.}} || 30fps <small>(for digital viewfinder preview)</small> || 7.5 fps || 30fps || 00:00:10 || 00:00:02.500[[millisecond|ms]] || 75 || {{no}} 🔇 
|- style="background:#ffd;"
| 🎞️ Time-Lapse (×8) <small>(opposite example reference)</small> || ✗ (menial) || 30fps <small>(for digital viewfinder preview)</small> || 3.75 fps || 30fps || 00:00:10 || 00:00:01.250ms || 37.5  || {{no}} 🔇 
|}