LAS VEGAS—Apr 16, 2012
Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS Announces High Frame Rate 3D Technology at NAB 2012
Head of Department Moving Picture Technologies Siegfried Foessel reveals high frame rate capabilities for 3D, shot with 120 frames per eye
The Department of Moving Picture Technologies at Fraunhofer IIS, the world’s renowned source for audio and multimedia technologies, announces its high frame rate technologies being tested in the 3D space. Together with ARRI and Stereotec, Fraunhofer IIS shot short test clips with 120 frames per eye (fpspe) to simulate content at various frame rates and to create digital cinema packages (DCP) that will play back at 24 fpspe, 30 fpspe and 60 fpspe based on the same footage. For the shooting two ARRI ALEXA cameras and a midsize rig from Stereotec were used.
Siegfried Foessel, head of department Moving Picture Technologies at Fraunhofer IIS, explained the technology and tested these clips at the 2012 Technology Summit On Cinema: Advances in Image and Sound to show the audience how the direct comparison can be made on the visual appearance between high frame rate 3D and low frame rate 3D.
Until now, 3D movies were shot and viewed with 24 fps. This low frame rate has been known to lead to motion blur or stuttering during scenes with fast movement. For projection the left and right image playback was combined in most cases with the triple flashing technique. But this is only a substitution for high frame rate capture and playback of scenes.
Higher frame rates for 3D shooting and viewing promise better image quality. Film greats like Peter Jackson and James Cameron know this to be true, and shot Hobbits with 48 fpspe and announce Avatar 2/3 with 60 fpspe, respectively.
As the clips are calculated from the same 120 fps per eye footage, the direct influence of different frame rates and camera shutter angles can be made visual.
“With high frame rate video capture and playback, fast movements can be reproduced in a way that is very close to the natural visual impression. In the past, this has been demonstrated in the broadcast area, especially for sport videos. Concerning 3D, lower frame rates reduce the 3D effect due to the occurrence of unsharpness of fast movements. So, high frame rate technology is to be recommended for an optimal result on the screen”, says Siegfried Foessel, head of department Moving Picture Technologies.
