By Graham K. Rogers

Every once in a while an app appears that uses the camera output of the Phone with an interesting new effect or some special features. To be able to produce an unusual app and then remake the app into something far better is unusual, but there are some skilled developers of apps out there.

At the end of April this year I reviewed SloPro 60 and was impressed by what I was able to do: the output of slow-motion video is useful for examining processes carefully, both for analytical purposes as well as for the general aesthetic effects. As it came from the iTunes store it was free but an in-app purchase ($1.99) was valuable as it removed watermarking and added a number of effects. I was quite happy with the 60 fps output back then.

Update to Version 2.0

• Import videos
• Fast motion
• Optical flow
• Ghosting
• Frame blending
• Exposure/white balance lock
• Video feed
• More export options
• iPad support (now Universal)
• iPhone 3Gs support

For me the most significant part of the update was that the app will now record what is described as Super slow motion of 1000 fps as well as 500 fps. Perhaps the name is due for a change:

Editing

At the bottom of the screen (left/right in landscape) are access to the library, red start and stop recording button, and an icon for initial settings: sound on/off; and speed, marked as Slow (50%), Slower (40%) and Slowest (25%). But there is more to come in editing.

The Library contains videos already created. A tray icon at bottom left allowed video imports from two sources: the Camera Roll, so I could use videos already taken with the iPhone camera and other apps; and from iTunes File Sharing, with which I can transfer files to or from the Mac. As a clip was brought in from the Camera Roll its original frame rate and resolution were displayed (e.g. 23 fps and 1920 x 1080). There is also a Feed that showed an introduction to Slo Pro 2.0 and a tutorial as well as user output available on YouTube.

When a clip was displayed in the editing window the original length and slower speed time were shown at the top of the screen -- white and red respectively. At the right is an Edit button giving access to a panel with several new options. The current speed is displayed. There are 8 options available: 3 are for slower speeds (50%, 40% and 25%); 3 for faster frame rates (x 1.3, x2 and x4), with the last 2 requiring rendering; and the Super Slow of 500 fps or 1,000 fps, for which rendering is recommended.

A new Optical Flow panel allows other effects to be added: Optical Flow; Frame Blending; and Ghosting. Pressing any of these begins Processing which may take a little while, depending on the length of the clip. A clip of 11 secs that I had made in the earlier version of Slo Pro 60, slowed to 500 fps with Frame Blending, ended up at 3:09 minutes with over 5,600 frames.

In the editing window a slider is available at the bottom of the screen, to adjust IN and OUT speeds: I used that on a clip to have a normal speed at the beginning but a change to 1,000 fps for the end.

Exporting

It is easier to transfer a large file from Slo Pro 60 using the iTunes option if it is to be used on a computer say for further editing or inclusion in a project. Even then it may take a few minutes to process a clip ready for the transfer.

Comments

I had been inspired by some of the superb (2,000 fps) output recently available on MotoGP transmissions from Dorna, so when the Version 2.0 update appeared with these additional super slow options, this upped the game considerably for those using the iPhone as a means of recording video.

While any output from such a hand-held device cannot be expected to attain the quality of that from expensive, professional cameras (such as the Red series), at the almost-ridiculous price of $1.99 for the enhanced version users are able to create effects that would have been accessible only to those with high-level equipment a few years ago. As the app, as available for download in the iTunes store is free, this is a gift.

Slo Pro 60 -- which is "60" no longer -- is highly recommended.

Graham K. Rogers teaches at the Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University in Thailand. He wrote in the Bangkok Post, Database supplement on IT subjects. For the last seven years of Database he wrote a column on Apple and Macs.