Cameras
Phantom Flex Reference: Modes and Historical Prices
Check the original Flex's mode, frame rate and historical price scope.
Original Flex · archived specification
| Image size and mode | Up to |
|---|---|
| 1920 × 1080 · Standard | 2,570 fps |
| 1920 × 1080 · HQ | 1,275 fps |
| 2560 × 1600 · Standard | 1,455 fps |
Historical camera-line range: $50,000–$150,000
The archived dealer page applies this range to the Phantom line, not a fixed price for one Flex body.
Source: AbelCine, July 2017 archive. Historical values; request a current package quote.
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The original Phantom Flex is a high-speed cinema camera. Choose the image size and Standard or HQ mode together. A maximum frame rate alone does not tell you how long the camera can record, how it will save the take or which lens will cover the image.
Which Phantom Flex is this?
This reference covers the original Phantom Flex, whose documented maximum image size is 2560 × 1600. The Flex4K is a separate model. Use our Phantom Flex4K reference for its 4K recording paths and dated launch prices.
The figures above follow the archived dealer specification. Vision Research's archived preliminary Flex data sheet also gives 2,570 fps at 1920 × 1080 in Standard mode. Match a rental body's settings and firmware to its own documents before booking it.
What changes in HQ mode?
HQ uses the camera's image-processing approach to improve image stability as shooting conditions change. It trades maximum speed for that behavior. The archived specification gives 1,275 fps at 1920 × 1080 in HQ, against 2,570 fps in Standard.
AbelCine's October 2010 Q&A with Moe Shore explains the mode and describes the speed tradeoff as roughly half. Some older documents show slightly different limits. Read the dated table as a table for that configuration, rather than treating every historical number as one universal setting.
For a simple timing example, 2,400 captured frames shown at 24 frames per second play for 100 seconds. That is playback arithmetic, not a promise of a camera's available memory or a measured recording time. Work out how much real action you need before choosing the capture rate.
How do you plan the recording path?
The original Flex supports raw and video workflows. The archived product page describes a CineMag path and HD-SDI output, with video scaling separate from the captured image size. A monitor's output format is not proof of the raw file's dimensions.
Before the shoot, ask the rental supplier to demonstrate the exact path you will use. Record a short take, save it, copy it to your edit system and open the file. Check the image size, playback rate, framing and color path there. Keep that sample with the job notes so the crew can repeat the setup.
Allow time between takes for saving and checking the shot. Do not count only the few seconds when the action happens. Include the operator, media and offload equipment in the booking, and agree who checks that copies are complete before any media is reused.
What does the old price range mean?
The AbelCine page captured on July 16, 2017 describes $50,000 to $150,000 for the Phantom camera line, depending on model and features. Its individual item uses quote-based pricing. The range therefore does not establish a fixed selling price for one Flex body.
Treat it as dated context for older articles. For a present booking or purchase, request a written quote covering the exact body, lens mount, memory, media, support and operator. Keep taxes, transport and insurance in the same budget. An old camera-line range cannot answer those questions.
What should you check before the first take?
- Read the model name on the body, then confirm the chosen mode and image size.
- Frame with the actual lens and settings you intend to record.
- Try the lights at the intended rate and exposure. Review the recorded sample for flicker.
- Agree when the operator triggers, saves and clears a take.
- Open a copied sample in the intended edit system before the production depends on it.
For the rest of the kit, use the filmmaking equipment guide. This reference summarizes the linked historical documents.