500 Frame-Per-Second Fly Casting
Continuing the movie theme as of late, I wanted to point FF&W readers to a full collection of 500 frame-per-second fly-casting videos (hosted on Revver.com). Actually, if you’ve been reading this blog, you may have already seen these, but I figure that it never hurts to make them obvious. These videos are the result of work by Grunde Løvoll Ph.D., who I have worked with in the past on fly-casting articles (including “The Rod & The Cast”).
Because the time resolution is so high, the various parts of a cast, including loop formation, are quite easy to see. While the videos at Revver are at lower physical resolution than the original 1024X768-pixel camera files, you can still see the marked rod and line, which allows for approximate calculations of speed of various parts of the casting system (for reference, the rods used are 9 feet long). Note that these videos can also be downloaded (and in QuickTime format, as well, which allows for easy frame-by-frame viewing).
So, if you have any interest in what the fly cast really looks like, go and have a watch. There is a lot to see, even if you are just a “casual caster” who only has a passing curiosity about what goes on in otherwise blink-of-the-eye moments. For casting geeks, however, this stuff is like a drug. Go get your fix…
(Update: Steve (see below) asked about how to download the Revver vids. Here’s how:)
First, look for the menu shown below. It will be just under the actual video itself (for example, click on “Paradigm #1,” and let the page load). Then, click the blue QuickTime symbol. The video will re-load in QT format. Then…
…look for the menu below. It’s over on the right-hand side of the page. Once the QT format of the video has loaded, click the Download link. That should do it.
That just looks awsome!
They are cool! How do you download into quicktime? It’s either me or my mac, but I can’t do it!
Stan—Glad to hear you like it (them)… Prior to 2004/5, I had been looking into renting/buying a true high-speed cam (250+fps). To get the required physical resolution, coupled with the necessary frame rate, I found myself a bit short in the cash department. But then I got in touch with Grunde, and he started sending me the 500fps files. I was elated, to say the least!
I also have access to 200fps stuff in 3-D (via motion capture), but the system is not in my possession, so I can’t just grab video off it whenever the mood strikes, unfortunately… Hopefully this spring/summer, I’l be able to generate some multi-viewpoint videos from that mo-cap system. Keep watching!
Steve—There is a link on Revver itself that allows actual download of each video (in QT). I will make an update to this post that shows what to look for in order to get the files…
Sweet! I feel slightly stupid now, but it’s something I’ve had to get used to over the years! Nice one.
Steve—I realized once I read your first comment that the whole download thing might not be so cut-and-dry. It is better that I added the new bit on how to go about it, so no stupid (slightly or otherwise) on your end. Indeed, I should have been clearer to begin with…
Thanks to Jason for pointing to the videos again! I hope that even “non-geek-casters” will enjoy watching the movies.
Some comments:
All the movies where captured indoor during controlled false casting. The short casts where made with 10 meters of wf #5 fly-line _outside_ the rod tip and the longer casts with 16 meters of the same line.
The short casts where made with and without hauling while the long casts are all done with hauling.
If any of you have any questions regarding the movies just drop me (grunde.lovoll (at) gmail.com) or Jason a line.
Grunde
Thanks for stopping by and providing a few words, Grunde.
As a general note to FF&W readers: There is so much that has been done in the study of casting in the last seven years, and so much of it has not been in the mainstream angling media (at least not in the U.S.). I hope that FF&W can help “spread the word” a bit more in that regard.
Looking forward to our next project, Grunde…
Filming in a wind would show the effects wind has on a cast.
Another neat use for this would be filming an angler fighting a fish. Seeing the visable strains put on a rod. Just thinking out loud.