The camera is normally in Standby mode, ready to record. When in Standby, the settings menu lists image capture and camera settings at the top of the HDMI preview. Navigate the menu using the Scroll Wheel and Select Button. Hide the menu by clicking the Close Icon (×) in the top-left corner. Show the menu again by clicking the Select Button. Navigating the menu is disabled while recording.

Clicking Play Icon (►) in the menu will put the camera into Playback mode.

Most settings are preserved when the camera is powered down. A brief description of the individual settings follows:

Width and Height

Ember can shoot in a variety of resolutions and aspect ratios. The Width and Height of the frame are set independently. See Resolutions and Frame Rates for a list of Width and Height combinations matching standard aspect ratios. The selected Height also determines the maximum Frame Rate.

Frame Rate

This menu shows a list of available capture frame rates for the selected height and Project Frame Rate. The first menu item (USER) is a custom frame rate that can be adjusted in increments of 1 fps. The second menu item (MAX) automatically selects the highest available frame rate. The remaining items are whole number multiples of the Project Frame Rate, plus some other common frame rates.

When using an NTSC Project Frame Rate, the available capture frame rates are divided by 1.001 to be whole number multiples of the Project Frame Rate. This is indicated by the unit "fps/1.001" next to the selected frame rate. For example, with a Project Frame Rate of 23.976, 600fps becomes 600fps/1.001 = 599.4fps, exactly 25x the Project Frame Rate.

Shutter Angle

The shutter angle can be used to adjust exposure and motion blur. To convert from shutter angle to exposure time, use the following formula:

Iris (Active EF Mount)

For EF photo lenses, the lens aperture (f-stop) can be controlled with this setting. For EF cine lenses, the current T-stop is reported instead.

Gain

Three gain settings are available: ISO 100, 200, and 400. These can be used to adjust exposure. They are analog gains applied in the image sensor, not digital gains. Lower gains have slightly less noise in adequate lighting, but using ISO 400 is preferred over using a lower gain and pushing the shadows in post.

Ember ISO values are saturation-based; they do not depend on the OETF selected. For the same saturation-based ISO, the exposure level of middle gray still depends on the OETF selected, with HLG Beta exposing middle gray approximately one stop more than Rec. 709.

OETF

Ember supports two OETFs: Rec. 709 and HLG Beta. Only the tone curve is adjusted by the OETF setting. The color space is not transformed beyond white balance and will generally be undersaturated without further adjustment.

Rec. 709 uses the transfer curve of the Rec. 709 standard, which is a gamma of approximately 2.2 with a slope limit of 4.5x in shadows. HLG Beta is based on the Hybrid Log Gamma transfer curve, adapted to better fit this sensor. (Using a standard HLG LUT is not recommended). It boosts the shadows and flattens the highlights compared to Rec. 709, which helps preserve more dynamic range but may amplify shadow noise.

Color Temperature and Tint

Color temperatures ranging from 2000K to 9600K are available for white balance. Ember is calibrated at 3200K, 5600K and 8000K. Tint (green/magenta) can also be adjusted ±10%.

Project Frame Rate

The Project Frame Rate (Time Base) sets the playback speed of the recorded video, which gets encoded into the video file. Common project frame rates from from 23.976 to 120.000 are available, to simplify importing Ember videos into projects. The ratio of capture speed (Frame Rate) to playback speed (this setting) is the amount of slow motion applied. For example, a 600fps capture with a 24fps Project Frame Rate gives 600/24 = 25x slow motion.

Note: Changing Project Frame Rate may also change the HDMI output frame rate, which will cause monitors to resynchronize.

Pre-Record (2.56TB pSLC)

When a compatible SSD is installed, this setting enables pre-record buffering of between 1s and 2hr, depending on capture settings and available disk space. The selected value is allocated as a circular buffer when the camera is armed and overwritten continuously until the camera is triggered, at which point post-trigger recording continues until stopped. See the Pre-Record feature description for more details on this mode of operation.

Fan

The fan profile can be set to LOW, NORMAL, or HIGH based on preference. LOW can be used to keep the fan off for short clips or when in Standby. HIGH can be used to force the fans to maximum speed whenever recording is in progress. Regardless of the setting, the fans will turn on and adjust their speed when necessary to maintain system performance.

Power

This menu allows the warning and cutoff voltages to be adjusted. The defaults (12.0V warn, 10.0V cutoff) are set for typical 4-cell V-Mount batteries. When the voltage drops below the warning level, an orange "LOW" indication will flash in the status bar. When the voltage drops below the cutoff level for more than five seconds, the camera will close the in-progress clip and safely shut down, to prevent data loss.

Time/Date Set

Set the time and date to be used for file timestamping.

Format

The internal SSD can be formatted (erased) from this menu. This is the only method of deleting files from the camera. Select the desired Camera Letter and Reel Number for the next job. The Reel Number will automatically increment unless set to something different. Click Confirm to format the SSD and apply the new Camera Letter and Reel Number.

The word "FORMATTING..." will appear in the status bar while formatting is in progress. Formatting may take up to 60 seconds, depending on how full the SSD was. Do not power down the camera during formatting. After formatting is complete, only power down the camera using the power switch (safe shutdown). Do not remove the battery or power cable until the shutdown is complete.

Default

The camera settings can be restored to their default values from this menu.

Wi-Fi Settings

Wi-Fi can be turned on/off and set to a specific channel using these settings.

SSID / IP

This menu displays the Wi-Fi SSID and both the Wi-Fi and Ethernet IP addresses of the camera, used for connecting with the App.

Firmware Update Instructions:

Firmware Update Video Tutorial

The camera firmware can be updated over USB using the following procedure:

1. Power on the camera while holding down the Select Button to enter Firmware Update mode. Continue to hold down the Select Button until the LED flashes green slowly.

2. Plug in the USB cable. The camera will appear as a USB drive. This drive is separate from the one where clips are stored, so your footage won’t be visible, but is safe and not affected by the firmware update.

3. Copy the new firmware file (EMBER.BIN) into the 'fw' folder.

4. Click the Select Button. The LED will begin to flash green quickly as the firmware is updated.

5. Wait for the camera to automatically restart with the new firmware. This should take up to two minutes.

Latest Firmware: v1.5.2 (2023-12-04)

Release Notes

• Support for Stabilization using the latest Ember App. (Wired connections only)

• Updates to timed metadata so that it is preserved when trimming clips.

• Additional metadata optimizations and bugfixes.

Previous Versions

v1.4.17 (2023-10-11)

Release Notes

• Optimizations to improve USB transfer speed. Expected improvement is 30-50% on USB 3.x hosts. Typical transfer speeds are now 300-350MB/s.

• Bugfix to address an issue that could cause dropped frames or software crash with long clips at max frame rate, especially in the second half of the SSD.

• See Release Notes for v1.4.14 below for new features introduced in v1.4.x if you are upgrading from v1.3.x.

v1.4.14 (2023-09-20)

Release Notes

• Adds setting for Project Frame Rate (Time Base). This sets the playback speed of captured video, which gets encoded in the video file. Common settings from 23.976 to 120.000 are available. See Menu and Settings for more information on how Project Frame Rate and capture FPS are related. Note: Changing Project Frame Rate may also change the HDMI output frame rate, which will cause monitors to resynchronize.

• File system improvements including safe shutdown, SSD TRIM (improves write performance), and reduced delays with many clips on the SSD. Note: Formatting may take up to 60s now.

• Support for App Control, Playback, and Export via Ethernet.

• Support for App Playback and Export via USB (fastest method).

• Improvements to App Playback and Export speed across all interfaces.

• Support for Remote Menu Control via UART. See Pinouts and Remote Control for the public interface definition. MōVI Pro/XL/Carbon support via MōVI Controller also coming soon.

• Improved timestamp accuracy for frame and IMU metadata.

• Restored User FPS all the way down to 1fps.

• On-camera UI tweaks including dedicated Play Icon (►) for one-click switch to Playback, HDMI viewport scaling to not be covered by on-screen display, new FPS list w/ speed multipliers.

• Bugfix for occasional sensor link training failures on some cameras that would cause magenta blocks to appear until a reboot.

• Other minor bugfixes and optimizations.

v1.3.15 (2023-08-16)

Release Notes

• Fixes a bug that would cause sensor link training to occasionally fail on some cameras, resulting in magenta bars in the image that could only be cleared by power cycling.

• This firmware version is still compatible with the Beta iOS Freefly Ember App, which is available on TestFlight.

v1.3.14 (2023-07-24)

Release Notes

• Fixes a bug that prevented saving clips in native ProRes format after trimming in QuickTime. With the fix, it's possible to open a clip from the camera drive, trim it in QuickTime, and save the trimmed version in native ProRes format to another drive.

• The fix also allows trimming in Finder, but only for clips already transferred to a local drive. (The camera's drive is considered read-only in Finder.)

• This firmware version is still compatible with the Beta iOS Freefly Ember App, which is available on TestFlight.

v1.3.13 (2023-07-14)

Release Notes

• Fixes a bug that caused the camera to crash when previewing clips from the camera's drive in macOS while also transferring files off the drive in the background.

• Fixes a bug that could cause missing or corrupted frames when starting a new clip immediately after viewing a clip of a different resolution in Playback.

• Updates to support factory calibration process.

• This firmware version is still compatible with the Beta iOS Freefly Ember App, which is available on TestFlight.

v1.3.11 (2023-06-21)

Release Notes

• Updates to on-camera UI

• Firmware support for Beta iOS Freefly Ember App, Available on Testflight

• Enables on-camera Wifi for iOS App Support

• Bug Fixes for edge cases related to additional per-frame metadata

• Bugfix for playback speed control, some playback issues for clips of shorter lengths

Additional Notes

• Fan Mode 'LOW' will now disable active cooling after 30s or when Recording starts when in ideal thermal conditions

• Firmware Update instructions are unchanged, but Firmware restart may take up to 120 seconds instead of 40 seconds

v1.2.4 (2023-05-24)

• Adds IMU and additional per-frame metadata to recorded clips. Metadata format and parsing tools will be released later.

• Optimizations for power reduction in color processing pipeline.

• Optimizations for sensor link training to improve robustness over wider temperature changes during long clips.

• Fan profiles updated to force high fan speed when recording in 5K at 400fps or above. In testing, this was beneficial to reduce large temperature changes during long clips.

• User FPS is limited to a minimum of 16fps - lower values were not being properly set up in hardware. They will return in a later release.

• UX Improvements: Always show REC when recording, auto-select Playback when opening Mode menu, improve scroll wheel feel for entering custom values (e.g. User FPS).

• Back-end setup for iOS App (coming soon).

v1.1.2 (2023-04-28)

• Increases signal amplitude from image sensor to SoC for improved link training margin.

v1.1.0 (2023-04-13)

• Fixes a bug that could cause the ProRes Encoder to fail after several minutes of recording at max frame rate in 5K.

v1.0.6 (2023-04-07)

• Adds on-camera playback.

• To prevent media access contention, menus and recording are locked out when USB is connected. USB connection is locked out while recording.

• Fixes a bug that would cause artifacts in the middle of the right edge of Ember clips on certain viewers, including Dropbox.

• Fixes a bug that would allow the User FPS to be set higher than the maximum value at a given resolution and not match the actual recorded frame rate.

v1.0.2 (2023-03-21)

• Initial release

Download the latest &

User Inputs

Ember S5K Color

The following table lists the Width (top row) and Height (left column) combinations supported by the Ember S5K in full color. Only Height affects the maximum frame rate (right column). Widths below 5K are center-cropped. Common aspect ratios are noted.

(1) Available in FW v2.0, coming soon. (2) Available as 2176 until FW v2.0, coming soon.

Ember S2.5K Color / Ember S5K Mono

The following table lists the Width (top row) and Height (left column) combinations supported by the Ember S2.5K in full color and the Ember S5K in monochrome (available for all Ember S5K in FW 2.0, coming soon). Both use 2x2 pixel binning, but only the S2.5K has a matching Quad Bayer color filter array. Only Height affects the maximum frame rate (right column). 2K width is center-cropped. Common aspect ratios are noted.

In this mode, clips recorded to the internal SSD can be browsed and played back for review. Navigate the playback menu using the Scroll Wheel and Select Button. Exit Playback Mode and return to by clicking the Close Icon (×) in the bottom-left corner.

A brief description of Playback operation follows:

Clip Selection

When entering Playback, the most recently recorded clip will be loaded. To change clips, select the clip number in the bottom left of the Playback menu and scroll through the list of available clips. The first frame of each clip will be shown while scrolling. Select a clip to load it for playback.

Play/Pause and Speed Ramping

To start playing a clip, scroll to and click PLAY +1x. While playing, scroll right or left to change the speed of playback or rewind. Click again to pause.

Frame Scrubbing

Scroll to and select the frame number to enable frame scrubbing. Scroll right and left to scrub forward and backward. Click again to exit frame scrubbing.

When a suitable SSD is installed, Ember has the ability to pre-record a user-set amount of time to a flash-based circular buffer. This allows for capturing spontaneous events without wasting a lot of disk space.

To use this feature, set the Pre-Record buffer time using the on-camera menu or App. Then, press the Record button once to arm the camera. While armed, frames are recorded to a circular buffer on the SSD. When the event happens, press the Record button again to trigger the camera. The current circular buffer frames are committed and recording continues normally until stopped.

This feature is only available when a 2.56TB pSLC SSD is installed (standard on Ember S2.5K, optional on Ember S5K). pSLC flash has very high endurance, allowing it to handle long durations of armed circular buffer recording without wearing out. Other high speed cameras use large amounts of RAM for this purpose. By using pSLC flash, Ember can support much longer pre-record times and has no down-time for copying the buffer to flash.

Pinouts

Freefly P/N can be used to power Ember from a D-Tap power supply or battery output.

Simple Remote Start/Stop (GPI)

GPI2/RS can be used to create a simple remote start/stop trigger, either using a physical momentary switch or with active logic from a host microcontroller:

In both cases, recording toggled on/off on the rising edge of the GPI2/RS signal. Debouncing and edge detection is handled on-camera. The minimum low pulse is 8ms and the minimum high pulse is 500ms. Pulses shorter than these values will be ignored.

Since the GPIO interface is optically isolated, the host most also supply 3.3-5.0V power on VIN, to power its side of the optocoupler. The current drawn will be <20mA. GPI2/RS is pulled up to VIN in the camera, so the host-supplied power should match the logic voltage.

QX10001 Remote Menu Control (UART)

An external host can control the camera by transmitting a specific packet to the camera, which receives it on the UART Rx pin. The UART configuration is 115200 8-N-1. Packets may be sent only when user inputs are made on the external device (preferred) or on a regular interval up to 100Hz.

The following table specifies the packet used to remotely control the on-camera menu and start/stop recording. Numbers with an 'h' suffix (e.g. 51h) are hexadecimal values. Numbers with no suffix are decimal values. Characters in single quotes (e.g. 'Q') are ASCII characters.

The Record and Select bytes are intended to represent remote Record and Select button presses. They should indicate the physical state of a button without any intervening logic. Edge detection logic is handled by the camera. The camera record state will toggle when the Record byte transitions from pressed (02h) to not pressed (00h). Recording can also be started on-camera and stopped remotely or vice versa.

The Jog byte is intended to represent a scroll-wheel-like function for navigating the menu, changing settings, or controlling playback speed. Jog values are accumulated across multiple packets. To scroll right or down by one position, send a jog value of 01h in only one packet. To scroll left or up by one position, send a jog value of FFh (-1 in two’s complement) in only one packet. A scroll wheel or encoder with 10-30 increments per revolution works well. If one isn’t available, D-Pad buttons can be used to send individual increments or decrements.

General

Which Ember should I buy?

For most people the S5K is a great option and cheaper. If you have compelling use cases that demand faster imaging and don't need the 5K/4K resolution, then the S2.5K with its 2900FPS and pSLC drive is a great option.

What's changing for my Ember S5K?

With Firmware and App v2.0 (coming soon), Ember S5K will gain several new features, including:

• Active EF Mount lens support.

• 2.56TB pSLC SSD support for any-length .

• cropped (color) and binned (monochrome) modes.

Where and when can I get the new Firmware and App?

The v2.0 Firmware will be available on the page and the App will be available in the App store. They will be released in May 2024, along with Ember S2.5K shipping.

Sensor and Image

What's the dynamic range?

Ember has 11 stops of dynamic range, which is less than a typical 24fps cinema camera. This is an inherent tradeoff of high-speed imaging. Imagine trying to count a few hundred coins on a table: your answer would be a lot more precise after five minutes than it would be after five seconds.

Plan your shots accordingly, avoid high-contrast lighting conditions, expose for the highlights you want to keep, and use fill lighting when able to increase exposure in shadows.

What's the CODEC?

What's the color profile? Why is there no LOG profile?

What's the base ISO?

ISO 100, 200, and 400 are available. These are analog gains implemented at the sensor, with minimal noise tradeoff between the three. Although Ember S2.5K has 4x the pixel charge capacity of Ember S5K, the majority of the read noise is after charge-to-voltage conversion, so there isn’t a meaningful increase in sensitivity. You will need proportionally more light for S2.5K’s higher frame rates.

These are saturation-based ISO values. Using different OETFs will still change the exposure of middle gray. For the same saturation level, HLG Beta increases the exposure of middle gray by approximately one stop compared to Rec. 709.

Who makes the sensor?

Is there sample footage available?

Recording

What's the recording media?

Ember records to an internal NVMe SSD. There are currently no external media formats fast enough to support the maximum write speeds. There are two types of internal SSD available: a 4TB TLC (standard on Ember S5K) and a 2.56TB pSLC (standard on Ember S2.5K).

Tell me more about the pSLC SSD. How does it work, and what does it enable?

Can I update my Ember S5K to the 2.56TB pSLC drive?

How can I trigger Ember?

You can trigger Ember with the App, the Record button, or wire in a custom trigger using the GPIO.

Can I frame-sync multiple Embers?

Not currently, but it's a feature we are planning for a future update.

By analogy to film cameras, (capture) Frame Rate is how fast the film is pulled through the camera. Project Frame Rate is how fast the film is pulled through the projector.

Lens and Mechanical

What are the lens mount options?

• A passive universal mount is included with Ember S5K.

• An active EF mount is included with Ember S2.5K.

Does Ember have autofocus with the Active EF mount?

Can I upgrade to the EF mount for my current Ember S5K?

Yes, but you will need to send your camera back to the factory if you want active control of EF lenses. If you are OK with a dumb mount (for EF lenses with manual iris) you can buy the EF mount and bolt it onto Ember with no upgrade.

Why can’t I get an S2.5K in E-mount? I already bought a bunch of E-mount lenses for my S5K.

Sony asked us to no longer produce our E-mount; we agreed.

Can I use an adapter from another lens mount to EF? Will it support electronic lenses?

How much does it weigh?

852 grams, with the passive universal lens mount.

What kind of mounting points does the camera have?

• 1/4-20 top and bottom.

• M3 and easily-mountable NATO rails on all sides.

What does the accessory ecosystem look like?

What's the operating temperature range?

0ºC to 40ºC

Is it IP rated? Can it handle light rain?

The camera is IP52 and can handle light rain, but is not waterproof.

Power and I/O

What's the input voltage range and power requirement?

How is footage offloaded from the camera's internal SSD?

The camera mounts as an external SSD when connected to a host via USB. Recorded clips are available in the root folder of the camera drive. Even at USB 3 speeds, offloading large clips can take a long time. We recommend opening clips in-place on the camera drive and exporting trimmed sections to a local drive if your workflow allows.

What buttons / switches / indicators does the camera have?

• Physical slide switch for power on/off.

• Illuminated record start/stop button.

• High-resolution scroll wheel for menu navigation and playback scrubbing.

• Select button.

What video outputs are available?

1080p HDMI with on-screen display that can be hidden. An external monitor is required to operate the camera. There is no built-in LCD.

Does the camera record audio?

No. The front-facing ports are for future expansion but are not currently enabled.

Can the camera be controlled remotely?

Yes, there are several methods:

• Long-range control when used on Mōvi Pro, Mōvi XL, and Mōvi Carbon through the Mōvi Controller.

What other I/O is available?

Gigabit Ethernet, CAN, and PCIe interfaces are available for future expansion.

Miscellaneous

Why did you guys build these cameras?

We are on a mission to build the smallest, fastest, lightest, most fun camera the world has ever seen. This brings us a bit closer to that goal.

What are the unique things about this camera?

• Ultra tiny, ultra fast, ultra simple, ultra fun.

• Continuous high-speed ProRes recording to non-volatile storage, limited only by storage capacity. No RAM buffer or trigger setup. It operates like a normal camera.

How does the camera do on an FPV drone?

Really well! Tiny, global shutter, built super light and tough, and remote start/stop easily wired up to flight control of your choice with 46min record time.

What are your favorite parts about Ember?

• 4K 800fps images look dreamy, it’s like being in a Marvel film.

• 5K 600fps leaves some room to reframe/stabilize.

• Fast and responsive UI.

• Great form factor for gimbals, FPV. Cable entry on top is great for packaging.

What's your least favorite?

• Needs SO MUCH light.

• It took us so long to get done.

• Would like to have more dynamic range.

What would win in a fight, a llama or a raccoon?

Llama, as long as the raccoon isn’t hopped up on matcha or adderall.

Index

#direct-ethernet-connection

#router-ethernet-connection

Some Notes

• To connect to Ember directly with iPad, you'll need an Ethernet cable and an Ethernet to USB-C adapter.

• Settings > Ethernet will only appear if your adapter has been recognized by iPadOS.

• Make sure to use a 1000 mbit ethernet adapter and cable to maximize your connection speed to Ember.

• Make sure your Ember and App are up to date before attempting an Ethernet connection.

• Ember App will remember the IP address you last used for your Camera.

Direct Ethernet Connection

To connect the App to Ember over Direct Ethernet Connection, You'll need to assign your iOS device a manual IP address and Connect the App to Ember's Static IP address.

Ember will not assign the iOS Device an IP address, and will assign itself the IP address 10.42.0.2 for its Ethernet interface. To be able to use Ethernet with the iOS Device you'll need to manually assign your iPhone/iPad an IP address. This will only need to be done once.

1. Assigning your iOS Device a Manual IP Address

To connect your iOS device, Open the settings app and navigate to

Settings > Ethernet > USB 10/100/1000 LAN > Configure IP

Select "Automatic" and switch to “Manual”

And enter the following values into the Manual IP fields and click’ Save’ when done

2. Connect Your App to Ember's Ethernet IP Address

• Bottom right of the Control Screen

• Top right of the Monitor Screen

Once in Settings, navigate to Connect > Connection IP

Router Ethernet Connection

To connect the App to Ember using a Router Ethernet Connection, you'll need to connect Your iOS Device to that network and tell the App to Ember's Ethernet IP Address.

Typically, your router will assign Ember an IP Address for it's Ethernet interface when you insert the Ethernet Cable; the same way your router assigns your other devices IP Addresses. You can find Ember's Assigned IP address under the SSID/IP on the on on-camera Menu if you scroll down.

Note: While Router Ethernet connections are typically great for control, additional wireless clients on a network will degrade streaming and export speeds.

Connect Your App to Ember's Ethernet IP Address

• Bottom right of the Control Screen

• Top right of the Monitor Screen

Once in Settings, navigate to Connect > Connection IP

Glossary

Router - A device that assigns IP addresses and routes network traffic to connected devices. Routers can connect Ethernet devices and Wi-Fi devices to the same network and talk to each other using IP addresses.

Updated 2020-09-20

Image Sensor

Lens Mount

Recording

(1) Ember S2.5K in full color or Ember S5K in monochrome, with FW 2.0 (coming soon).

Power

Interface

Other Features

Physical

Environmental

Lens Mount Interface

In order to allow for back focus adjustment, we recommend including 0.5mm of nominal shim thickness between the Ember body and the lens mount.

Although the Ember S5K lens mount interface is passive, a connector with 5V power and CAN communication is exposed for future expansion.

Stabilization Compatbiliity

Stabilization is available with the latest app release and can be applied to original or trimmed Ember clips recorded using Firmware v1.5.2. Stabilization is also available for original clips recorded with Firmware v1.4.14+.

Firmware v1.5.2 clips trimmed using QuickTime or “Quick Look” on Mac can be used with Stabilization.

ProRes 422 LT clips trimmed and exported by Ember App v1.5 from Firmware v1.4.14+ can also be used with Stabilization. Note: Playback/Export toggle must be set to 'USB' to export compatible clips. See Additional Info below for use with compatible iOS devices with Lightning ports.

Ember App v1.5 is available now in the App Store.

Using Stabilization

Connect Your Disk

Press the "Connect" button to open the connection screen.

You can connect directly to Ember or a Disk with Ember clips using a USB Cable.

Stabilize Your Markers

Configure your Zoom and Smoothing percentages. Select your lens focal length. Stabilize.

Stabilization settings are independent between markers.

Export

Export clips to your iOS Device's Gallery using 'Photos' as your export destination. For greater compatibility with 5K ProRes 422 LT exports, use 'Files' to export to the iOS File system, or to an additional device connected over USB.

Additional Info

• Stabilization is only available over USB, and can only be used on clips recorded on Ember. The clips can be stored on Ember, or clips stored on external disks.

• Using the Ember app you can trim 1.4.14+ clips and export them as 'ProRes 422 LT' and retain the ability to Stabilize them later using the Ember app. Playback/Export mode must be set to "USB".

• 100% Smoothing doesn’t equate to no motion, just a smoother path between larger camera movement with maximum jitter and high frequency motion removed.

• Stabilization works best with low distortion lenses, distortion compensation will be coming in a future release.

• Users with compatible iOS Devices are able to use Stabilization with an additional Lightning to USB Adapter. Because Lightning is Slower than USB-C, devices will experince some issues previewing Stabilization, however the output will be correct.

  • We reccomend Apple's Lightning to USB Adapter, however Lightning on iPhones operate at USB 2.0 Speeds which can cause a known issue to occour.

Known Issues

• While clips will export correctly stabilized, the Stabilization preview may be slightly out of sync in cases where 1.5.2 on clips that have been trimmed, or reading from a slower storage medium (i.e USB 2.0, or a Network Disk)

Please direct any questions or feedback to support@freeflysystems.com

Wi-Fi

By Default Ember S5K has a Wi-Fi access point called Ember-S5K-XXXXXX with the last 6 characters being a hexadecimal identifier unique to your camera. The default password is ‘ember5k600’

You are able to change the default Wi-Fi Password and SSID using the App, and can reset them using the ‘DEFAULT’ button on the on-camera menu along with other camera settings.

Notes

• Custom passwords must be >8 characters or they will be rejected by Ember S5K

• Restoring your camera to default will reset custom SSID/Password settings

Wi-Fi Channels

Wi-Fi operates in the 2.4 and 5GHz spectrum on a fixed number of ‘channels’ which Wi-Fi access points operate on to provide service to users. Different channels have different abilities and we’ve exposed some of these channels under the CHANNEL option on the on-camera menu. Users with their WiFi connected device nearby should not need to change this setting. You may wish to make changes in specific conditions like the presence of another strong Wi-Fi connection operating in the same channel in your area, or to optimize longer range control.

Wi-Fi Bands The differences between 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands are in these different frequencies' ability to penetrate walls and other types of interference. 2.4GHz channels are typically superior to 5GHz channels in this respect.

If you are in an open space and want control from further away from your camera, you should consider using the 2.4 GHz option.

Glossary

SSID - Service Set Identifier, this is the name of your Wi-Fi Network

Channel - A narrow band of wireless frequency allocated to the assertion of a wifi network and for communication to devices on that Wi-Fi network.

Updated 2023-09-20

Where can I find the app?

Freefly Ember App Download

What version of iOS do I need for the Ember App?

You’ll need iOS 15.2 at a minimum, though we recommend iOS 16.

Which devices work with Ember?

We recommend these devices because they feature a minimum 5Gbps USB-C which the App can use to expedite exporting and other wired operations.

• iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max

• iPad Mini (6th Generation, 2021)

• iPad Pro 12.9” (6th Generation)

• iPad Pro 11” (4th Generation)

These devices are able to export, play clips and control Ember over WiFi, and slower speed wired connections, sometimes using adapters.

• iPhone 15, 15 Plus

• iPhone 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro

• iPhone 13, 13 Mini, 13 Pro

Which devices don't work with Ember?

• iPhone 12, 12 Pro or older

• iPad Pro without M2 Processor

• iPad Mini, iPad Mini 2, iPad Mini 3, iPad Mini 4

• iPad Air (any variant)

• iPad (base, any variant)

These devices, if capable of running iOS/iPad OS 15.2, will be able to do basic camera control and configuration through the Ember App, but will not be able to playback, or export video from Ember.

What’s the default WiFi password?

The default password for Ember is ‘ember5k600’. If you’re having trouble connecting see how to reset Ember WiFi SSID (Wifi network name) and WiFi Password below.

How do I provide feedback?

Send an email to support@freeflysystems.com for all of your support needs including beta feedback for the app!

Does this work with Wave?

This app only works with Ember.

Can I use all my camera’s buttons when the app is connected?

Yes you can use your camera in the same way whether or not the App is connected.

Why can’t I see my live preview from the camera?

Live preview is currently unavailable in the app. We’re working on bringing that to the app this summer.

How can I enter a custom FPS value?

To enter a custom FPS value you’ll open the FPS control in the app and select ‘custom’ Enter your Target FPS. It will be applied if your target FPS is supported by the other Recording Settings.

Can I connect multiple devices to my camera?

Only one iOS device can be connected to the camera for App control at a time.

Why can’t I export full resolution clips in H.264 format?

Due to limitations in the iOS, you aren’t able to export videos exceeding 4K UHD to the Photos App so we’ve removed the option, however you can export them to the Files App.

What’s the difference between markers and In/Out points?

Markers are designed to quickly allow you to select a part of a clip you wish to designate for export. In/Out points are properties of markers and allow you to set specific start and end points manually in ways that markers do automatically.

Can I export to an attached HD/SSD?

Yes. Right now you have to export the clip to the Photos app. Once the export is completed, a green ‘Share’ button will appear that will allow you to select “Save to Files.” Then from the Files App interface you can go to the top level file system and select an external drive. We plan to make workflow improvements to saving to attached disks this summer.

Can the App export clips in the background, while I do other things with my phone?

No, the app must remain in the foreground during export. Your iOS device will not sleep during an active export session.

Why does exporting a long video take so long?

Video export is constrained by the amount of time it takes to move data between Ember and the app. To maximize export speed, be sure to be on one of the faster WiFi channels, bring your iOS device as close to the camera as reasonably possible, and keep your iOS device cool in hot weather conditions.

Can I use Stabilization on a supported iOS device without USB-C?

Compatible Lightning devices can be connected to Ember or Disks containing Ember footage using a Lightning to USB Adapter. Lightning ports on iPhones operate at USB 2.0 Speeds, so there are some behavioral exceptions that happen when connected at slower speeds. Learn more here.

Where do I enter my WiFi password?

You’ll enter the WiFi Password in the Settings App on your iOS Device. To find the WiFi Name for your camera you can scroll to the end of the menu and it will be under ‘SSID/IP’ Select that WiFi network in the Settings app and it should prompt you to enter the password. After you’re connected, you can return to the Ember App.

How can I reset my WiFi SSID or password back to default?

You can reset the WiFi SSID and Password by using the ‘Default’ on the on-camera UI. This will reset all settings including the WiFi Name and WiFi Password without affecting clips stored on the camera.

How do I know which WiFi network to connect to?

To find the WiFi Name for your camera you can scroll to the end of the menu and it will be under ‘SSID/IP’.

What should I do if I don’t see the Ember WiFi Network?

The ember WiFi network typically becomes available about 30 seconds after the camera is turned on. If you’ve waited 30 seconds and the WiFi on symbol hasn’t appeared, You'll want to go to the ‘WIFI’ menu option on-camera and make sure your camera is set to ‘ON’.

What are the different WiFi channel options?

The WiFi channel options determine the frequencies at which the Ember WiFi network operates.

The following channels offer the highest bandwidth which can support App Playback and the fastest export speeds:

• 80 MHz 5 GHz Channel 44

• 80 MHz 5 GHz Channel 153

The other options balance bandwidth and distance allowing you to control your camera from further away and are as follows:

• 40 MHz 5 GHz Channel 149

• 20 MHz 2.4 GHz Channel 5

Last updated 2024-01-09