DIY ‘2 Billion FPS’ Camera Captures Light’s Motion — One Pixel at a Time

YouTuber and engineer Brian Haidet (aka AlphaPhoenix) built a camera rig that can visualize a laser beam moving at the speed of light by effectively recording at around 2 billion frames per second. The catch: it captures one pixel at a time and then stitches those samples into a full video, trading spatial capture for extreme temporal resolution.

How it works

• One-pixel scanning: The system records a single pixel sequentially across the scene, then tiles those pixel “videos” to reconstruct a full frame.
• Garage-friendly hardware: A gimbal-mounted mirror, two tubes, a simple lens, a light sensor, and Python code orchestrate the scan and capture.
• Frame scale: In the demo, light advances roughly ~6 inches (15 cm) per frame, making the beam’s motion visible as it bounces between mirrors.
• Geometry effects: Apparent speed varies depending on viewing geometry, but the beam itself obeys the same physical speed limit in every frame.

Why not just build a “real” 2B fps camera?

True full-frame ultrafast imaging at billions of frames per second is typically the realm of specialized (and extremely expensive) lab systems. Haidet’s approach achieves a similar visualization by sacrificing spatial simultaneity: scan first, then reconstruct. For showing light propagation, this delivers a compelling result with off‑the‑shelf components.

Context and prior work

• Haidet previously demonstrated a 1 billion fps setup; this is a refined, faster version of that concept.
• The project highlights the classic spatio‑temporal trade‑off in imaging: you can push time resolution if you relax spatial capture.

Watch the experiment

Capturing Light’s Journey: 2 Billion FPS Laser Experiment (AlphaPhoenix)

Key takeaways

• Ingenious method: One‑pixel scanning + stitching makes “impossible” frame rates accessible to makers.
• Educational value: A tangible way to visualize light propagation and measurement trade‑offs.
• Cost-effective: Avoids the need for lab‑grade streak or compressed ultrafast cameras for this use case.

Safety note: Lasers can cause permanent eye damage. Follow appropriate laser safety protocols (goggles rated for your wavelength, controlled reflections, beam stops).

References:
AlphaPhoenix channel ·
2B fps experiment video ·
PetaPixel coverage

Discussion: Would you trade spatial detail for extreme time resolution in your own projects, or is a true multi‑pixel ultrafast camera the only way to go?