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2K BlackMagic Pocket Cinema Camera, active m43, $995
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  • Play by yourself:

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/d82epf2ltqq24q9/BMPCC_col_chart_optimal.mov https://www.dropbox.com/s/kpjh3utmkledm90/BMPCC_col_chart_4_under.mov

    @Ralph_B Yes, there's detail, but that's ambiguous information. It can bite you badly in some situations. For my part, I like cameras with enough photocells and proper OLPF. The 2.5K BMCC could have a filter and still resolve HDTV.

    Here are color corrected charts for the GH2, optimal exposure on the left, 4 stops under to the right. Blue in particular get's very noisy and is nearly impossible to adjust at that level. This range of correction is where the BMPCC shines (and this is already one of the best settings for GH2: Moon T7).

    GH2_col_chart_optimal.jpg
    1920 x 1080 - 192K
    GH2_col_chart_4_under.jpg
    1920 x 1080 - 215K
  • The chroma moire might improve with the offline debayering from RAW files.

  • There is a chance of future improvements, but the debayering of the BMCC in Resolve still leaves a lot of chroma moiré. But your theory is correct, it's very obvious with the Sony F55. Sony finally saw the light and gave the F55 a proper OLPF, just as free of moiré as the Epic. When debayered offline, it's clean. In camera still has moiré.

    One more, this time real scenery with strong backlight (same lens, so BMPCC is narrower):

    First is GH2, next it's respective waveform, then the BMPCC and it's waveform. Color differentiation of the BMPCC is much better, noise is lower. Both exposed to protect the highlights.

    GH2_evening_corr.jpg
    1920 x 1080 - 208K
    Scopes_GH2_evening.jpg
    1860 x 1130 - 412K
    BMPCC_evening_corr.jpg
    1920 x 1080 - 214K
    Scopes_BMPCC_evening.jpg
    1860 x 1130 - 411K
  • Thanks @nomad these are really useful comparisons (for me, at least)!

  • But I have to say that the GH2 with Moon T7 still holds it's own when your scene is not too contrasty and you want a final image out of the box or with minor corrections. The BMPCC can give you more range from critical subjects, but it forces you to color grade carefully. No pretty pictures out of the box.

  • Isn't there an optional Rec709 curve you can record in?

  • Use Captain Hook's LUT

    Pretty much final image, but I suppose that doesn't count as right out of the box.

  • There is supposed to be a 'video' (rec709) gamma curve you can toggle on for ProRes.

  • @nomad what is going on with that GH2 image? There looks to be artifacting or something strange going on in the texture of the cathedral.

  • @smsjr Yes, of course! It was massively lifted, since the cathedral is back lit and was nearly a silhouette out of the camera. This is meant to be a stress test, not a pretty picture.

    @_gl The Rec 709 out of the camera looks worse than the GH2. So why bother?

  • Yes, I agree with @nomad stay away from the Rec 709 out of any of these cameras! :) Run away, run far away!!!

  • Could you please post the untouched versions of the last two frames, without the blacks lifted?

  • BMCC VS Blackmagic Pocket Camera (done by Captain Hook), both mounted together and using the same lens while shooting together:

  • @nomad, I was challenging your claim "it forces you to color grade carefully. No pretty pictures out of the box."

    Someone may want to get a usable shot without grading. Any examples of the rec709 curve?

  • Is that chroma noise on the BMCC on the center short buildings?

  • hey, pretty close @IronFilm

  • After downloading the original files I'd say moire on the buildings was worse on the bmcc. Pocket doesn't seem any softer to me. I can't wait!

  • BTW, there's chroma noise on both, especially at the center buildings. When you "punch in" with the crop factor on the BMPCC, the buildings on the edge seem to clear up a little of the noise but that just might be the crop factor doing that. The only way to tell is to pull the pocket cam back so the FOV is the same and see what we get there.

  • Rolling rolling rolling RAW...hide

    Love the lyrics :-) Sortof Black Magic theme toon.

  • @driftwood Is that a rolling shutter stab? :)

  • @vicharris I visualise their factory line with this music over the tannoy... ;-)

  • Some more BMPCC footage I have found on Vimeo this morning...

    Seems really stuttery the playback on my machine?

  • Good find @lmackreath

    Wow, both played really choppy for me too. Something wrong with the upload maybe?

    Assuming the first video actually played back smoothly before the user exported a compressed version for Vimeo, it doesn't look too bad. I would have graded it little more though, but it's a good look at dynamic range.

    The second video looks pretty ruined by Twixter used on 24p (or 30p) footage. I think even without the Twixtor, it looks pretty bad and video-like, and not even good video either (of course the terrible lighting or no lighting contributes to the look too).

    -w

  • @Wilbo Yeah I didnt really say anything bad about the videos as any footage out there is useful for us to see..but yes it wasn't shot in the best conditions and handled or graded imho.

  • ok just my two cents. the pocket cam is softer than the bmcc , not by much but it is noticeable. the grain and texture of it (noise if you want to call it that but im not really speaking of it in a negative way) is a touch finer on the bmcc i think, i prefer its texture. the colours are similar but not identical from what i can tell bmcc seems to have a touch more greens or yellows , pocket a touch more magenta or purple even. nothing to stress over either way as grading is a dream even for someone not so experienced in that like me but i have a slight preference for the bmcc's way of doing it. dr seems identical. the bmcc seems more moire prone actually but i have a hunch that may be aided by the crop factor but still interesting.... chroma noise on the building is visible on both but less so on bmpcc as @vicharris said i think this may be aided by the crop factor also . nonetheless bmcc seems a touch crisper and cleaner and finer in character and requires less sharpening in post. conclusion... pretty impressed its close and down to personal taste mostly . we will see how 1080p native sensor stacks up against 2.5k versions well regarded raw i think the differences may be more pronounced there but i could be wrong... if anyone has a bunch of s16 lenses from days gone by this camera is a no brainer as far as i see....

    here is my attempt at getting both to match , graded in davinci resolve , the pocket was given more sharpening. other that that just contrast adjustments and playing with levels a bit to come up with a matching image in each . apologies if you hate the skin tones im going to do another focusing just on them next because i'm not happy with them really. please note for highest quality download original.