No decision is perfect. I don't get it why they put in such a sensor and not an OLPF. If Mosaic can make one as an add-on for 400, BM should have been able to put one in for something like 250 in mass production (if you want to call the current flow mass production…). They have enough photocells to generate very decent 1080 quality even with an OLPF. And it would have no effect on the really good DR. BTW, have a look at RAW photographs from our beloved one. Not 13 stops, but far better than it's video.

A Pro-Mist can help to some degree, but it's not a cure for all cases were moiré might bite you.

@nomad, I was thinking the Pro-Mist path as an option for possible reduction of moire issue with various cameras. One of my 4x4 filter sets came with a Pro-Mist 1/2, which is too dreamy for normal and subtle use. Do you have experience with Pro-Mist for moire issues? Do you use a 1/8 or 1/4 to reduce moire effect, while recording an image that is not too dreamy or soft?

@Aria, yes, those methods in post look promising, however, I am still waiting to see the results in a motion clip, not just the still frames.

The BMC has detail to spare, so I would think you could use filters or Stockings stretched out over the lens and I think it would still look detailed enough. I would love to see an experiment of that.

@nomad, charge by the hour, for extra post. Seriously, other than an OLPF add on at the sensor level, it was said on another forum that Tiffen are designing some new combined filters. Quote of a quote (hearsay?):

"As for the BMC we will be showing the New IR VARIABLE ND at NAB. Plus a wide range of IRND combined with Diffusion filters, such as IRND Black ProMist, IRND Digital Diffusion FX and IRND GlimmerGlass. So the options of how you creatively add a forward OLPF of some description as to say has now increased and is down to you." Carey Duffy, MPTV Filter Group Consultant, Tiffen International Ltd.

Don't quote me on that!

The good thing with combined filters in one, you may only need one filter in some cases, or perhaps only two, instead of a bigger stack, which may be problematic for wider lenses, etc.

The BMC is not a good spontaneous shooter. I wouldn't use it in the same way i'd use a normal Video camera doing live events and such. With preparation and care you can avoid a lot of Moire issues. I still think this Moire thing is a bit overblown. There's been so much footage shown that doesn't show a ton of moire. Yes it's there but not always in a way that is distracting. The small amount that is there is what we're looking to try and mitigate. I hope one day to have the funds to upgrade to a BMC and hopefully by then there will be some solutions.

I think overall they made some curious choices in design that they can address in a new version down the line, however, this model is still quite a beast in terms of IQ. I personally wish it had the form factor of the C300. That seems to be the best merging of the DSLR and a Video Cam IMO. A BMC with that kind of form factor would be unreal.

I would take the form factor of the Scarlet as an alternative.

I just think Black Magic was trying too hard to make it look like an Apple product. There wasn't much reason to go with that form factor. The direction of a DSLR is great for handheld shooting which is how I do a lot of my shooting besides sitting on tripod. It's the reason why I like the C300 form. It's still easy to operate handheld, but with dedicated buttons that make it FAR more ergonomic and fast to operate.

Actually one of the best forms I think was the Sharp VL-H860 Hi8 camera which I still own. Not too much different from the BMC.

I think we get the idea of what Blackmagic was going for but a more wieldy form wouldn't have hurt IMO. A grip, buttons and a more flexible LCD can't add to the cost in any significant way but would make it FAR more functional.

@aria

Not too much different from the BMC.

other than about 4lb difference (without rig) I've tried using the bmcc handheld as I'm sure you have as well, not a very fun task at all.

@johnbrawley

The simpleness of the design is a large reason the BMCC costs 3k.

But simpleness can be reason for other companies coming with similar products at upcoming NAB.

@rockroadpix

Agreed, and you can even operate it for a while like that with a small lens – that was my very first contact with it during IBC. But you don't need that grip to operate it, it works with the touch scree alone. Highly modular concept.

@Vitaliy_Kiselev, this is a good series of video tests. I'm glad we got to see the BMC with Pro Mist filters. I know it wasn't about the effect on minimizing moire but at least it gives a sense of what it does to the image. I think the BMC detail is great. I'd rather have more detail to start with especially since I'd be using cheaper lenses and filters with it.