2K BlackMagic Pocket Cinema Camera, active m43, $995

vicharris · Screen Shot 2014-04-02 at 9.30.49 PM.png

BTW, here's my latest project I'm working on with a before and after with this camera. This is doing 60MPH on the PCH in an AudioR8. Not much room but this is exactly why I own the 12-35. OIS baby!

cantsin

@stylz @BurnetRhoades @vicharris All that said, Blackmagic is to blame for misleading advertising of the camera: "perfect for documentaries, independent films, photo journalism, music festivals, ENG, protest marches and even war zones". This helped attracting the crowd that is now upset.

vicharris

@cantsin I'm pretty sure BM isn't the first company to do this. I was part of a campaign from one of the biggest names in electronics and cameras that actually shot footage with another camera and claimed it was from their latest and greatest. Actually two different cameras. Think that's a little worse ;)

brianl

@vicharris maybe it's common knowledge but another big camera company does the same thing -- uses footage shot with another brand. I won't mention their name but I instead will put their name in a complex word puzzle that most here can't unscramble: "ProGo".

BurnetRhoades

I still don't think that professionals already doing each of these activities, @cantsin, or some combination of them, would at all be surprised that the camera needs support to be most effective or even useful for anything out of the box besides perhaps shooting the cake ceremony at a family birthday party. All kinds of specialized, complicated products play for Joe Six Pack's dollar.

Think of all the poor saps out there spending hundreds of dollars for something like MS Word over the decades, to only write letters or school papers, or buying all of the MS Office suite because of the feeling they "need" it. Adobe has sold likely thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands or more of Photoshop copies to people at consumer computer stores in the past who might have used it once or twice and never again, or as a glorified image viewer.

Sometime in 2001 or 2002 one of my favorite channels to just have on the television in the background or if I couldn't find anything else to watch was ZDTV/TechTV and I couldn't believe it when up comes this late night ad for Maya with this cheesy mad scientist character. For the low low price of $2K you too could buy software that big Hollywood movies were made with (yeah, and millions of dollars in custom tools and a brain trust of technical directors to actually make Maya useful for more than flying logos or student projects).

The folks who actually know what they're getting into ultimately benefit from the lower prices that are partially attributable to even more folks buying who don't really know what they're getting into.

Stylz

@cantsin I don't remember reading that anywhere, not to say they didn't say that. If someone read that, then didn't do their research, didn't see all the comments from first users(or beta users even) about the screen and audio ect....then bought the camera thinking those statements where somehow true....well they are just foolish.

cantsin

@stylz click the link under those statements. (Here it is again.)

3Kids

@cantsin

Anyone knowing what he's doing can use them as advertised, I don't see the problem. Are there better options out there, sure :-)

vicharris

Even though mine has turned into a full blown rig, it's funny to see it being used daily in a primetime show like Dallas with nothing but a lens. No external monitor, no huge battery, just the bare ass bones. But I do agree that page is silly. No way you're using that thing in the desert without a loupe or monitor.

_gl

That first page isn't the biggest problem. Try the 'Uses' tab (direct link below).

Everybody (myself included before it launched) expected it to be a pretty workable consumer cam, as well as a 'cinema' cam. You can blame people for not doing research, but the real issue is and was BM's marketing:

http://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/blackmagicpocketcinemacamera/uses

"Personal Use: Shoot your family in digital film

The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera is a fantastic camera for personal use, especially when you want to achieve quality beyond the level of traditional video camcorders. Film a family wedding, a child’s first steps or a holiday travelogue. If you’re a keen photographer interested in cinematography you may already own MFT lenses or have other lenses that can be adapted to the camera. Operating the camera is simple and within minutes of opening the box you’ll be filming your first projects!"

No_SuRReNDeR

Well I am about to put this thing to the test for sure. Shooting a short film western/horror 5k budget in Oklahoma this week. I am shooting RAW and will be trying to cycle between my 3 64gb cards. I I have 1 lens with OIS in case I do need to strip it down from the rig but Ill be use a mixture of glass and hopefully a BMPCC speedbooster that was promised to me on loan. ---- We shall see how this turns out ... fingers x'ed-

last_SHIFT

@vicharris

What lens are they using on Dallas?

last_SHIFT

Never mind, just ask Linda Gray

vicharris

@last_SHIFT Yep, and they're using the 20mm and 35-120 or whatever it is. Think maybe the 14-140 is somewhere in there too but not sure.

jleo

Rodney Charters, ASC, CSC Brings Blackmagic to Dallas

http://library.creativecow.net/kaufman_debra/Behind-the-Lens-Rodney-Charters/1

brianl

Just to sum up, IMO no one should try to compare the BMPCC to GH. GH's are ridiculously versatile and loaded with light meters, frame rate option, still capabilities, HACKS, and all sorts of cool stuff. Pocketcam is the opposite. It's like a 40 yearold Arri 16. It does one thing and it does it well. If I had to own one cam, probably wouldn't be the BMPCC.

vicharris

Different strokes

crisvpl

I still can not decide for wich ir cut filter+nd fader to use. Nobody knows what does the protective glass on the sensor of bmpcc...? Does it cut ir? Somebody wrote that bmcc it is suitable for 700 spectrum. Wich circular mount ir cut filter to use? As for nd fader I want the genus eclipse 77mm wich seems to have 82mm in front. I suppose that ir cut filter come first so it is necesary to have a mount thread in front. Thanks for any sugestion...

nomad

The BMPCC is very sensitive to IR, I can see a slight shift on the vectorscope even with a 0.3 ND.

The Hoya UV&IR cut does a good job, and it seems to be absorptive, so it can be put behind faders like the Heliopan, which does have a front thread on the larger sizes.

That said, at least the Heliopan (I didn't test the Genus) cuts more IR than classic fixed ND filters, I saw a need for an extra IR filter only at massive ND.

last_SHIFT

@crisvpl

I use a Hoya IR Cut, and in this particular shot I used a Tiffen VariND. I was using the Panny 12-35/2.8 wide open, and I forgot how many stops of ND but I think it as about 5-6 stops. As you can see this combo leaves a green cast but easily correctable and no issue at all if shooting RAW. As usual YMMV - and there have been many a heated discussion about this here and at BMC User.

crisvpl

Thanks. The green cast apear only in prores?

vicharris

Hoya. Case closed

DocoDocoMan

Have you folks seen these?

•Blackmagic URSA Camera - http://www.blackmagicdesign.com/ursa/

•Blackmagic Studio Camera - http://www.blackmagicdesign.com/bmsc/

Vitaliy_Kiselev

@DocoDocoMan

We have topics for both, spend few seconds, please.

GMC

@nomad interesting comment on the Heliopan Vari ND. I was watching the IR cut discussion, but I did not see any of what is described here (like muddy / brownish blacks), and I always use the Heliopan. It seeems to me that some IR cut is built into the Heliopan. Can others confirm that?

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