BlackMagic announces new camera

MileCreations

MileCreations

I just saw a post on Facebook:

Two new Blackmagic Cinema Cameras at NAB Show

Blackmagic Production Camera 4K - 3.995 $

Super 35 Sensor, Global Shutter, Ultra HD and 4K, Built in SSD, Touch LCD, Metadata Entry, CinemaDNG RAW, ProRes, Thunderbolt, EF Mount, Free DaVinci Resolve & Ultra Scope

Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera - 995 $

Super 16 Sensor , 13 Stops of Dynamic Range, Recording on SD Card, High Resolution LCD, ProRes, CinemaDNG RAW, Micro Four Thirds Lens mount, HDMI monitoring.

It doesn't feel like that long ago that they started shipping the old/current one

This post appears to be getting a lot of (assumingly outside) attention. So here are links to the new cameras:

Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera:
http://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/blackmagicpocketcinemacamera/

Blackmagic Production Camera 4K:
http://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/blackmagicproductioncamera4k/



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John Brawley, pro cinematographer from Australia (and Blackmagic Design's most trusted camera tester), has posted what seems to be the world's first test footage from the Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera. Talk of the show at NAB 2013, this camera has the dynamic range of a film camera in a body the size of an NEX-5 - with a native micro 4/3 lens mount! Here is what John shot casually at his local market:

http://vimeo.com/64693161

Note the exposure match between the foreground subjects, the sky and the people in the background. The Dynamic Range from the $1000 BPCC is clearly wider and more "film like" than any 8 bit consumer camcorder or DSL camera (even my $1300 GH3).

Case in point - see the blown-out backgrounds/skies in this otherwise wonderful little GH3 test film:

http://vimeo.com/64796749

And the skies in this Canon HF G10 test:

http://vimeo.com/31512682

The BPCC delivers a very similar look to the 16mm film cameras I shot with in the 70s - at a much lower price in 1970s dollars - with the addition of internal sound recording, lens stabilization, focus peaking and a headphone jack - and without the hassle and expense of film processing and splicing.

This test footage was what I was waiting for. I just pre-ordered my BPCC from Adorama!

Really looking forward to what this little camera can do when it gets the CinemaDNG RAW upgrade.

Cheers,

Bill
 
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brunerww said:
John Brawley, pro cinematographer from Australia (and Blackmagic Design's
Really looking forward to what this little camera can do when it gets the CinemaDNG RAW upgrade.
Click to expand...

I'm a little confused on this bit. BMD's website specs page isn't as clearly written for the pocket cam as it for the larger cameras. This bit is confusing:

Storage Type
Removable SDXC, SDHC cards.

Storage Format
SD card can be formatted in either exFAT or HFS+

Storage Rates
220 Mbps using Apple ProRes 422 (HQ)

Compressed Recording Formats
Apple ProRes 422 (HQ) in QuickTime MOV, lossless CinemaDNG RAW. Recording in 1920 x 1080 with choice of Film or Video Dynamic Range.
Click to expand...

So can they currently not record anything but ProRes with either the film/video 'look' applied and will get RAW in a later update? Do you know if the update is full on 12bit 4:4:4 (ala cinema cam/production cam) but at 1920x1080, or is there some flavor of compression happening - meaning that the cinemaDNG "RAW" thing is just a file format choice?

Nit-picking, but I am curious. For some reason all I can find is that "there is going to be an update," but not much on what specifically that update entails. :)

Still kinda want one, the temptation to use s16 lenses is too strong. :lol:
 
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David.rhsc said:
I'm a little confused on this bit. BMD's website specs page isn't as clearly written for the pocket cam as it for the larger cameras. This bit is confusing:



So can they currently not record anything but ProRes with either the film/video 'look' applied and will get RAW in a later update? Do you know if the update is full on 12bit 4:4:4 (ala cinema cam/production cam) but at 1920x1080, or is there some flavor of compression happening - meaning that the cinemaDNG "RAW" thing is just a file format choice?

Nit-picking, but I am curious. For some reason all I can find is that "there is going to be an update," but not much on what specifically that update entails. :)

Still kinda want one, the temptation to use s16 lenses is too strong. :lol:
Click to expand...

This is one thing a lot of people are speculating. Blackmagic has not been very forthcoming or clear about the future raw update. Apparently its going to be, yes, cinemaDNG compressed "lossless" raw. Beyond that, I honestly couldn't clarify for you.
 
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gebo said:
No. Did you know the 5D mark III now shoots RAW?
I canceled my RED EPIC order because of this... :yes:
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This seems like an odd move to me, especially considering that it's not widely available and as yet is merely a proof of concept..

I mean, sure the 5D is a lot cheaper than an Epic, but there's no way I'd choose a 5D over an Epic if I had the choice, even with the 5D shooting raw. Realistically, the 5D shooting raw simply means that I can get much better looking stuff on lower budgets if I need to.
 
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jax_rox said:
This seems like an odd move to me, especially considering that it's not widely available and as yet is merely a proof of concept..

I mean, sure the 5D is a lot cheaper than an Epic, but there's no way I'd choose a 5D over an Epic if I had the choice, even with the 5D shooting raw. Realistically, the 5D shooting raw simply means that I can get much better looking stuff on lower budgets if I need to.
Click to expand...


Aha! Just kidding! I can't afford that kind of camera... I had to save for a year and a half to buy a Canon 600D! :yes:
 
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I've also preordered the BMPCC. And just received a Panasonic 12-35 f2.8 m4/3 lens to start it off with. Ordered m4/3 to Canon FD adapter to use some old fd lens I have as well. Finding something for the wide end is the biggest challenge.

I've read so much info about this camera, from so many different places, so. Don't remember where I saw this. But it will control the iris on electronic m4/3 lens. And I think I read it will ship with the compressed cinemaDNG raw. Philip Bloom commented he wished the BMCC had a compressed DNG raw, as opposed to the noncompressed it does have. We will see. I'm very interested in the dynamic range, but also the size. Have a Hexa copter I hope to fly this thing around from time to time.
 
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This would have to be one of the most ridiculous images I've ever seen :P

Blackmagic_2D00_Pocket_2D00_Cinema_2D00_Camera_2D00_1200_5F00_70AC1171.jpg


Great that you can put PL mount lenses on it, but the weight and look would be ridiculous even with a Superspeed (compared to a m4/3 pancake), let alone an Alura zoom!

I've had people make jokes about the RED Epic when you put a big zoom on it, about how the lens is bigger than the body, but boy does this take it to a new level!
 
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I can't imagine it being too much of an issue - Sony makes a similarly sized (but awful) and similarly weighted zoom that sits alright on the NEX cameras, which the pocket cam is similar to in terms of size and form.

There are, however, many S16 lenses that would normally not need a support but most likely will with this cam.
 
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