Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera

[Mattias Burling]

33 minutes ago, jagnje said:

Why would one want to pay 300€ for an optical VF instead of an EVF?

Same reason DSLRs still outsell mirrorless?

[jagnje]

But you can't tell focus, or am I missing something?

[Mattias Burling]

23 minutes ago, jagnje said:

But you can't tell focus, or am I missing something?

Hyper focal distance. This is old school stuff.
My mostly used stills camera is a Medium Format Zeiss with no viewfinder what so ever. Doesn't stop me
Im sure they aren't talking about it as the only way and only camera to use. Just a bit of fun.

[richg101]

1 hour ago, jagnje said:

But you can't tell focus, or am I missing something?

optical viewfinders only give you framing information.  focusing is done by distance scales and learning to estimate distances.  a good focus puller doesn;t even need to look at a screen.  the small sensor and wide lens like a 10mm f1.4 means everything from 1m to infinity is pretty much perceived to be in focus.  it might not be bang on, but will be good enough.  shorter distances than 1m will be a little more tricky but not impossible.  If you can judge distance, understand the dof of a given focal length at a given aperture and have a focus scale on your lens you can focus by the numbers.    

if there was an external evf the size of an ovf that went on the top of the bmmcc I'd probably choose that over an ovf.  but for the sheer fun of shooting blind as you would a little 8mm bauer or bolex you wouldn't have to spend £300 on an ovf.  there are units available for £30 that will do the job.  any f35mm ovf for full frame will be right for a 10mm on the bmmcc,

 

[richg101]

9 hours ago, BenEricson said:

RAW is closer to the telecine process than a push pull. You can easily can be 4/5 stops over and still recover highlights with 16mm. You meter correctly and your footage will always look nice. 

What are you talking about with highlight metering? Zebras will do that for sure and exposing for highlights is great for wides but you can't always do that. 

expose to protect highlights on the bmpcc (ie at 100% just before a zebra would show up) and it results in the same as if you expose film using the same method.  4/5 stops 'over' on film doesnt mean that the highlights are blown out by 4-5 stops. 4-5 stops 'over' on film means you;re shooting to preserve as much shadow and midtone information in a contrasty scene.  if highlights are 4-5 stops blown out then no chemical process can bring them back.

when I shoot film I always expose for the shadows/mids using a light meter.  if I aim the spot metering attachment onto a portion of the frame around middle grey it tells me the given f stop and shutter speed.  the processed negatives always look similar to the way a correctly exposed bmpcc log image looks before you adjust levels.  shooting on the bmpcc blind and checking exposure with a light meter and knowing that your meter reading for the sky should be 4-5 stops 'over' what it should be means that in daylight the exposure for the important stuff like your mids and shadows is enough to provide a perfect exposure.

I'd personally check the zebras on a screen against a meter reading on a light meter so I know what the light meter should read just before 100% zebras would start to show for a highlight in the shot.   

[Tiago Rosa-Rosso]

On 2/19/2016 at 7:23 AM, Mattias Burling said:

Same reason DSLRs still outsell mirrorless?

In photography. In video optical VF instead of an EVF isn't that much of a problem. I mean from the point of view of capturing the instant.

[Tiago Rosa-Rosso]

On 2/19/2016 at 7:23 AM, Mattias Burling said:

Same reason DSLRs still outsell mirrorless?

In photography. In video  EVF instead of an  optical VF isn't that much of a problem. I mean from the point of view of capturing the instant.

[bwhitz]

Man... I'm not sure why, but this stuff looks better than the 4.6k footage I've seen so far. Something seems "off" the Blackmagic-Mojo with that sensor... it looks like high-quality GH4/GH3 footage... not as organic as this stuff. Maybe it's too clean? 

[Oliver Daniel]

1 hour ago, bwhitz said:

Man... I'm not sure why, but this stuff looks better than the 4.6k footage I've seen so far. Something seems "off" the Blackmagic-Mojo with that sensor... it looks like high-quality GH4/GH3 footage... not as organic as this stuff. Maybe it's too clean? 

I'm in agreement of what we've seen so far. 

I regard BMPCC footage one of the best Images I've ever worked with. 

The BMMCC looks to have that mojo, whereas the Ursa 4.6k looks very modern - kind of like a "perfect" image rather than motion with soul. 

That said, these cameras can only be judged once you've had a go yourself.  

[M Carter]

You had me at "global shutter". Wonder what the tradeoffs will be with GS switched on?

Keep in mind, for a lot of people in the market for this camera… we already have everything we need to rig it. Monitors, VFs, rigs, etc. Could easily be a quick $1500 that broadens the scope of the kind of shots you can achieve. (And I say "$1500" because for many of us, super-16 is a non-starter and a speedbooster will be an autopilot purchase).

With the popularity of the pocket - and now this - seems there would be a market for something like an 8mm-30mm 2.8 zoom designed for super-16. Come up with one for under $500 (seems doable as the glass would be pretty small) and you could move some units. (Or does something exist beyond the vintage 16mm lens market crap shoot)?

[Nick Hughes]

45 minutes ago, M Carter said:

You had me at "global shutter". Wonder what the tradeoffs will be with GS switched on?

I would guess framerate or ISO restrictions.

[M Carter]

1 hour ago, Nick Hughes said:

I would guess framerate or ISO restrictions.

Looking at their site, 60p 1080 is rolling shutter only, all other speeds have a choice of global or rolling. No other mentions, but wouldn't be surprised if DR or low light ability takes a hit?

[Nikkor]

Global Shutter will have less Dynamic Range (atleast that's what they said over year ago when they announced it)

[Mattias Burling]

The trade of for Global Shutter is one stop DR and lowlight. Stated also by BMD.

[M Carter]

That makes sense, as the global shutter is scanning the sensor differently. But I'm definitely in the mood for something global.

[Mattias Burling]

Yeah, and the best part is that you get both.

[nathanleebush]

On 2/16/2016 at 5:46 PM, araucaria said:

I'm so tempted by this little thing... but after adding grips, screens,etc... you will probably have spend 2000$

And lose any weight advantage :/

Hilarious that almost a year after they announced at NAB pre production units are starting to filter into the world. After the first few releases I was hoping BM would pull it together with its release schedule, but it's been more of the same. Delays, delays, delays. Weird strategy: get everyone all hyped and then make them wait just long enough that they've forgotten about it completely and are hyped about something else. Then release it. 

[cojocaru27]

Hey Guys,

i am looking forward, as any of you on this forum, to finally put my hands on this little monster. Since they first announced the BMMCC i was looking for solutions to rig it and make it fun to shoot with. Was searching for ways to transform it into a perfect run and gun solution for my hobby. It has such a nice body but when you start rig it and add all the stuff that you need it becomes a production kit rather than a run and gun tool. As you already know (Andrew put it really nice in his post on the blog) the main drawback is the lack of a screen. So, i was thinking of this solution : The Pirate View - an eye electronic viewfinder in shape of a pirate glasses that let you see what camera sees but also the shooting field. Should be very easy to do, just a simple electronic vewfinder connected to the camera with a cable for the moment. (ideally it should be wireless but it seems complicated at the moment)

I wanted to put together a case study, a presentation clip, and start a foudraising project on kickstarter. I have all the design layouts and the marketing materials done.

Then i realise that i need a functional prototype to be able to ask money from people to make it happen. i already have a dumb prototype, a 3d printed object, but is not enough.

I am holding back this project since the BMMCC was first announced and i decided to ask for your help to push it forward.

First of all what do you think of it? is it useful, would you use it?

Second, there is someone who can help me build a functional prototype in order to make a kickstarter project?

Finally, do you think it worth it to try contact BMD and present the glasses to them, maybe they will be interested in producing it?

I appreciate all the comments i can get and if you want to contact me you can also write me on : cojocaru27@gmail.com

thanks a lot for your help.

[Franka Mech T. Lieu]

I was at first quite excited about this camera, but when its full spec and feature are known, I just shake my head, OK its supposed to be used outdoor, remote , that's what BM try to market it but they leave out the most important part of that, remote control. How hard is it today to put a Wi-Fi in there and write a straight forward iOS / Android App to run the remote monitoring and control. The way BM do it now is in a straightly studio production mindset in their way of implementing it. Even sub $500.00 DC had remote connection capability that do not require rigging this and rigging that .. Panasonic is said to be bringing the GH4 in a form factor that more or less similar but with a full functional Remote solution just by using your mobile device. We will have to wait and see.

[Mattias Burling]

1 hour ago, Franka Mech T. Lieu said:

Panasonic is said to be bringing the GH4 in a form factor that more or less similar but with a full functional Remote solution just by using your mobile device. We will have to wait and see.

But it won't have Raw, Prores, 13 stop DR, as cinematic colors or a global shutter. 
Quite a few trade of for a remote control, which can be bought third party anyway.