BMD Ursa Broadcast - The right tool for how many jobs?

[Riadnasla]

I've been seeing a lot of chatter around BMD's new broadcast camera. The price is insane, real-world examples are few to none, and I can't wait to take one for a test run. 

I'm looking for my next "go-to" camera as an operator for hire. I do a lot of event recording, trying to get into the local TV station, and have just started booking gigs with my steadicam. My main concerns about this camera are low-light (not no-light) and getting a more creative look when needed. 

For the first, I don't need it to perform for indie films who can't afford more than a light or two. I would need it to perform in hotel conference rooms and urban areas, with perhaps a small d-tap light on top of the camera. 

For the second, I am planning on buying the PL mount for my 18-50mm T3 cine zoom. But on a 2/3" sensor, how would that react? Would it crop or vignette, and could I still get a creative DOF?

[jax_rox]

Can you put a PL mount on the URSA broadcast?

Your effective field of view would be cropped in compared to a S35 sensor. You’d effectively have a 44-124mm equivalent S35 FOV. 

[webrunner5]

Well if you use real B4 lenses they are, on average, Really fast F stop wise, and most are a constant aperture. So that would help in the low light department. Now if you get one with the 2x doubler on one engaged it will add 2 stops. And with that small of sensor you have DoF out the butt even pretty much wide open.

Man I just love B4 lenses. Like I have said, they make Leica lenses look like crap. But they ought to for what they cost new!

Best I can find for MAYBE ISO's are,  On the URSA Broadcast -6dB is 200ISO, 0dB is 400ISO, 6dB is 800ISO and 12dB is 1600ISO.

So base looks to be 400 ISO, and maybe 800 ISO Might be OK since it goes to 1600 ISO, if true. I am sure 1600 ISO will be gnarly LoL. But it might work out in B&W footage. Free grain insert LoL.

But 800 ISO using say a f 1.7, f 1.8 lens is not too bad.  Pretty common f rating on the older B4 lenses. It is not going to be a Sony A7s from BM.

[webrunner5]

4 hours ago, jax_rox said:

Can you put a PL mount on the URSA broadcast?

Your effective field of view would be cropped in compared to a S35 sensor. You’d effectively have a 44-124mm equivalent S35 FOV. 

It has a 2/3" sensor in it so yeah it would be a odd duck thing to figure out the effective lens size. I did see some crazy mention of EF mount something you can use on it. I can't wrap my head around using a PL lens with a 2/3" sensor but it would DEFINITELY produce a big enough image circle for the sensor!

I am sure some crazy person will come up with an adapter to do it. Probably is one out already.

If you are rich well there is this one!

https://cvp.com/product/arri_amira_pl_b4_lens_adapt

[Matthew Hartman]

On 2/26/2018 at 11:42 PM, webrunner5 said:

If you are rich well there is this one!

https://cvp.com/product/arri_amira_pl_b4_lens_adapt

A direct kick to the general ball area. ?  Why webrunner why? 

[Tim Sewell]

Haha - even the bag is £232!

[Riadnasla]

@jax_rox Yeah, it comes with B4 lens mount, but you can reasonably buy BMD's custom adapters for EF, PL, and Nikon F. That's honestly a huge appeal to me. 

 

@webrunner5 Can you help me interpret some info in the manual? (http://bit.ly/2F9lo2C) Page 223 states that Gain min/max is (-128/127) and ISO is (0/2147483647). Is this able to be interpreted into "normal" ASA/ISO numbers?

2 major concerns with this camera:

1) Clean low-light footage. This camera would earn its keep through conference room recordings with hotel lighting. This won't need to be "no-light" camera, but enough to record from the back of the room with hotel ambient lighting. 

2) Versatility. No camera is going to do it all, however this (or any next camera) would need to perform a variety of tasks, even for conference jobs. Tripod following the speaker, steadicam for alt angles etc., and creative ability for promo videos. Just on speculation, while I want B4 DOF for most "boring" jobs, do you think there's a way to get shallow-ish DOF for more creative projects, through using PL or EF lenses?

 

On 2/26/2018 at 11:42 PM, webrunner5 said:

I am sure some crazy person will come up with an adapter to do it. Probably is one out already.

For this camera, yep! (https://bhpho.to/2owwV2d)

[webrunner5]

4 hours ago, Riadnasla said:

@jax_rox Yeah, it comes with B4 lens mount, but you can reasonably buy BMD's custom adapters for EF, PL, and Nikon F. That's honestly a huge appeal to me. 

 

@webrunner5 Can you help me interpret some info in the manual? (http://bit.ly/2F9lo2C) Page 223 states that Gain min/max is (-128/127) and ISO is (0/2147483647). Is this able to be interpreted into "normal" ASA/ISO numbers?

2 major concerns with this camera:

1) Clean low-light footage. This camera would earn its keep through conference room recordings with hotel lighting. This won't need to be "no-light" camera, but enough to record from the back of the room with hotel ambient lighting. 

2) Versatility. No camera is going to do it all, however this (or any next camera) would need to perform a variety of tasks, even for conference jobs. Tripod following the speaker, steadicam for alt angles etc., and creative ability for promo videos. Just on speculation, while I want B4 DOF for most "boring" jobs, do you think there's a way to get shallow-ish DOF for more creative projects, through using PL or EF lenses?

 

For this camera, yep! (https://bhpho.to/2owwV2d)

I think it will be too big for a Streadicam. And no you will Never get shallow DoF with such a small sensor. And no clue what those numbers mean about ISO?