Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K

[Shirozina]

1 hour ago, Anaconda_ said:

True - but the cable going from the sled to my camera just broke. Under the locking mechanism, one of the wires has snapped (not sure how, I'm super careful with it and never leave it plugged in when putting it in my bag) But anyway, it's a problem that can be avoided with the grip... It's also a problem that can be easily fixed with a soldering iron, but when you're on location, that's not so handy.

This grip won't be available until August though - so hopefully some 3rd parties will step up before then anyway. - I also wouldn't mind if they built an SSD holder into it.

Battery sleds with dummy batteries are dirt cheap - no excuse for not carrying a spare ( or even 2 spares as they are that cheap) on an important shoot.

[Anaconda_]

This seems cheaper, smaller and more powerful tha the grip and with and you can use a normal V-mount mount on the bottom of a cage to act as a grip.

https://www.newsshooter.com/2019/04/09/fxlion-nano-one-v-mount-battery/

Looks like you can power a umber of different things all at the same time.

6 hours ago, Shirozina said:

Battery sleds with dummy batteries are dirt cheap - no excuse for not carrying a spare

Well yeah - same with LPE6 batteries though. It's just another thing that can go wrong, and is easily avoided once you stick a grip under your camera. Aren't there issues with using dummy batteries though, and much better to go straight tot eh 12v input on the side?

[Shirozina]

39 minutes ago, Anaconda_ said:

This seems cheaper, smaller and more powerful tha the grip and with and you can use a normal V-mount mount on the bottom of a cage to act as a grip.

https://www.newsshooter.com/2019/04/09/fxlion-nano-one-v-mount-battery/

Looks like you can power a umber of different things all at the same time.

Well yeah - same with LPE6 batteries though. It's just another thing that can go wrong, and is easily avoided once you stick a grip under your camera. Aren't there issues with using dummy batteries though, and much better to go straight tot eh 12v input on the side?

I'm not aware of any inherent issues with using a dummy battery adapter. I've got both external systems and the problem with the 12v input is that the cable out of the side is much more vulnerable than the cable to the battery sled, you need a more expensive sled with a step up voltage transformer and  special connector, the battery doesn't last as long and you don't get any battery level indication ( it just says AC).

[drm]

11 hours ago, Shirozina said:

I'm not aware of any inherent issues with using a dummy battery adapter. I've got both external systems and the problem with the 12v input is that the cable out of the side is much more vulnerable than the cable to the battery sled, you need a more expensive sled with a step up voltage transformer and  special connector, the battery doesn't last as long and you don't get any battery level indication ( it just says AC).

You are certainly correct. Anything sticking out from the camera is a potential issue for breakage, as I know too well

However, there is one advantage when using the 12V port with a battery sled. You can hot swap the external battery. With an LP-E6 battery adapter connected to your sled, you lose the ability to hot swap the external batteries. Given that I frequently record and broadcast long events, I elected for a sled that connects to the 12V port. Although, one of my cameras drained the internal battery and died twice on a shoot, despite having an external battery connected to the 12V port. I ended up having to remove the internal battery on that shoot and just run external batteries. That same camera was fine on the last couple of shoots.

I agree that it is very annoying to not know the remaining charge on the external battery. But, there are two ways that come to mind to deal with this: 1) get a sled with a battery indicator (mine turns red when the battery is low), or 2) get one of the NP batteries with a built in battery meter on top, like the Powerextra Multifunctional battery (https://amzn.to/2I9OS2d) It has slightly less capacity (6600mAh) than the Wasabi batteries (8800mAh), but you gain a USB port and the battery level indicator. From my testing, this battery should give you just over 2 hours of run time with an SSD & an XLR mic.

I do wonder how sturdy the port is on the P4K as the mini-XLR plug is on the side too. I wonder if they reinforced the mainboard on that side.

[Newway12]

Question. I’ve never activated my copy of resolve 15 what’s going to happen to it now that 16 is out?

[Kisaha]

For powering,

1) https://cvp.com/product/hawk-woods-dv-bm4-power-adaptor   

Hawkwoods is a well known company that I use for powering my sound equipment with NPF batteries. They are very well build, and never failed me on the field (as of, yet!).

Also, I would prefer to have a Canon battery inside just in case, and for hot-swap, something the battery grip doesn't allow.

2) https://cvp.com/product/idx_sl-f50_battery

I got 2 of those recently, they are small, light, incredible built, have 4 led metering, X-tap (like a D-Tap, but from IDX!) AND usb. 

They is a model with bigger capacity, but this specific one drives my Focus for a whole day, doesn't add too much weight - 250gr while a same size and capacity lesser (but very good, got it for 5 years and still works very good) brand, weights 280, and the SL - F70 (9.900mAh) is 350gr.

If I was going full in, I would go https://cvp.com/product/hawk-woods-dv-f990-sony-np-f-battery  10.200mAh for 300gr

On another note, I am wondering, why can't we have something like this?

https://fotodioxpro.com/collections/lens-mount-adapters/products/eos-snye-p-fusion-ndthrtl

The ND issue is the most important for me, and really puzzles me. vNDs in front of the lens are not so practical, and still to find a very good one (my next try will be https://breakthrough.photography/products/x4-neutral-density?variant=30850760209 but the customs/taxes/VAT for Europe almost doubles the price).

This is a very pressing issue, and believe will be the turning point in the history of video cameras.

Imagine a P4K with a build-in ND, or e-ND, that would end all conversations.

Right now people in forums arguing about no NDs (and right so), and the fact that it has only 1 mini-XLR (some people just can't be pleased).

 

[Jonesy Jones]

50 minutes ago, Newway12 said:

Question. I’ve never activated my copy of resolve 15 what’s going to happen to it now that 16 is out?

Download and register Resolve 16 Studio. Use whichever product serial number you were originally given.

Install Resolve 16 Studio and use your Resolve 15 activation key.

Done son.

[kye]

5 hours ago, Newway12 said:

Question. I’ve never activated my copy of resolve 15 what’s going to happen to it now that 16 is out?

I bought my Resolve license (the dongle version) when Resolve 12.5 was the latest and it's still good.  I've heard others say they bought at v8 and their dongle still works.  BM haven't promised that licenses will get free upgrades forever, but they've been delivering exactly that for many years now and there's no signs they'll change that strategy.

Welcome to the Resolve club!

[Novim]

13 hours ago, Newway12 said:

Question. I’ve never activated my copy of resolve 15 what’s going to happen to it now that 16 is out?

Use it to activate DR 16. One can use 2 licenced copies of DR (on 2 computers, or pn 2 partitions). If one attemps to use the same licence on the 3rd instance, it will activate the 3rd, but deactivate the others. However, one can always reactivate DR (within the limit of 2 instances), as well as deactivate DR through the Help menu.

[Anaconda_]

For anyone wonders, the underside of the grip has two mounting holes, so no more spinning on the tripod plate.

[thebrothersthre3]

Heck yeah

[Anaconda_]

Parfocal cine-zoom designed specifically for the P4K (and other MFT cameras) Shipping in August for $1699

 

[BTM_Pix]

Can't help thinking that the short end is a bit too long for the Pocket and I'm quite surprised they've made that choice of 20mm.

I wish he'd backed up a bit when she casually mentioned they have a 25-300mm s35 zoom coming as well !

[wyrlyn]

 

[Kisaha]

2 hours ago, Anaconda_ said:

Parfocal cine-zoom designed specifically for the P4K (and other MFT cameras) Shipping in August for $1699

 

who are they?!! 

The most interesting part in my opinion is that there is a "low" - but very capable - tier for m43 video specialized cameras, and they can mix and match accessories and equipment for the mount. This is quite a market at the moment. Also, Chinese lens makers are multiplying by the year! It was a segment that Chinese were rather behind the previous years. Also, the market starting from lower and lower each year. Expect to earn less, as it goes.

Wish the Multi Turret system comes in m43 with reasonable price.

Also.20-70, which is what? 40-140mm? Noone can have a run n gun lens starting from almost standard range.

My sweet spot personally is 24mm, so 16mm in S35, that is why I am stuck with my old NX1 and the 16-50S lens, and with lens stabilization, and the unique 2-2.8f I am super covered in everything.

As you can see the Olympus has a basic, but good enough for me stabilization, and what it looses in light 4f instead of 2-2.8F of the NX, gains in zoom range, which I am ok with (for the price, I would get a little more light for sure but can't have it all. The lens is rather small and light also).

If it was 14mm in the wide end, just it isn't enough. One reason I was never excited for the 18-35mm. I am loosing all the 2mm from the wide end and 15mm for the tele end, also the stabilization, and gain just 0.2f for almost all the range (until 32-33mm in S) while sharpness is pretty similar..

I would always get the Olympus 12-100mm 4f as a run n gun specialist for m43. We already do and I am super happy about that lens.

 

[webrunner5]

4 hours ago, BTM_Pix said:

Can't help thinking that the short end is a bit too long for the Pocket and I'm quite surprised they've made that choice of 20mm.

I wish he'd backed up a bit when she casually mentioned they have a 25-300mm s35 zoom coming as well !

https://www.newsshooter.com/2019/04/12/foton-optics-m1-25-300mm-t2-8-cine-zoom/

https://www.dzoptics.com/en/

That 35mm f1.2 lens they have looks damn nice. No clue of the price? They have a lot of nice toys to buy. Interesting.

[kye]

4 hours ago, wyrlyn said:

 

As someone who already owns a 0.95 lens for low light performance, this was hardly a surprise, but it's nice that there are at least two people on the planet that don't think fast apertures are only for bokeh whores..!

[BTM_Pix]

7 minutes ago, webrunner5 said:

https://www.newsshooter.com/2019/04/12/foton-optics-m1-25-300mm-t2-8-cine-zoom/

https://www.dzoptics.com/en/

That 35mm f1.2 lens they have looks damn nice. No clue of the price? They have a lot of nice toys to buy. Interesting.

That has leapt in straight to number one in my list of "Bargain lenses that unfortunately are still overpriced by a factor of ten for my pocket"

 

[webrunner5]

1 minute ago, BTM_Pix said:

That has leapt in straight to number one in my list of "Bargain lenses that unfortunately are still overpriced by a factor of ten for my pocket"

 

Yeah 22,000.00 Dollars is sort of a factor of about 100 for me lol.

[anonim]

I need too much time to find topic about BMMCC, so sorry for posting here, but maybe it could be useful as another example of what BM cameras and especially BMMCC are capable for, or as comparison with Pocket 4k.