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Blackmagic Pocket 4K media & power thread -- the best alternatives


Emanuel
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Well I found this topic on using a 12 volt battery on the PK4. Hmm is all I can say. It looks like it works and can even handle over 14 volts. But man I would want to see more proof that is a workaround long term with no damage. But the one guy on there seemed to be over powering one for months @ 16.7 volts!!!!

https://forum.blackmagicdesign.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=81677&fbclid=IwAR3thy08rj4vDbqRYqdVI6ohq1Aivr0Fnw2X3rYKk38jitpILzVUfzTTguo

 

 

16.7.jpg

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Would love to hear your thoughts about my power solution. As you'll see my solution is dependent on being able to power from an external source while also having an internal battery in the camera that charges while connected to an external source. I don't know if this is supported yet, if we need that coming soon cable solution first, but regardless I believe it'll be supported at some point.

Also, I have become accustomed to leaving my camera on all day during production. I love this. For some reason it is a constant source of purpose and inspiration. Whether I'm holding the camera or it's on a tripod, I like the camera being on. Therefore the internal batteries alone are not an option.

  • So first, while on a tripod I'll just keep it plugged into mains. However, this is not ideal if out in the field or if moving the tripod a lot.
  • In which case I plan to attach a large v-mount to the tripod, which I can connect to the camera while on the tripod. From one of the videos I've seen these 150 batteries can last 7 hours or more which could basically do the trick.
  • I plan to have a second 150 battery that I keep clipped onto my belt. I want to have a scrunchy coiled cable that I use to connect that to the camera when I go handheld. This should keep my rig light and give me the freedom to move around freely, and give me 7+ hours of power going handheld.
  • Both batteries become a backup to the other depending on the style of shooting that is happening. I will easily have power for a full day.
  • If for some reason I need to be completely cable free, which will probably be rare, the internal battery is fully charged and I should have at least 30 minutes.

Clearly, the last scenario is the bottleneck. If you're on a gimbal a lot that wouldn't work. For me that probably won't be often. I plan on using the old school steadicam/glidecam rigs. Perhaps the newer 3 axis gimbals will allow to also power the camera while attached. 

My setup could also work if you like to shoot shoulder mounted. Putting a battery on the back of the camera eliminates the nice ui of the camera itself. But I guess the battery also makes a good counter balance. 

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Sounds to me you bought the wrong camera for what you need. You will end up with some Frankenstein rig to make it happen with a PK4, and I am not sure the longevity of it turned on all the time like say a C100, C300 would have. The PK4 might be sort of a Cine camera but is sure isn't built like one is the problem. And no there is no problem leaving on a True Cine camera all the time. The old 3 Tube ENG cameras I worked with Had to be left on to stabilize even before you could use them, let alone set them up for color corrections, WB, BB. CCD ones sure changed the industry. But they looked like crap for faces at first. Yikes. Good thing there wasn't too many women in the industry at the time.

I think if you are going to have it turned on all the time you should not have Any battery in it. Just use the dummy battery and keep the external one well away from the body. Even the external hard drive away for the body. Heck even a Cage is going to hold in heat. It just isn't constructed right to be on all the time and be portable in a small package..

The original BMPCC was  the last camera in hell you wanted to leave on when you weren't shooting. 20 minutes max if you were going flat out with one. 30 to 40 minutes max even being conservative. And in the cold weather well hell LoL. It, and a old Flashlight, or Torch as they say in England, are the definition of a dead battery holder! ?

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On 11/10/2018 at 9:35 PM, Emanuel said:

 

...and end of crying babies over here whining on lack of power solutions (doesn't make any sense)

 

With all due respect, I think it is a bit harsh referring to people as crying babies who are whining when they are actually raising legitmate concerns about powering this camera.

Read my post above about the difference in heat generation between powering it on mains for 8 or 9 hour stretches versus powering it for 10 or 15 minutes on batteries. That difference in heat is not something to be unconcerned about and neither is the random battery life indicator.

I have literally just had mine shut down on me mid take when it waa showing a quarter full.

Yet, thus far, the only OFFICIAL way to power this camera other than the mains adapter is to use batteries.

Everything else until they actually get that cable kit out is some form of cobbled together solution with dummy batteries and power packs.

Yes,that situation will be resolved over time and won't be a concern for people who get this camera in the future but for people who actually DO have it right now, it is fair comment to be annoyed about the situation.

The price of this camera doesn't always give it a pass regarding criticism as some of the criticisms have got absolutely nothing to do with the price of it or could have been avoided with such a minimal price increase that would have had zero impact on sales or anyone's satisfaction that they were getting more than their money's worth.

Oh and @Jonesy Jones, my advice would be to favour any solution that powers it off the DC port. If they ever ship that cable kit ;)

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@BTM_Pix Absolutely not you who has contributed raising solutions, not surely me who launched the thread... ; ) Not even others who follow the same trend. I should have written "over there" instead. I meant, here, there and everywhere about this new camera. Come hell or high water, such complaints about battery or anything alike are a bit pathetic, don't you all agree? : -)

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4 minutes ago, webrunner5 said:

Come on, admit the damn camera is shit and get over it LoL.

I'm yet to be unhappy with my results, even on the very first time I pressed record I was happy. It simply gets better as I learn how to use it. As with anything, use it within it's capabilities. The only thing shit about this camera is how hot it is. (IMHO - and yes I'm aware of the comments about how hot the camera can get.)

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I think they just should have made a bigger body sort of like a Canon C100 with a battery as big, proper buttons, and been done with it. Sure it might have cost 1500 dollars plus the Studio Resolve. But it would have been a killer camera. I guess part of the reason was the 5" screen size. Where to put it on a small Cine camera.

But I am not knocking it. It is a gift the way it is, warts and all for the money. I am sure down the road there will be some great aftermarket solutions. Maybe even BMD will come up with a proper Battery Grip. Hint, Hint.

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Cheap ebay NP-L battery sled with LP-E6 dummy has an additional power socket so you can power a monitor with it as well ( as long as you use the larger capacity NP-L's). Don't as yet have an easy way of mounting it and the monitor until I get a cage but it looks like a potential and cheap solution.

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On 11/10/2018 at 12:22 PM, Anaconda_ said:

This seems like a more powerful version of the USB charger idea. It has a mains outlet on it, so can use the cameras charger cable and still have a real battery in the camera for backup when this runs out. Price seems pretty good right now too.

https://www.kamera-express.nl/product/12218258

Is it worth it for 150-170€ (inc post)?

Having the ability to power anything (100W and less) is really appealing. Has fast charging too (mandatory for newer devices that have the ability to fast charge).

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On 11/12/2018 at 8:15 AM, webrunner5 said:

Their idea of Mini and mine is not the same LoL. Yeah compared to the Original Ursa it is mini. That thing is a Moose!.

The Ursa Mini isn't that bad. I was actually quite astonished the first time I picked one up, thinking it wasn't as bulky and heavy as everyone said it was. Then I put the VMount battery on to power it and that changed everything.

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32 minutes ago, graphicnatured said:

The Ursa Mini isn't that bad. I was actually quite astonished the first time I picked one up, thinking it wasn't as bulky and heavy as everyone said it was. Then I put the VMount battery on to power it and that changed everything.

Yeah I have used ENG cameras with Dual Batteries stacked back to back on them. Man like 22, 23 pound cameras that way. That got old pretty quick LoL. But they were easy to steady back then with all the weight. No IBIS, OIS them days. Surprisingly you didn't need it.

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