The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K unboxed and first impressions - Best indie RAW camera yet?

[Andrew Reid]

For the first time ever I've come face to face with the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K and the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K has come face to face with me. It's time to face facts without doing an about-face.

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[Davide Roveri]

So glad you finally have the BMPCC4K in your hand, looking forward to hear your impressions! :-)

Quick tip re the WB, if you hold the WB button for a couple of seconds it will automatically adjust the white balance using the center portion of the frame, a wonderful timesaver (and just one of the many amazing features of the software in the camera!)

To be fair the only thing that really puzzles me so far software-wise is the playback function.. I just don't understand why the clips are displayed according to how the camera is set in that particular moment rather than how the camera was set when you captured the clip, it makes very little sense to me but hopefully it will be changed on a software update soon.

Have fun with the little beast mate!

 

 

[Andrew Reid]

Cheers mate!

Is there a way to have Auto WB dynamically change in real-time as you shoot? Like on a mirrorless cam or DSLR?

Yeah that playback segmenting of clips is a strange decision, or at the least should be optional. It's very confusing as other have mentioned. Firmware update needed!

[Davide Roveri]

hmm.. unfortunately it doesn't look like that's case right now. Was it like that on the original pocket as well? I don't remember but it would be good to have the WB change dynamically indeed or at least have an option for it..

I shot almost exclusively raw so far so i wasn't too bothered about wb as long as it was in the right ballpark but it would definitely be important when shooting ProRes..

Shall we compile a list of suggestion to send Blackmagic for the next software versions?

Here's mine:

- Playback mode to reflect clip metadata (both on the display and on the menu bar)
- Thumbnail page in playback mode to quickly move between files
- Better power management so the camera won't die on you suddenly
- Possibility of using the iris and focus button as extra function keys when using manual lenses

 

 

[Emanuel]

@Andrew Reid The best camera reviewer, even from an overview... Period and Kudos : )

Adam Wilt for another segment, you for your followers and... google.

Pity they didn't send you a camera before. A shame you had to buy it from your own pocket.

Thanks for your entry and to your girlfriend for her kindness with this community. They will sell dozens, hundreds or even thousands of camera units only from your input as opinion maker. I believe someone has forgotten to add a grateful thanks as well... ; )

Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar (E : -)

 

BTW here's some info on the use of such 0.64x focal reducer when along S35 coverage glass:

 

@CaptainHook @John Brawley

[Dunjoye]

So....

Xt3 or this?

[Shirozina]

"Although a tilting mechanism should, in my opinion, have been added" 

A 5" screen generates lot of heat and the fan is is very likley there for cooling this rather than the sensor so a tilting mechanism would not be possible without a much bigger body and more expense.

 

[Alex Uzan]

Finally !

Thanks Andrew, your first impression were very interesting to read.

I can’t wait for your final review ?

[no_connection]

Can it output 720p50? or at least 1080p50?

Can it use synchro scan for shutter speed?

We are looking for a camera that can be used live but also be used for recording.

[Andrew Reid]

4 hours ago, Shirozina said:

"Although a tilting mechanism should, in my opinion, have been added" 

A 5" screen generates lot of heat and the fan is is very likley there for cooling this rather than the sensor so a tilting mechanism would not be possible without a much bigger body and more expense.

 

A fan to cool the screen? Are you ok? This doesn't make any sense. Anyway, if it were a tilting screen then the heat source (backlighting) would be away from the body of the camera and would have a lot of nice airflow under it. As a modern LED backlit screen it doesn't create enough heat to need any cooling, so it's a moot point anyway.

5 hours ago, Dunjoye said:

So....

Xt3 or this?

They are both great, but I think the Pocket 4K has the better video quality. That's not to say that the X-T3 isn't also nice, plus it has brilliant AF tracking, EVF, larger sensor, stills camera body ergonomics that some may prefer, nice bunch of Fuji lenses, so it depends on your preferences really.

[Shirozina]

Just now, Andrew Reid said:

A fan to cool the screen? Are you ok? This doesn't make any sense. Anyway, if it were a tilting screen then the heat source (backlighting) would be away from the body of the camera and would have a lot of nice airflow under it. As a modern LED backlit screen it doesn't create enough heat to need any cooling, so it's a moot point anyway.

Have you used an external monitor/recorder? They have fans and get very hot even when not recording and you are just using the display. I've got a VideoDevices 5" monitor and it gets very hot.

[ND64]

Somebody should make a camera like this with FF sensor. 

[Shirozina]

3 minutes ago, Eric Calabros said:

Somebody should make a camera like this with FF sensor. 

No - it should have a MF sensor. FF is not cinematic enough these days.....

[Anaconda_]

28 minutes ago, no_connection said:

Can it output 720p50? or at least 1080p50?

My understanding is that it outputs your recording frame rate as a 1080p image. 

So if your filming 4K60p you can only record at 1080/60p from the hdmi. 

That said, I don’t know if it outputs 120p if you’re filming in that mode.

[DBounce]

5 hours ago, Dunjoye said:

So....

Xt3 or this?

From what I've seen the difference in video IQ is negligible. However,  the X-T3 is a hybrid... the P4K is not.  So in that regard it depends on if you plan to also shoot stills.  I do both and recently picked up a strobe kit for the X-T3. Is this an option for the P4K?... It doesn't even have a hotshoe.

The P4K is NOT A HYBRID... whereas the X-T3 is. So the real question is... do you want an hybrid or not?

[sanveer]

Actually since it relies so heavily on Touch sensitivity (plus that well spaced and amazingly well laid out menu) they put the 5inch monitor on it. With a low tensile strength body like this composite one (compared to aluminium and maybe even magnesium alloy) the body would have cracked with any kind of movement on the monitor.

Plus the Aluminium and Magnesium alloy would have added to the price.

Even though it isn't heavy at all, I still think it's quite large. 

@Andrew Reid you've turned this into another low light monster (like the amazing f0.74 you pushed the original BMPCC to). I wish someone would make an extremely small gimbal (maybe built into a cage only slightly larger than the one made by smallRig) built into a Camera Cage.

I still think the body is too large. I wish it were smaller. It would be easier to hide it and easier to have it on a tiny gimbal. 

[Anaconda_]

5 minutes ago, sanveer said:

wish someone would make an extremely small gimbal

Check out the Weebill LAB it’s teeny, and they’re supposedly working on support for focusing the P4K. 

Also, this guy’s delivery is hilarious.

[DBounce]

3 minutes ago, sanveer said:

Actually since it relies so heavily on Touch sensitivity (plus that well spaced and amazingly well laid out menu) they put the 5inch monitor on it. With a low tensile strength body like this composite one (compared to aluminium and maybe even magnesium alloy) the body would have cracked with any kind of movement on the monitor.

Plus the Aluminium and Magnesium alloy would have added to the price.

Even though it isn't heavy at all, I still think it's quite large. 

@Andrew Reid you've turned this into another low light monster (like the amazing f0.74 you pushed the original BMPCC to). I wish someone would make an extremely small gimbal (maybe built into a cage only slightly larger than the one made by smallRig) built into a Camera Cage.

I still think the body is too large. I wish it were smaller. It would be easier to hide it and easier to have it on a tiny gimbal. 

I would have preferred an XC15 design with the tilt screen.  I don't understand why they did not just make it look like a video camera.  As it is it looks rather awkward. A rotating grip would have been great to have. A bigger battery would have gone a long way to negate the need for rigging. 

[Shirozina]

4 minutes ago, DBounce said:

I would have preferred an XC15 design with the tilt screen.  I don't understand why they did not just make it look like a video camera.  As it is it looks rather awkward. A rotating grip would have been great to have. A bigger battery would have gone a long way to negate the need for rigging. 

Tilt screen - see my previous post about heat. Also if you keep the 5" screen and a XC design with rotating handle it would be a lot bigger (and more expensive)  just like their higher up models. Bigger battery = more size again.

I like the size and form factor and wouldn't want it any bigger. If it's not the camera for you then don't buy it.

[sanveer]

19 minutes ago, Anaconda_ said:

Check out the Weebill LAB it’s teeny, and they’re supposedly working on support for focusing the P4K. 

Also, this guy’s delivery is hilarious.

Seems quite small. Would love to see this in person.