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

[Kisaha]

15 minutes ago, Shirozina said:

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.

I will probably buy the camera, but I do too would prefer a more XC-esque design. It is one of the best small video designs lately.

The battery too is not sufficient for its intended use, this is a fact and everyone agrees. There are workarounds ofcourse, but those add to size, weight and cost, in peculiar ways.

A little critique can lead to better products.

On the other hand, the silly comments of not being able to put a flashgun on one, doesn't add credit to their authors. 

[Shirozina]

Just now, Kisaha said:

I will probably buy the camera, but I do too would prefer a more XC-esque design. It is one of the best small video designs lately.

The battery too is not sufficient for its intended use, this is a fact and everyone agrees. There are workarounds ofcourse, but those add to size, weight and cost, in peculiar ways.

A little critique can lead to better products.

On the other hand, the silly comments of not being able to put a flashgun on one, doesn't add credit to their authors. 

I had an XC10 and did like the form factor a lot. Never understood why Canon didn't do more with it other than it would have taken sales away from the C line of cameras. I think this is BM's thinking as well. I think BM's strategy was to put a M43 sensor and 5" screen in the smallest cheapest body possible and this they did very well. We always want more and indeed BM offer you more with their other cameras like the Ursa!

[Andrew Reid]

1 hour ago, Shirozina said:

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.

That's not because of the LCD panel though is it!??!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!

It's because there's practically a PC inside processing your recording!

[Shirozina]

Just now, Andrew Reid said:

That's not because of the LCD panel though is it!??!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!

It's because there's practically a PC inside processing your recording!

As I said they get hot just sitting there with the power on not recording anything - I'm sure you know best though and BM just did it to wind you and others up......

[webrunner5]

I think it is pretty much the IPS, Plasma panels that get hot as heck. LCD and OLED hardly use Any power, that is why your Smartphones last for days now.

[Shirozina]

24 minutes ago, webrunner5 said:

I think it is pretty much the IPS, Plasma panels that get hot as heck. LCD and OLED hardly use Any power, that is why your Smartphones last for days now.

I must be mistaken on this one then. Sorry Andrew - you are right and a flip out screen is a serious omission they could have implemented without much effort or cost.

[DBounce]

1 hour ago, Shirozina said:

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.

Frankly would be more interested if it was double the price without the compromises. Can't say I recall requesting your buying advice?

 

[Shirozina]

8 minutes ago, DBounce said:

Frankly would be more interested if it was double the price without the compromises. Can't say I recall requesting your buying advice?

 

Well I wouldn't be interested if it was twice the price as i don't mind the compromises and no you didn't request my buying advice but I'm giving it to you again anyway - if this camera doesn't meet your needs then don't buy it!

[tweak]

30 minutes ago, DBounce said:

Frankly would be more interested if it was double the price without the compromises. 

 

Same. Too many caveats for me.

[Mattias Burling]

I often feel like the critics are asking for BMD to turn the pocket into a camera that they already made, the Ursa Mini.

[Shirozina]

39 minutes ago, tweak said:

Same. Too many caveats for me.

Such as?

[Kisaha]

1 hour ago, Mattias Burling said:

I often feel like the critics are asking for BMD to turn the pocket into a camera that they already made, the Ursa Mini.

Ursa is too big!

I have expressed my opinion about my most preferred camera, a Canon C100 mini/XC something, with XC15 form factor, EF-M mount and improved ergonomics for 2-3000€, and then Canon released the C200 which is almost a 10.000€ camera, and realized that Canon don't really gets it. 

While C100 and C300 dominated the market for years, FS5 and FS7 cameras have been the norm in most productions I am working lately, and BM is starting to be relative in productions.

After the R release, I do not expect anything of them, and I have to move on with a plan B. So, right now, it is Sony, or BM, and I do not particularly like the FS5 or the Ursa that much to spend 6-8.000€ for one of those. So, I would rather spend 3.000€ to rig a Pocket4K at the moment!

I do not like adapters, and m43 sensors, the specific dual ISO - slightly bigger - sensor offsets makes it more appealing for a video camera (I would never use a small megapixel camera for pro photography), but still I would spend double the money for an S35 small video camera. 

If BM can make an amazing m43 one for 1350€, why not a similar one S35 for 2499 or 2999€??!! Still it would be half the price, and size, of Ursa.

[andrgl]

8 minutes ago, Kisaha said:

Ursa is too big!

I have expressed my opinion about my most preferred camera, a Canon C100 mini/XC something, with XC15 form factor, EF-M mount and improved ergonomics for 2-3000€, and then Canon released the C200 which is almost a 10.000€ camera, and realized that Canon don't really gets it. 

While C100 and C300 dominated the market for years, FS5 and FS7 cameras have been the norm in most productions I am working lately, and BM is starting to be relative in productions.

After the R release, I do not expect anything of them, and I have to move on with a plan B. So, right now, it is Sony, or BM, and I do not particularly like the FS5 or the Ursa that much to spend 6-8.000€ for one of those. So, I would rather spend 3.000€ to rig a Pocket4K at the moment!

I do not like adapters, and m43 sensors, the specific dual ISO - slightly bigger - sensor offsets makes it more appealing for a video camera (I would never use a small megapixel camera for pro photography), but still I would spend double the money for an S35 small video camera. 

If BM can make an amazing m43 one for 1350€, why not a similar one S35 for 2499 or 2999€??!! Still it would be half the price, and size, of Ursa.

You have about a 5 year wait for the next pocket camera.

[Jocelyn Deguise]

That whole Alice metaphor at the beginning of the so-called review... well... not your best writing.

[Shirozina]

16 minutes ago, Kisaha said:

If BM can make an amazing m43 one for 1350€, why not a similar one S35 for 2499 or 2999€??!! Still it would be half the price, and size, of Ursa.

Who's to say the won't at some point in the future? and come to think of it why can't they put a FF sensor in the same body and sell it for £5000? The really should get their act together - who wants an M43 sensor camera with dual ISO, ProRes, RAW and Resolve Studio for 1350€ anyway..........?

[webrunner5]

600 bucks.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1430269-REG/zhiyun_tech_weebill_lab_handheld_stabilizer.html

[Kisaha]

1 hour ago, Shirozina said:

Who's to say the won't at some point in the future? and come to think of it why can't they put a FF sensor in the same body and sell it for £5000? The really should get their act together - who wants an M43 sensor camera with dual ISO, ProRes, RAW and Resolve Studio for 1350€ anyway..........?

I do!

Can not wish for an even better camera soon-ish, though? S35 is something we do for decades l, do not forget.

I just express some personal thoughts, I know what the Pocket4K is, and is probably the best deal in video making, ever and I have expressed those views in other posts too.

[Emanuel]

1 hour ago, Jocelyn Deguise said:

That whole Alice metaphor at the beginning of the so-called review... well... not your best writing.

Why not...? I didn't find at all. I see it as his best. Who called that a review?? I called it overview, actually. Other ones? Hands-on ; -)

[Anaconda_]

27 minutes ago, webrunner5 said:

600 bucks.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1430269-REG/zhiyun_tech_weebill_lab_handheld_stabilizer.html

Will that support the pocket though? 3lb load. If it does, and has some kind of follow focus, it's a winner.

[Shirozina]

3 minutes ago, Kisaha said:

I do!

Can not wish for an even better camera soon-ish, though? S35 is something we do for decades l, do not forget.

I just express some personal thoughts, I know what the Pocket4K is, and is probably the best deal in video making, ever and I have expressed those views in other posts too.

I wish it were S35 as well! but the P4k is actually not that far off S35 if you add a speedbooster as the 19x10mm sensor is longer and thinner than the stock 17.3 x13mm M43 sensor.