First ProRes files from the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera released

[JohnBarlow]

Not impressed. I think I will wait for a SATA (or similar) port on the NEX 5,6,7 etc or CANON M, which is one easy step that the Japanese giants can make to kill the PCC at a stroke. 

[Willian Aleman]

It looks good for shooting out of the pocket, will look better in a controlled environment but I see no reason to ditch the GH2 just yet. On my Vimeo feed the gh2 footage holds up just as good as anything else out there. (just about anyway).

 

I have been using the GH2 for about 5 years with satisfaction in this camera price range. I expect a tremendous difference between the GH2 and BMPC. It's about codec differences:  H.264 (MTS) vs ProRess HQ:  In detail, it's about bit-depth, latitude and color space differences between the two codec.

 

[Bruno]

I think it is too early to say much on pq vs original bmcc, but there are of course several advantages to go with the bmcc which may or may not matter to you. The bmpcc's only(?) Advantage is active mft mount. (And portability I suppose)

And sensor size (for S16mm lenses) and compressed raw. Two very important features!

[Andrew Reid]

Not impressed. I think I will wait for a SATA (or similar) port on the NEX 5,6,7 etc or CANON M, which is one easy step that the Japanese giants can make to kill the PCC at a stroke. 

 

Yes please. E-sata and a SSD mag in a battery grip. I mean, this isn't hard or expensive stuff we're talking about here. Just a direct tap on the sensor's raw data in the memory already in the camera, out via a $5 chipset.

[Dr. John R. Brinkley]

I remember the panic about the GH3 when it first came out and everyone was over analyzing and despairing over what few images we were given, like it was the zapruder film. I think patience, for this one time, is deserved for BMD.

[peederj]

That would be an awesome firmware update. "Oh, uhm, we decided to give you another stop of dynamic range and stop clipping out the super-whites. Enjoy!"  :lol:

[JackHorror]

do i see a lot of "noise" or it's my idea?

[tosvus]

do i see a lot of "noise" or it's my idea?

Noise doesn't seem bad, but many cameras have noise reduction (which sometimes cannot be completely disabled).
Of Course it will not compete with 5d mk3 though.

[HurtinMinorKey]

do i see a lot of "noise" or it's my idea?

 

I hardly see any noise, except in the grades where people went totally nuts.

 

 

Noise doesn't seem bad, but many cameras have noise reduction (which sometimes cannot be completely disabled).
Of Course it will not compete with 5d mk3 though.

 

I agree, no one thinking of a 5D3 will get this camera, they may consider the BMCC.

[Marino215]

I have been using the GH2 for about 5 years with satisfaction in this camera price range. I expect a tremendous difference between the GH2 and BMPC. It's about codec differences:  H.264 (MTS) vs ProRess HQ:  In detail, it's about bit-depth, latitude and color space differences between the two codec.

I agree, footage looks great so far, what sold me was prores/RAW and the small form factor. I hope I never need to touch the GH2 again, but for such measly specs (avchd) the GH2 is still a remarkable camera hacked or not. Owning an fs700 has taught me well, latitude is everything. Never again will I settle for such a low bit rate camera. I can't even justify buying into their 4k offering even with the odysseyQ. I'd rather tryout the BMPC instead. Looks like I'll be waiting a while for that one so hopefully the pocket camera will hold us over.

[TheCaptainOfObvious]

https://vimeo.com/71870657

[bbhaltz]

Some of the original ProRes files from Auckland In My Pocket have been made downloadable by the uploader:

 

copy.com/bHQjkpc21Q1d

[lmackreath]

My Grade on this footage:

 

https://vimeo.com/71996891

[wanderer63]

Here is my tweak :

https://vimeo.com/72032434

[Michael Ma]

Here's my entry.  Color graded through ACR, which in my mind has the best controls to recover highlights.  Second half is the original for comparison.

 

https://vimeo.com/72125235

 

Keep your eyes on the woman with the sunglasses on the other side waiting to cross the street.  Her sweater and face are appear to be completely blown out in the original, but are recovered in a very usable way.  

 

As for noise, this is an excellent example of the dynamic range of this camera.  Some whites were indeed blown out in this shot and were unrecoverable.  And the very dark shadows can be very noisy, and I did apply noise removal in my processing, which seems to work well.  13 stops are great but to get no blown out highlights and no noise in any outside lighting situation, we probably need something like 17+ stops.  

 

It is still better than anything I would expect out of any DSLR in the same lighting situation.

[peederj]

I don't think the BMD ProRes really offers 13 stops. That might be something they claim they can get in RAW only, and under ideal circumstances they don't describe. One hopes they aren't saying to get the 13 stops you have to use the NR in the included copy of Resolve.

 

White is set to 100 IRE and black to 20 IRE from what I could tell. In contrast (haha) the C100/Canon Log/clean HDMI/Ninja 2 ProRes chain has white at 110 IRE and black at 10 IRE. So even though the Canon output is 8 bit it uses a broad code base to retain color fidelity across the full 12 stops they claim for the sensor at base ISO. I felt the BMD Pocket ProRes was more like 11ish stops...there's a lot of grain (added intentionally?). I'm assuming these are base ISO clips, in which case, there probably was an ND filter tacked onto the lens?

 

Anyway this BMD Pocket is a camera that you have to be as careful exposing as you do a Rebel or other cheap DSLR. A "fetus Alexa" (PB's funny term) this is most certainly not. Its highlight curve is nothing at all like an Alexa's (which itself is completely unique and film-like) but its in-camera look is "Alexa-inspired," which may have subjective benefits, but has none of the objective ones. But you can get good images out of it as long as you avoid moire as you would on the Rebel and have more light available than you would need on the Rebel. Can you make a Rebel look like this footage? Yes with enough post massage you could, you have a much better sensor but a much worse codec.

 

I would still get the hacked GH2 or GH3 instead of this Pocket if the assignment was "small interchangeable lens camera." The Panasonics are sharper/higher res, have an adequate codec, have I would imagine much better lens support, and far better ergonomics and workflow. And cheaper in the case of the GH2. This BMD Pocket has better in-camera color/"look" and a better gamma. But it doesn't relieve you from having to expose the shot properly (undermining the supposed DR advantage) and is nearly as soft as 5D3 H.264 footage but suffering from moire regardless.

 

I'm sure people will make good stuff with these because it's captured the imagination of so many ambitious people new to filmmaking, but it won't be the camera to credit for the stuff being good. The Rebel or hacked GH2 would be similarly good and much more flexible on "set." Up from there, the 5D3 RAW completely undermined BMD's value proposition, understandably resulting in a massive price cut for the cinderblock cameras.

 

You'll be relieved to know that's all I have to say on BMD until we see some sign of the 4K camera. I'm still guessing that will be next year or not until they have found a completely different sensor than the one they were sampling, which could be more than a year from now.

[Bruno]

"This is all you have to say about this camera" and yet you only mention the prores shooting mode of a raw shooting camera, aren't you kind of missing the point?
You also keep basing its performance on the original BMCC camera, even though it's a different sensor.

[Michael Ma]

 

I would still get the hacked GH2 or GH3 instead of this Pocket if the assignment was "small interchangeable lens camera." The Panasonics are sharper/higher res, have an adequate codec, have I would imagine much better lens support, and far better ergonomics and workflow. And cheaper in the case of the GH2. This BMD Pocket has better in-camera color/"look" and a better gamma. But it doesn't relieve you from having to expose the shot properly (undermining the supposed DR advantage) and is nearly as soft as 5D3 H.264 footage but suffering from moire regardless.

 

Thank you for your input.  I'm still trying to decide between a GH3 or a BMPCC.  How would the GH3's dynamic range do in the same situation against the BMPCC?  Would I get a lot more blown out highlights, white skies, black shadows?  Or would I get just about the same results?  I would love to just point this camera in any direction without thinking of harsh lighting or shadows in respect to the sun because unfortunately I won't be directing the shots and the camera will be in the hands of someone who probably has never heard terms like "dynamic range".  As long as she can hold the camera steady, I'm hoping to salvage footage (when needed) that would otherwise be unusable.

[/p/]

But it doesn't relieve you from having to expose the shot properly (undermining the supposed DR advantage)

 

[peederj]

Thank you for your input.  I'm still trying to decide between a GH3 or a BMPCC.  How would the GH3's dynamic range do in the same situation against the BMPCC?  Would I get a lot more blown out highlights, white skies, black shadows?  Or would I get just about the same results?  I would love to just point this camera in any direction without thinking of harsh lighting or shadows in respect to the sun because unfortunately I won't be directing the shots and the camera will be in the hands of someone who probably has never heard terms like "dynamic range".  As long as she can hold the camera steady, I'm hoping to salvage footage (when needed) that would otherwise be unusable.

 

My suggestion is to get your hands on both cameras in a risk-free manner and A/B compare them to the best of your ability. Many retailers have 14-day or longer return policies if you can put the sum on your credit card.

 

Blackmagic Design has made domineering the online discussion a crucial part of its marketing blitz and as a result anyone who says anything realistic about their products gets attacked. I would lean in favor of any company confident enough to let its products speak for themselves rather than send out these aggressive shills and massage blogger/reviewers.