Blackmagic Micro Cinema Super Guide and Why It Still Matters

[kye]

9 hours ago, PannySVHS said:

Bmmcc was introduced in spring 2015 and actual availability was in 2016. Was sure crevice had a typo there.:) Anyway, this thread is a highly recommended read for anyone starting with their bmmcc journey. Just got myself a Zeiss Tevidon 18-90 f2 lens for it. But that beauty will take longer to find the right adapter(s) for.

I think the 2012 reference might be to the sensor, which IIRC is the same as the OG BMPCC, which was announced/released in 2012.

Great stuff about the 18-90, although it's a pretty darn long lens with the crop factor!

I've got a Tokina RMC 28-70 3.5-4.5 on the way which will fit my m42 speed booster, making it about as wide, but it's mainly for my GX85.

I did a deep dive on walk-around vintage zooms but found that coverage at the wide end is the challenge and that nothing really hit the mark for me and how I shoot.  At least, not enough to justify spending the $1000 or so I'd need to buy a Canon or Angenieux or whatever else cine zoom in good enough condition that it would hold its value.

[bjohn]

6 hours ago, kye said:

I think the 2012 reference might be to the sensor, which IIRC is the same as the OG BMPCC, which was announced/released in 2012.

From what I've read, the BMMCC actually used a slightly updated version 2 of the sensor used in the original BMPCC, it's not exactly the same. Dmitry Shijan verified it in the Fairchild spec sheets; see here: https://forum.blackmagicdesign.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=94230#p525352 But if you read further down that thread you'll see that there's still some debate about it.

[kye]

4 hours ago, bjohn said:

From what I've read, the BMMCC actually used a slightly updated version 2 of the sensor used in the original BMPCC, it's not exactly the same. Dmitry Shijan verified it in the Fairchild spec sheets; see here: https://forum.blackmagicdesign.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=94230#p525352 But if you read further down that thread you'll see that there's still some debate about it.

Interesting.

I've heard people say they compared images and they were basically the same, so assuming that's true then similar/same is good enough unless someone is planning on taking theirs apart and re-programming or re-using the chip in a different circuit - otherwise knowing the exact model number really doesn't matter 🙂

Great chip though.  Pity there isn't a camera with the 2022 version of the chip.  Considering how good it was at the time it would be spectacular with a decade of further development added to it.

[PannySVHS]

@kye There is a variety of Varokinetal lenses that might do for people with budget.:)

For me, affordable and small c-mount primes will have to do it. One thing about C-mount is that sometimes lenses get a bit loose and unscrewed. I had it happen with a very cheep 25mm CCTV. I´m wondering about a solution for follow focussing, which would have to be rock solid. I guess, mounting C-mount the solid way is not for the faint hearted and demands to glue or to be acted upon with screws. 😳

Just imagining doing this to my Tevidon lenses gives me a funny and funky feeling if you know what I mean.:)

I think the BMPCC should be newer than the BMCC. The latter one being launched in 2013 if I remember correctly. Funny thing that anyone could look it up. But sometimes it is just fun to try to reconstruct and remember things from memory.

[kye]

6 hours ago, PannySVHS said:

@kye There is a variety of Varokinetal lenses that might do for people with budget.:)

For me, affordable and small c-mount primes will have to do it. One thing about C-mount is that sometimes lenses get a bit loose and unscrewed. I had it happen with a very cheep 25mm CCTV. I´m wondering about a solution for follow focussing, which would have to be rock solid. I guess, mounting C-mount the solid way is not for the faint hearted and demands to glue or to be acted upon with screws. 😳

Just imagining doing this to my Tevidon lenses gives me a funny and funky feeling if you know what I mean.:)

I think the BMPCC should be newer than the BMCC. The latter one being launched in 2013 if I remember correctly. Funny thing that anyone could look it up. But sometimes it is just fun to try to reconstruct and remember things from memory.

Depending on how the lenses are loose, hot glue might help?  If you're just gluing a brace to the outside of the lens, obviously on two parts that don't rotate against each other, then a decent amount of surface area would get a good hold and should peel right off without leaving a trace I'd imagine?  Obviously, do a test if you're going to try that, but if it takes a lens that wasn't usable and gives it new life then why not.  Despite our love of old glass, it's useless if it can't be making images, so have at it I'd say.

I looked up the release date, but it seems I misread it.  The BMCC was 2012, and the BMPCC was 2013.

[PannySVHS]

On 12/24/2021 at 5:30 AM, kye said:

Obviously, do a test if you're going to try that, but if it takes a lens that wasn't usable and gives it new life then why not.

I looked up the release date, but it seems I misread it.  The BMCC was 2012, and the BMPCC was 2013.

Great. That is a great advise!

So I remembered right. Awesome!:) I got my second Iscomorphot 8 1.5 coming. I want to couple them with C-mounts taking lenses, that way having a super light RAW camera anamorphic setup with two anamorphic lenses! I am very exited. I think the Iscomorphot is perfect for the S16 sensor size. Coupling the setup with a Tilta Nano, Raw anamorphic with wireless focus- a dream come true.:)

[bjohn]

Some nice family beach footage shot recently by the cinematographer Tiago Pimentel on original BMPCC on a Crane3s gimbal with a Zeiss 21mm ZF.2 lens; he graded it in Resolve and used one of Resolve's built-in Kodak emulations.

 

[BenEricson]

On 1/4/2022 at 6:54 AM, bjohn said:

Some nice family beach footage shot recently by the cinematographer Tiago Pimentel on original BMPCC on a Crane3s gimbal with a Zeiss 21mm ZF.2 lens; he graded it in Resolve and used one of Resolve's built-in Kodak emulations.

 

Really cinematic stuff. I own the Red Komodo and the Canon C70. This camera honestly produces a nicer image in a lot of ways. It's really wild.

[Emanuel]

hey everything looks like familiar to me there... ; ) Parede beach (Lisbon), the land of an old fellow and house mate from my Law school period and very close where still lives another old partner in crime of mine as well where I lived a decade and a half ago... and yet, one of the most iconic locations of the Portuguese cinema (and where one of the James Bond's was shot half century ago BTW, the only one with Charles Lazenby as 007) :

Very Portuguese faces indeed :- )

[bjohn]

33 minutes ago, BenEricson said:

Really cinematic stuff. I own the Red Komodo and the Canon C70. This camera honestly produces a nicer image in a lot of ways. It's really wild.

He shot it in ProRes and added halation and film grain in Resolve 17. It looks great to me.

[Trek of Joy]

Been trying to find a deal on one of these for awhile. Just missed one with a speed booster and cage for less than $600. Prices seem to be on the rise, grrr..

Chris

[bjohn]

1 hour ago, Trek of Joy said:

Prices seem to be on the rise, grrr..

Now that it's officially discontinued it's going to start becoming a collector's item!

[BenEricson]

21 hours ago, bjohn said:

He shot it in ProRes and added halation and film grain in Resolve 17. It looks great to me.

I just like the color. The halation and especially the grain aren't really my thing.

[PannySVHS]

I found the colour palette funky but still enjoyable. Would not base my judgement of the camera on this video nor grading result. Nice lensing I must say. I had my Canon FD 20mm on my BMMCC with a 0.71x focal reducer, it gave a pretty outfit. Looks to me like it was used on a plain adapter or what do you think?:)

[PannySVHS]

Bmpcc 4k giving the bmmcc a good run for the money and has better 4k:) As the camera is not as popular anymore as it used to be around its hype, more serious practitioners of the art of cinematography shine through. Here is a piece with its own look of digital emulsion that looks valid and beautiful to me and I enjoyed the obvious crispyness in the mid frame, stunning resolution  and the anamorphic bokeh magic and sharpness falloff to the sides. bmpcc 4ks are getting amazingly cheap on the used market. I liked the colour response of bmpcc4k material in grading. If not IR poluted these cameras are fantastic. Here my favorite piece of pure cinematography of the last couple weeks, a PannSvhs pick of January:)

 

[PPNS]

i shot this a while ago on the original bmpcc: 

 

[PannySVHS]

On 1/6/2022 at 2:38 PM, Trek of Joy said:

Been trying to find a deal on one of these for awhile. Just missed one with a speed booster and cage for less than $600. Prices seem to be on the rise, grrr..

Chris

You mean the bmmcc or the og pocket? A steal! I paid 650 for my bmmcc with cage, rawlite filter, npf battery adapter, hdmi and breakthough box, plus shipping from Litvia.

[baoves3]

Yeah its definitely a camera I want to get. Nice form factor and great image

[IronFilm]

On 12/23/2021 at 9:01 AM, PannySVHS said:

So save up your pennies. Blackmagic has stopped to produce the micro due to sensor shortage, as stated on their website. So prices might not get too low again soon.

Stopped forever? Or maybe they will resume production after the pandemic is over??

I guess it is more likely they'll create a BMMCC 4K?

[IronFilm]

On 12/23/2021 at 6:47 PM, kye said:

might be to the sensor, which IIRC is the same as the OG BMPCC

And the "same" sensor as is in the even older BMCC EF!! (just with a smaller cut of the sensor than is in the BMCC)