Power Woes with BMPCC

[Quirky]

Looks like my BMPCC is dying. Or something is wrong with it.

I've had it for a few months, and it worked just fine until now. With the latest firmware update. I haven't used it for the past three weeks, and it has been stored appropriately in a closet during that time.

 

Today I took it out to prepare it for a shoot, and noticed that it wouldn't power on normally. First I thought the battery had dried out inside it, so I swapped it. Same result. When I press the power button, the screen will flash on like it normally does, but after that the camera goes dark, in less than a full second.

 

Another press of the button either does the same, just a blip on the screen, then nothing, or it doesn't do anything. After recharging and trying out four different batteries and even with the power chord plugged in the camera, with or without a battery inside, the result is always the same. The camera powers on for less than a second, then becomes a brick.

 

The camera does still have a warranty, obviously, and I know I'll probably have to send it in for a warranty repair, but I was just wondering if anyone has had a similar problem, and if anyone might know if there's anything I could try before sending it in.

 

After all, sending it in for a warranty repair will probably take quite a while, and I'd like to avoid the hassle, if this happens to be some known issue and fixable by the user.

[froess]

try pressing the power button two times, after last firmware that's how cameras turn on now, at least with my bmpcc and with another bmcc.

[Quirky]

Thanks for the reply. I think you're on to something with the firmware thing, and I think I kind of figured it out myself, too. At least I hope so. 

 

I did some research last night. Apparently the latest firmware has changed the sensitivity of the power button for some unknown reason, and it no longer works like it used to. Before the latest update you were to give the power button a good push before the camera powered up. After the update only a short push is needed, and if you push it longer, like you used to, the camera will power off right away, resulting in a quick flash of the screen as described in the OP.

At least I hope that's simply the case.

 

Unfortunately I had already sent the camera in for a warranty repair before I discovered this, so I can't confirm it right away. That's why I haven't commented about it in this thread yet. I'll come back with a confirmation as soon as I get one. I really hope it's something as simple as that, so that I'll get my camera back as soon as possible. 

 

Meanwhile, another tip I found yesterday was that if you face the same kind of problem, try pushing the power button for 10 seconds, and then release it. After that, try powering the camera on again normally, with just one short push. That ought to do it, I'm told.

[froess]

Ok Quirky,

 

Hope everything is well with your camera.

 

Best of luck.

[Quirky]

Yeah, everything's fine, and confirmed, it was the Firmware issue. 

Blackmagic may address that issue in the next FW update. We'll see. But meanwhile, it just needs some getting used to.

[froess]

Great news.

 

Yes, I hope so aswell.

[sarwanov]

I like your post.It is good one.