Blackmagic Micro Studio Camera 4k G2 - now shipping

[kye]

Looks like the Blackmagic Micro Studio Camera 4k G2 (or M4K as @mercer has coined) has started shipping - I saw a quick video from someone earlier this week, but now Will von Tagen has received his, and promises to rig it up and take it out into the world, so we'll be able to see how it fares.

Here's a video showing the menu system and giving some initial comments towards the end of the video, which are very positive.

 

[BTM_Pix]

Leaving Bluetooth control out of it is a ridiculous decision.

There are of course different ways to control it and yes it is primarily for broadcast but they must know full well that this camera is going to find its way into a lot of filmmaker's hands (hence why they've included the recording features) and in particular onto a lot of gimbals.

Leaving out the option to control it without those other pieces of interfacing gear is real cripple hammer territory.

If its in there but just disabled then they really should enable it toot suite.

At least the original micro had the expansion port connector to enable controllers to be made for it.

[kye]

I guess we'll see if it's absent or disabled in time.

How often would you need to change something in-camera?  On my P2K and M2K the only thing I might change is aperture on native MFT lenses, but on manual lenses I wouldn't change anything.  

[BTM_Pix]

20 minutes ago, kye said:

How often would you need to change something in-camera?

In its most basic form, remote start/stop would be the primary thing if its set on a gimbal.

As would aperture and focus on an electronic lens in the same situation.

With it being a box camera, it is likely to be in a rig so at that point anything and everything that can be put on a handle (or even operated by an assistant off a secondary device ) to control it would be desirable.

The attraction with this camera is for it to be the P4K box camera that BM never made so any loss of functionality to enable it to be a drop in replacement/supplement for the P4K is a miss.

The lack of bluetooth rules out options for more advanced controls such as interfaces made by old men that transform Tilta focus wheels into being able to control electronic lenses on the camera without motors etc etc.

With your Micro this might have been superfluous for your uses but the expansion port was there to offer the option if you ever did, which many people did use.

Bluetooth for this (and the other BM cameras) is the wireless version of that expansion port.

In mitigation, this thing does need a monitor anyway so you could use one that has camera control in it but this does reduce the options.

It is a great camera and it just seems a bit mean spirited to not include a function (that is highly likely to be in there anyway) that could make it better for a wider set of users.

Cue the conspiracy theory that the real P4K box version is coming at NAB.

 

[mercer]

I thought menu controls could be controlled through the usb or hdmi?

[BTM_Pix]

28 minutes ago, mercer said:

I thought menu controls could be controlled through the usb or hdmi?

The camera obviously needs a monitor so yes and no because if you want one with those controls in it ushers you along the path to more expensive and/or bigger monitors for it to be able to do that.

I'm probably moaning about something niche here anyway !

[zlfan]

4 hours ago, kye said:

Looks like the Blackmagic Micro Studio Camera 4k G2 (or M4K as @mercer has coined) has started shipping - I saw a quick video from someone earlier this week, but now Will von Tagen has received his, and promises to rig it up and take it out into the world, so we'll be able to see how it fares.

Here's a video showing the menu system and giving some initial comments towards the end of the video, which are very positive.

 

this is very promising. small size, 4k raw, just need an external monitor/recorder. 

[zlfan]

12g sdi in and out, hdmi out, usb-c. these are great to rig up the camera using 15mm rail system. 

hope the bottom has an additional locking pin socket in addition to the apparent 1/4 or 3/8 socket. i experience a lot that the rails rotate due to only one socket at the bottom of the camera (mostly dslr or mirrorless, not the camcorder type body)

i think this one can pair with a ninja v or v+ or a bmva 12g 5 inch, a t5/7/9 ssd, some smallrig cage specifically designed for this. at $2000, this can be very useful and low profile, good for traveling or street shooting. 

also importantly, u43 sensor means a lot of 43 or u43 lenses can have latest 4k raw recording capability. 

this one bmcc4k g2 vs g9 ii, or paired with g9 ii, can be a powerful setup for being small and nimble, yet modern and high res. 

[zlfan]

seems to me that u43 will revive due to this bmcc4k g2 and g9 ii. 

[zlfan]

if this 4k g2 is coupled with a ninja v plus, the setup can record braw and prores raw uhd 60p simultaneously. this will be cool. 

[zlfan]

5 hours ago, BTM_Pix said:

Leaving Bluetooth control out of it is a ridiculous decision.

There are of course different ways to control it and yes it is primarily for broadcast but they must know full well that this camera is going to find its way into a lot of filmmaker's hands (hence why they've included the recording features) and in particular onto a lot of gimbals.

Leaving out the option to control it without those other pieces of interfacing gear is real cripple hammer territory.

If its in there but just disabled then they really should enable it toot suite.

At least the original micro had the expansion port connector to enable controllers to be made for it.

bm cams don't have usable af, so not very suitable for gimble work. seems ok wo bluetooth connect interface. it is good for rigging up. 

[zlfan]

will see how good the rolling shutter perform. if rolling shutter is fast, then this can be used as an action cam. 

[BTM_Pix]

32 minutes ago, zlfan said:

bm cams don't have usable af, so not very suitable for gimble work. seems ok wo bluetooth connect interface. it is good for rigging up. 

Remote focus control doesn’t mean it needs to be auto focus.

They are not the same thing.

It is precisely because BM cameras don’t have continuous autofocus (well mine do actually) that a remote follow focus is required.

Claiming that people don’t use current BM cameras on gimbals because they don’t have continuous autofocus is a complete nonsense.

The box nature of this new one makes it even more applicable as it is easier to balance.

[zlfan]

4 minutes ago, BTM_Pix said:

Remote focus control doesn’t mean it needs to be auto focus.

They are not the same thing.

It is precisely because BM cameras don’t have continuous autofocus (well mine do actually) that a remote follow focus is required.

Claiming that people don’t use current BM cameras on gimbals because they don’t have continuous autofocus is a complete nonsense.

The box nature of this new one makes it even more applicable as it is easier to balance.

even though bm cams have af, it is not on par with sony and canon cams, even not on par with red komodo. certainly you can use it for gimbal, but many more dps use sony cams for gimbal work.  

[mercer]

6 minutes ago, zlfan said:

even though bm cams have af, it is not on par with sony and canon cams, even not on par with red komodo. certainly you can use it for gimbal, but many more dps use sony cams for gimbal work.  

I don't think you're following what he is saying. Go back and reread. 

[BTM_Pix]

EDIT>REMOVED REPLY

Fuck this, it was easier just to put you on ignore than waste time interacting with the constant stream of absolute bollocks that you are posting on here.

[PannySVHS]

6 hours ago, BTM_Pix said:

Cue the conspiracy theory that the real P4K box version is coming at NAB.

 

That would be pretty sweet. Give it a mountable and tiltable 2.5" monitor plus (mini) sdi and we got the perfect bmmcc4k. Gruesome name.:)

 

1 hour ago, BTM_Pix said:

EDIT>REMOVED REPLY

Fuck this, it was easier just to put you on ignore than waste time interacting with the constant stream of absolute bollocks that you are posting on here.

One can put people on ignore? Didn't know that. But that doesnt help if i'm just reading but not logged in. Can you read mine? Hallo? Can you read my post? Hallo?😂

@zlfan, you don't need to pump out post after post. I read some nice informative stuff and even nerdoms best from you. Unfortunately I also found plenty posts to be very irritating and even quiet some unbearebly offensive stuff. Why not stop those antics. No two posts nor even more in a row, no flaming, no halfbaked assumptions, no getting rigid. I have the feeling you are already skipping the rudeness. Now let go the other antics as well and it will be awesome for all of us. I sometimes get a headache from just the sheer mass of flow consciousness from you. Chill, mate. It' so much better to chill and enjoy one and another. Otherwise this forum will be truly in danger. 

[kye]

10 hours ago, BTM_Pix said:

In its most basic form, remote start/stop would be the primary thing if its set on a gimbal.

As would aperture and focus on an electronic lens in the same situation.

With it being a box camera, it is likely to be in a rig so at that point anything and everything that can be put on a handle (or even operated by an assistant off a secondary device ) to control it would be desirable.

The attraction with this camera is for it to be the P4K box camera that BM never made so any loss of functionality to enable it to be a drop in replacement/supplement for the P4K is a miss.

The lack of bluetooth rules out options for more advanced controls such as interfaces made by old men that transform Tilta focus wheels into being able to control electronic lenses on the camera without motors etc etc.

With your Micro this might have been superfluous for your uses but the expansion port was there to offer the option if you ever did, which many people did use.

Bluetooth for this (and the other BM cameras) is the wireless version of that expansion port.

In mitigation, this thing does need a monitor anyway so you could use one that has camera control in it but this does reduce the options.

It is a great camera and it just seems a bit mean spirited to not include a function (that is highly likely to be in there anyway) that could make it better for a wider set of users.

Cue the conspiracy theory that the real P4K box version is coming at NAB.

 

Ah, sorry..  I missed the mention of it being on a gimbal, where obviously you lose the ability to touch the camera or lens.

Makes sense now, and yeah, having a wireless control of some kind where you don't need to buy new hardware would be optimal.

I have a vague recollection of someone on YT saying that the BM camera app is actually a camera control app where the first camera it controls is the internal iPhone camera, but that the roadmap will be that it adds control for BM cameras.  That would effectively give every BM camera a smartphone-sized touchscreen interface.  I think that was just speculation, but if true would definitely be a very nice user experience.

7 hours ago, zlfan said:

this is very promising. small size, 4k raw, just need an external monitor/recorder. 

and SSD.

6 hours ago, zlfan said:

bm cams don't have usable af, so not very suitable for gimble work. seems ok wo bluetooth connect interface. it is good for rigging up. 

The AF on the P2K is better than nothing but only marginally, but it seems like the M4K has a much newer sensor so I'll be keen to see how much the AF is improved.  

If the AF is improved and the images are compelling, this will be the closest I'll have come to buying a new camera in quite some time.

[IronFilm]

9 hours ago, zlfan said:

seems to me that u43 will revive due to this bmcc4k g2 and g9 ii. 

And the Panasonic GH7 can't be too far away! I'm betting this year. 

Plus I expect to see another MFT camera from Z Cam too. 

  

6 hours ago, PannySVHS said:

@zlfan, you don't need to pump out post after pos

I guess it is due to the lack of edit button?? 😞

If only we could still edit posts! (more than a few seconds afterwards) Then we wouldn't see two or three plus posts in a row from the same person. 

  

7 hours ago, zlfan said:

even though bm cams have af, it is not on par with sony and canon cams, even not on par with red komodo. certainly you can use it for gimbal, but many more dps use sony cams for gimbal work.  

The vast majority of times I'm on shoots with a gimbal they're not using AF. As they have a 1st AC. 

[kye]

1 hour ago, IronFilm said:

I guess it is due to the lack of edit button?? 😞

If only we could still edit posts! (more than a few seconds afterwards) Then we wouldn't see two or three plus posts in a row from the same person. 

I don't think this is the cause.

My strategy is to draft the post, then re-read it in the editor before posting it.  When I post it and then re-read it I have to frantically make edits until the timer blocks any more edits.  I think it's a 5 minute window.

I also have a vague recollection that it was put into effect because people were making inflammatory posts and then days later were editing them then gaslighting everyone after the evidence had been erased.  It made for very strange reading too because it looked like they made a calm post and then all the following quotes were doctored to make them the asshole.

Sadly, we all suffer because a few people are emotionally damaged.