Black Magic BlackMagic

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I know recently there's been a lot of posts on this blog about the new BlackMagic Pocket Cinema Camera, but only because I have a limited amount of time with it before I have to send it back. I have a feeling that once it's out of my hands, we won't be seeing them for several months. So here's an odd issue, that i'm sure will quickly be circulating the Internet once more and more people start working with it. Just check out the video below.

Ok, so I honestly don't think a simple firmware upgrade is going to fix this problem, but let's hope I'm totally wrong about that. What does this mean? Well, if it's happening to more cameras than the one I have here, then that sort of sucks, but I wouldn't say it's a total deal breaker. Even if this camera didn't have an internal microphone, I would still buy it.

I have yet to ever use the internal microphones on the original BlackMagic Cinema Camera, so I don't really care about in camera audio. Even with my GH3 or Canon for projects i'm using an external recorder, plugging in a LAV, using a wireless mic kit, etc. If you're shooting serious projects, you should already be staying away from using the camera's internal microphones.

Of course I know for many people it's helpful as a scratch track to sync in post, and that internal noise could really conflict with software like Plural Eyes. The simple workaround means you just have to use a small external microphone. Not a big deal for me because it's just a scratch track. Even if you add a nice mic like a Rode VideoMic Pro, you're still not going to get as good audio as from a dedicated recorder like the Zoom H6. After all it is a 'Cinema Camera'.

BTW, if you downloaded the 10 second ProRes sample from GearAddix (here), you can also hear that same noise. Ok, so hopefully i'm just holding a very unique camera that has this internal noise issue. If anyone else has this camera already, I would love to know if you have the same problem. Please comment below.

[Update] 08.19.2013 - A rep has contacted me and assured me this was an isolated problem with this particular camera I have. This is not a normal problem and other BMPCC users should not experience this.

FYI, I just shot about 4 hours of footage using a Rode VideoMic Pro and did not hear any of this same noise. The internal mic on this camera is the only one picking up the sound. Not a problem for me.

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So if you've been following, I mentioned I had planned a trip this weekend to shoot some BlackMagic Pocket Cinema Camera video samples with a small crew. The guys who will be making this long journey and traveling up to the mountains with me are the production crew for GearAddix. I passed over the BlackMagic Pocket Cinema Camera over so that they can get familiar with it before our trip, and they've found that the Sony SDHC UHS-1 media cards will work fine for ProRes video recording.

I think a safe bet is if your card can sustain a minumum of 30MB/s write speeds, it should work fine to record ProRes. If you want to test your cards, you can download the FREE BlackMagic Disk Speed Test app for your computer (here).

blackmagic spee test

Here's a few screen grabs testing Transcend SDXC, Patriot EP Pro, and the Sony SDHC UHS-1. Click any of the images for an exploded view of the speed ratings.

Transcend-SDXC-Class10
Transcend SDXC Class 10 		Patriot EP Pro
Patriot EP Pro SDXC 		Sony-SDHC-UHS-1
Sony SDHC UHS-1

Well good to know that is one other option for a speedy and more affordable SDHC media card for the BlackMagic Pocket Cinema Camera. [Thanks GearAddix] You can find the Sony SDHC UHS-1 media cards in over on Amazon (click here).
71PWf1wEUvL._SL1200_71MNzlC4oQL._SL1200_71BUhd-XNbL._SL1200_
find-price-button Sony SDHC Class 10 UHS-1

Download ProRes Video Sample
The team has also uploaded an unedited 10 second ProRes sample from the camera (240MB). If you decide to try it out, I suggest pushing the color saturation, shadows, mids, highs and overall exposure values. I did my own quick version pushing saturation and adding contrast here: https://vimeo.com/72468406

You can find the download link at the GearAddix.com website.

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Here's a few tips some of you may want to prepare for so that you can begin shooting with your brand new BlackMagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera the day it arrives.

#1 - Get a damn fast SDHC or SDXC card. None of the cards that work flawlessly on my Canon DSLRs were even detected. The few speedy cards I was able to grab from local retailers just ended up with dropped frames. We're just talking ProRes here, imagine when RAW is unlocked. Tomorrow I should receive a couple of Sandisk Extreme Pro cards (recommended in the user manual) for my weekend project.

71UCYlTgaPL._SL1482_
find-price-button Sandisk Extreme Pro SD Media Card

#2 - Keep in mind you cannot format SD cards from the camera itself. If you show up at a shoot with a full SD Card, there's no way to delete the files. Keep a laptop with SD card reader handy to format to exFAT and delete any old projects. Don't think you can just pop it into your other camera to delete. The HFS+ or exFAT file system isn't recognized in most other cameras.

#3 - The LCD screen on this camera (not touch screen) may not be suffice for working outdoors. If you plan to use a monitor or EVF, you need a rare micro HDMI cable (d type). I already have plans to use my Cineroid Retina EVF

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find-price-button Cineroid Retina EVF LCD Viewfinder

#4 - The battery drains very quickly on this pocket camera. These batteries are the same for the Nikon J1, inexpensive, but you still need an optional charging station so you don't keep your camera tethered. The other option is an external 12V power source for very long projects where swapping batteries could be a problem.

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find-price-button EN-EL20 Battery / Charger

#5 - Even my small Panasonic 12-35mm F/2.8 or 35-100mm F/2.8 Micro Four Thirds lenses fit too snugly on the camera if I have my 501PL plate mounted underneath. Lens adapters will be worse, so you'll need a platform, rig, cage, or something to raise the body up if you're planning to use popular Fluid Heads. I'm using the Fhugen GH3 cage right now since it's the smallest cage in my arsenal (no battery door access).

Rokinon Lens BlackMagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera
There's room to slide the plate back and forth, but other lens combinations may not be so forgiving

#6 - Expect no audio meters from the camera itself. I think at this point the easiest method is to just work an external recorder.

Finally just a quick note on using an HDMI recorder. I'm not sure if this will yield any difference in quality, but if there is no degradation, an HDMI recorder could be a cheaper solution for storage media, solves limitations on long projects, and is a fast way to hand off video files to your editor. The Atomos Ninja 2, one of the affordable HDMI recorders on the market, is capable of recording from the BlackMagic Pocket Cinema Camera. You can record the stream without actually recording from the BMPC, or you can just hit record on both units for dual recording (a good backup solution for critical projects).

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find-price-button Atomos Ninja 2 HDMI Recorder

I'll continue to add notes about the things i'm running into, and I'll be uploading sample ProRes files from the camera very soon. Make sure to follow me on Twitter, and stay tuned to the blog. Remember, if you're still looking to get on a short list to get this camera early, check in with DVEStore.com

Blackmagic_Design_964117
find-price-button BlackMagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera.

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Like many other people out there, I preordered my BlackMagic Design Pocket Cinema Cameras (while I was at NAB) the same day they announced it. With only a few cameras trickling in every week, it could be months before my name is up next. Fortunately, I had the chance to the BlackMagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera today thanks to DVEStore.com.

Apparently, the folks at the DVEStore has a few of these, with still a fairly reasonable small list of preorders to fill. There's a good chance the DVEStore will complete their list of preorders before larger retail stores can even scratch the surface with theirs.

If you're curious about seeing how long (or short) that list is, I suggest sending them an inquiry. The website can be found here: https://DVEStore.com.

Blackmagic_Design_964117IMG_310481
find-price-button BlackMagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera - DVEStore Preorder

Ok, now on to the next point of business. The BlackMagic Pocket Cinema Camera I have here is on loan. I have a short amount of time with it, but I've already reached out to a few friends to see if they can put it through the paces. We've planned a long weekend of travel and shooting a variety of footage with this camera.

I needed to buy additional bits just to get going on this camera (more info on that later), and also rented a few bits I think people will be interested in. The Pocket Cinema Camera does not shoot RAW (CinemaDNG) at this time, but the ProRes files are still impressive. A firmware update will add CinemaDNG capture.

We plan to shoot very short clips and upload them for you to download and play with (color grade). If you have any general questions about the product, leave some comments while I have it. Once I send this little guy back, I doubt I'll be seeing it again for several months. Over the next few days i'll be adding some additional information about working with this camera, so keep following...

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find-price-button BlackMagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera - DVEStore Preorder

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I just got confirmation about a little package on it's way as we speak, and will be arriving in my mailbox tomorrow. Now I don't want to spoil all the excitement, but I guess I'll leave a few clues as to what I should expect to receive tomorrow.

It's mostly #Black with Tan accents, and I think it's just #Magic how they've managed to make this item #Pocket sized and affordable for the #Cinema market....

BlackMagic Design Cinema Camera Shipment

[Update] The Eagle has landed....
BlackMagic Pocket Cinema Camera

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I know there are a few people waiting on the Micro Four Thirds version of the BlackMagic Design Cinema Camera to be released. They are starting to pop up around the Internet, but here's one officially in stock via eBay.

BlackMagic Cinema MFT Mount Micro Four Thirds
find-price-button BlackMagic Design Cinema Camera MFT Micro Four Thirds Mount - via eBay

The BMCC MFT Mount version is also available IN STOCK through the DVEStore.com (found here)

BlackMagic Cinema MFT Mount Micro Four Thirds
find-price-button BlackMagic Design Cinema Camera MFT Micro Four Thirds Mount - via DVEStore

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sigma-fast-1-8-18-35mmsigma-fastest-les

sigma 18-35mm fast zoom Sigma's latest 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM Lens is now available to order. Typically most zoom lenses can only maintain a max aperture of F/2.8, while this new (35mm Equivalent Focal Length of 28.8-56mm) lens can maintain a constant wide aperture of F/1.8 throughout it's zoom range, thus dubbing it The Fastest Zoom Lens in the World.

sigma 18-35

These are some very very impressive specs for a lens. The new Sigma 18-35mm F/1.8 lens is offered in Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax, and Sigma mounts. Keep in mind that many of these lenses can now be adapted to work with other cameras such as the Sony NEX (including aperture controls and auto focus). The Canon version of this lens is listed as native Canon EF (not EF-S), and although it's designed for APS-C sized sensors tokina 11-16mm (like Tokina's 11-16mm), this lens should mount directly to a BlackMagic Design Cinema Camera with EF mount. This could be a very popular lens for BMCC users.

Sigma Worlds Fastest Zoom lens

I'm personally very excited to get my hands on a singe lens with this type of focal range combined with a very fast constant aperture. The fastest zoom lens I currently have is canon 24-70mm Canon's 24-70mm F/2.8 which runs over $2K so the fact that this new Sigma 18-35mm F/1.8 is available for under $800 dollars is an amazing price. This should appeal to many who shoot with APS-C cameras such as a Canon Rebel, 7D, 60D, T5i, or even Sony NEX cameras with a smart adapter. The new Sigma 18-35mm F/1.8 is available for pre-order through the links below.

sigma18-35mm
find-price-button Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM Lens - via B&H
find-price-button Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM Lens - via Samys
find-price-button Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM Lens - via Adorama

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Here's a closer look at these BlackMagic-Cinema-Camera-Cage-production-4K1 inexpensive BlackMagic Design Cinema or Production 4K Camera cages. The unit is entirely made from metal and can be mounted fairly quickly to a BMCC camera.

The cage will allow dozens of new mounting points along the sides of the BMCC, but the top threaded plate may be too shallow to use with accessories. There is another version available that offers more mounting points in the handle.

Typically the cage requires the rail clamp to use a quick release plate, but in the video I share a tip on how to add a longer shaft 1/4 QR plate screw. Remember that this particular screw has a longer shaft, so it will be too long to use directly under a camera. Of course there are shorter versions of these screws if you want to replace all your Manfrotto (or other) screws into tool-less types. You can find these Extended-Long-Shaft-D-Ring-Dring-Tripod-Screw-Quick-Release-Plate Extended Shaft D-ring Quick Release screws via eBay (Click Here).

Extended Long Shaft D-Ring Dring Tripod Screw Quick Release Plate
find-price-button D-Ring Extended Shaft Tool-Less QR Plate Screw

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BMCC Camera Cage with Top HandleePhotoinc ePhoto Inc Video Cage BlackMagic Black Magic Cinema Camera

A new and more affordable video cage designed for the BlackMagic Design Cinema Camera or new BlackMagic Design Production 4K Camera is popping up. The accessory cage comes with a Top Handle that can be used directly on the BMCC or with a cage bracket frame providing dozens of mounting points. A 15mm rod adapter assembly can be mounted when using rail accessories such as a follow focus or Matte Box. This new BMCC video cage kit can be found via eBay (Click Here).

BlackMagic Cage Top Handle RigBlackMagic Top Handle RigePhotoinc ePhoto Inc Video Cage BlackMagic Black Magic Cinema Camera
find-price-button BlackMagic Design 4K Cinema Camera Top Handle Cage 15mm Rods

The new BMCC Accessory Cages with Top Handle and 15mm Rods can also be found via Amazon (click here)

BMCC Camera Cage with Top HandleePhotoinc ePhoto Inc Video Cage BlackMagic Black Magic Cinema Camera
find-price-button BlackMagic Design Cinema Camera 4K Video Cage Top Handle 15mm Rods