Black Magic: Official $1,995 raw cinema camera topic, series 2

bwhitz

So to change the discussion to lensing for the BMCC real quick here...

I need to replace my Sigma 30mm 1.4 with something a little closer to a true 50mm FOV... the 69mm FOV of the Sigma on the BMCC is pushing the "normal FOV" just a bit too much for me. I've already decided on the Rokinon/Samyang (since I really like the 16mm 2.0). But here's the tricky part... to go with a Rokinon 35mm and the Speedbooster... or just using the Rokinon 24mm straight up? Besides the negligible 2mm extra length of the Speedbooster/35mm combo... will the actual image perspective be any different? Besides the FOV? I know I've heard it said many times here that a 35mm is a 35mm, no matter what. So would I expect the SB/35mm combo to have a "deeper", yet still 50mm-FOV, look to it than the possibly more "compressed" looking 24mm+2.3xcrop? I thought I knew my lenses and crop factors and such, but I just haven't been able to find any comparisons or a definite answer yet, and it's kind of stumping me...

belfryman

Anyone got the cineroid MSS, the metal one with SDI, working with BMCC? I heard it didn't work but then read it would with firmware update. Would be good to know someone succeeded before I buy. Thanks.

vicharris

@Wilbo Hey Will, I had a big docking station but I opted for one of these since it's smaller.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0057UAB2K/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Wilbo

thanks for the recommendations guys :) no thunderbolt on my MacBook so illl have to look at the other options :)

DancingCamera

I use this, works great: http://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Storage-System-Dual-Drive/dp/B00BD9495O/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1378388773&sr=8-15&keywords=plugable+ssd

kavadni

Also using the GoFlex

ahbleza

@Wilbo I'm using the Seagate GoFlex Adapter (Thunderbolt). Works just fine with Sandisk 480 GB SSDs.

Wilbo

Damn it... just bought 2 SanDisk 240GB Extreme SSDs. One mounted and formatted on my 2008 macbook pro via estata adapter fine. I shot some test footage but now it won't be recognized on my mac (won't mount to my PC with MacDrive either). The SSD still works fine in the BMCC.

What type of SSD dock are you guys using??? Thanks!

-W :/

vicharris

The one thing I will say is try not to shoot with both cameras. You will have to dumb down your BMCC footage to match your GH3 footage. It's just how it is. Then you're losing the reason you bought the BMCC in the first place. yeah, it can be done but you're working backwards IMO. The handheld stuff can easily be controlled with a basic should rig, which you will need for the EF version anyways. You could always pic up the Sigma 18-35 to help out with low light. It's damn nice at 1.8!

DancingCamera

Just my personal-view, but the BMCC really isn't great handheld. I would consider the EF mount. I have the MFT mount, but despite the fact I think the camera is excellent it is not for hand-shooting.

If you want to brave it, you'll definitely need a shoulder rig for rough-style or steadicam for smooth, especially at 24fps. For comparison, I don't think the GH2 can really handle handheld either.

Best advice, however, is rent/borrow and test for your eye!

azza_act

Hi guys, just looking for opinions ... I'm shooting a feature at the end of this year. I have the GH3, with most of the famous MFT lenses. Everything from the 7-14mm lens, nokton 17.5/25mm (thinking of getting the 42.5mm), Panny 14mm and the 12-35mm-35-100mm panny zooms plus the Noktor 12mm. I really like the GH3 but i also love the footage coming from the BMCC. I really dig the proress footage i'm seeing...

I know all about the extra cash I'll need to make the bmcc work. I can take that cost. So I've waited a couple of months for any news about an active mount BMCC. There hasn't really been anything solid so it's either the dumb MFT or EF versions of the bmcc. The reason i'm mentioned the EF is that we plan on doing a lot of handheld shots as this will be a gorilla style shoot. Small crew and we need to be mobile. So IS would be important (I think). Unfortunately, i would love to use the panny zooms but at least with the EF version i could buy the Canon 17-55 F2.8 which has IS (same as the link above) and for real lowlight stuff just use my GH3 and the Noktons. Does this seem smart? Or should I get the MFT version because of the lens investment i already have? I'm just worried about jello. The other thing is, if i buy the EF version is there a chance of BM announcing a active MFT mount... Cheers guys.

Or wait for the GH3 hack :)

ahbleza

Just thought I'd share a frame from a music video that I shot yesterday with my BMCC. This is using a Sigma 50mm f1.8 with variable ND filter (which is why it's a little soft.) Light grade with Da Vinci. ProRes 4:2:2, not raw.

kholi

I'm not trimming at all, but I'm also Lion-based.

jrd

Are you seeing dropped frames, despite trimming?

plasmasmp

Manual trimming works fine in Windows with a USB3 to sata adapter.

Use this utility, format the drive and run the trim. The program wont respond until the trim is finished (you'll see the drive activity light stop) and you should be good to go.

http://forum.crucial.com/t5/Solid-State-Drives-SSD/SSD-Tool-free-space-trimmer/td-p/51198

jrd

Sorry, I haven't read the entire thread, but per dropped frames, are you guys regularly "trimming" these SSD drives? For this to work on Windows, I believe you need a sata or e-sata connection (and AHCI must be enabled). USB3 boxes won't do it.

kholi

Sentiment shared. I'm about to get two more asap, that'll make six, but I still hope that I can find them even second hand to be honest. I do not want to be the test dummy for Extreme IIs.

plasmasmp

The SanDisk Exterme 240GB fixed the problem. Still seems crazy to me that I can fill the full 480GB of my m500 without dropping a frame at 30p, but if I shut off the camera after inserting it, the camera will display No SSD.

Also, the SanDisk fits in the slot much better due to it being a thicker drive. Hopefully these will stay available even though they are discontinued.

Wilbo

@feonn I don't think I see any dead pixels on my camera, but I'm still waiting for the right SSDs to arrive in the mail.

Maybe I missed this but are those raw screen grabs? @vicharris is probably right about the exposure thing and needing more light. I'm not sure this big little guy is that much more sensitive than the Gh2

feonn

Yes, I was playing through the menufor a while checking different lenses. Does it matter how warm it is?

vicharris

I've seen banding in under exposed ProRes footage for sure. I'm no expert but the camera just likes light. The pixel thing, like I said is odd. Did you let the camera warm up first?

feonn

@vicharris

When shooting available light at this time you can't always ETTR and expose for the shadows. And I haven't pushed anything. Here for example (ignore compression) BMCC is pretty ok, no banding etc.

And available light is much less.

I could be the contra light, don't know... So does that mean that you also get this banding in underexposed areas or with closed cap?

vicharris

Pixel stuff doesn't look normal but again, you can't underexpose this camera like that.

debinatx

Kingston 120GB works perfectly for me.

feonn

I don't know really what happened.. after a while the pixels disappeared form the screen except some blue which I still can see with the zoom option on the screen when on dark background. Then on the downloaded footage I saw only some red hot pixels on another place :) I'm showing some footage...

Red pixel(s):

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3055676/bmcc_test/Blackmagic%20Cinema%20Camera_1_2013-08-29_2010_C0002_000008.jpg DNG: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3055676/bmcc_test/Blackmagic%20Cinema%20Camera_1_2013-08-29_2010_C0002_000008.dng

With closed cap: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3055676/bmcc_test/Blackmagic%20Cinema%20Camera_1_2013-08-29_1908_C0002_000006.jpg DNG: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3055676/bmcc_test/Blackmagic%20Cinema%20Camera_1_2013-08-29_1908_C0002_000006.dng

Then I saw some banding in dark areas :)

Shot at evening: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3055676/bmcc_test/Blackmagic%20Cinema%20Camera_1_2013-08-29_2015_C0004_000011.jpg DNG: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3055676/bmcc_test/Blackmagic%20Cinema%20Camera_1_2013-08-29_2015_C0004_000011.dng

Prores: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3055676/bmcc_test/Blackmagic%20Cinema%20Camera_1_2013-08-29_2015_C0000.mov

closed cap: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3055676/bmcc_test/Blackmagic%20Cinema%20Camera_1_2013-08-29_1908_C0000.mov https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3055676/bmcc_test/Blackmagic%20Cinema%20Camera_1_2013-08-29_1908_C0001.mov

What do you thing? Is there any issue with the camera or it's paranoia? Is there any better way to test the camera?

The thing is that soon I'll need the camera for a two month shooting in a remote area in India. And I want to get a replacement ASAP if anything is not ok with the camera... Any opinion is much appreciated.

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