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2K BlackMagic Pocket Cinema Camera, active m43, $995
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  • qwerty123qwerty123

    Say, @Kholi where did you preorder? I'm guessing it doesn't matter that much.... I'm thinking either B&H (everybody and their mother) or Abelcine (maybe fewer...) or HotRod Cameras (definitely fewer, but a lot fewer coming in).

  • kholikholi

    @Trumpetman -- I'm pretty confident about the resolved detail matching GH3 and GH2, however out of the box the "sharpness" won't be there. The only in-camera processing option's shooting VIDEO dynamic range, which means there's no extra added sharpness, unlike the GH3 etc. As well, no internal noise reduction going on.

    So, I can imagine that some of the first things we'll hear about are "Why is my GH3 sharper?", and then we'll have this discussion a few hundred times as the transition on the low end begins.

    Simultaneous conversation also includes Noise and Noise Reduction.

    As far as glass matching, I've never been a major fan of Lumix lenses but I do think they'll be a hit here. Just a thought, anyway.

    @Chaos123x

    That's a difficult decision. Pocket is going to be great, but I do really enjoy shooting with MFT BV1. I acquired an EF BV1 from someone that didn't want to handle the workflow and was more suited to getting a GH2, so having both for a while I do like MFT for the Hyper Fast Glass.

  • TGDudeTGDude
    I'm hoping the silence is due to a active mount upgrade. Day one purchase if it does have it. I'm still torn between the pocket and the bmcc mft.

    I was torn too until I factored in the cost of a new workstation capable of editing 2.5K raw. My Late 2009 iMac doesn't have USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt or a powerful graphics card and can't be used as an external monitor for a new PC. I've gotten spoiled by 27" 2560x1440, so I'd have to buy an equivalent monitor for the new PC. I'd also need a good SSD reader and some backup HDDs and either an HD-SDI monitor for the cam or that HDMI to HD-SDI converter.

    Edit: I'm now planning to invest the $ into upgrading my workstation. I'll have to do it eventually anyway. I'm not going to get BMPCC. I'll get either 2.5K or 4K.

  • Chaos123xChaos123x

    @kholi

    I'm hoping the silence is due to a active mount upgrade. Day one purchase if it does have it. I'm still torn between the pocket and the bmcc mft.

  • TrumpetmanTrumpetman

    @kholi It will be interesting to see. If the perceived resolution of the pocket cam doesn't match up to the GH series then the Nikons might tend to soften it up too much, but hopefully the added sharpening of the booster will help out the Nikons in this case. The Nikons are perfect for helping tone down the razor sharpness of the GH3, getting it much closer to an organic film stock look. Ironically, the pocket cam may match up better with my Lumix lenses which I never use on the GH. Because of its dynamic range it is already closer to a film look and may, as you suggest, be better matched with sharper modern lenses. We will know in August, hopefully!

  • kholikholi

    Gonna try to fit the responses in one post for you guys:

    @killagram

    I've only used the 25/0.95 Voigtlander on my MFT Blackmagic so far, and that I do have footage of BUT I want to revisit the comparison I did between the SLRMagic 25 HyperPRime and the Voigtlander 25. I will definitely try out the 17.5 if I can get my hands on it. I'm not a huge fan of it, to be honest.

    Sort of restating this, but I also prefer the SLR 25 Hyperprime over the Voigtlander 25 mostly because the SLR is sharper wide open, and I like the quirky "cinema" like build. The Voigtlander is definitely a tighter lens in terms of build, and has a more neutral cast versus the SLR Hyperprime 25's warmer cast, which puts the Voigtlander into a more "Zeiss" realm. Price may or may not be a consideration for some.

    The 17.5/0.95 looks the same, to me, but the reality's that it's the only 17/0.95 out there (isn't it?) or at least around that price range, so it gets a pass regardless.

    @TGDude

    I understand you, about Zeiss. I've mostly shot Zeiss in my "career" or whatever one might call it, haha. And, from there, it's Cooke. New Zeiss optics all carry a very distinct feel, one that's highly sought after by many. It's an expense, no doubt, but it's a very good look. Ultra PRimes are my favorites.

    A few of the Blackmagic clips up are with Zeiss ZEs and that specific project I'm actually finishing up post on today, it's a fake horror trailer/short film that we used as a camera test, self motivator, and a youtube channel launcher so it'll be up within the next few days if not today if you want to see various situations, focal lengths, run-n-gun with the glass.

    @Trumpetman

    I own a few old Nikkors and I do not like them on BV1 (Blackmagic V1). This is the first time where I've come to the conclusion that it's time to put away the old glass and pick up some newer samples. Having a look at some test images of Contax Zeiss (full set, german copies, all the fast primes) side by side with Zeiss ZE/ZF's from BV1 showed that. But, it's a preference.

    Speed Booster is going to be a good choice, though.

    @Chaos123x

    Yeah, what Vic said. My MFT's a Pre-Production/Production run camera aka I'd be a tester for sure. MFT-BV1 isn't cancelled at all, but I can see how some people might fear that due to the silence.

    @LongJohnSilver

    It's a smaller sensor, so it may not be an issue. WE'll have to see. It'll be one of the first things I test when I get my camera.

    @Kazuo

    It's strange, but I think the SLR 25 is actually more practical than the Voigt 25, but I guess that's up to the individual. I do prefer Zeiss over Voigt, hands down.

    Really looking forward to getting my own Pocket and Production cameras.

  • TGDudeTGDude

    Thanks @kazuo

    What focal lengths are you using?

    I typically buy one prime for "normal" or slightly wider than normal FOV and zoom with my feet, while getting fast glass to maintain shallow DOF while standing back farther. That's the reason I went with Voigt 17.5/0.95. That works well with both GH2 and presumably the BMPCC.

    A lot of those Zeiss ZF lenses, according to my searching, have a max aperture of 2.8/2.0, which I think would be cool on a GH2, but I'm not sure about BMPCC. I typically shoot at F/2.0 - F/2.5 on a GH2 in daylight for the look that I like on medium-closeups.

  • qwerty123qwerty123

    Where is a good place to pre-order from? I know B&H is accepting, but I imagine everyone is ordering from them. Would going with an alternative be better?

  • sammysammy

    when shooting anamorphic with this camera, either 1.5x or 2x , i came up with that the widest lenses we can use with out vignetting is around 19-20mm when shooting 1.5x and around 28mm when shooting 2x , has anyone else came up with this ?

  • Ralph_BRalph_B

    @kazuo

    Could you possibly post some frame grabs from your various Zeiss lenses?

  • kazuokazuo

    @TGDude, @Kholi

    I started out with the Nokton 25mm, then sold it because I soon found out it wasn't the most practical piece of glass on a film set. I started collecting a suite of Contax Zeiss and Zeiss Zf lenses, and today, i only shoot with Zeiss.

    I love the flat profile in the clip. Try grading it, it's going to look awesome. And yes, Zeiss is different from the Nokton. Amongst Zeiss lenses, again the look and feel would differ, for instance, Vario-Sonnars yield more resonant and brighter colors than say a Planar or Distagon. But by and large, the Zeiss signature is fairly consistent, even when you put Contax and modern Zeiss alongside one another.

    I wouldn't say if Zeiss is better than Nokton, they each have their distinctive look, but for narrative work, Zeiss is par excellence.

  • fehafeha

    @Brian202020 , can you make some tests with Lumix 12-35 lens on BMPCC ? Film and Video mode ?

  • LongJohnSilverLongJohnSilver

    Don't know if already discussed...

    This camera has an "active" m43 mount.

    Lens like the Panasonic 7-14mm has distortion and barrel correction made in camera. it works for pana and oly bodies also for video.

    Should I expect to get this correction on BMPCC camera too?

    Without in-camera distortion correction that lens is pretty useless.

    Thanks

  • vicharrisvicharris

    Slow down, Kholi is a beta tester. I've seen his camera.

  • Chaos123xChaos123x

    @kholi

    I thought the bmcc mft hasn't shipped yet.

    Thought only protypes went out to testers.

    If you got one let us know, where did you get it from? Some people think its even cancelled.

  • TrumpetmanTrumpetman

    I think my Old Nikons with the speed booster on the pocket cam will compete with the Zeiss. They already look awesome on the GH3 without the booster.

  • No_SuRReNDeRNo_SuRReNDeR

    So Cinema DNG is "disabled" then ...It seem like he was Unable to select it in the video @7:45 matthere posted hmm......Dont get me wrong pro res is cool but this seems....fishy

  • bwhitzbwhitz

    I'm guessing BMPCC will be able to get the same look with the same lenses since it's the same sensor.

    It definitely will have the same look. I'm just hoping the detail will be roughly the same... somewhere around a 900-line measurement would be good enough for me.

  • TGDudeTGDude

    Thanks @kholi

    I recently got the Voigtlander 17.5mm F0.95 in anticipation of either getting BMPCC (already pre-ordered) or BMCC-MFT. I sold my Panasonic Leica DG 25mm F1.4 that I was using on GH2.

    That clip from my previous post with the Zeiss glass makes me want to go with Zeiss instead, lol.

    @kholi I checked vimeo and saw some of your BMCC-MFT clips, assuming your channel is http://vimeo.com/campcomet ... Glad you actually took sample footage using human faces, lol. Your stuff looks great and I can see how each lens has it's own look on the cam. I've always had one "normal" FOV lens on all of my past camera bodies. I never really kept a stash of lenses to compare.

    Your vimeo video titled "ProRes LT" that was shot with ""Zeiss 35/2 ZF" according to the comments is very similar to the smooth skin look that I want on BMPCC.

  • killagramkillagram

    @kholi do you have any screen grabs or video of your Blackmagics with the Voigtlander? If so which Voigtlander lens? I ask cause like @TGDude I was thinking that the 17.5mm V lens was going to be perfectly matched for cinematography shooting on the BMPCC.

  • kholikholi

    @TGDude

    I've used Zeiss ZE/ZF's on my Blackmagic(s), they definitely have their own look and it's a good one. Neutralish, pretty sharp just over wide open. I do not think the Voigtlander would have that look wide open or even stopped down, but its own value.

    The Zeiss look is pretty unique to Zeiss altogether. I shoot with SLRMagics (12/1.6 and 25/0.95) on my MFT Blackmagic, they aren't as clinical and have a more "nostalgic" feel. It's different, I like it, but it's different.

  • TGDudeTGDude

    Are Zeiss primes required to get this look out of BMCC?

    I'm mainly referring to the smoothness (not soft, but smooth) of the skin, while still retaining detail, in the close-up shots. I'm guessing BMPCC will be able to get the same look with the same lenses since it's the same sensor.

    Do you think the Voigtlander 17.5 can get something close to this look or is this unique to Zeiss?

  • Tungee78Tungee78

    @ kevin_kirchman http://www.enjoyyourcamera.com/Objektivadapter/Adapter-an-Micro-Four-Thirds/C-Mount-Objektiv-Micro-Four-Thirds-Adapter::4696.html

    @ Chaos123x i tested it with the GF2 and GH2, no problems so far, but i dont know if the pocket mft is different.....

    @ Trumpetman it is something between Fisheye and superwide...

  • kevin_kirchmankevin_kirchman

    @Tungee77 Which adapter were you using for C-Mount to MFT? It would be good to know of a quality one for when the BMPCC comes out.

  • manstokmanstok

    Funny, its a kind of pocket guy himself...

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