Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera: Yes there will be housings!

[Davide DB 424]

Thanks Phil,

Really nice post

[Drew 0]

Phil, the 35mm "full frame" standard is a relic from the Kodak's 135 film for stills, which is 35mm across including perfs. That is how this whole 35mm full frame started.
S35 film is closer to APS-C sensor size, as is S16 film is to 1" sensors. 35mm full frame is closest to Vistavision 8/35mm film.

[Phil Rudin 446]

We all know that 35mm cine film turned on its side was the basis for 35mm still film photography. The image size when shot on 35mm film and now 35mm sensors of 24mm X 36mm is where the idea of crop factor v. Full frame ( full frame being 24 X 36 mm) came from. In the 3:2 format a 1.5 X crop factor is releated to the 24 X 36 mm image size not the original film size. So a Nikon APS-C sensor is 23.5 x 15.5 about 1.5 and the Canon 1.6 X APS-C size sensor is 22.5 x 15 mm image area compared to the 24x36 35mm image area.

 

The crop factor idea with 43 and M43 is even less relevant because it is a different 4:3 format v. the 3:2 35mm format. If you had a 2X crop v. 35mm it would be 18 X 12mm, because the 4:3 format is three units of length X four units of length you end up with a 17.3 x 13 mm sensor area or 4.333 x 3= 13mm and 4.333 x 4= 17.3mm for the 43 and M43 sensor image area. Some of the sensors like film are larger but the image capture area is what is relevant.

 

No one ever talked about full frame or crop factors other than 35mm half frame before digital.

 

Regarding Drew's photo illustration it would help to mention that the photo is in the 4:3 format with what looks like some type of fisheye and it might help to also illustrate the use of a fisheye or other W/A lens on the 3:2 format for comparison.

 

Phil Rudin

Edited August 17, 2013 by Phil Rudin

[SimonSpear 65]

 

Just remember if you are planning on putting Olympus or Panasonic glass on the BMPCC then there is NO in camera processing of the (distorted) image. Again it should be helped a little by the crop.

Edited August 17, 2013 by SimonSpear

[thani 86]

Just remember if you are planning on putting Olympus or Panasonic glass on the BMPCC then there is NO in camera processing of the (distorted) image. Again it should be helped a little by the crop.

And add to this the fact that Optical Image Stabilization OIS is not granted as discussed on Blackmagic forum:

http://forum.blackmagicdesign.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=11036&p=69425&hilit=Bmpcc+OIS&sid=e92bbdeb16a8b8aaaed0fbfb70787ca4#p69425

 

Here is an excerpt"

Kristian Lam

Blackmagic Design

Posts: 183

Joined: Tue Aug 21, 2012 1:11 pm

Re: Stabilization from Panny lens on BMPCC?

Thu Aug 15, 2013 10:35 pm

 

I would like to issue a correction.

 

There will be no stabilisation enabled if the lens, such as the Panasonic 14-42mm, does not have a physical switch. The protocol for enabling stabilisation is not part of the MFT standard so it not work right now.

 

We'll have to see if Panasonic is willing to share with us what we need to tell the lens in order to turn stabilisation on.

 

For lens with physical switches, it will work fine."

[Nick Hope 151]

[lazy]

1. So which MFT lenses are not designed to have their distortion corrected in-camera? SLR Magic etc.? Any Panasonic/Olympus?

 

2. So which MFT lenses do have a physical OIS switch?

[/lazy]

[Timccr 11]

Personally I don't think I'm so worried about distortion correction or even the lack of stabilisation. CA might be a problem though. Anybody know how to deal with that in post?

[SimonSpear 65]

[lazy]

1. So which MFT lenses are not designed to have their distortion corrected in-camera? SLR Magic etc.? Any Panasonic/Olympus?

 

2. So which MFT lenses do have a physical OIS switch?

[/lazy]

 

Is it MFT or M43? I only ask because if I say MFT and it is M43 I'm sure there will be someone out there ready to correct me!!

 

Anyway basically all manual lenses are fine Nick, only the electronic ones will have an issue. However the crop MTF>FF is around 2 I think while the crop BMPCC>FF is around 3, so again even on lenses designed for MFT you would be using the glass towards the centre of the lens (although obviously not quite as much as say an EF lens). This should reduce any problems with using a FE or an electronic MFT lens, but it probably wont get rid of all the distortion. Until people actually get their hands on these cameras it is hard to say exactly what it will look like, but from the tests I've seen online so far it looks pretty good and probably good enough for underwater use even if you want a rectangular look rather than a FE (which for serious video IMO is pretty much a no no apart from for a special effect / intentional different look).

 

No idea which lenses have a manual OIS switch. I know the two MFT lenses that I own don't have a switch so I'd guess this is pretty common.

 

Cheers, Simon

Edited August 19, 2013 by SimonSpear

[CheungyDiver 53]

You could also say Micro Four Third or µ4/3.

 

Is Metabone still coming out with a lens booster? Would be ace if there is one for MTF from EF lenses

 

 

cheers

 

David

[Drew 0]

Nick, of the lenses pertinent to UW use, the Pana Elmarit 45mm and 12-35mm have a OIS switch. I know the 14-140 does too but that's too difficult to house. OIS can also screw up a shot if it "misinterprets" underwater movement.

[SimonSpear 65]

 

Is Metabone still coming out with a lens booster? Would be ace if there is one for MTF from EF lenses

 

 

 

I read somewhere it would be available late 2013/early 2014, so it should be in the shops just in time for when the Pocket Camera actually starts shipping to real people!

 

Then again there may be a delay on the horizon with the 'sensor bloom' the first beta testers (erm I mean customers) have been seeing. Looks nasty and very similar to the way the FS100 handles highlights!! Oh no not again!!!

[Drew 0]

A certain someone has got notice of shipment of a BMPCC. I say... is that a bulge in your pants a blackmagic pocket camera or are you just happy to shoot RAW DNG.... oh wait you can't yet until the firmware upgrade!

[pmooney 6]

Thats a very good line ................

[CheungyDiver 53]

'sensor bloom'

Intentional or unintentional pun? LOL

[pmooney 6]

it should be in the shops just in time for when the Pocket Camera actually starts shipping to real people!

 

Mmmmm..................................

[Paulmcmurrick 0]

Well, mine has arrived

Great camera. Suspect my love affair will be enduring, but there is one very major issue for uw use

 

On land, using a non IS lens, the standard battery lasts about 12-15 minutes. Yes, you read it right

 

In UW, with an IS lens, with the viewer left on and a few pushes of the autofocus button it will be even worse

 

This unit is enormously power hungry

To make his work uw will require either a quantum leap in battery technology or a power source sitting in the housing

If you think I am exaggerating, then have a look at Phillip Bloom's review

 

Not sure how this one will be solved

[CheungyDiver 53]

Well, mine has arrived

Great camera. Suspect my love affair will be enduring, but there is one very major issue for uw use

 

On land, using a non IS lens, the standard battery lasts about 12-15 minutes. Yes, you read it right

 

In UW, with an IS lens, with the viewer left on and a few pushes of the autofocus button it will be even worse

 

This unit is enormously power hungry

To make his work uw will require either a quantum leap in battery technology or a power source sitting in the housing

If you think I am exaggerating, then have a look at Phillip Bloom's review

 

Not sure how this one will be solved

Many thanks PaulMCMurrick

 

For letting us know. Was your version the first batch or later batch with the firmware fix for highlight bloom/black holes? Would love to see some actual UW footage......

 

I reckon something like a USB powerbank for mobiles could do the job. Housing will have to be bigger which defeats the purpose of a compact camera.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

thanks again. Useful to know.

 

Cheers

[Steve Douglas 16]

"If you think I am exaggerating, then have a look at Phillip Bloom's review"

 

Could you post the url for Philip Bloom's review?

Thanks

[Ferg42 13]

http://philipbloom.net/2013/09/03/pocketvideos/

[Davide DB 424]

On land, using a non IS lens, the standard battery lasts about 12-15 minutes. Yes, you read it right

 

In UW, with an IS lens, with the viewer left on and a few pushes of the autofocus button it will be even worse

 

 

 

On Bloom's review there's no mention of these runtime.

A lot of reviews states that the unit it's power hungry but reported times are double (at least).

 

One of the latest report:

http://www.eoshd.com/content/11252/blackmagic-pocket-cinema-camera-review-part-1-worth-hype

 

 

 

Run times were -

• Live-view standby with active lens and OIS (14-140mm) – 1 hour 8 minutes with genuine Nikon EN-EL20 (1020mAh).
• Live-view standby with passive lens (Bolex 16mm F2.0 c-mount) - 1 hour 12 minutes with same battery
• As above (passive lens) but with supplied 800mAh Blackmagic Mini Battery – 1 hour 5 minutes
• Continuously recording (passive lens,genuine Nikon EN-EL20 and ProRes to SanDisk Extreme 95MB/s SDHC) – 1 hour 4 minutes

 

 

 

[Ferg42 13]

Bloom does mention in the text on this page http://philipbloom.net/2013/08/27/pocketcamera/ that he went through 5 batteries to get only 50 minutes of footage, but admits that this was because he had the camera on standby with live-view on a lot of the time. I guess he would have got a lot more more out of the batteries if he had switched it off. Even so, it seems those little batteries don't last long. Should do you for one dive, though!

[Davide DB 424]

You are right but IMHO at the moment there are other most important drawbacks for underwater use:

 

I saw some really incredible land footage. It's a tool that in the proper hands can deliver amazing results but I think that at the moment it's better suited in a controlled environment (studio set) than as a run&gun tool.

 

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/camcorders/black_magic_pocket_camera.shtml

 

 

 

 

 

The screen is at least two generations behind the mainstream manufacturers in terms of contrast and brightness. It is also physically extremely soft. In fifteen years of using, testing and working with digital cameras on all six continents and in extreme conditions I have never scratched a rear LCD. Yet somehow I managed to scratch a big hole in the BMPCC's LCD screen on the first day or field use. I have no idea how, but I now have a group of about a dozen bright yellow pixels engraved permanently at the top left of my screen

Camera arrived with one visible hot pixel, and also a large dust booger on the sensor. The dust was easily removed with a blower, but the hot pixel is there forever unless Black Magic comes up with a sensor refresh mode, which many camera makers offer.

There is no in-camera card formatting, no file erase, no thumbnail review. More importantly, there is no indication of the amount of time left on the card. Camera can not remember the last aperture used when the lens is changed or the camera restarted.

Autofocus is, to put it politely, a work in progress. It doesn't work with all lenses. Indeed it seems to only work with a few lenses, and when it does work with these lenses it does so in a slow and inconsistent manner. Pressing the Focus button puts a white square on the center of the screen and the lens then starts to slowly autofocus. Maybe.

I'll be gentle. The audio in the BMPCC sucks. Problem is not just the tiny in-camera mic, but the audio pre-amps as well.

 

 

 

 

[MJvC 9]

Well RAW has arrived for this little camera. Record times approximately 20 mins at 24fps on a 64gb card.

Has anyone tried this camera underwater yet.

[Phil Rudin 446]

Chris Parsons and Christian Dimitrius are at Tiger Beach today testing the Nauticam NA-BMPCC prototype housing.

[CheungyDiver 53]

http://www.blackmagicdesign.com/press/pressdetails?releaseID=48061

 

 

Love it or hate it the digital imaging arms race is bludgeoning ahead.... Now the little pocket rocket could record CinemaDNG and works natively with Black Magic Resolve 10. I can't wait to see some test footage. UW Housing manufacturers really need to take heed the demand for power this little dynamo needs unless we have batteries made of Dilithium Crystals we need space for a wodger of a battery.

 

here is a link to some top side tests: http://vimeo.com/79231766

 

looks promising except for the moire on the car grille!