Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Motion & Video => Topic started by: Morgan_Moore on April 16, 2012, 12:02:02 pm

Title: Blackmagic..
Post by: Morgan_Moore on April 16, 2012, 12:02:02 pm
http://www.blackmagic-design.com/products/blackmagiccinemacamera/

Dont know too much - looks very very cool



S
Title: Re: Blackmagic..
Post by: Morgan_Moore on April 16, 2012, 12:39:49 pm
So my quick take

Its got a smaller sensor 9mm tall, booh!

Its shoots 2.5k raw files - this seems managable in terms of DATA and will deliver superb 1080 which is what clients want

Its cost $3k

It has proper cables in/out

the design is wonderful in simplicity

--

So much more intelligent than the 1DC or whatever its called..

S
Title: Re: Blackmagic..
Post by: Craig Murphy on April 16, 2012, 01:44:20 pm
Appears this camera has caught people by surprise at NAB.  How do the demo sample videos look to you?    
Title: Re: Blackmagic..
Post by: fredjeang on April 16, 2012, 02:14:47 pm
Very interesting indeed !
Title: Re: Blackmagic..
Post by: Morgan_Moore on April 16, 2012, 02:19:15 pm
Appears this camera has caught people by surprise at NAB.  How do the demo sample videos look to you?    

To be honest the videos look soft and flat IMO - but it is vimeo

In theory it should be good recording DNG !

Title: Blackmagic: Thunderbolt out, roughly 1" format
Post by: BJL on April 16, 2012, 02:33:17 pm
It has Thunderbolt out (along with SDI): Is that a first? Is it a good trend?

It is getting attention: the website seems overloaded.

Strange format 15.6 mm x 8.8 mm: a bit bigger than 16mm, smaller then 4/3", about the same as 1" as used by Nikon One. Could it work with C-mount lenses for 16mm film or 1" video cameras?

Using removable SSD for high capacity, high speed, removable storage sounds smart!
Title: Re: Blackmagic..
Post by: fredjeang on April 16, 2012, 02:34:15 pm
Yeah, website is collapsed. Everybody is looking at that.
Title: Re: Blackmagic..
Post by: Morgan_Moore on April 16, 2012, 02:53:03 pm
I thought that would happend.. copied the specs here !

Pretty much everything is as it should be apart IMO sensor is a little small and also the EF mount will reduce the (much needed) wide options..

Many great details - like 12-30 power, decent monitor cabling, four mount points

Simple things missing from the, do we have a name for it? C1c (Canon 4kDSLR)

-------------

    
Blackmagic Cinema Camera
Camera Features
Sensor Resolution    2592 x 2192
Raw Resolution    12-bit RAW files recorded at 2432 x 1366
Shooting Resolutions    2.5K RAW at 2432 x 1366, compressed at 1920 x 1080
Frame Rates    23.98p, 24p, 25p, 29.97p, 30p
Sensor Size    16.64 mm x 14.04 mm
Sensor Size - Active    15.6 mm x 8.8 mm
Dynamic Range    13 stops
Focus    Focus button turns on peaking
Iris Control    Iris button automatically adjusts the lens iris settings so no pixel is clipped
Lens Mount    EF and ZF mount compatible with electronic iris control
Screen Dimensions    5" and 800 x 480 resolution
Screen Type    Integrated LCD capacitive touchscreen
Metadata Support    Automatic camera data and user data such as shot number, filenames and keywords
Controls    Onscreen touch menus and physical buttons for recording and transport control
Microphone    Integrated mono microphone
Speaker    Integrated mono speaker
Mounting Options    3 x 1/4" thread mounting points on top of camera.
1 x 1/4" thread tripod mount with locator pin.
Power    Integrated Lithium-ion Polymer rechargeable battery.
12V-30V DC port for external battery power or use included 12V AC adapter.
Battery Life    Approximately 90 minutes
Battery Charge Time    Approximately 2 hours when not in use.
Camera Dimensions    166.2mm by 113.51mm x 126.49mm excluding detachable sunshade and turret dust cap
Camera Weight    1.7 kg / 3.75 lb
Storage Features
Storage Type    Removable 2.5” SSD
Storage Format    Mac OS Extended format. SSDs can be formatted on any Mac or use Mediafour MacDrive (not included) on a Windows PC.
Storage Rates    5 MB/frame in RAW 2.5K fits about 30 minutes of 24p video on a 256 GB solid state disk. Compressed HD formats fit more than 5 times the amount of RAW video.
Uncompressed Recording Formats    RAW 2.5K CinemaDNG
Compressed Recording Formats    Apple ProRes and Avid DNxHD. All compressed recording in 1920x1080 10-bit YUV with choice of Film or Video Dynamic Range.
Connections
SDI Video Output    1 x 10-bit HD-SDI 4:2:2 with choice of Film or Video Dynamic Range
Analog Audio Input    2 x 1/4” jacks for professional balanced analog audio, switchable between mic and line levels.
Analog Audio Output    1 x 3.5mm stereo headphone output
SDI Audio Output    4 channels in HD-SDI
Remote Control    1 x 2.5mm LANC for Rec Start/Stop, Iris Control and Focus Control
Computer Interface    Thunderbolt port for capture of RAW video and audio.
USB 2.0 mini B port for software updates and configuration.
External Power    12V-30V DC port for external battery power or use included 12V AC adapter.
Title: Re: Blackmagic..
Post by: Christopher Sanderson on April 16, 2012, 03:04:11 pm
It looks extremely interesting. The only thing that made my jaw drop was the audio inputs: 2 x 1/4” jacks .

Whoever thought that was a good idea??

To bring it to pro spec, you are going to have to add an XLR connector box a la Beachtek.

That daffy feature alone raises my suspicions that they may be more in love with their form than their function. But it does look nice!
Title: Blackmagic: wrong lens mount? Or would adaptors be possible?
Post by: BJL on April 16, 2012, 03:05:39 pm
I thought that would happend.. copied the specs here !

Pretty much everything is as it should be apart IMO sensor is a little small and also the EF mount will reduce the (much needed) wide options..
Thanks.

The format itself is not so bad, but the EF/ZF lens mounts is a poor fit, as you say! Lenses for C-mount, Micro Four Thirds, Four Thirds SLRs, and Nikon One all seem like good fits to the format size, so one can hope for adaptors, but if the mount is as deep as Canon EF mount, none of those would work, because they all have a flange-focal distance smaller than EF or ZF mount.
Title: Re: Blackmagic..
Post by: Hywel on April 16, 2012, 03:10:58 pm
Not the only daffy feature. Do they really mean:

Power    Integrated Lithium-ion Polymer rechargeable battery

i.e. a built-in non-changeable 90 minute battery? With a 2 hour recharge time? Seriously?


Cheers, Hywel

Title: Re: Blackmagic..
Post by: Craig Murphy on April 16, 2012, 03:17:17 pm
Specs say you can use external power or ac adapter. 
Title: Re: Blackmagic..
Post by: Hywel on April 16, 2012, 03:24:46 pm
Sure, but look at the form factor- are you really going to want to add a V-mount battery & plate or have to power something that small from the wall all day? Surely, removable batteries would be a better solution? Let's hope they rethink that before production.

Cheers, Hywel.
Title: Re: Blackmagic..
Post by: fredjeang on April 16, 2012, 03:28:18 pm
Let's not be disapointed on the sensor's size. It's a little smaller than the m4/3 standart but remember that a GH2 puts (in motion !...) a 5D2 to shame in every aspects except very high isos.

Also, shooting wide open with such sensors is more reliable. You got great defocuss but not as critical as with a FF. In fact there are more versatile in use. You get easily every plane in focus or not.

The downside will be the X factor and the access to wide angles.
Title: Re: Blackmagic..
Post by: Morgan_Moore on April 16, 2012, 03:29:41 pm
I completely disagree on the battery thing

I have $3k of Vlock - light panels - sound recorder - FS100 - focus motor - monitors - all one solution, one charger

Anything that does not run off that annoys me intensely now

On the shoulder or sticks you will need the extra mass to gain some stability

Not to mention Vlock can run many things and 90% of the time this will need a monitor and probably an XLR preamp

Doing the 'fridge shot' you just chuck the onboard batt on for that take

IMO

S


Title: Re: Blackmagic..
Post by: fredjeang on April 16, 2012, 03:31:25 pm


On the shoulder or sticks you will need the extra mass to gain some stability



Correct. That's were the power is best located.

On the design, I don't trust this ridiculous lcd shade. It's going to do nothing.
Title: Re: Blackmagic..
Post by: Morgan_Moore on April 16, 2012, 03:35:36 pm
WIde is only I guess a big problem if they stick with the canon mount - its way too deep FFD (flange to focal)

Slr magic 12mm and I think there is an olly one too would be OK

And there is of course S16 lenses .. if they fit

I think I quite like a format that is safe but you can throw the focus if needed

S
Title: Re: Blackmagic..
Post by: Hywel on April 16, 2012, 03:42:16 pm
Yeh, it's a fair point, I power all of my video kit from V-lock myself. (Lighting included- hooray for Gekko Kelvin Tiles!) I suppose the built-in battery will handy for the odd stolen handheld or lightweight support shots in an otherwise shoulder-mounted day. That's how I use the side handle/REDVolts on my Scarlet in fact- rest of the time I just use V-lock.

But one of the killer applications of dSLRs has been the ability to get them into tight spaces, and a removable battery would make this little camera even more of a dSLR killer than it already is, in my opinion.

It'll be interesting to see how quickly a support industry arrives for this camera- pretty damn quickly, I think. Which should result in plenty of nicely ergonomic rigs with the little BMD buried at the centre! :)

I'll be looking into one as a B-cam to the Scarlet and finally retiring the AF100 actually. Once you've got a taste of unlimited RAW file goodness, it is hard to go back!

One other thing that did puzzle me though- I saw mention that the white balance is set in-camera, effectively burnt in. This seems like another odd choice, given that a big part of the appeal of RAW is being able to tweak the white balance in a one-light correction a bit if you need to. A RAW file with a burnt in white balance is RAW in what senses, I wonder?

  Cheers, Hywel.
Title: Re: Blackmagic..
Post by: Morgan_Moore on April 16, 2012, 03:44:07 pm
It looks extremely interesting. The only thing that made my jaw drop was the audio inputs: 2 x 1/4” jacks .

I think it is not that dumb XLR would add a lot of size and one (the designers) may assume that any production that is RAW is going to have a sound man

At least it has onboard scratch sound unlike the FS100

Having put a lot of money into my Sound Devices recorder I think it will be the prefect preamp!

IMO

Smm
Title: Re: Blackmagic..
Post by: Morgan_Moore on April 16, 2012, 03:47:20 pm
One other thing that did puzzle me though- I saw mention that the white balance is set in-camera, effectively burnt in. This seems like another odd choice, given that a big part of the appeal of RAW is being able to tweak the white balance in a one-light correction a bit if you need to. A RAW file with a burnt in white balance is RAW in what senses, I wonder?


Hopefully that is wrong - but with DNG how can it be right

If it is correct then its another motion camera company who need to spend a week with a $500 stills DSLR and a copy of C1

I think most motion companies would enhance themselves greatly by doing that rather than listening to 'experts' of motion picture post which seems all backwards to me...

S
Title: Re: Blackmagic..
Post by: ziocan on April 16, 2012, 03:54:16 pm
With all that DOF, if the skin tones will be nice, it will be great for cosmetic and beauty work.
Title: Re: Blackmagic..
Post by: Hywel on April 16, 2012, 04:05:17 pm
Hopefully that is wrong - but with DNG how can it be right

If it is correct then its another motion camera company who need to spend a week with a $500 stills DSLR and a copy of C1

I think most motion companies would enhance themselves greatly by doing that rather than listening to 'experts' of motion picture post which seems all backwards to me...

S

That was what I thought. RAW, but with a burnt in white balance. Eh??

I've just about got my head around RED's RAW-like format. It isn't RAW, it is wavelet compressed so you lose detail depending on your compression settings, but it maintains the RGB information separately so you can rebalance in post. RED Cine X feels like a decent stills processing package as a result, which is a VERY good thing. Hence my purchase of a Scarlet.

I absolutely agree. Lock the motion design teams in a room with a dSLR and C1 and don't let them come out until they get it! :) :) Don't listen to the guys like the ones at Sony who were still saying that interlaced was the way to go a few years ago (shudder).

  Cheers, Hywel.
Title: Re: Blackmagic..
Post by: heinrichvoelkel on April 16, 2012, 05:54:09 pm
http://www.dslrnewsshooter.com/2012/04/16/blackmagic-design-launch-2995-2-5k-large-sensor-digital-cinema-camera/ (http://www.dslrnewsshooter.com/2012/04/16/blackmagic-design-launch-2995-2-5k-large-sensor-digital-cinema-camera/)


just a quick look
Title: Re: Blackmagic..
Post by: John.Murray on April 16, 2012, 11:39:23 pm
Figure in $1000 for included Davinci, all scope outputs via Thunderbolt, looks like an amazing value - I love the SSD capability; smart.  Even though the audio is 1/4", at least it's balanced, Line or Mic.
Title: Re: Blackmagic..
Post by: KevinA on April 17, 2012, 05:49:29 am
This could be what I'm looking for.
The 1dC looked most likely but a serious overkill for me. I need small, the lighter the better, 2.5k raw gives me enough quality to crop and output 1080.
The other thing stuff like this might do is give Canon a well needed kick up where the sun don't shine hole and reevaluate their price/spec ratio.

Kevin.
Title: Re: Blackmagic..
Post by: Morgan_Moore on April 17, 2012, 07:36:10 am
Its setting out a stall for everyone else to see - thats the best thing

These (other) people are stuck in the past

A sat van costs 1/3 of a million - at some point a phone will do the same thing and someone will be sitting on the sidelines saying 'hey our sat suitcase' is half the price of a sat truck..
Title: Re: Blackmagic..
Post by: KevinA on April 17, 2012, 08:30:07 am
The lack of any footage has to be a reason not to get to carried away this camera at this stage. If there had been some footage to back up the talk, I think I would of hit the pre order button.

Kevin.
Title: Re: Blackmagic..
Post by: Morgan_Moore on April 17, 2012, 08:48:06 am
I agree - eoshd posted a still - and it was nice..

Title: Re: Blackmagic..
Post by: Tim Jones on April 17, 2012, 02:35:46 pm


Here's some Black Magic Cinema Camera footage :

http://vimeopro.com/johnbrawleytests/blackmagic-cinema-camera

Enjoy!

Thanks,
Tim
Title: Re: Blackmagic..
Post by: billy on April 18, 2012, 03:31:52 pm
I am curious how a wide angle lens will react to this camera:

-If you put the 21mm ZE Zeiss on this camera will it still have distortion at the edges or will it behave like a 50mm lens ( limited distortion and great for "as I see it" point of view )?

-And then wide open on the same lens is F2.8, will that look something like F5.6 on a 50mm on a full frame chipped camera? Dont bust out any charts or quote my estimates with ridicule, just trying to get an idea for "the look and feel".

On Brawley's 'beach dusk' video ( http://vimeopro.com/johnbrawleytests/blackmagic-cinema-camera/video/40390150 ), about 24 seconds in where the man is cropped into his waist, I am guessing he is shooting with the canon 35mm F2 prime wide open, and the amount of 'shallow depth of field' seems fine for my work.

Title: Re: Blackmagic..
Post by: Morgan_Moore on April 18, 2012, 05:36:36 pm
This has a crop factor of about four I think

A 21 would not be bent at the edges - but you would get the DOF of a 21 (lots)

The EF mount and lack of 8-10-11 mm lenses is tough

They should IMO have use a MFT lens mount

Getting a pure cine look will be tough - but compared to a 1/3 or 2/3 video camera the look will drop off pleasantly - IMO

S


Title: Re: Blackmagic..
Post by: billy on April 18, 2012, 06:44:47 pm
New clip from John Brawley. This one shows plenty of nice "out of focus-ness", wonder which lens he used? The DR and detail here looks great:

http://vimeopro.com/johnbrawleytests/blackmagic-cinema-camera/video/40584879

Title: Re: Blackmagic..
Post by: Tim Jones on April 18, 2012, 11:34:39 pm
Is this what the canon 5dDiii
Should have been?  I say yes!
  Unless this thing has some sort of unknown
Problems with the footage, they will sell like mad.
  I hope it has some effect on canon, because I don't really think the 5d111
Is worthy of 3500.00   
Tim
Title: Re: Blackmagic..
Post by: billy on April 23, 2012, 03:27:47 pm
If anybody is wondering about the ability to pull stills from the footage I just confirmed with BMD that each DNG still will be a bit bigger than 5 megapixel..... not bad. You cannot shoot stills only.

I pre-ordered. Now its time to think about a lens. For the kind of shooting I do I just need one fast prime. Trying to decide between the ZE Zeiss 21mm and Zeiss 28mm.