I do understand that the well-paid parts of the film business are often about getting 10 minutes done on a good day, but not all of video is that way, for news or documentary or even stuff like marriages one just gets one go, and this BM simply isn't going to go there.
Edmund
Edmund,
I think you've got your numbers a little mixed up. When you hear that three major A- to B+ list actors on a worldwide cinema release are given no time for rehearsal, 15 minutes for lunch and the day is 14 hours minimum, I can promise you more than 10 minutes of useable footage is produced.
I know nothing about shooting the new black magic pocket, though have heard reports good and bad though I don't think a lot of people have shot production with the new BM pocket camera which when fully kitted out with cages, recorders, EVF etc, will end up being medium large in size. It seems to me it's targeted as a b/c cam, drone cam, action cam, for tight spaces, or for someone whose budget only allows for it as even the first bmpcc shot a pretty file, though quite small in comparison to super 35.
I also don't see it targeted as a competitor to the pana GH5, which is a very feature rich camera for the price, just a different look and as you say with IS more of a one man band documentary camera, though panasonic did a good job of packing in a lot of stuff in a little package.
The thing I do know is a good DP can take a lot of cameras ranging from $80,000 to $5,000 and get great results as long as they have the set up time and are up to speed on the system and of course the resources in post for color and masking and if needed effects.
Hollywood has compressed their schedules to 1/2 and time which is money is the object and the studios and cinemas are trying to find their way around cable and internet episodic TV, like Netflix which has made their intentions clear that they want to dominate the entertainment industry with many, many 12 episodes shows a year episodic which look and taste more like a long movie than regular television.
Shooting a feature with small cameras has been done, 8 years ago. The DP Shane Hurlbut shot act of valor in 2011 with Canon 5d2s with a full theatrical release, though I've been told they spent a year in post.
I think Sodenberg shot his last film with I phones (I don't get that one but it's his movie to do as he wishes.)
It's interesting to me that there are about a billion youtube videos comparing I phones to Arri's, Arri's to RED, RED to Canon, Canon to BM, Panasonic to Sony, etc. etc. though 99.9% of all the work shot by the internet movie makers will never be shown on any platform other than youtube, Vimeo and websites, though they are always compared to the "movies".
It doesn't mean these people are not talented, or do a bad job, but there are so many tests, rumors, fanboys, it's hard to tell fact from fiction and as far as cable and internet TV there is so much of it now, you'd have to live in a cave and do nothing but binge TV watching 24/7 to keep up.
Also you have to be wary of what some people say. When I bought my first RED I was told by a lot of DP/operators all the problems RED had, though my MX cameras have never stopped working (I guess I jinxed that), even in 101F, dripping sweat weather in Bangkok on very long days. I'm sure that people that told me the negatives we're being honest in their experience, but we all have different styles, different projects.
But in virtually all cases, all platforms, only 10 minutes of usable footage a day will usually get someone or probably a lot of people fired. But as in all image making, it's not the camera as much as the story, what's in front of the lens and the crew working tirelessly behind it.
I'm sure John, Dave and others that post here could shoot virtually everything on the lower priced bm ursa mini pro and nobody would know the difference
As I've said, I have a lot of respect for RED for starting the affordable real cinema camera that you can actually own, but I think BlackMagic is close to surpassing them as they have covered nearly all the bases at excellent prices.
I believe most cameras, still and motion are all very good if you use them for their intended purpose and of course the DP's brief.
Oh yea, a proper budget also helps.
IMO
BC