2015 NAB News: Blackmagic Micro Cinema Cam, Tiny, Drone-Specific Super16 RAW Camera

[econfly]

...absolutely agree...however it does not shoot stills. I need both in one camera.
I have a S900/Gh4 which I can configure for both...but when I travel I need something lighter...
That BMCC would have been perfect if it could shoot stills as well....

I don't think there is anything materially smaller than a GH4 and S900 that can compete with the results.

Look at a DJI Inspire. The footage is comparable to a GoPro (without the fisheye), it shoots stills or video and you can alternate between the two from the tablet app while in the air. It packs and travels better than anything comparable, and has the power to hold its own even on a windy day. Nothing is perfect and the Inspire is no exception. I'm very much into photography and can see the limitations of cameras like the GoPro or Inspire. But, when you want convenience and portability they offer a lot for their size.

 

[SleepyC]

And the new P3 is the same camera and will fit into a backpack!
I am actually going to own a Phantom because of this!

 

[Bartman]

did you see the electronics layout? it's all one big board, one things goes and the whole shebang goes in for service.

why would you swap out your purpose-built gopro rig for that?

 

[SleepyC]

did you see the electronics layout? it's all one big board, one things goes and the whole shebang goes in for service.

why would you swap out your purpose-built gopro rig for that?

Easy, small, portable, decent image. My dude is still flying his Phantom 1 after 1000 flights.
I've avoided them, but now if I want to take a rig with me to check out something , or fly in a tight space, or just supplement ground production with a small aerial I can bring one small case and get some shots. It's not going to replace my big rigs, but for the "ehhh I'll bring a rig" moments.. Me likie!

 

[Cameraj]

I love my dji phantom 2, it just works, when I'm tired of tuening my large x8 or Y6, I grab that little dji and fly 1000m in all direction and get home to look at all the cool shots, and it's good for a scout copter for aerial jobs, long flight time, all in one case and the gimbal is 95% money all day long, with no pucker factor like the large birds bring

 

[econfly]

I can throw the Inspire in a Pelican case on my 4-wheeler and head off to film anywhere around the farms. That's the thing about it -- there are compromises in video quality, but there is also terrific convenience (and that tablet app with HD video downlink is addictive). The P3 is even easier to move around, but in the big open fields I fly in when at the farm we almost always have decent wind, so the Inspire is a better fit for me. That thing handles wind really well.

My plan for the Blackmagic micro is to fit it to my current BMPCC Zen gimbal -- almost has to work, but we'll see. The wild card for this summer is what I do to finally get the M5 in the air.

 

[MadMonkey]

Yep. It's hard to find a simple, easy to use and (somewhat) reliable system that does its job better than the Phantom and Inspire offerings, if you want still photos along with video.

 

[Bartman]

ok, ok..thread drift....just opened a new sub-forum for Phantom 3 so head on over and yap it up all you'd like!

 

[Bartman]

I don't think there is anything materially smaller than a GH4 and S900 that can compete with the results.

Look at a DJI Inspire. The footage is comparable to a GoPro (without the fisheye), it shoots stills or video and you can alternate between the two from the tablet app while in the air. It packs and travels better than anything comparable, and has the power to hold its own even on a windy day. Nothing is perfect and the Inspire is no exception. I'm very much into photography and can see the limitations of cameras like the GoPro or Inspire. But, when you want convenience and portability they offer a lot for their size.

one last thing, when are we flying?

 

[econfly]

one last thing, when are we flying?

Good question. Big blocks of time are hard to find these days. And as soon as I can find a few travel days I want to get out of the east coast and back to the country for the Summer. If I can find a day or two open in the mean time I'll give you as much warning as possible!

 

[Benjamin Rowland]

I'd like to take credit for picking it out of the myriad of choices available but I was directed to it by @Benjamin Rowland of Yonderbluefilms.com .

Once NAB is over I'll have a chance to fly the MK/Mōvi a little and get back into the swing of things.

Nice lens

 

[Lucidity]

You know that you've truly arrived in a field like video production and broadcasting when specialized companies in that field start making hardware to support you. That's what we saw when we stopped by the Blackmagic Design booth at NAB and saw their new Micro Cinema Camera.

To be sure, it could be used in a lot of different applications – from handheld gimbals to race cars – but, to me, the giveaway that Blackmagic is trying to establish a foothold in the drone world is the fact that this camera's expansion port will accept native RC control inputs, either by PWM or Futaba S.Bus. Add to that it outputs analog video for your FPV system, just like the original GoPro, and you know that this thing was made to fly.

It looks like a great camera, even apart from those tell-tale features... A global shutter means no Jello and 13 stops of wide dynamic range means that you can simultaneously see details in light and in shadow. The only question is whether the camera will live up to its formidable specifications. I guess we'll have to wait until July to find out...

 

[Giovanni59]

OK, no one is mentioning the Sony a7s, yes I know it needs an external recorder I think it's specs blow all the other cameras you have been discussing out of the water?
I know the limitations of a lot of you have for weight conservation but I'm flying an 1100mm Hexacrafter and a Movi M10. The extra weight will probably trim just a few minutes off flight time, which is acceptable for me. I am having a hard time getting any feedback on the a7s, hasn't anyone flown one? I want to move up from my Nex 7 but want to surpass the GH4 but not go to a red. I keep thinking the a7s is the way to go.

 

[jfro]

OK, no one is mentioning the Sony a7s, yes I know it needs an external recorder I think it's specs blow all the other cameras you have been discussing out of the water?
I know the limitations of a lot of you have for weight conservation but I'm flying an 1100mm Hexacrafter and a Movi M10. The extra weight will probably trim just a few minutes off flight time, which is acceptable for me. I am having a hard time getting any feedback on the a7s, hasn't anyone flown one? I want to move up from my Nex 7 but want to surpass the GH4 but not go to a red. I keep thinking the a7s is the way to go.

Here's a review of 3 cameras, 2 being the gh4 and 7s.

It's a pretty involved review. I don't know anything about the reviewers, but they obviously have some experience. Camera wise, much has to do with what you want out of your shots, ease of use, amount of data your will to wrangle, resolution, dynamic range, etc etc. He covers some of that. He has some strong opinions on the dynamic range.

This new Black Magic aerial friendly camera should be interesting. Camera and light lens around 1.7lbs is all. Having control of the camera from the radio, with external battery is pretty sweet. I hope we can get the sd card out easily.

Black Magic's camera have great dynamic range and if this is like their others, it will be a step up for many. The downside, all that dynamic range gobbles gigabytes real fast.

IMO, trends in MR's are smaller, lighter, stable in winds up to 20 mph, outstanding video, and QUIET.

In regards to no 4k on the Black Magic camera, in the world most of us live in, a 2k image with great color and dynamic range will hold up on a 4k projection system at a movie theater and I'd be willing to be, out of every hundred patrons, probably nobody will know the difference with good properly exposed and focused footage unless they are in the industry or pixel peepers.

 

[SchrodingersCar]

As a guy in the professional video production world, 4k is very quickly becoming the standard... not just because of consumer 4k projection or tvs. When finishing HD, 4k gives so much more freedom in post to fine tune your shots to exactly what you want. If you are finishing in 1080p, you can stabilize shaky shots and crop without having to blow up. Correct lens distortion without losing pixels. More data to work with for visual effects work, as well as the ability to reposition your frame to your liking, digitally pan and zoom. Not to mention that extra sharpness from 4k at 50%. Yes, bad 4k is still bad 4k, and not everybody is integrating their work into an involved post workflow... but get jittery when I hear people saying that 4k isn't a big deal because it's not yet a consumer standard or that most average joes won't be able to tell the difference. I know for a fact as soon as 4k TVs are common in households, I'll be doing my best to be exclusively shooting 6k or 8k.

 

[econfly]

"4K" may come to households in the next few years (maybe) but right now we are only getting very highly compressed 1080i or 720p (or very heavily compressed 1080p from youtube or vimeo). It would be much better to get 1080p with decent bit rates, but if the masses demand "4K" they will probably get it... compressed beyond belief.

I agree that the benefit of 4K now is in post. But that's only true for 4K that isn't junk. GoPro/DJI Inspire 4K is junk. GH4 4K is almost usable recorded internally. The only 4K I have actually used that is worth the bother is from an Atomos Shogun recorded directly from a GH4. For aerials, there really isn't anything out there compact as a GH4 that can shoot 4K worth a damn. The Blackmagic cinema 4K might be the most compact option out there (I don't have one).

So, for now, I'm very excited about this little Blackmagic micro 1080p camera with a global shutter, raw, 13 stops, and compact size. Personally, I'll be thrilled with that if it is as good as it sounds (I'm already pretty happy flying the BMPCC).

 

[econfly]

OK, no one is mentioning the Sony a7s, yes I know it needs an external recorder I think it's specs blow all the other cameras you have been discussing out of the water?
I know the limitations of a lot of you have for weight conservation but I'm flying an 1100mm Hexacrafter and a Movi M10. The extra weight will probably trim just a few minutes off flight time, which is acceptable for me. I am having a hard time getting any feedback on the a7s, hasn't anyone flown one? I want to move up from my Nex 7 but want to surpass the GH4 but not go to a red. I keep thinking the a7s is the way to go.

The A7s seems awesome, but I'm trying my best not to expand my photo gear to another lens mount. MFT and Canon EF hopefully will be all I need, especially if Blackmagic keeps making cameras that accept EF or MFT lenses. Apart from needing an external recorder for 4K, one thing about the A7s that would be great on the ground for photos or low-light video, but probably not so relevant in the air for video in daylight, is the high ISO performance. More often than not it seems like I'm at low ISO and using ND filters to stop down because I want that 1/50 or 1/60 shutter speed.

 

[Darson Hall]

More often than not it seems like I'm at low ISO and using ND filters to stop down because I want that 1/50 or 1/60 shutter speed.

Yes that shutter speed gives a nice look. Another thing to consider with the BMMCC, and I am assuming it will be like the BMPCC, is that the video will need some grading. It's amazing what can be done to the image but for some it might be a step they don't always want to take if speed of delivery is an issue—though with presets and LUTs it can be done quickly, but there is a learning curve and an editing software requirement. Anyone who has shot with a Gopro on the protunes setting, it's kinda like that.

 

[jfro]

Couple questions...

Anybody ordered the Black Magic Micro Cinema camera yet?

Also, for those of us who have NTSC monitors, to use in aerials, when setting up the shot with camera in gimbal, who we going to do it?
My monitor is decent, but I can't judge exposure on it. Don't want to plug in the hdmi directly as that's too much extra work. I don't fly my BMPC much, but so far I haven't figured out a way to show the overlay information so it comes through the HDMI to composite conversion. I assume since this is a aerial camera, we will have the exposure graf as well as see the flashing red symbol & other overlay data when recording.

 

[Cheshirecat]

So the 4K studio version has the same S-Bus interface and appears to be the same physical package so I assume the same weight.
As a life long Canon man I am not so strong on Micro Four Thirds Systems components. Can somebody tell me exactly what Active MFT is? I Googled and Googled and nowhere! Is it electrically controlled aperture / focus and is it a standard feature on all modern MFT lenses or do you look specifically for these in the spec? very interesting camera.