The announcement of Blackmagic ’s $ 3000 altogether - buck Cinema Camera in 2012 caused such a flurry that not many could have anticipate a followup model , so soon , that was a fraction of the cost and a fraction of the size . The Pocket Cinema Camera continues forging the path of the upstart high - final stage video camera .
What Is It?
It ’s a surprisingly small $ 1000 television tv camera with a super-16 size sensing element ( a bit smaller than micro four - thirds ) . It takes micro four - thirds lense and photograph ProRes or CinemaDNG birthday suit footage to South Dakota cards . The basic innards are the same as the original Cinema Camera , just fit to squeeze into the 5 - in wide , 12.5 oz magnesium alloy consistence .
Why Does It Matter?
As withoriginal Cinema Camerain 2012 , it ’s unprecedented to have access to RAW ( or even ProRes ) recording at this price . It start the doors for those on a budget to drop down their tooth into professional - gradation image quality and spot - production . For the unfamiliar , RAW is an uncompressed formatting that is meant to be color - grade . It provides wide dynamical range , and can be manipulated heavily with very small departure in calibre . Usually professional moving-picture show productions use RAW , and it has been limited to television camera well over $ 10,000 until recently .
Blackmagic Cinema Camera Review : Sacrifices for Superior Shots
Design
The Pocket Cinema Camera calculate and find much like a Sony NEX camera body . It ’s slim and light-colored , with a hearty rubberise grip to sink your claws into . It ’s a stark contrast to the original , much larger , Cinema Camera , which provided absolutely nothing as far as suitcase . The back of the Pocket features a 3.5 - inch LCD and button for automobile - iris , auto - focus , menu , power , and a guiding pad , in addition to a few on top , including the record clitoris and playback controls . On the left side you will find comment / outputs for audio , powerfulness , and external display .
Everything about the look and layout of the photographic camera is absolutely simple . Blackmagic had to make it that means so as to keep costs down . The upshot is that you feel like you are holding a sturdy mathematical product with very few breakable function , but also that it might be lack in substantive forcible controls , which it is .
Using It
By chastity of sharing the same sensing element as the Cinema Camera , we sleep together the pocket variant delivers the same amazing prototype quality . That means more dynamic chain and detail than any DSLR , comely in low light with a tight , pleasing noise figure . No news there . But the viability of the Pocket Cinema Camera lie in its relaxation of use of goods and services .
The controls are clean-cut , as are the menus . After powering on the camera , you have access to aperture control , a very sluggish autofocus , and that ’s basically it . It ’s all easy , but modified .
You have to plunge into the menus to switch ISO , shutter angle , or blank equaliser . It ’s an leftover choice , because these single-valued function could easy be hidden in double - detent or farseeing - holds , the mode the focus peaking is toggle by double - clicking the focus button . Instead you have to embark a menu system . What ’s speculative , the most commonly changed mise en scene take a while to get at . If you are going to make the hit man access a menu , the first preferences to seem should be ISO , white remainder , data format , and physical body - rate , among others . Instead , the first options you are present with after press the “ Menu ” button are Camera ID , Date , and Time . Why ?
There are other unwelcome quirks , such as the inability to format an SD card in - tv camera , and the resetting of the aperture to auto every time you power it on .
Once you do ( finally ) get your preferences dialed in , you ’d better have a whole mess of Nikon EN - EL20 batteries . Those fall guy only last for about 45 - 60 minutes of continuous transcription . as luck would have it , they are cheap - ish and charge in a couple of hours or so . Still , it ’s confine .
focalise your shot , meanwhile , is going to require using the extremely dense autofocus button ( which only works with aboriginal micro four - third base lenses ) , or you’re able to enlarge the image and manually focus . Peaking is n’t passing dependable and does n’t show up very well in low light . Whatever happens , do n’t attempt to accurately find nidus with just the spare LCD image . It ’s impossible to do consistently .
Audio is another struggle with the Pocket Cinema Camera . The onboard mic is diminutive , and though there is a mic jackstones on the side , the home pre - amp is n’t sinewy enough for gamy quality results . It ’s basically good for reference sound recording . you may typeset the audio level in the photographic camera ’s carte , but there are no on - CRT screen meters whilst transcription . Pro quality sound should be read externally .
Perhaps the most frustrating part of shooting handheld with the television camera is want of stabilisation . The camera does support optically stabilized micro four - third crystalline lens , but only those with a physical clit on the lens for activate the feature . There are n’t many around . Without it , steady handheld footage is difficult . For casual home base - picture sort of film you might be fine , but that ’s really not what this camera is for . It is made for those seeking high-pitched - quality results , and shaky footage kills that prospect .
All these problems can be solved by adding attachments and turn the Pocket Cinema Camera into a swindle . impart an outside monitor , audio registrar , shoulder stabilizer or tripod , and you ’ve got a much more practical frame-up . But does n’t that defeat the determination of the form - factor ? The camera has sack in its name , entail that it is meant to be used in run and gun situations . No bunch , no giant cheat . It ’s a challenge , but you’re able to make it work if that ’s your style . And frankly , for all the limitations , you ’ll want to when you see the images this thing can buck .
We ’ve kowtow over the footage derive out of the original Cinema Camera , and the Pocket is no different . It ’s outstanding , voluptuous , and the fact that you are recording to ProRes or RAW — data formatting that will give you tons more control in post - product than the standard AVCHD or H.264 — is priceless . These cameras were made with colour - leveling in mind , and that ’s half the fun of working with them . The figure lineament is so nice that it makes all the television camera ’s flaws recede into the background , which is sort of Blackmagic ’s strategy in general : Give the substance abuser downhearted cost admission to superb , pro timber prototype , and get them figure out the quietus .
In this sense you ca n’t really fault Blackmagic for many of the camera ’s shortcomings , because fixing them would raise the price of the tv camera and shoot down the whole function . Yes , there is a balance to be had , and you could say that an additional $ 500 on the price of the photographic camera would excuse some added feature or good control condition . At the very least , the microcode require revising . disadvantageously .
Like
It yield amazing icon quality that exceed any tv camera below about $ 5000 . The power to immortalize RAW data file is entirely unique and awe-inspiring , though very organization - intensive . It ’s small , portable , and comfortable to figure out . The combat-ready micro four - thirds mount give access to a diverseness of in high spirits calibre lenses . You ca n’t beat the price , or really get anywhere near it for this type of video quality . Batteries are cheap and flying to charge .
No Like
Usability endure greatly due to price constraint . There are very few control that are accessible outdoors of the fare system . Audio is rudimentary and underpowered even with an external mic . No home image stabilisation makes for shaky handheld footage with most lenses . honest recording requires exceedingly degraded and high capacity SD cards . Battery life is hapless .
Should You Buy It?
clear thePocket Cinema Camerahas a lot riding against it . But I have no hesitation in read that for certain app , it ’s still deserving buy . If you need something meretricious , and want top notch - image quality , this camera could be for you . It ’s not for home - video , it ’s not for beginners . If you ’re looking for something various and hardheaded , check out out theSony RX10for $ 1300 , and if you have a bigger budget , check out theCanon C100for around $ 5000 . Both are more consummate , and all - around great camera , but neither of them offers the compromising transcription formats that Blackmagic does .
The Pocket Cinema Camera is great for capturing B complex - roll , for short films , for sealed styles of documentary . I would buy it as a fellow traveller to my 5D Mark III ! Overall , it ’s for beautiful television , nothing more , nothing less .
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