Blackmagic Design announces audio meters, time-to-go & histogram for the Production Camera 4K!

Finally! Today, Blackmagic Design announced the release of firmware update 1.9 for the Production Camera 4K, delivering long-awaited features such as audio meters, SSD record time remaining and a histogram - all in a semi-transparent "heads up display" at the bottom of the screen.

This update was important enough to Blackmagic Design that CEO Grant Petty shot a hands-on video to showcase the new features: http://www.blackmagicdesign.com/support/video/1446

Sadly, this update is not yet available for long-suffering Blackmagic Cinema Camera owners or for the entry-level Pocket Cinema Camera, but Blackmagic assures us that this upgrade will roll out for the other cameras in the Blackmagic line over the next few weeks.

Here's the press release:

Blackmagic Design announces new “heads up display” for Blackmagic Production Camera 4K

Fremont, CA - July 24, 2014 - Blackmagic Design today announced the immediate availability of Camera 1.9 software which includes new “heads up display” on screen metering that provides customers with histogram, peak audio meters and recording time remaining for the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K.

Camera 1.9 update is available now free of charge from the Blackmagic Design website.

Using these additional displays for the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K means that customers can easily and quickly check important camera settings such as exposure, audio level and the remaining space on their recording disk.

Using the histogram scope, customers can now easily and rapidly set exposure in a shot as the histogram shows the the distribution of luminance in their images and if highlights or shadows are being clipped. Images with clipped highlights or shadows make it much harder to color grade the shots in post production, so having the histogram feature helps DOP’s shoot with confidence. The histogram scope is real time so highlights and shadows can be adjusted interactively with the lens setting, ensuring images are not clipped and maximum detail in tonal ranges is preserved, critically important for allowing colorists to create amazing grading effects in post production using the full contrast range of the camera.

Camera 1.9 software update also includes a new audio metering with peak hold feature to allow setting audio levels for Channels 1 and 2 when using the built in microphone as well as externally connected audio sources. The audio meters make it fast to view audio levels and adjust camera audio gain so that audio is not clipped or distorted.

The new heads up display also includes a recording time remaining indicator that shows remaining space on the recording disk. The time remaining indicator is automatically re-calibrated to ensure an accurate time remaining value if the either the frame rate or codec are changed, and displays red when the disk is getting full.

This update is available to our Blackmagic Production Camera 4K customers free of charge. Customers can download this update now and install it onto their camera from either Mac or Windows computers using a simple USB cable connection to the camera. Once the update is complete, customers can view the new on screen menus by simply swiping their finger up from the bottom of the capacitative touch screen.

This new heads up display will be released for other models of Blackmagic Design cameras over the coming weeks, so an even wider range of Blackmagic Design camera customers can get the benefits of this new display.

“We are extremely excited that we have been able to provide yet another release for our camera customers ,” said Grant Petty, CEO of Blackmagic Design. “Having this new heads up display with on screen scopes will enable film makers to shoot the most amazing images with confidence that they will get incredible results in post production!”

Another hat tip to Blackmagic Design for making these amazingly capable and affordable cameras more usable - but it would have been nice to have these basic features built-in when they were shipped.

That said, with these new updates, it may be time to take a fresh look at Blackmagic Cameras. The $2995 Production Camera 4K is still the least expensive UHD Super 35mm RAW camera on the market with a "no-jello" global shutter and the Pocket Cinema Camera is now an unbelievable bargain at $495

New Blackmagic Firmware Update 1.8.2 - Record 230 min of 1080p ProRes on a 64GB SD or SSD!

Today, Blackmagic Design announced firmware update 1.8.2 for all of its cinema cameras - the $495 (on sale, as of this post) Pocket Cinema Camera, the $1995 Cinema Camera and the $2995 4K (UHD) Production Camera. This update adds three easy-to-edit Apple ProRes file formats to the menus for these cameras - ProRes 422, ProRes 422 Lite and ProRes 422 Proxy.

With the increased compression of these formats, shooters can now record more video on their existing cards and drives - or, buy less expensive SDs and SSDs.

Here are ProRes 1080p data rates at several frame rates of interest (from Apple):

23.98 fps; ProRes HQ is 176 Mbps, ProRes is 117 Mbps, ProRes LT is 82 Mbps and ProRes Proxy is 36 Mbps.

25 fps; ProRes HQ is 184 Mbps, ProRes is 122 Mbps, ProRes LT is 85 Mbps and ProRes Proxy is 38 Mbps.

29.97 fps; ProRes HQ is 220 Mbps, ProRes is 147 Mbps, ProRes LT is 102 Mbps and ProRes Proxy is 45 Mbps.

Here is the Blackmagic press release:

Fremont, CA - July 17, 2014 - Blackmagic Design today announced announced the immediate availability of Camera 1.8.2 software which adds three new Apple ProRes™ file formats for the Blackmagic Cinema Camera, Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera and Blackmagic Production Camera 4K. Camera 1.8.2 update is available now free of charge from the Blackmagic Design website.

Blackmagic Design camera customers have always been able to record in both CinemaDNG RAW or compressed ProRes 422 HQ formats, however now this new software update adds three additional Apple ProRes™ file formats, ProRes 422, ProRes 422 LT and ProRes 422 Proxy. This means customers using Blackmagic Design cameras will be able to get significantly smaller video file sizes allowing much longer recording durations on the same media card, all while preserving full frame 10-bit 4:2:2 quality.

Because this update is available to our camera customers free of charge, they simply need to download it, and install the update from their Mac or Windows machine using a simple USB cable connection to the camera. Once the update is complete, customers will see these new formats available in the camera menus.

Because this update reduces the data rate of recording, it means customers can now choose lower cost SSD or SD cards while still recording high quality video in SD, HD and Ultra HD resolutions. Using ProRes 422 Proxy it is possible to record 230 minutes of 1080HD video on a single 64GB SD drive. Selecting the type of ProRes format for recording can be set via the on screen menus and all ProRes types can be played back instantly.

The Apple ProRes 422 formats are designed specifically for multi-stream non linear editing, minimal generation loss and fast export, making them very popular video file formats for post production and broadcast. All ProRes files recorded with Blackmagic Cinema Cameras and Blackmagic Production Camera 4K can be opened directly in DaVinci Resolve 11 and Apple Final Cut Pro X™ for immediate color correction, editing and finishing.

“We are extremely excited to release this next update for our camera customers ,” said Grant Petty, CEO of Blackmagic Design. “With the addition of the 3 new ProRes formats, cinematographers can now record for longer on low cost SSD’s and SD cards without sacrificing image quality, as they are still recording in full 10 bit 4:2:2 quality. Because our cameras feature a software centric design, we are very excited to be able to update our cameras with more and more features over time and make the cameras better and better! And there is more to come!”

Availability and Price Camera 1.8.2 is available now for download from the Blackmagic Design web site free of charge for all Blackmagic Cinema Camera, Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera and Blackmagic Production Camera 4K customers.

With this recent spate of software upgrades and price cuts, Blackmagic Design is making a credible attempt to reclaim the spotlight - by fixing some of the longstanding challenges with its cameras and improving its price position in the marketplace. Let's hope the next software release adds some of the other features that shooters have been clamoring for - such as a solution to the BMCC's black spot challenge, in-camera clip deletion and in-camera card/drive formatting.

One thing's for sure, my BMPCC just became a whole lot more usable - for free. Hat tip to Blackmagic for providing four flavors of 10-bit 4:2:2 video in a $495 camera - while Canon is still charging $5000 for 8-bit 4:2:0.

As usual, if anything here has helped you to make a buying decision, please click on one of the links above or the displays below. Even if you're not in the market for a cinema camera, please patronize our sponsors in the margins - it won't cost you anything extra, and it will help keep these posts coming. And to stay on top of the latest cinema and video camera news, deals and tips, please follow HCR on Blogger, on YouTube, on Google+ and on Twitter. Thanks so much for your support of the Hybrid Camera Revolution!

Slashcam 4K Shootout - Panasonic GH4 vs Sony AX100 vs Blackmagic Production Camera!

 

German review site Slashcam has done the first side-by-side of the first generation of <$3000 4K cameras, the Panasonic GH4, the Sony AX100, and the Blackmagic Production Camera.

Although the clips suffer from YouTube compression and questionable color choices in the grade, there are a couple of things that are clear. First, the GH4's 50ns shutter readout is almost as good as a global shutter. I had to freeze the frame to see skew/rolling shutter in the "whip pan" at 0:32. It wasn't distracting at all as I watched the motion video - unlike previous generation CMOS cameras.

Second, there is a lot to be said for the AX100's resolution, baked-in color rendition and power zoom. If you don't plan to color grade and don't need the flexibility of interchangeable lenses, this is a terrific little Handycam.

Here's the video:



Without access to the original files, this comparison is suggestive, but not definitive. That said, the accompanying review provides more insight. Here's another link to the full review. The translation is a little rough, but, thanks to Google Translate, I can't complain about the price.

These are all great cameras for their specific purposes. If you want cinema standard 4096x2160, internal recording to SD cards instead of SSDs, interchangeable lenses, a great viewfinder and in-camera color control in addition to gradeability - get the $1698 GH4 .

If all you need is UHD, but you want a Super 35 sensor, RAW (eventually) and no rolling shutter - get the $2995 Blackmagic Production Camera - but be prepared to buy external batteries and an external monitor or loupe (at the very least).

If you just want to pick up a camera and shoot stunning UHD without the hassle of color grading or changing lenses - get the $1998 AX100 - but be prepared for skew/rolling shutter if you pan too quickly.

If you know what you're getting into, you can't really go wrong with any of these cameras.

Panasonic Announces Pricing and Availability for GH4 and 4K Interface Unit!

Several sources are reporting that Panasonic has announced official pricing and availability for the new DMC-GH4 4K camera and its DMW-YAGH pro audio video interface.

Prices and estimated arrival dates will be:

• Panasonic DMC-GH4 body only - $1699.99 (ETA May 2014)


• Panasonic DMW-YAGH interface unit - $1999.99 (ETA May 2014)


• Panasonic DMC-GH4 body with DMW-YAGH interface unit - $3299.99 (ETA June 2014)

Preorder links are up at some of the smaller retailers (and at Adorama) already.  They are not up at Amazon yet, but should be soon (EDIT: the pre-order link is now up at Amazon ).

It looks like my earlier estimate for the price of the GH4 was about right - but my guess on the price of the YAGH was off by $200 to the high side.

This is very exciting news.  It means that existing micro 4/3 shooters will be able to step up to 8-bit 4K from their existing cameras for less than $1700.  And new micro 4/3 shooters can step up for $1700 plus the price of a lens or adapter.

For indie movie shooters who want to step into the world of 10-bit 4K motion picture production this means that for less than $7000, they can record true cinematic 4096x2160 4K.

That $7000 number is based on $3300 for the GH4 /interface kit, plus either a $2295 for a Convergent Design Odyssey 7Q or a $3495 Aja Ki Pro Quad).

Yes, this setup would be several thousand dollars more than a $2995 Blackmagic Production Camera (and would lack RAW recording capability) - but it would allow indies to start at the lower $1700 entry point (lower than the price of a $1995 Blackmagic Cinema Camera), and would give them an upgrade path to:

• Real 4K recording as opposed to UHD
• The same bit depth and color space as ProRes
• 2 XLR mic inputs on the YAGH (and 2 more with the Ki Pro Quad) with decent sound quality - instead of the Production Camera's 1/4" input jacks and dodgy preamps
• The ability to perform simple camera functions, such as the ability to erase clips in-camera
• A built-in EVF
• A pretty good still camera to boot.

As for Canon and Sony 4K cinema cameras - when it comes to price, they are not even in this conversation.

Welcome to the next phase of the hybrid still/video camera revolution!

Blackmagic Production Camera Shipping, Marked Down to $2995!

Looks like Blackmagic got sick of the attention being lavished on the recently-announced 4K Panasonic GH4  - and decided to reclaim the spotlight by issuing some headline news of their own.

In a press release this morning, Blackmagic Design announced that the long-awaited 4K Blackmagic Production Camera is now shipping - and that it would immediately be marked down by $1000 to $2995.

The new price is already reflected on the Blackmagic site - but was clearly not coordinated with resellers, because authorized retailers such as Adorama and B&H were still displaying the old price as of this morning.



Even though months have passed since Blackmagic's promised shipping dates of "July 2013"; and "end of 4th Quarter 2013", this is very good news - and not only for those who have had their cameras on pre-order for months.

Now (or as soon as these cameras start appearing in the hands of actual consumers), micro-budget filmmakers, documentarians and enthusiasts who want to shoot 4K have two relatively affordable cameras to choose from.  I won't go into the pros and cons of each camera (Andrew Reid of eoshd did an excellent job of that in his recent piece, "Which 4K camera for the masses? GH4 vs Blackmagic Production Camera"), but, at $3K for the Blackmagic and $2K for the Panasonic, clearly, these cameras are revolutionary.

So today, for the first time, anyone can buy a 4K camera for about what it costs to rent an Alexa for a week. These cameras don't have the Alexa's 14 stops of latitude, of course, but with these cameras, consumers and micro-budget professionals will be able to produce 2K (and in the GH4's case, 4K) images that are compliant with the Digital Cinema Initiative's Digital Cinema Specification for theatrical projection.

As an aside, the Blackmagic and Sony "4K" cameras are actually "Ultra HD", recording at a maximum resolution of 3840x2160 - which is not DCI-compliant for 4K.

The GH4 may not be able to output 12-bit 4:4:4 RAW - and it may only record 8-bit internally, but it is the only reasonably priced camera with the ability to record at the "True 4K" 4096x2160 resolution required by the Digital Cinema Specification.

Why did I say "reasonably priced"?  Well, the $12,000 Canon 1D C is DCI-compliant too - but you can buy six GH4s for that much money.

All of that said, this is a great day for independent filmmakers - I look forward to seeing what shooters can do with an affordable 4K Super 35 cinema camera!

If you've been waiting for Blackmagic to announce a shipping date before ordering your Production Camera, please click on one of the links above or the display ad below (as soon as Adorama updates their prices, of course!).  It won't cost you anything extra, and it will help to keep these blog posts coming.  Thank you!

Panasonic GH4 vs Blackmagic Production Camera - Round 2

So today is the morning after the big Panasonic GH4 rollout - but I still have that "not quite satisfied" feeling.

Today, most news sources and the camera "commentariat" are putting out positive stories on this camera for video - and yes, it is a revolutionary 4K interchangeable lens camera at its (presumed) sub-$2000 price point - but, it seems to me that for low-budget cinema shooters, Panasonic has missed the mark with this camera - in a very significant way.

With the GH4, internal recording (both 4K and 1080p) is limited to 8 bit 4:2:0 and 100mbps or 200mbps depending on resolution.  And for 4K, it needs a relatively expensive microP2 card to capture 8 bit video.

If you want 10 bit 4:2:2, you are forced to buy an external recorder.  Well, there goes the "4K for $2K" value proposition.

My little $995 Blackmagic Pocket Camera records 12 bit 4:4:4 RAW internally to a $120 card.  And 10 bit 4:2:2 ProRes internally to cards that cost even less.  I don't know much about Panasonic's new codec, but it is likely require some transcoding to get it into an edit-friendly format. (EDIT: the 4K codec is Quicktime .MOV, which should not be a problem in post).

A decent SSD for the $3995 Super 35 Blackmagic 4K Production Camera will cost less than the Panasonic microP2 card, and the Production Camera records 10 bit 4:2:2 ProRes in camera.  This camera is looking better and better.

That said, the Production Camera is a little out of my price range - so I still plan to sell all of my earlier model GH cameras and buy the GH4.  I will probably rent a 4K recorder when I want to maximize my flexibility in post - but I had very much hoped for a "Blackmagic-like" gradeable LOG image straight out of the GH4.  Looks like that's not going to happen.

If you want to be notified when the GH4 is in stock, or of you want to go ahead and pick up a Pocket Cinema Camera for gradeable 10-bit 4:2:2 straight out of the camera, you can click on one of the links above or the display ads below.

First Hands-On with the Panasonic GH4! [CORRECTED]

The great review site, "What Digital Camera?" in the UK, has the first hands-on review of the new Panasonic GH4 (published before the official rollout, pulled, and now re-posted).

Their bottom line? "For videographers the GH4 is currently peerless..."

Here's why: 4K at a maximum frame rate of 96fps (!) [EDIT: I was wrong about this - the 96fps frame rate is only available at 1080p], a 200mbps non-AVCHD codec, an OEM Interface Unit (pictured below) with 2 XLR inputs, 4 (!) SDI outputs, color bars, an audio tone and TBC. But for the lack of RAW, a shoulder mount and a built-in ND, this camera has everything on my list.

The new Panasonic microP2 UHS-II card makes these insane bitrates possible. It transfers files at up to 2.0Gbps (!) and is available now at Adorama and Amazon.


If the price point for this camera is really $2000, the 4K/30p cameras on the market, the $2K Sony AX100, the $4K Blackmagic Production Camera, the $4.5K Sony AX1 and especially the $12K Canon 1D C all seem suddenly overpriced.

That said, if you need a 4K camera now, and can't wait for the the GH4, please order it from the links above or the display ads below - it won't cost anything extra, and it will help keep these blog posts coming. Thanks so much!

In NYC? 4K Blackmagic Production Camera Demo on Feb. 11th!

Thinking about ordering $3995 Blackmagic Production Camera and want to actually see it before you pull out your credit card?  If so, and if you're in the New York City area, you can see the camera and demo footage in person, at the Moving Picture Collective ("Mopictive") meeting at AbelCine in the City on February 11th at 6:30 PM.

The Diamond Brothers have been shooting with a beta version of the camera for a while, and have some demo footage to show, along with the camera.

Looks like the ship date for this camera is getting close.  And with the upcoming Panasonic GH4K announcement and the new Sony AX100 shipping in March, this could be the real beginning of the affordable 4K "Ultra" HD era.

Sounds like a lot of fun, and I wish I could be there.  If anyone in the area does go, please post pics and your impressions in the comments section !  And, if seeing the camera in person moves you to pre-order the camera, please come back to the blog and click on one of the links above or the display ad below, thanks!

4K Blackmagic Production Camera Workflow Demo!

Courtesy shootonline.com

In what may be a good sign for those who have pre-ordered the Blackmagic Production Camera - here is one of the first sightings "in the wild' since NAB last year!

According to shootonline.com, on January 16th, at the Society of Television Engineers meeting in Burbank, California, workflow specialists LumaForge teamed with Blackmagic Design to demonstrate an "inexpensive" (by broadcast standards) 4K workflow.

Pictured above is the $3995 Production Camera connected, via Thunderbolt, to the new drum-shaped Macbook Pro (starting at $2994)  and a $1999 Seiki 65-Inch 4K Ultra HD TV with a $945 Blackmagic Design UltraStudio 4K Breakout Box.

Blackmagic is really working hard to shake things up in the world of high-end, high resolution image acquisition and processing.  For broadcasters, $10,000 for 4K acquisition, processing, delivery and consumption is a game changer.  It means a significantly lower cost of production and more money on the bottom line.  For indie filmmakers, this means a much lower cost of entry to projection-quaiity 4K theatrical production.

For the rest of us, it means there are going to be a lot of used 1080p "cinema" cameras on the market soon. Used C100 or F3, anyone?

UK Dealer: 4K Blackmagic Production Camera Shipping This Month!

3D Broadcast Sales at Pinewood Studios in the UK claim that the long-awaited 4K for $4K Blackmagic Production Camera will start shipping in January 2014.  After Blackmagic CEO Grant Petty's "shipping this quarter [Q4 2013]" quote a few weeks ago, let's hope this isn't another false alarm.

Hopefully, CVP in the UK and stateside dealers such as B&H and Adorama will get their cameras in soon and start filling customer pre-orders.

I am really looking forward to seeing what this camera can do once it's out in the marketplace and in the hands of the thousands of creatives who couldn't afford a 4K Super 35 camera until now.

Remember when $4000 was an exciting price for a large-sensor interchangeable lens 1080p Panasonic AF100?  Seems like a very long time ago.

As always, if anything here has helped you to make a buying decision, please use the links embedded above or the display ads below to order.

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