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!

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.

Sony RX10 with Atomos ProRes Recorder - Pocket Cinema Camera Killer?

The biggest challenge with the new Sony DSC-RX10 still/video hybrid camera for serious video projects has been its relatively low bitrate AVCHD codec. Despite this limitation, with a good grade, this camera can produce decent results (see Andrew Reid's RX10 test video, Run and Gun).

But what if you could combine the RX10's downscaling algorithms with a decent codec?  Last night, Atomos posted this tutorial on how to use their Ninja 2 external monitor/recorder with the RX10:



The Atomos Ninja 2 gives the RX10 the ability to record 233mbps ProRes 422, the same codec available on the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera when it was first released.

This codec takes up less space on cards and drives than RAW, and some shooters prefer it as a good compromise between the limitations of 8 bit and the complexity of dealing with RAW.

If you're planning to buy the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera for ProRes only, don't need a lens faster than f2.8 or longer than 200mm, and don't want to deal with RAW, you might want to look at the $1298 RX10 plus a $675 Ninja 2 instead (and don't forget the $6.99 micro-HDMI to HDMI Cable).

Add the fact that the RX10 is a 20.2MP still camera; has a bright OLED viewfinder; a great de-clicked Zeiss constant f2.8, an 8x power zoom; a built-in ND filter; 1080/60p; usable onboard sound plus audio level meters (not to mention little niceties such as a recording time remaining indicator, the ability to delete files in camera and a battery that lasts more than a few minutes) - all features the Blackmagic lacks - and buying a finicky $995 BMPCC plus some kind of viewfinder or LCD shade, an expensive constant f2.8 lens, a superfast SanDisk Extreme Pro card, extra batteries and a screw on ND filter just to shoot gradeable ProRes 422 doesn't make a lot of sense.

If you're a low budget RAW shooter (or want to be), the BMPCC continues to be the absolute best straight out-of-the-box solution.

ProRes shooters, however, now have another, very usable, option.  I'll say it again, it's a great time to be a hybrid photographer/filmmaker!

As usual, if anything here has helped you reach a buying decision, please click on one of the links above or the display ads below to order your RX10, Ninja 2 or BMPCC.

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While You Wait - Five Downloadable Pocket Cinema Camera Videos

Click on the image to go to the download page

For your grading pleasure, the folks at Wooden Camera have posted five gradable videos from the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera.

Something to keep you occupied as you sit by the front door waiting for your Pocket Camera to arrive.

Just Bought a Fast SDXC Card for my Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera

Since the cameras seem to be really shipping (!), it is time to buy a memory card.  After all these months of waiting, it would be pretty frustrating to have the camera waiting on my doorstep when I get back from Spaceport America next week - with no memory card to put in it.

Looking at this list of fast cards on blackmagicuser.net, I couldn't bring myself to spring for a 95MB/s $133 Sandisk Extreme Pro 64GB - so I bought an ADATA 64GB (95MB/s read, 45MB/s write) for $56 (on sale at Amazon) instead.  ADATA, an established DRAM and NAND flash memory manufacturer from Taiwan, just entered the high speed SD card market a few months ago, so their prices are a little lower than Sandisk's.  On sale, this card is a very good deal.

At 45MB/s write, the ADATA will be good enough for ProRes, but won't cut it for CinemaDNG RAW. When Blackmagic issues the RAW firmware update, I'll buy a faster card, but until then, this will do.