Selling my Pocket Cinema Camera for a GH4 - Why?

I still love my Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera. I have found ways to overcome its handling limitations (with an inexpensive LCD shade, a loupe and a pistol grip).



I have learned to combine its expanded image and peaking features for razor sharp manual focus, its small form factor is convenient and visually appealing, I absolutely love 10-bit ProRes and, now that the GH3 is back over $1000, the BMPCC is the only sub-$1000 camera with a headphone jack. So, why am I selling it to buy a Panasonic GH4?

Because the BMPCC is the last camera I pick up when I leave the house. On the other hand, I take the GH3, with its 'inferior' 8-bit codecs, everywhere I go. It turns out that I need to be able to shoot a high quality still photo every once in a while - and an iPhone just doesn't cut it for me. So, I guess I chose the right title for this blog. I am a hybrid still/video camera shooter, still looking for the "revolutionary" camera that can do it all. Is the GH4 that camera? Hopefully, we'll see in a few weeks.

If you're looking for a 12-bit RAW cinema camera for $899 and you're in in the SF Bay Area, click on one of the pictures above or this link to see my Craigslist post. If you prefer a new BMPCC, GH3 or GH4, please click on one of the links above or the display ads below. It won't cost you anything extra, and it will help keep these posts coming. Thanks!

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.

If you don't need a camera or external recorder right now, please shop with our other sponsors, Adorama, Amazon, BorrowLenses, CoolLCD, DigitalRev, uBid, Vimeo, the the Warner Brothers Shop and others whose display ads you see in the margins.  It won't cost you anything extra, and it will help to keep these blog posts coming.  Thanks so much!

New Canon 5D Mark III - $2900 on eBay - less than a BMCC!

Excited about the Magic Lantern RAW hack, but don't want to pay $3500 for a body-only 5D Mark III?  Here's a brand new 5D Mark III for $2900 from 6th Ave Express via eBay - less than the price of a $2995 EF Mount Blackmagic Cinema Camera.   6th Ave provides a 1-year parts and 90 day labor warranty. Limited quantity available.

I have not been a big fan of Canon DSLRs for video, but with the RAW hack, the 5D Mark III is suddenly back on the map as the large sensor, interchangeable lens DSL camera with the best resolution and dynamic range.  Sadly for Canon, it is now arguably better than some of the top-end "Cinema EOS" cameras, such as the $12,000 Canon 1D C  - and close to the image quality produced by the $14,000 C300.  Not bad for a $2900 camera.

Sony F5, BMCC, RED Scarlet Shootout

522 Productions in the DC area just posted this great little shootout between the new Sony F5, the Blackmagic Cinema Camera and the RED Scarlet.

They were able to compare side-by-side video of the BMCC and the RED, but they had to go with screenshots on the F5 because they use Adobe Premiere and the camera is so new it doesn't have an Adobe plugin yet. Nevertheless, they liked the ergonomics, the menus, the manual controls and the overall handling of the F5 most of all.  In part 2 of this shootout, they'll compare workflow in post for all three of these cameras. 

If you need a camera with film-like dynamic range and 2K or greater internal RAW recording, and you don't want to wait for the BMCC, the F5 is pretty much the only game in town.  And, even after the BMCC starts shipping in volume, the F5 will be the only 2K+ RAW camera below $20,000 with 120fps and XLR inputs. They are in stock right now for $16,490 at Adorama.