BMMCC - atomos Ninja 2 Recorder

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Liviu Georgescu

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  • Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2018 12:56 pm
  • Real Name: Liviu Georgescu

BMMCC - atomos Ninja 2 Recorder

PostFri Oct 26, 2018 1:08 pm

Hello to everyone,
My name is Liviu Georgescu, I am from Romania, I just made account here. I am owner of 2 blackmagic products, one is A cinema Camera 2.5k Ef mount and another Micro Cinema Camera, the 1080 version.
I have some issues with my BMMCC, I bought a atomos Ninja 2 Recorder to use it as monitor for the camera, having in mind that I can also use it as backup for when I shoot 25p and 30p. i knew that Ninja 2 won't record 50p and 60p, but thought that it is no problem in using it as monitor hence almost every monitor works on this camera (tested a bunch of feelworld and Ikan with no problem). The monitor does not receive any signal from HDMI when I swich to 50p or 60p, so I go blind. I really use this feature hence I plan to shoot weddings with it and I need it for slow motion. Thought that it can work as monitor only and record in 25p or 30p or even not record at all. Found no settings in menu to support this. So I thought is atomos fault for this but wanted to see if it behave the same way on my Nikon d750. So, when I connect it to my D750, the monitor works as intended, shows the screen, not going blackout as in BMMCC saying no signal, and when I am in 50P it give me option to record in 25p and when I am in 60P, give me option to record in 30. So is there any way to make it behave the same on the BMMCC? What would be the explanation for this and if I can make it somehow to work, because I do not want to change monitors when I need to shot 50/60.
Thank you very much for your reply, maybe someone can enlighten me a little bit.
Best regards from Romania,
Liviu Georgescu

PS. Another disturbing issue, while recording the atomos takes the screen literally, does not bypass de onscreen displays on BMMCC, such as battery life, exposure meter, audiometer, battery life and so on. It is true that BM does not appear on supported list, but still, this is a very odd behavior. It is true that the recorder has zebra and peaking and so on, but still cannot display camera battery life and other things I need. very disappointed with the purchase, I can only hope to manage to sell it back.
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Denny Smith

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  • Location: USA, Northern Calif.

Re: BMMCC - atomos Ninja 2 Recorder

PostFri Oct 26, 2018 9:57 pm

The BM Micro Camera is not the issue, and unlike your Nikon, which only outputs a 1080i50/60 signal depending on the camera setting, the Micro Studio camera actually outputs the same signal resolution as it is recording. So set it to 1080p50, and the outputed signal will be 1080p50 (not 1080i50, as the Nikon does).

The Atmos Ninja does Not Support 1080p50/60, along with mist older monitors from this era. It can only display or record up to 1080p30, due to the bandwidth of its HDMI inout. The Ninja can not display any signal higher than 1080p30. Also, the Ninja records what is being feed from the camera, so if yiu have a signal coming in with overlays (battery meter, audio meters, frame lines, etc) it will record thst as well. The Ninja can not separate the incoming video from the overlays. No monitor recorder can do this, what you see is what you get.

The Micro Cinema camera can outout a clean signal, just turn the overlays off, and use the zebra and framing overlays from the Ninja, which it does not record, as it generates this signal separately from the incoming video signal and mergers them together. Thst said, if you set the BM camera to 1080059/60, the Ninja will not display this high bandwidth signal. You need a monitor like the new Small HD Focus, which can display the 1080p50/60 signal, and has a higher resolution screen to aid in focus. Keep your Ninja to use with your Nikon Camera.
Cheers
Denny Smith
SHA Productions
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Liviu Georgescu

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  • Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2018 12:56 pm
  • Real Name: Liviu Georgescu

Re: BMMCC - atomos Ninja 2 Recorder

PostFri Oct 26, 2018 10:41 pm

Thanks for reply, the bad part is that I cannot use the Ninja as Monitor. I find it odd not being able to only display, not record, 50p hence all other cheap monitor do it. But I guess this was not ment to be a monitor only...I bought it for its dimensions to use it with BMMCC as monitor primary, and only as backup for 25/30p. Strange fact but good in this case, Nikon records 50p/60p internally and outputs diffrent signal to atomos. Hope I will manage to sell it for what I gave and get a monitor only, I never far saw this coming.
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Denny Smith

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  • Joined: Thu Aug 01, 2013 4:19 pm
  • Location: USA, Northern Calif.

Re: BMMCC - atomos Ninja 2 Recorder

PostSat Oct 27, 2018 5:34 am

Yes, this and other reasons is why I stay away from Atomos monitors/recorders. Formthr Micro csmera, the SmallHD Focus is really nice, and yiu can get the canon dummy battery kit for it to power both the monitor and camera for about 1 hour off the 7700MA Sony NP batterynon the Monitor.
Cheers
Denny Smith
SHA Productions

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