Mini 4.6K release update

Can you imagine how successful this camera would have been had it shipped in july... or even august? The fall for everyone to test it get used to it know how to color it... then 2016 people just smashing content with it? Its clear its a good camera for people like Brawley to put their faith in it, but as much as I want this camera. I may just stick with having a dslr (samsung) and continue to rent RED ( we used own some of them ) and Arri for the jobs that we need it for. The camera went from a no brainer to like I feel like I have no brain for still waiting around on it. I'm even tempted to go back to RED and I really feel like their images are soft despite the massive amount of K's they push. Clients like them though and I have directed a many a video on RED and they look as fine as everything else as we watch them on youtube and vimeo. Hell even on TV and some times in the theater. Its just real tuff to tell any of these cameras apart now... if you do your job right.

So that big rant to more or less ask... how long do we hold out on this with no truthful and semi accurate word on deliver? I paid up front for the whole package... so most of it sits in my closet unused as it awaits a camera to be mounted on and we go rent other stuff. I had a bit of faith this would be a go to camera for me even in some places I would have went arri, but now its all a little sideways. Does anyone else feel like this? On the fence of returning it all and getting money back?

Yeah, well....eventually the camera will be in your hands and it'll be like it was always there. Just be patient, work on other things with your mirrorless Samsung camera (they don't make DSLR's) or Reds or Arris or whatever and one day (sooner better than later) you and me and all the others waiting for the 4.6K Mini will get theirs in their hands and be making money or making YouTube pet videos with them. But soon. And it will be soon. It's just not soon enough for...any of us. We just have to continue being patient. Keeping busy helps.

I'm sure you have company, Ryan. Since the camera has been paid, you must be close to the shipping date. The delays have likely had some impact on sales and will have even more so as the Raven and Scarlett-W become available. It may also have an impact on future preorders. A time perhaps for BMD to wait until cameras reach beta testing or first production before announcing even if that means no new cameras at NAB 2016. Then July might actually mean July. Credibility must be earned again. You know I am not trying to suggest anything that I don't believe will significantly help BMD in the long run. If I had preordered and prepaid, I'd keep the order. As it is, I'm not ordering until the production Mini 4.6K camera ships in volume. Hopefully no later than April, but we shall see.


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And here we go...

Shipping February 2016.png

Silver Lining: The prices have not changed.

At this point these dates are clearly aspirational.

No you are not alone Ryan. Rick has mostly nailed it with his post. The other side of it is, I know of four people locally who have very recently cancelled the full payment preorder. Two of them are just going to Raven, their logic (not mine) is Red nowadays is extremely reliable. Not sure about the others. I am barely holding in there too. Apart from the silence, like you say, its the other gear I have waiting around. People instantly think posts like these are having a go a BMD, or your not being patient enough, or this and that. Its not that at all. It is simply a lot of money that has been sitting out in the nether for months and months with crap all assurance.

Now might be a good time for BMD to show their potential customers some love and clarify the :-

1. Delivery schedule
2. Expected functionality at release
3. Pricing confusion

At these price points, wealthy individuals or those earning real money out of this industry can easily step up to another competitors camera...why encourage them with passive (BMD), aggressive (defenders) behaviour ?

Keeping busy helps.

This, exactly. Just keep busy. At this point, that's really all any of us can say lol.

Slartibartfast: Perhaps I'm old and tired, but I think that the chances of finding out what's actually going on are so absurdly remote that the only thing to do is to say, "Hang the sense of it," and keep yourself busy. I'd much rather be happy than right any day.

Arthur Dent: And are you?

Slartibartfast: Ah, no. [laughs] Well, that's where it all falls down, of course.

Slartibartfast: Perhaps I'm old and tired, but I think that the chances of finding out what's actually going on are so absurdly remote that the only thing to do is to say, "Hang the sense of it," and keep yourself busy. I'd much rather be happy than right any day.

Arthur Dent: And are you?

Slartibartfast: Ah, no. [laughs] Well, that's where it all falls down, of course.

I would rather see BMD minimize the number of customers that go elsewhere.

One vendor is now publically stating March as a possible delivery date...might be the Beta testers are getting all the love, but the potential money paying customers are getting left behind.

I would rather see BMD minimize the number of customers that go elsewhere.

Too late for that.

One vendor is now publically stating March as a possible delivery date...might be the Beta testers are getting all the love, but the potential money paying customers are getting left behind.

I think that if BM had not announced the 4.6K sensor and cameras at the last NAB then the competing cameras would not exist. And BM could have made just as big a splash at this year's NAB with a 4.6K camera that would be close to shipping.

Maybe somebody should make a movie, call it, "A Camera Too Far".

[Where they say bridge substitute camera, and where they say day substitute month.]

Does anyone else feel like this? On the fence of returning it all and getting money back?

The Ursa Mini 4.6K is my first venture into a serious form factor camera since the early days of HD. Been using DSLR for some time, so I'm quite excited about the prospect of a "camera on my shoulder again"
On paper, the features, quality and price seem outstanding, but yes, I feel like getting a refund on my total preorder payment from May 2015 and selling the unused CFast cards, batteries, battery plate, tripod plate and starting over again.
All the talk of price variation, impending NAB & technical issues combined with BMD's poor customer relations certainly makes it hard to stay on the fence, but hopefully as many people have said, stay busy & keep the faith.. Grant Petty, please make it worth the wait!

Personally I would prefer to know the ideal camera for me is coming, rather than find out after I blew my money on something unsatisfactory.

Can you imagine how successful this camera would have been had it shipped in july... or even august? The fall for everyone to test it get used to it know how to color it... then 2016 people just smashing content with it? Its clear its a good camera for people like Brawley to put their faith in it, but as much as I want this camera. I may just stick with having a dslr (samsung) and continue to rent RED ( we used own some of them ) and Arri for the jobs that we need it for. The camera went from a no brainer to like I feel like I have no brain for still waiting around on it. I'm even tempted to go back to RED and I really feel like their images are soft despite the massive amount of K's they push. Clients like them though and I have directed a many a video on RED and they look as fine as everything else as we watch them on youtube and vimeo. Hell even on TV and some times in the theater. Its just real tuff to tell any of these cameras apart now... if you do your job right.

So that big rant to more or less ask... how long do we hold out on this with no truthful and semi accurate word on deliver? I paid up front for the whole package... so most of it sits in my closet unused as it awaits a camera to be mounted on and we go rent other stuff. I had a bit of faith this would be a go to camera for me even in some places I would have went arri, but now its all a little sideways. Does anyone else feel like this? On the fence of returning it all and getting money back?

Ryan, I learned the hard way not to buy accessories for a BMD camera until you have the camera. Fortunately I did not need to return anything that I bought for the BMPC4K and none of it failed or needed returning when I finally started using it, which was 9 months after I ordered the camera.

I have no doubt the 4.6k sensor will be very successful when it ships. However, I have thought about buying something else since the Mini 4.6 is not shipping yet. The simple fact is, there is nothing that fits the bill for me in just about ANY price range. I posted my check list of things i want and what it would cost to get them in another camera in another post a week or so ago, and the minimum price is around $12k for a SONY FS& package, and it doesn't even have global shutter. The other thing is, I have not seen another camera with an image that seems to have the color rendition and science behind it that the 4.6k does. In addition to being a DP, I'm also an editor and colorist and have graded a lot of different cameras, so I have no doubt I can get a nice image out of any competent camera and what I'm seeing from the beta tests of the 4.6 is fantastic.

The other thing is, I already shoot with a BMPC4K and love the image it produces and I know its short comings and have learned to work around them, so I don't need a new camera right now and I can wait for the 4.6k. Wanting to up my game and make a purchase before the end of 2015 for tax reasons, I decided to invest in glass that will long outlast any camera I have now or will have in the future, so in effect, I have upgraded my BMPC4K.

If you feel the need to upgrade from a DSLR (which in my opinion, anyone who uses one needs to upgrade ) I wold get a BMPCC.

I just talked to Lemac in Brisbane regarding my returning the unused BMD EVF (paperweight ) and getting a full refund on the whole kit and they said that would be no problem.

The issue then would be what do I do with the 4 x 128gig CFast 2.0 media cards, 3 of which I purchased in August last year at the highest prices and the new 3 x IDX 95w batteries and charger that have been sitting on the shelf in constant monthly anticipation then disappointment. I can't even come close to getting my $ back on them.

I just talked to Lemac in Brisbane regarding my returning the unused BMD EVF (paperweight ) and getting a full refund on the whole kit and they said that would be no problem.

The issue then would be what do I do with the 4 x 128gig CFast 2.0 media cards, 3 of which I purchased in August last year at the highest prices and the new 3 x IDX 95w batteries and charger that have been sitting on the shelf in constant monthly anticipation then disappointment. I can't even come close to getting my $ back on them.

Mate I would wait, seriously...this camera is likely to be something that you could use for the next decade and BMD will deliver, they just suck at customer engagement.

Mate I would wait, seriously...this camera is likely to be something that you could use for the next decade and BMD will deliver, they just suck at customer engagement.

I totally agree unless you absolutely have to have something right now, or you can afford something 6 to 10 times more expensive that will give a marginally better image.

Mate I would wait, seriously...this camera is likely to be something that you could use for the next decade and BMD will deliver, they just suck at customer engagement.

I totally agree unless you absolutely have to have something right now, or you can afford something 6 to 10 times more expensive that will give a marginally better image.

Ya. I have been rather annoyed at the whole thing. I find myself constantly looking at other cameras to tempt myself to cancel my order.

Its really hard as there is NOWAY that I can not have answers for my clients. The fact s, I have a workflow that is solid. Clients that love what I do. If there is one thing that I have learned (and seemed to have forgotten over time) is that nothing happens on your time table. Do the best you can with what you got, and when time comes, your patience will be rewarded.

I ordered mine in June. I HOPE people have cancelled...moves me up the list!

-jason

Have spent a bunch of my life working in and around the concepts of queuing theory...Erlang was gifted when it came to the math's related to queues and Walt Disney introduced the psychology.

Businesses realized a while ago that there are missed opportunities when people wait in line :-

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/19/opini ... .html?_r=0

Taking a strategy of ONLY saying something when you have something to say is simple but can be improved upon...no different to Engineering, just that it involves people.

Personally I would prefer to know the ideal camera for me is coming, rather than find out after I blew my money on something unsatisfactory.

After we have spent hundreds of hours studying this Mini 4.6K camera and everything associated with its behaviour, its components, and rigging and accessories, you know a great deal about what it can do and it's limitations. I think we can be so immersed in The World According to Grant, that we start taking many of its achievements and characteristics for granted and assume all competing cameras are just as capable. So when finally you give up, after a dozen hours of hastily examining a Raven or Scarlett-W, you throw in the towel and order RED's new cameras.

Yes, you will get the camera in a reasonable timeframe, perhaps a month or two or three after the Mini 4.6K would be in your hands, and you slowly discover, it's not quite what you expected, not quite the same camera as the Mini you left behind.

To begin, with, it didn't cone as soon as you thought it would. And then it didn't have all the codecs for all the downscaled resolutions. And to add something that was built in to the Mini, you discover the option is an add-on. Overall it may be more capable, but not without additional cost.

Every time I take a look at something else, it doesn't take long to find something that doesn't work for me. It might be price or function or form or culture. Or maybe it's the people on this community forum.

So I'm not going anywhere. Faraway fields look greener. When you've learned that lesson several times in your life, the hard way, then it tends to help you focus on your goals and brush off the distractions along the path to your chosen destination.


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I couldn't agree more with you, Rick. I think Dave Perry also had a great analysis on another thread about the options he weighed before deciding to buy the mini (though I can't find it). The form factor, features, and the ecosystem for the Mini 4.6 just can't be matched for the price. I've never owned a cinema camera, I've always rented. I rented because the good cameras were always too expensive for me to justify buying and the affordable cameras never had the quality or features that I wanted. Don't get me wrong, I have owned many still and motion, film and digital cameras over the years, going back to Super 8 film cameras, but nothing I would consider professional grade. The wait has been frustrating at times, but I will continue to wait.

This camera sure ticks a lot of boxes (on paper) but IMO, there's just one thing missing that would have made the 4.6 Mini a really easy transition for me and I suspect, one or two others and that's the camera's lens mount options.

I might be in the vast minority but with a $25K investment in Zeiss Contax FF glass, the fact that I can't fit a focal reducer and return my FF lens' original FoV as I can with say, the E-Mount system or to a lesser degree with the MFT mount, this 'rusted on' Sony customer will have to stay, well, 'rusty'

If JVC can make a 'universal' mount for a S-35 sensor so perhaps could BMD.

I finally decided to create an account and mix up in this conversation. Probably like most of you this is mostly to kill the waiting time First of all, thanks for letting me read all your opinions!

I understand the delays that BMD are facing. Me to would have preferred BMD to update us instead of just delaying without saying. I honestly dont see any good reason NOT to update us on the issue. I think people would be more likely to accept the delay if they did.

Reminds me of the days in the late 90's and early 2000's where a camera would easily work for 10 years. Now every year company's announce a new camera. Dont be bothered if BMD presents a 6k camera at NAB, just when you were about to upload your 4.6k unboxing camera. It will be a great camera based upon what is see from the beta testers. And like someone else said here it will likely be fantastic for at least 5 years.

Something else: they keep saying 'shipping in november, januari, february.....maybe they just mean the beta cameras with that, so in a way they are not lying

Well this was just posted today from beta tester.

"I truly understand BMD's urgent pleas for us to be patient, as this camera is not yet ready. I was not able to test the Global Shutter option as it was non-existent. I was however, told that this will be rectified before the camera's release. I myself preordered this way back in July last year and held off for this long, so being able to finally get a hands-on with it was a very thrilling highlight for me. Hopefully I can get my hands on one permanently ASAP... although I was told under the impression to wait two more months or so.
"

Well this was just posted today from beta tester.

"I truly understand BMD's urgent pleas for us to be patient, as this camera is not yet ready. I was not able to test the Global Shutter option as it was non-existent. I was however, told that this will be rectified before the camera's release. I myself preordered this way back in July last year and held off for this long, so being able to finally get a hands-on with it was a very thrilling highlight for me. Hopefully I can get my hands on one permanently ASAP... although I was told under the impression to wait two more months or so.
"

Well crap... This whole waiting experience alone is really just causing too much anxiety. I think if the above post is true I'm going to have to pull my preorder and settle for something that I can shoot with now. I go out of the country to shoot next month and need something that can shoot some slow motion and will be gone too long to make renting worth it. Sucks... Wish BMD could have been clearer from the beginning.

Hey Scott,

Yeah it was pulled from a couple stickies down from this thread called. "Ursa mini 4.6k : Hands on Impression"
And yes, like you - if true. Im done too.

Hey Scott,

Yeah it was pulled from a couple stickies down from this thread called. "Ursa mini 4.6k : Hands on Impression"
And yes, like you - if true. Im done too.

James, to be fair, this wasn't from a beta tester at all, it was from a guy who visited a camera show in the UK who probably just put the camera on his shoulders for 10 minutes.... and his info was from a BM sales rep who in the past have touted conflicting information, fingers crossed for the next few weeks for shipping!

it was from a guy who visited a camera show in the UK who probably just put the camera on his shoulders for 10 minutes

That's 10 minutes more than most of us have had with it! lol

And at this juncture, I have to ask again ..... where the hell is the "detailed update" promised by Mr. Rivera? Is his soon longer than the camera soon or what?

:? And at this juncture, I have to ask again ..... where the hell is the "detailed update" promised by Mr. Rivera? Is his soon longer than the camera soon or what?

At this point logic necessitates that all the website shipping updates and the occasional "soon" comments are to string us along.. to keep us from jumping ship. Did BMD honestly believe that last year when they posted "Shipping in July" on the website that it would really happen? How about when they posted "Shipping in August," or "shipping in September," or "Shipping in November." It is now February of 2016! Either they are the most incredibly naive group or they are blatantly lying. I'm not saying they are lying, I'm just saying its such a stretch of logic to believe they can be that naive.

If I were BMD, I'd be busting my gut to release the camera (preferable before NAB) with everything working 'as specified' so that when it finally hits the market, there is noting but praise in the popular press. Any serious 'negatives' could just swing a lot of potential buyers who have been patiently waiting...

There is no reason for me to think that BM is not deploying every resource to get this camera done. I'm sure the engineering teams can look forward to a high divorce rate when this project is finally over, if a sizable number of engineers has not already jumped ship. At this point they have got to be on a death march.

I just ran across this today, dare we say that Blackmagic is guilty of false advertising?

"Deceptive advertising, also known as false advertising, refers to a manufacturer's use of confusing, misleading, or blatantly untrue statements when promoting a product. Advertising law will protect consumers from deceptive advertising through the enforcement of specific legislation."

Blackmagic could unveil any product they want. Sadly we'll wait for it

I'm a huge BlackMagic fanboy but man... these shipping 'dates' really make me feel stupid sometimes.

I mean I waited how long for my Production Camera 4K??

I mean I waited how long for my Production Camera 4K??

At least this long! Was a painful wait and it shipped partially finished.

if this camera isnt out by NAB or its out and doesn't work properly PLEASE some one get an interview and ask the hard questions on camera.

if this camera isnt out by NAB or its out and doesn't work properly PLEASE some one get an interview and ask the hard questions on camera.

I second this! Either ask the hard questions or bring light to the difference between "we have this camera in development" vs. truthfully "we are ready to ship." Emphasis on truth.

Well this was just posted today from beta tester.

"I truly understand BMD's urgent pleas for us to be patient, as this camera is not yet ready. I was not able to test the Global Shutter option as it was non-existent. I was however, told that this will be rectified before the camera's release. I myself preordered this way back in July last year and held off for this long, so being able to finally get a hands-on with it was a very thrilling highlight for me. Hopefully I can get my hands on one permanently ASAP... although I was told under the impression to wait two more months or so.
"

Well crap... This whole waiting experience alone is really just causing too much anxiety. I think if the above post is true I'm going to have to pull my preorder and settle for something that I can shoot with now. I go out of the country to shoot next month and need something that can shoot some slow motion and will be gone too long to make renting worth it. Sucks... Wish BMD could have been clearer from the beginning.

Yeah it was pulled from a couple stickies down from this thread called. "Ursa mini 4.6k : Hands on Impression"
And yes, like you - if true. Im done too.

Unfortunately the only way to know if this is true is to wait and see because BM isn't going to tell you, of course by then if it hasn't shipped there will be some other hint of a ship date somewhere in the next month or so to string you on a little longer.

BM is between a rock and a hard place. They announced the camera amid great fanfare and with great animal spirits and without much adult supervision. So now they have to deliver and they don't have a clue as to how long it will actually take. And I'll bet that because of the intense pressure on the development teams, it is probably taking longer than it would if they had waited until it was ready to ship before announcing it.

I don't think Blackmagic is lying, nor do I think they're naive. I do think they're optimistic. And I also think they know their product will still do very well once released if the escalating antsy-ness of this forum, nay, this thread, is any indication.

Yep and they put themselves there. Seems like you are still giving them the benifit of the doubt that they didn't know that it was going to take way longer than they orginally announced. Given their previous track record and the fact that most long time BM users expected this situation even if they hoped it wouldn't be the case this time, it is hard for me to believe that they haven't known all along.

Yep and they put themselves there. Seems like you are still giving them the benifit of the doubt that they didn't know that it was going to take way longer than they orginally announced. Given their previous track record and the fact that most long time BM users expected this situation even if they hoped it wouldn't be the case this time, it is hard for me to believe that they haven't known all along.

It's not that I give BM the benefit of anything. I've been where they are. It is very possible to get there with everyone having the most honorable intentions. BM is still in their aspirational stage where they are still learning how to make word class cinema cameras. For them to attempt this requires a great deal of optimism on their part. I certainly do not want to take any of that away from them. But they could do it better. They are not learning from their mistakes.

Guys, I'm not sure if I have to wait for the 4.6 or start with a Mini 4k which is currently in stock at my seller.
The idea is to get the Mini 4k and start shooting with it while I wait for the better camera to come out and even get one or two firmware fixes. I'm currently number 14 on my waiting list and that could mean or 2 months after the official release, which is unknown.
I currently have a BMCC 2.5k, which I'm using, but I wanted to sell it before the NAB, I'm afraid it could drop in prize too much if another similar camera is presented. Also the 4K resolution is something my clients are wanting more and more.
I mean, how bad is the 4K sensor? I have read different opinions but can't really get if you can actually do some decent jobs with it. I usually work in bigger advertising budgets with controlled lighting and use the BMCC as B or C cam with the Alexas or Epics.
Should I upgrade to Ursa Mini 4k now and change to 4.6 as soon it's out and stable?
What do you think?

Cheers

Rheex, from what I've read, the BMCC would make a better B camera to the Mini 4.6K. Probably the Micro Studio 4K would suit you better considering you have clients wanting 4K and you are shooting in a controlled situation. The Micro Studio won't match the latitude of the 4.6K of course, but in a controlled studio, you won't need it to.

If I was you I would keeping using the same cameras you use now, until both the Micro Studio 4K and the Mini 4.6K are available. I think that will be a good pairing if everything needs to be 4K.


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Rheex, from what I've read, the BMCC would make a better B camera to the Mini 4.6K. Probably the Micro Studio 4K would suit you better considering you have clients wanting 4K and you are shooting in a controlled situation. The Micro Studio won't match the latitude of the 4.6K of course, but in a controlled studio, you won't need it to.

If I was you I would keeping using the same cameras you use now, until both the Micro Studio 4K and the Mini 4.6K are available. I think that will be a good pairing if everything needs to be 4K.

Thanks Rick, that is definitely an option. But would you consider the Ursa Mini 4k a worse camera than the 2.5k BMCC? I mean not only in terms of dynamic range, just generally speaking.
cheers

I think the Mini 4K can be a better camera than the BMCC if you feed it more light. It's a different look than the BMCC which has the latitude one wants, but lacks the 4K resolution you want. You could keep the BMCC if you wanted and its look should be a good fit with the Mini 4.6K. But then you've changed your resolution specification.

My recommendations were in regard to which pair of cameras might work well together if your clients want 4K.


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My recommendations were in regard to which pair of cameras might work well together if your clients want 4K.

Yes, I understood that, but I actually I want to keep just one camera and I know it will be the 4.6k eventually.
This will happen in a few months, when it's a stable camera. My doubt is whether to buy the Mini 4k in the meantime. I have heard different opinions about the 4k sensor, good and bad. I know that people is generally happy with the Ursa 4k, but then again, I'm not sure if the MINI 4k mounts the BMPC 4K sensor or the URSA one., version I or II. I'm just a little bit confused about all these sensor versions and all the little and different problems each of them has.

cheers

My recommendations were in regard to which pair of cameras might work well together if your clients want 4K.

Yes, I understood that, but I actually I want to keep just one camera and I know it will be the 4.6k eventually.
This will happen in a few months, when it's a stable camera. My doubt is whether to buy the Mini 4k in the meantime. I have heard different opinions about the 4k sensor, good and bad. I know that people is generally happy with the Ursa 4k, but then again, I'm not sure if the MINI 4k mounts the BMPC 4K sensor or the URSA one., version I or II. I'm just a little bit confused about all these sensor versions and all the little and different problems each of them has.

cheers

The BMPC-4K and the Big Ursa has the same sensor. The BMPC-4K currently only has version 1 of the 4k sensor. If you bought the Big Ursa when it was first released, Then you have the version 1 sensor. If you bought the Ursa late last year you probably have the version 2 sensor. The main difference between the two sensors is that version 1 can do 80fps on the Big Ursa and version 2 can do 120fps. If you bought the Ursa mini 4k you have the version 2 of the sensor. It does not ship with the version 1 sensor, only the version 2. I have a feeling a refresh is coming at NAB for the BMPC-4K as well as the BMCC and Pocket Cams

If you are accustomed to a "proper" ENG camera, as I am, the form and functionality of the Ursa Mini body is enough of a reason to go in that direction.

Holding out for the 4.6K vs the existing 4K sensor seems like an artistic choice, actually. If you are perfectly fine with UHD with great visual dynamic range and are looking to do some solid docu or news work, then I would certainly go with the Ursa Mini 4K, again the PL version with the B4 mount is great for Full HD EFP work, or the PL version with new UHD broadcast lenses.

And if you want more latitude for cinema use, obviously you might want to hold out for the 4.6K sensor and most likely the PL mount version. Remember, not only is PL the cinema standard, but unlike the EF version, the PL mount is user-replaceable. So that gives that model a certain amount of future-proofing, though the sensor isn't going anywhere. Again, the 4.6K version is also a more future-proof way to go sense it offers the most format options and more aggressive specs than the current 4K sensor.

This is just comparing the two Ursa Mini sensors. Back to the body.

Blackmagic learned a lot from its end-user customer base over the few years it's been developing cameras. The Ursa Mini is arguably the best camera they've engineered. Forgetting the sensor specs, Ursa Mini looks like a normal camera. That's a good thing. It's long, has a single flip-out monitor, a bunch of buttons, a nice LANC handle, XLR inputs and tactile [digital] audio pan pots, is tall enough with room in the back for an optionally integrated battery plate, hook-ups for an ENG-style EVF, a bunch of connections in the back for things like monitor out, timecode, etc...it's like a proper camera! It even has it's own kit for turning it into a better use-able reality camera; because you can't underestimate the awesomeness of a shoulder pad and top handle. And Mini is way smaller than the Ursa, which has a lot of those things but is a little too much for some people; in girth, weight, functionality and/or cost. Ursa Mini fixes a lot of that without taking away too much of the functionality -- which is still quite a bit.

Is it as feature-filled and capable as the similar Sony FS5? No. If you want raw, then yes it is. By a lot. Is the 4.6K sensor as robust as Red Raven's? Nope. Raven's has more options and can do more stuff. Image-quality wise they're both not as good as Alexa's tech but in the right circumstances they should both be able to pull off that coveted film-look. Of course, Alexa is too expensive to be on too many productions where it's result in the wrong hands will wind up looking like cheap video, but I'm sure it's happened. I'm sure it's happening right now. Look at all the crappy Canon 1D photos from over the years by "Guy With Camera"-types. No, an Alexa or a 1D don't make you better. Conversely, give a crap camera to a great photog and see what happens...but, I digress.

On the body alone, it's my opinion that the Ursa Mini is a better camera than the BMCC. Put the BMCC 2.5K sensor in the Ursa Mini and I would be a happy, happy guy. But, the BMCC is so spartan...if want you want is a robust camera with a lot of options and functionality, then the BMCC is crap. If all you need is a box with a sensor in it that, under the right conditions, will give you an extremely robust image (even more pliable in raw), then the BMCC continues to be an amazing tool. But you have to know what it is NOT. And that is...well, a proper ENG camera.

So it's no good for docu or news...not without a LOT of extra work. But if the image is king, you don't mind having to purchase a bunch of rigging and accessories to turn it into a half-way decent field camera for professional work, and you have a sound guy....and a lot of light...then, sure, use the BMCC for "reality" work. But, there's better cameras out there for that. Remember, the BMCC was intended to bring that cinematic film look to the masses....it's a little box with a hole in it...it has little loops for VDSLR guys to put a [very comfortable] neck strap on and wear the video camera like a stills one. It's intended to give the consumers and/or small business owners who are tired of shooting moire-laden, aliased, smeared-colors, highly compressed DSLR footage (and mucking about in Magic Lantern) a chance to own a machine that's pretty much the same size and weight as a big DSLR, but with the ability to capture some very nice footage quality.

And because it's not a camera for lazy people, the BMCC forces you to HAVE to light, so you have to learn lighting and composition and color grading and all that stuff to really appreciate what the camera is, what it's not, and squeeze every last drop of image quality out of it. BMCC is terrific, but it's best when on a controlled, professional set with a lot of rigging, or at home shooting the kids on a lazy Saturday afternoon with a little plastic kit lens and however much life you can get out of the internal battery. It's not for everyone. it's not for every shooting situation. But it's a great peek into raw workflows and what quality you can get out of a package when you put in the effort.

I like that it only does one thing because it does it well and it forces me to work. I like motivation...especially when I'm also trying to be creative. For me, stress and resistance makes me both a better worker and a better creative. But, it's not for everyone...and it's not the right tool for every job. So if you can have more tools, then do it. I have several cameras and I like them each for different reasons and use them for different projects or pieces within a project. Because there's no such thing as the perfect camera.

Enter the Ursa Mini.

It looks like the Ursa mated with Batman's Tumbler. Throw that 4.6K sensor in with that PL mount and you have, for me, a highly configurable tool that is almost two cameras in one: a 4.6K digital film camera for cinema, and a robust UHD or FHD reality camera. And because it's small and has a lot of stuff built-in, it doesn't require a lot of kit and it doesn't require a lot of crew. So it's pretty perfect for the one-man-crew that so many of us small business guys are.

I can't wait to own one.

So, BMCC is great if you're ready to make a commitment to a fussy but highly rewarding tool. Go with the Ursa Mini if you need what it has right now. Or, wait and splurge on the 4.6K and a PL mount if you want to get really dangerous. It's nice to have choices.

I'm not giving BMD any benefit of the doubt whatsoever. This is no longer their first camera to market. They will be delivering extremely late now on yet another camera. The BMCC was very late, the BMPC4K was absurdly late (almost a year), the Ursa Mini 4.6k is already 7 months late with no release in sight.

BMD are playing the customers, plain and simple. They knew that if they gave a realistic release date of late 2015/early 2016, FAR fewer people would preorder and hold off purchasing other cameras. I mean, just look through this thread at how many people have been absolutely agonizing over camera purchases because they would really like to have the Mini 4.6k but at the same time would prefer not to wait indefinitely. BMD STILL has many of these people on the hook with the promise of the Mini 4.6k, myself included. I love BMD image quality and color science. So I will keep waiting, even though it's exasperating to just wait and wait indefinitely. Because I want the 4.6k's IQ for my personal work. But as far as a production ready camera within a reasonable timeframe? BMD just can't seem to deliver. I am convinced it is an intentional business decision to retain customers by suggesting "soon" delivery dates in order to prevent people from spending on other cameras. Some may call that false advertising, I haven't decided if I think it's that devious or not. It... seems annoying to me. I don't know about shady or anything, but it's definitely not really a nice way to treat customers.

You can't sit there and tell me that BMD really intended to deliver a camera anywhere near July, after SURELY they learned SOMETHING from the delays they had with the BMCC and BMPC4k. I mean, engineering issues and supply chain issues happen. But that's what they should have learned already, and known full well there wouldn't be anything happening til end of 2015 at the absolute earliest.

So yeah, BMD sucks at customer interaction. And I'm nervous about FPN and hot pixels, which I see as absolutely unacceptable (I get really tired of hearing about "proper exposure" "all cameras have some level of FPN" blah blah blah, yes that's all good and true but pretty much no other cameras have the kind of FPN issues that blackmagic does. Noise maybe, but not the absurd striping that BMD cameras sometimes have). But, if the 4.6k can deliver on what I've been seeing from some of the good test footage from Roman and Kholi, I think it will be right up my alley.

You know, the way I see it is this...

We're getting some pretty amazing tech and an amazing look for an insanely cheap price. If the price we have to pay is waiting longer, as much as it is insanely frustrating, and believe me, it is... but if that's the "price" we have to pay, then so be it.

But it still drives me insane.