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How do all the BM sensors rank in low light performance?

PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2018 4:57 am
by Savannah Miller
Let's assume we consider every sensor Blackmagic has released into one of their cameras. 4K global shutter, 4.6k, Pocket/Micro Cinema, Micro Studio 4K, and Ursa Broadcast. How would you rank them in order of ISO performance?

Re: How do all the BM sensors rank in low light performance?

PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2018 5:05 am
by timbutt2
Ever since using a flashlight for some shots on a music video with the BMCC 2.5K I would rate them as very good. Honestly, I come from a film background. I shot 16mm in college, and as a result learned to light for it. That is always my measurement for low light. Thus, I am a firm believer that the Blackmagic cameras perform well in low light. Film remains a standard to measure against.


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Re: How do all the BM sensors rank in low light performance?

PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2018 5:22 am
by Savannah Miller
timbutt2 wrote:Ever since using a flashlight for some shots on a music video with the BMCC 2.5K I would rate them as very good. Honestly, I come from a film background. I shot 16mm in college, and as a result learned to light for it. That is always my measurement for low light. Thus, I am a firm believer that the Blackmagic cameras perform well in low light. Film remains a standard to measure against.


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I know that they're all pretty good and that 800/1600 ISO is more than enough for almost all scenarios, but I was simply curious among the Blackmagic range how they would rank. 4.6K sensor is obviously the best one that they make but is the cinema camera a cleaner image?

Re: How do all the BM sensors rank in low light performance?

PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2018 5:27 am
by Denny Smith
The Ursa Mini 4.6/sensor, and the UM Pro are probably the best in terms of ISO sensitivity, with a native ISO of 800, followed by the Pocket and Micro,Cinema camera’s, with the Micro Studio and 4K UM bringing up the rear. Not sure yet where to put the new Studio Camera.
Cheers

Re: How do all the BM sensors rank in low light performance?

PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2018 5:32 am
by Savannah Miller
Would you rank the pocket/micro above the cinema camera?

Re: How do all the BM sensors rank in low light performance?

PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2018 5:35 am
by Denny Smith
No, just below it, as the BMCC has a larger 2.5 K sensor which is down sampled, and this normally increases its sensitivity, or the appearance of doing so. But that said, they all three have a native ISO of 800.
Cheers

Re: How do all the BM sensors rank in low light performance?

PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2018 5:47 am
by Savannah Miller
I have seen broadcast clips from foreign channels, one korean, and one chinese that showcase the new Ursa broadcast and it does seem excessively noisy compared the other Blackmagic cameras. It's more than acceptable for a standard news broadcast though. Sony's new Venice camera is native 500iso but is very clean at much higher gain levels.

I haven't seen many low light tests from the micro studio 4K so I was just curious if it had some magic that somehow made it cleaner despite similar base sensitivity.

Re: How do all the BM sensors rank in low light performance?

PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2018 5:49 am
by timbutt2
Savannah Miller wrote:
timbutt2 wrote:Ever since using a flashlight for some shots on a music video with the BMCC 2.5K I would rate them as very good. Honestly, I come from a film background. I shot 16mm in college, and as a result learned to light for it. That is always my measurement for low light. Thus, I am a firm believer that the Blackmagic cameras perform well in low light. Film remains a standard to measure against.


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I know that they're all pretty good and that 800/1600 ISO is more than enough for almost all scenarios, but I was simply curious among the Blackmagic range how they would rank. 4.6K sensor is obviously the best one that they make but is the cinema camera a cleaner image?
I think that depends on the situation. By my comparison of the units I have (2.5K & 4.6K) they are equal. As to whether the 2.5K has s cleaner image I think that depends on how you feel about the normal digital noise that exists in any digital image. I found the 2.5K to rarely need noise reduction because the noise felt very much like film grain.


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Re: How do all the BM sensors rank in low light performance?

PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2018 9:23 am
by Savannah Miller
TBH I work in VFX so I stare and pixel peep at images every single day. Because grain matching is such an integral part of the VFX process I stare at every kind of camera grain, and I feel like I've seen the grain of almost every camera. Blackmagic grain looks pretty nice although not as nice as the grain on the Alexa, but some of the RED grain at high compression ratios is probably the worst to work with. And because grain helps with integration of CG, I find that some cameras are too clean these days.

Re: How do all the BM sensors rank in low light performance?

PostPosted: Sun Mar 25, 2018 4:26 am
by cettomri
I had worked on those type set up(Although, not identical). ISO performance was great. I also tried it through other light https://theeffectiveguide.com/best-tactical-flashlight/ but didn't work.