Just got a BMPC4K and looking for advice

Hey guys,

After months of research, I finally decided to go for a BMPC 4k camera. I don't know much about camera gear, so I'm looking for some advice concerning a few things:

LENSES!

1. I would like to buy 3 primes (no zoom). One wide, one that is flattering for close-up shots of people, and one long. My background is visual effects and cgi so I know the "numbers" I'm looking for (roughly: 16mm, 35mm and 50 or 80mm) but I am getting confused about the crop factor of 1.7. Does it mean that if I'm looking for the natural 35mm look, I actually need to get a 20mm prime??

2. I've searched things like "best primes for BMPC" but all I find is quite old (2012-2014). Would you have any recommendation that is more up to date for me? As I said, I'm looking for 3 primes (would be ideal if they are all the same brand and the focus rings align so that I can setup my follow focus only once ) and my budget is around 1500-2000$. Now I know that this camera is light hungry, so I'm assuming I need primes that are fast to get the most out of it.

CAGE!

1. I am looking for a cage on which I can put the camera, a follow focus, a matte box and external batteries. Do you have any suggestion? I was thinking about going for the Camtree Hunt setup, looks like it's pretty complete, decently build and also very cheap. I don't really have the budget for a full Shape cage...

BATTERIES!

1. So I read all about the internal battery and how I should basically consider it doesn't exist. What exactly do I need then? I'd like to have 1 battery on my rig (if it lasts 4hrs I'd be happy). I would buy another one, and I would rotate them from the charging block to the rig as I shoot. Any advice for that?

Thank you for your time, and hopefully someone can help me out!!!

Which lens mount do you have EF or MFT? OK, yiu are using the BM Production Camera 4K (not a BMCC), somit is EF Mount Only then. See my next post below.

Are you talking about the Pocket Camera or something else? The "4K" in the title has me confused, because the pocket cinema camera doesn't do 4K video.

1. I would like to buy 3 primes (no zoom) ... Does it mean that if I'm looking for the natural 35mm look, I actually need to get a 20mm prime?? ... 2. I've searched things like "best primes for BMPC" but all I find is quite old (2012-2014). ... 1. So I read all about the internal battery and how I should basically consider it doesn't exist.

1. Yes, if you want a 35mm look you need a 20mm lens. And it's a really big problem since short focus lenses are in short supply.

2. Don't look for _best_ glass. Look for _satisfactory_ extra cheap glass until you understand exactly what you need. I assume you have an EF mount. (There are some problem for novices with PL). If you have EF you just buy an EF/M42 (or similar) adapter, preferably with focus confirm chip, and use all the spectrum of cheap vintage M42 (or similar) glass. You could buy half of EBay for the price of a single best lens.

3. BMPC4K consumes 20 watts. You need a 12-v battery. The 10.8 or 14.4 volt Li-Pol battery is okay too. You could choose anything in this spectrum - from professional V or Gold mount batteries to notebook batteries to drone batteries to UPS batteries and, if your family name is Schwarzenegger, to car batteries. I use a 14.4v 5ah notebook battery.

4. You also need a tripod with liquid head, a sound recorder or microphone, and it's highly recommended to have a viewfinder: if you want to shoot from hands you could put your camera on shoulder but be able to look into viewfinder.

Disclaimer: I own BMPCC, not BMPC4K, so everything above is a pure theory. For BMPCC there are different lens problems and different solutions.

Disclaimer: I own BMPCC, not BMPC4K, so everything above is a pure theory. For BMPCC there are different lens problems and different solutions.

I don't think there is any such thing as a "BMPC4K" there's the micro studio camera 4K, or the ursa, but nothing that would result in an acronym of BMPC4K. So I think we need to establish what camera the OP actually bought. My guess is the pocket camera (BMPCC), which doesn't shoot 4K, or else the micro studio camera, which does.

Brad, the OP is asking about the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K that predates the Ursa and Ursa Mini, it is in the same case as the original BM Cinema Camera, but has the Ver 1 and later models the ver 2, 4K sensor used in the Ursa Mini 4K. But is has an older and smaller video processing system. It came in a EF Mount only, which answers my first question, which was based on the Cinema camera version. This sensor is closer in size to the Std. Academy 35mm format, although is it often listed as S35.

So the Production Camera 4K can use the same focal length lenses as a UM 4K, with 30mm giving the “Normal” angle of view of 45-degrees (vs 35mm on a S35 size sensor). So work from there, 16-20mm would be wide, and 50-60mm a short tele for close up shooting, like a head and shoulder shot. Many a move was shot with an 18mm, 30mm and 50mm prime set.
Cheers

Brad, the OP is asking about the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K that predates the Ursa and Ursa Mini, it is in the same case as the original BM Cinema Camera, but has the Ver 1 and later models the ver 2, 4K sensor used in the Ursa Mini 4K.

Ah, okay! I didn't realize you could still get those, but presumably it's used.

I'm sorry, I didn't realize the abbreviation would cause confusion. Yes I bought a second hand Black Magic Production Camera 4k, which has an EF mount and is marketed as having a Super 35 sensor (crop factor of 1.7).

Anatoly: Thank you for the tip concerning the vintage M42 lenses. Will look into that.

Denny: Yep you were right! Thanks for the clarification about crop factor and lenses. Please see below what I'm planning on buying. I'd love to have your input before I buy anything.

Brad: I see you're located in MTL just like me. Quick question for you: would you buy primes online or you prefer to buy them in a physical store just in case something happens? If you prefer buying in a store, can you recommend one? Photoservice?

So here's what I'm thinking about buying:
Rokinon 12mm T3.1 Cine DS (500$). With the crop factor applied, that would make a 20mm.
Rokinon 20mm T1.9 Cine DS (800$). With the crop factor applied, that would make a 34mm.
Rokinon 50mm T1.5 Cine DS (550$). With the crop factor applied, that would make a 85mm.
Does that make sense? It is getting very close to my budget limit... so I'd be happy to hear if there are any cheaper options out there.

MONITOR!

I forgot to ask about this. I'm also going to need a monitor. There is one thing I ABSOLUTELY need, its focus peaking. Since the camera does it, will I be able to see it in ANY monitor? Or do I need to make sure that the monitor does it? Do you recommend the Black Magic Video Assist? Or should I look into something else?

Brad: I see you're located in MTL just like me. Quick question for you: would you buy primes online or you prefer to buy them in a physical store just in case something happens? If you prefer buying in a store, can you recommend one? Photoservice?

MONITOR!

I forgot to ask about this. I'm also going to need a monitor. There is one thing I ABSOLUTELY need, its focus peaking. Since the camera does it, will I be able to see it in ANY monitor? Or do I need to make sure that the monitor does it? Do you recommend the Black Magic Video Assist? Or should I look into something else?

I'll answer two of your questions!

1. For video and more mainstream camera gear I like Lozeau (on St-Hubert); I haven't shopped around much at the other camera stores downtown (e.g., in Vieux-Montréal). But I've had great service from B&H in New York, and unlike other US stores they don't gouge you on brokerage fees. I bought an SLR Magic prime lens from them and it arrived quickly, all taxes paid and very reasonable brokerage fee.

2. For a monitor -- the Video Assist is a great monitor, but it is also a recorder. If you don't need a separate recorder, I'd go with one of the SmallHD monitors, which are similarly priced but reportedly have more features (I didn't do enough research on those). The Video Assist does have zebras and focus peaking, and pretty much everything I need in a monitor, and also acts as a recorder so that way I have backups -- I keep a bigger SD card in there and use 64 gig cards in my camera.

Jeremy! No the BMPC4K is the correct abbreviation, no worries. Second, forget crop factor, the focal length of a lens does Not change when you put it on a Full Frame Camera, a 35mm lens is a 35mm lens. What changes is the field of view or the Angle of View (AOV), so a normal lens on the BMPC is 30mm.

A 20mm is going to be a little wide, a 28mm might be a better choice here. I have a 28mm Zeiss ZF (available as a ZE for EF) which is a wonderful Cine type lens. Find a used one and add one of the new Zeiss Cine gears (small model) or other cine FF gear, and Bob’s your Uncle. A 12mm very wide, more like an ultra wide with a 91-degree AOV. A 14 or 16mm might be a better choice for an all round wide angle lens, and will have less distortion than the 12mm. The 50mm is right on for a close up head and shoulders type shot. I use a 12mmas a wide angle lens on a MFT and S16 Camera, both of which are sensors smaller than the BMPC.
Cheers

Rokinon 12mm T3.1 Cine DS (500$). With the crop factor applied, that would make a 20mm.
Rokinon 20mm T1.9 Cine DS (800$). With the crop factor applied, that would make a 34mm.
Rokinon 50mm T1.5 Cine DS (550$). With the crop factor applied, that would make a 85mm.
Does that make sense? It is getting very close to my budget limit... so I'd be happy to hear if there are any cheaper options out there.

I have the Rokinon Primes and I am very happy with them. They are excellent lenses for the money.