Technical problems with BMCC

Forum members,

I've just received the black magic cinema camera last week,
We did some test runs which dind't show any problems.

Yesterday we did a commercial shoot and we've been experiecing problems with Infinity Focus and Jittering/Stutter problems on Pans, Tilts are 'ok' but also show mild sings of this problem.

I've got 2 Kingston K(CV)200 - 120 GB SSD's (550mb write) and i've been running on 25fps/180 degrees shutter that day, on ProRes and Manual lenses (Tokina 11-16 Nikon, Carl zeiss contax 28mm f2.8 and 50mm f1.7)

The problems seems to be some sort of image stabilization, i've had this problem before with the Canon 18-135mm IS EF-S lens, but this was with image stabilization turned on on the 60D, but that should not be the case on this camera, since all the lenses are manual lenses.

i attached a mp4 (compressed file) from the original file.
https://www.wetransfer.com/downloads/12 ... 939/bd2b8e

If anyone knows a solution it would be amazing.

PS: we tried several shutter angles, frame rates and also raw, all show the problem.

Could you be more specific about what it is you are "seeing". I see slight jutters at 08-10.

Are you trying to put 23.976 fps into a 24fps project? Or the reverse? I've seen similar jutters and ghosting when you don't edit in the same fps as when you shoot.

What monitor are you using?

It might be more helpful if you put a less compressed version up for people to look at.

Example:

exactly the same problem, but less 'visible' on the bmc footage but it is there.

It looks like 'stabilization per frame/per 25 frames'
Im not referring to rolling shutter.

another thing to add:
I did slow pans on streets (0-25 second) pans so the pan speed is not the problem.

If you believe your unit is faulty, please contact your local support office. Numbers can be found here: http://www.blackmagicdesign.com/company/

So are you sure you are staying consistent with your fps, throughout your workflow? What are you using to edit?

NLE is Premiere pro

the fps depends on the projects such, shorts or commercials are either 24 or 25 fps and conformed later
Shutter angles are chosen depending on the fps.

The problem accured straight out of the camera
Also shot this in the weekends without problems



@Cristine
Cristine, is this a known error, since you refer to repair centre's
The Infinity focus i know, but the other thing?

I tried to fill in the form, but i get a 550 server error when submitting

the fps depends on the projects such, shorts or commercials are either 24 or 25 fps and conformed later
Shutter angles are chosen depending on the fps.

Yes, but are they consistent with your project settings and render settings in Premiere?


^
This looks great, even with the faster pans. For this reason, I'm betting that this isn't a camera hardware issue.

And when you say "the problem occurred straight out of the camera" what does this mean?

Ah the files from yesterday (that have the problem) came straight from the camera, no processing or editing was involved since it was run & gun and deliver to the post production house.

But when i came home, i was peeping at the files and i noticed the problems.

Hi Sico van der plas: So, it appears the issue is intermittent? (You wrote that you saw the problem on one shoot, but not on another.)

I'd recommend shooting 2 brief tests specifically for the purpose of troubleshooting this issue. Shoot the 1st test using the SSDs you already own (the Kingston units).

Shoot a 2nd test using a SanDisk Extreme 240 or 480 GB SSD (yes I know the 240GB isn't rated by BMD, but most users have zero problems with them).

Format the SSDs on a computer before inserting them into the BMCC.

Use a good tripod. The tests should consist of nothing except extremely slow (glacially slow) pans, both left-to-right, and also right-to-left. Shoot ProRes 25p @ 180 degree shutter. That's it.

After recording, watch the test videos on the BMCC's built-in LCD. Do they play smoothly on the built-in LCD?

Then watch the test videos on an external monitor connected to the BMCC. Do they play smoothly on an external monitor connected to the BMCC?

Then transfer the test videos to your computer. Do they play smoothly in your NLE?

Your answers to the questions above will help determine if you're seeing the result of a media (SSD), camera, software, or operator issue.

Let us know what you find out.

-

Thanks for the info,

I did some tests regardings shutter angles and ISO/DNxHD Proress video/flat and RAW
Ill try to format the SSD, since i've heard of problems with them when not formatting them after usage.

Forum members,

I've just received the black magic cinema camera last week,
We did some test runs which dind't show any problems.

Yesterday we did a commercial shoot and we've been experiecing problems with Infinity Focus and Jittering/Stutter problems on Pans, Tilts are 'ok' but also show mild sings of this problem...

If anyone knows a solution it would be amazing.

PS: we tried several shutter angles, frame rates and also raw, all show the problem.

Cheers,
Sico van der plas
KLADWERK
info@kladwerk.com
+31634447099

Sico, is there any chance that the tripod is carrying too much weight and/or the camera operator wasn't panning smoothly. What tripod and head were used? What weight were they carrying and for what weight are they rated? That might explain the intermittent occurrence of the problem.

Rick Lang
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

@Cristine
Cristine, is this a known error, since you refer to repair centre's
The Infinity focus i know, but the other thing?

I tried to fill in the form, but i get a 550 server error when submitting

I'm only aware of the infinity focus adjustment. I'd recommend calling instead of filling out the online form. It will be much faster. But they can tell you if it's a known issue and can help troubleshoot.

Just a thought.

You are shooting 25p and reviewing the footage on a computer monitor that is 60Hz. You will notice stuttering.

Have you tried viewing the footage on a PAL TV?

Hmm i never thought of that, but then it should be visible on the video i shot on the weekend aswell, which it is not.

Did not try PAL tv yet.

Ok the problem continues.

It is flashing/strobing, it seems like a faulty sensor of some kind.
Even pans as slow as 10-30 seconds show major strobing in the vertical lines, tilts also show problems but not as aware as the pans. It just look like some choppy movement - also 30fps has the problem.

It is when the camera moves from left to right, top and down, if the camera is locked off and other things move fast it's fine.

It looks like the sensor is not refreshing at the rate that it should, i'm aware of the 24p strobing, but these are pans on the MINIMAL pase.

I've tried updating SSD's, and i am not having frame drops (REC) button keeps solid and does not blink.

A bad example, i will posts 2-4 more samples later today

from 0:06 it starts at the car part in the right corner in the screen, please watch in HD in fullscreen/

To add another problem, my cooling fan stopped working today.
Things are going great, dind't have any response from the UK office yet..

A bad example, i will posts 2-4 more samples later today

from 0:06 it starts at the car part in the right corner in the screen, please watch in HD in fullscreen/

I don't see anything like you're describing in that clip....

http://vimeo.com/m/64352181

Compression makes it less visible, due to framerate conversion.

Hm looks fine to me as well.

Are you working/watching on a Mac or Windows? With these threads now I always have to remember the persons recently that complained about similar problems only to find out is was something weird with their gfx cards and flash version on a Macbook.....

Im running both windows and mac (2 workstations)