Atomos Shogun + BMMSC ?

Hello!

I am looking for something 4K with BM quality and as cheap as possible. One variant is Atomos Shogun 4K + Blackmagic Micro Studio Camera 4K. I need both video and stills. I prefer SDI over HDMI since it looks more robust mechanically. I own BMPCC and lots of vintage glass so I could buy Shogun first and use it with BMPCC for now. I am not afraid of buying used equipment.

Ability to make stills is required.

On Atomos site it's mentioned that Shogun 4K can write RAW but only for supported cameras (Sony, Canon) but BM is not mentioned.

The second variant is Blackmagic Video Assist 4K instead of Shogun but I see no mention that it can write Raw while I don't like converting Prores to stills.

Also, both recorders specs don't mention time lapse, and I need it to economize on stills. Do they have it?

1. Please criticize both variants.
2. Does anybody know whether Shogun can write RAW from BMMSC4K?

For starters, you are not going to get a 4K recording from a HD camera. For 4K recording, you need a 4K Camera, like the BM Micro Studio camera you mentioned. But it only outputs a Rec709 video signal, no film log. It does not currently have a useable Raw output, (see below) and only a HD 1080p signal via HDMI.

Second, external recorders do not have the ability to take a continuous video signal and convert it to time lapse. The camera needs to generate the time lapse signal. (Edit: the Atomos Shogun seems to be able to do this, see response below.)

Next, a camera has to be able to output a Raw file, that is supported by the recorder being used. Currently, only Panasonic EVA1 and Varicam and a few Sony high end cameras can do this via SDI, and are supported.

The BM Micro Studio camera has been upgraded to output an uncompressed Raw stream, but there are no external recorders that can turn this into a recorded file that can be used by any of the existing NLE, including Resolve, so this is not really a useable feature at this time either.

BM Cinema cameras can do what the other competitors like Panasonic have not chosen to do, and that is record Raw to its internal media, so an external recorder is not necessary, and it is not necessary to output the Raw signal, except in the case of the Ursa Mini, which can record Raw to its external, camera mounted SSD recorder. The VA was designed for using with cameras like the Micro cameras and DSLRs, which do not output Raw, so no Raw recording capability was required or included.

If you want to upgrade to 4K and keep using your existing lenses, is get a Micro Studio Camera with a 4K recorder (I use the Video Devices PixE, which has good useable large capacity recording media and the best audio support with my Micro Studio Camera, and S16 vintage lenses). Or wait, and get the new BM Pocket Camera 4K and you will not need the external monitor, and this will cost less than buying a Micro Studio and external 4K recorder. You also get Raw recording, film log and better in-camera audio support.

Another option down the road, is the new BM Picket Camera 4K, which can take still (JPEG and DNG) as well as video, and has the gen 4 color science Extended Video mode for ready to use files. This way, yiu do not need an external recorder/Monitor, and is going to list for $1295 when it comes out this fall.
Cheers

Allow me one correction: the Atomos Shogun can do time-lapse from a continuous source.

Ah, good to know, thanks. I had a Ninja and it did not.
Cheers

Thanks for the info this has helped

For starters, you are not going to get a 4K recording from a HD camera. For 4K recording, you need a 4K Camera, like the BM Micro Studio camera you mentioned. But it only outputs a Rec709 video signal, no film log. It does have a Raw output, see below.

Second, external recorders do not have the ability to take a continuous video signal and convert it to time lapse. The camera needs to generate the time lapse signal. (Edit: the Atomos Shogun seems to be able to do this, see response below.)

Next, a camera has to be able to output a Raw file, that is supported by the recorder being used. Currently, only Panasonic EVA1 and Varicam and a few Sony high end cameras can do this via SDI, and are supported.

The BM Micro Studio camera has been upgraded to output an uncompressed Raw stream, but there are no external recorders that can turn this into a recorded file that can be used by any of the existing NLE, including Resolve, so this is not really a useable feature at this time either.

BM Cinema cameras can do what the other competitors like Panasonic have not chosen to do, and that is record Raw to its internal media, so an external recorder is not necessary, and it is not necessary to output the Raw signal, except in the case of the Ursa Mini, which can record Raw to its external, camera mounted SSD recorder. The VA was designed for using with cameras like the Micro cameras and DSLRs, which do not output Raw, so no Raw recording capability was required or included.

If you want to upgrade to 4K and keep using your existing lenses, is get a Micro Studio Camera with a 4K recorder (I use the Video Devices PixE, which has good useable large capacity recording media and the best audio support with my Micro Studio Camera, and S16 vintage lenses). Or wait, and get the new BM Pocket Camera 4K and you will not need the external monitor, and this will cost less than buying a Micro Studio and external 4K recorder. You also get Raw recording, film log and better in-camera audio support.

Another option down the road, is the new BM Picket Camera 4K, which can take still (JPEG and DNG) as well as video, and has the gen 4 color science Extended Video mode for ready to use files. This way, yiu do not need an external recorder/Monitor, and is going to list for $1295 when it comes out this fall.
Cheers