Some questions about bmpcc and micro cinema camera...

Hi
I've been lurking for a long time on these forums and still not bought a BM camera yet! I have a bmpc4k on preorder though.

Ive been wanting to get a bmpcc original as I love the image and it's so tiny. I would just use it for b roll and always have it in my backpack.

Is it possible to see the bmpcc page on the blackmagic website? I can't find it but would like to see the specs and the file sizes for files etc. Do they archive this page?

Also the screen, I know it's not good but is it unusable in most circumstances? Considering I'd be using panasonic.lenses with one touch autofocus, often for wide shots where focus will be easier. In the sun can I atleast see the framing even if I can't see if it's perfectly focussed?
Are there any portable options for a screen hood/eye piece thing! Sorry I don't know what it's called. I've not found anything in the UK.

Also, how long do the batteries last on the bmpcc? I've read various things, but is about 30/40 mins right? Is there any decent battery solution that doesn't require a big rig?

And finally, I've seen that there's this issue with SD cards not being supported. This is a serious concern but after going through the other threads of seems no solution has been found. Do you think any solution will arise for this in the future or will it only get worse? It's a shame if so

And does this SD card issue exist on the micro cinema camera too? I was thinking it can't as they still sell it

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, I've spent 8 hours on my phone today obsessing! I need to stop

Hi
Is it possible to see the bmpcc page on the blackmagic website? I can't find it but would like to see the specs and the file sizes for files etc. Do they archive this page?

https://web.archive.org

Also the screen, I know it's not good but is it unusable in most circumstances?

For example "Zacuto BMPCC Z-Finder" the internal screen can be used in daylight.

Also, how long do the batteries last on the bmpcc?

If you use the above zucato, you can set the brightness of the screen to 0% and you would have approximately one hour of battery life. However, it is better to use an external battery NP-F with a suitable adapter.

BMPCC is small, but with external accessories it is not only perfect, it becomes a big pocket. But it's worth it.

If you mind to go for Micro Cinema Camera you can check my custom made BMMCC stuff here https://lavky.com/radioproektor/
- Angle Breakout Expansion Box
- Offset ARRI type Rosette Mount
- Angle HDMI Clamp with Ugreen angle HDMI adapter
- 14.8V 18650 Battery Enclosure

See also:
BMMCC/BMMSC S.Bus, PWM, LANC controllers database: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=59874
BMMCC/BMMSC Rigs Collection: https://bmmccrigs.tumblr.com

BMMCC is more modular, better build, less rolling shutter, 60FPS, full sized HDMI, better battery options and so on.... But full kit with monitor, accessories and some remote handle probably will cost 2x-3x more than BMPCC.
The advantage of BMPCC is low cost, low profile fanless form factor and more user friendly buttons/joystick. Build-in screen is very small and low quality and tiny hdmi port is very very weak.

Hi
Is it possible to see the bmpcc page on the blackmagic website? I can't find it but would like to see the specs and the file sizes for files etc. Do they archive this page?

https://web.archive.org

Also the screen, I know it's not good but is it unusable in most circumstances?

For example "Zacuto BMPCC Z-Finder" the internal screen can be used in daylight.

Also, how long do the batteries last on the bmpcc?

If you use the above zucato, you can set the brightness of the screen to 0% and you would have approximately one hour of battery life. However, it is better to use an external battery NP-F with a suitable adapter.

BMPCC is small, but with external accessories it is not only perfect, it becomes a big pocket. But it's worth it.

Thanks, but I can't find the page with specs from your link?

The zacuto looks good, quite expensive but good. And one hour of battery life would be great

If you mind to go for Micro Cinema Camera you can check my custom made BMMCC stuff here https://lavky.com/radioproektor/
- Angle Breakout Expansion Box
- Offset ARRI type Rosette Mount
- Angle HDMI Clamp with Ugreen angle HDMI adapter
- 14.8V 18650 Battery Enclosure

See also:
BMMCC/BMMSC S.Bus, PWM, LANC controllers database: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=59874
BMMCC/BMMSC Rigs Collection: https://bmmccrigs.tumblr.com

BMMCC is more modular, better build, less rolling shutter, 60FPS, full sized HDMI, better battery options and so on.... But full kit with monitor, accessories and some remote handle probably will cost 2x-3x more than BMPCC.
The advantage of BMPCC is low cost, low profile fanless form factor and more user friendly buttons/joystick. Build-in screen is very small and low quality and tiny hdmi port is very very weak.

Thanks, yes I would like the advantages of the bmmcc particularly the 60fps, but it isn't really pocketable, and can end up quite large once rigged, and as you say farore expensive.

Do you know if the SD card issue that there are other threads about affects the micro too?

Thanks, but I can't find the page with specs from your link?

https://web.archive.org/web/20150114135 ... techspecs/

https://web.archive.org/web/20150113061 ... nemacamera

The zacuto looks good, quite expensive but good. And one hour of battery life would be great

there is also Kinotehnik LCDVF BMPCC, is slightly cheaper.

Do you know if the SD card issue that there are other threads about affects the micro too?

Yes. BMPCC, BMMCC and VideoAssist.

If you find a dealer who has matching cards, they buy several at once. I have 6 x 128gb and therefore enough for more years with BMPCC and wonderful shoots.

Thanks so much for the help

Yes the only thing holding me back is the SD card issue. From what I'm reading people aren't having much luck finding ones that work. So it's hard to know what to do

I'd ideally like 128gb or 256gb cards but would use anything that works

Yes, the SD card issue is a big barrier at this point, but if you can find someone who's willing to sell their SD cards along with the camera you should be okay for a good long time (SD cards can last many years).

I just got back from a week in France shooting video with the Micro Cinema Camera for a documentary we're working on, and it did a fantastic job. The fan is a problem, though, if you're doing interviews indoors; it's loud enough to get picked up by a microphone. Outdoors it usually gets lost in the ambient noise, but a camera-mounted mic would probably still pick it up. The other consideration with the Micro is those tiny buttons; life is much easier if you use a remote like the One Little Remote, which is no longer being made but the developer still has some left and is selling off his stock. I'm considering getting a second one in case the one I have ever develops problems.

There's some useful guidance on the original Pocket here: http://data.pleintekst.nl/Blackmagic_Po ... Guide.html although it was written before the SD card crisis.

Thanks for the link, great info.

Yeah the fan on the micro doesn't sound great, although if interviewing I'd always use a lav mic. But it's more about size and cost as to why I would choose the bmpcc

I'm only in the country for a few weeks before I go to live aboard for quite a while. So I don't know if can get the right as cards by then.

I don't understand how the issue affects the micro too, but blackmagic still sell it. Can a company sell a product which isn't compatible with the cards it needs?

Hopefully a solution will come to light soon

There's some useful guidance on the original Pocket here: http://data.pleintekst.nl/Blackmagic_Po ... Guide.html

Very good. Thanks for that!

The camera takes beautiful shots and can also compete with others in 2019. This is not a myth.
The lifetime is probably much better than BMPCC4K.
It's 2019 and it's still being bought and sold alive.

I know it can take excellent video, but it's been elevated into some sort of mythical camera with which no other camera can compete.

It's probably because a lot of people were disappointed in the first footage released from the Pocket 4K, which lacked the same vintage/classic character of the original Pocket and looked more like conventional modern cinema. It definitely has its own look; with some work you can probably duplicate it but it's probably always going to be seen as one of a kind. The fact that 1080p is seen as obsolete now even adds to the cachet.

or 1080p at 30fps max (BMPCC), for example, isn't really there any more.

It is still the most used resolution. 1080P is different on BMPCC than on other 1080P cameras. It's really much better. If I get it right, I have read it at bmcuser.com or in the http://eoshd.com forum when an enthusiastic BMMCC or BMPCC user said, it had something to do with pixel size.

There's no point in others telling you something, test it out for yourself. There are good reasons why BMPCC is still popular.

I do think some of the mystique centers on the sense that the images from the original Pocket seem pre-digital. Many people rushed out to get vintage lenses for it, for example. You can see similar patterns in the growth in sales of vinyl records, or the draw of physical books over e-books, and even some professional audio recording engineers are going back to tape. It's easy to dismiss it as nostalgia, but I think there's more to it than that.

Uh oh threads gone off the rails!

I don't think it's myth, it just looks good, the results speak for themselves, and it's tiny and cheap and basically unlike any other camera in many ways.

Also, for the record (pun intended), people never stopped recording to tape, but of course digital is more convenient

More frame rate is no problem, it's just another wish.
Most of the time you don't shot in slow motion. But it would be good to have some BMPCC shots in slow motion (that would be the BMMCC). But as soon as you experienced how the BMPCC made nice shots, you can do without slow motion, braw and whole BMPCC4K.

I'm thinking about buying an external screen, the one from "PortKeys BM5", which is compatible with BMPCC and allows external control via LANC. That's very good!

Or if SD cards are really no longer available, maybe a screen with a recorder like the one from Atomos? So you still have the possibility to record in good 10 Bit

Or

If this works, then it's cheaper than the overpriced and rare SD cards later on.....and the important one, BMPCC, BMMCC, lives on.

Never owned the BMPCC but agreed it helped produce a beautiful image. The pixel size I believe is the same as the BMCC, 6.5 microns. That sensor would have been an impressive 5K imager nowadays but my suspicion is BMD will leapfrog beyond 5K next NAB. 6K at a minimum (and possibly 8K) for 4K delivery.


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Or if SD cards are really no longer available, maybe a screen with a recorder like the one from Atomos? So you still have the possibility to record in good 10 Bit
...
If this works, then it's cheaper than the overpriced and rare SD cards later on.....and the important one, BMPCC, BMMCC, lives on.

A monitor/recorder that records to SSD drives would be ideal, like the PIX-E from Sound Devices (recently discontinued; about the same price as two original Pocket cameras). But the big problem with using external monitors on the original BMPCC is the mini-HDMI connector on the BMPCC, which is weak and prone to breaking. When it breaks, it takes the entire camera with it and is not repairable. After a few years of connecting and disconnecting the cable for the monitor, no matter how carefully, you're risking disaster.

There are good solutions specifically for this, like this example: https://de.aliexpress.com/item/32398063905.html

I don't have a problem with that. HDMI is stuck and you don't always have to connect and disconnect it. Screw it on and always leave it on.

You shouldn't use it as an action camera with this good piece, but be nice and juicy, treat it like a wonderful flower.

That works, Wooden Camera’s Pocket Cage was also good, along similar lines, but was more compact. HDMI and Power locking cables, with pigtails to full size connectors attached and left on the camera. I had my Pocket camera rigged this way for more almost two years without any issues. Camera was connected to a monitor VA or a small monitor like a SmallHD Focus, the entire time I used it. Never had an issue with the ports, but they are fragile and do require some care when handling them.
Cheers

A bit late on this discussion but hopefully someone will know if its possible to connect the BMPCC HDMI output directly to the Samsung SSD T5 via an HDMI - USB 3.1 type-c adapter? Such as at cablechick.com.au/cables/15cm-usb-31-type-c-to-hdmi-cable-adapter.