50/60 fps on the BMPC 4K finally!

I just noticed there are 1920 x 1080i50 and 1920 x 1080i59.94 recording options on the BMPC 4K, on the camera's official specs here at BM's website!

If I'm not mistaken, these were not there a week ago, right? Blackmagic listening to customers or something?

PS. There's always a possibility I'm mistaken and the options were there from April. Hit me if that's the case (and close the topic in peace).

I believe they were always there, but I could be wrong. I know they were there a couple of weeks ago at least.

They're interlaced though, which is a shame. But has anyone had experience with creating slo-mo from 59.94 i ?

I've worked with progressive only, but I guess Twixtor can beat this one. I only suppose.

Is it even proper interlaced though? Where each field is captured at a separate point in time? Or is it just a progressive image delivered as fields?

I'm just assuming again here but I'd assume each field would be captured at a separate point in time. If it was just the progressive image delivered as fields surely there would be a 4k 50/60i option?

We've discussed this matter a while ago in this forum. No one has "official" facts about it, but the most probable interpretation is that these formats actually 25/30 fps split into fields and transmitted interlaced, to please some devices that expect 50i / 60i output.

So no, _i_ don't think that BMD silently upgraded their not-yet-released 4k camera to a true 50/60 fps device.

If it _was_ true 50i / 60i with fields recorded at 50/60 Hz, you could get beautifull 0.5x slowmotion from it. I've been doing this a lot, it works really well: you first have to generate 50p / 60p from the interlaced source - there are very intelligent algorithms to do it, that can even retain the full (!) resolution in non-moving areas and offer decent interpolation in moving areas; the 50p / 60p footage can than be slowed down easily, and is even a good basis for inter-frame-interpolation like twixtor (there are others, but this one is widely known...).

I'm just assuming again here but I'd assume each field would be captured at a separate point in time. If it was just the progressive image delivered as fields surely there would be a 4k 50/60i option?

Hmm... The lack of 4k 50i / 60i is _exactly_ the reason why i assume otherwise! 1080@50i / 60i are standards used in a lot of older equipment, even field monitors, while 1080@25p / 30p are not quite as widely supported. If the camera was able to read the sensor at 50/60 Hz there would at least be an option to capture 1080 at 50p / 60p, or even 4k at 50i / 60i (what an awfull thought).