P6K noisy fan - resolved (thank you Blackmagic UK!)

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Pete Tomkies

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P6K noisy fan - resolved (thank you Blackmagic UK!)

PostThu Apr 22, 2021 1:38 pm

I have just taken delivery of my second P6K and unfortunately it has a noisy fan. You can certainly hear the fan and movement of air with my first P6K but the new one has a whine/drone over that noise which is really noticeable. Sounds a buit like an old VHS recorder head spinning up!

Is this something which will improve with use as the fan runs in or should I be looking to get it fixed/replaced asap? Thanks.
Last edited by Pete Tomkies on Sun May 09, 2021 11:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Robert Niessner

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Re: P6K noisy fan

PostThu Apr 22, 2021 2:08 pm

Sounds like either loose fan screws or a loose cable hitting the fan.
I would RMA it.

That had happend with a few PCC4ks before (as I've read reports here in the forum) and was an easy fix done in the regional BMD office.
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Pete Tomkies

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Re: P6K noisy fan

PostThu Apr 22, 2021 3:15 pm

Thanks! The local office is 10 miles from my house so fingers crossed...
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marcpaul

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Re: P6K noisy fan

PostFri Apr 23, 2021 6:56 pm

I'm sending back my second P6Kpro to B&H for the same reason. On board mics, mounted mics, etc are rendered useless for POVaudio/one person operator situations. I'll let you know how the 3rd one does.
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Travis Hodgkinson

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Re: P6K noisy fan

PostSun Apr 25, 2021 5:57 am

Oooof BMD really are going through the ringer aren’t they.
QC...is it a thing anymore?

From being incredibly eager to pick up a couple of these to not wanting to touch them at all based off of the posts we’ve seen here and other places.

We’re still waiting for our replacement dials for our URSA 12K...... seriously!!
Tim where the dials at my guy. PM you awhile ago now. RMAd like you
Suggested and still no word on these.... the dials have completely fallen off now. These are the two audio dials on the outer LCD and the menu button has started cracking.
Freelance Camera Op & Cinematographer based in Brisbane, Australia.
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Weapons: URSA 12K + Canon XF605 + Hero 10 + Pocket 6K Pro
Optics: DZO Pictor Zooms + SLR Magic Hyper Prime + Tokina Cinema Zoom
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Pete Tomkies

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Re: P6K noisy fan

PostMon Apr 26, 2021 10:53 am

Blackmagic in the UK got back to me really quickly and requested audio and video of the issue which I sent this morning.

Figners crossed it is an easy fix. I will keep you all updated!
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Pete Tomkies

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Re: P6K noisy fan

PostFri Apr 30, 2021 10:59 pm

Ok so sadly it's one step forward, two steps back.

Blackmagic in the UK have checked the camera over and say that the noise is in specification for the camera and I must have been lucky that my first one is quieter!

I will post a link to the video so that other forum members can given their opinions.
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Pete Tomkies

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Re: P6K noisy fan

PostSat May 01, 2021 12:02 am

The Vimeo file below is a video of the fan noise from my original P6K (left) and the new p6K (right). The difference in noise is not so much in volume but in tone. The new camera has a definite whine/buzz over the fan noise. You can most clearly hear the difference when the new camera is switched off leaving the older camera running. The drop in noise is quite dramatic.

(It's probably best to use headphones if you have them).

Do other users have this level of noise from the fan in their P6K. Is this acceptable?

https://vimeo.com/543844558/54a5894ac4
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Robert Castiglione

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Re: P6K noisy fan

PostSat May 01, 2021 3:11 am

Well that is a determinative issue for me as far as the 6k goes though I was tempted. I use the blackmagics for shoulder mounted work all the time with a shot gun mic on there and it works very well with the 4k. The 4k is almost totally silent.
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marcpaul

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Re: P6K noisy fan

PostMon May 03, 2021 5:19 pm

Thanks for the tests. I can confirm both my 6Kpro's (that have been returned) sounded very close. Your newer 6K sounds worse. Still waiting for the 3rd replacement from B&H. How BM thinks this is an acceptable fan noise, for field sound use, is beyond me. My 4K is near silent, in comparison.
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Pete Tomkies

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Re: P6K noisy fan

PostMon May 03, 2021 6:41 pm

marcpaul wrote:Thanks for the tests. I can confirm both my 6Kpro's (that have been returned) sounded very close. Your newer 6K sounds worse. Still waiting for the 3rd replacement from B&H. How BM thinks this is an acceptable fan noise, for field sound use, is beyond me. My 4K is near silent, in comparison.

Thanks for the update.

My first P6K is a little louder than my P4K but still just had the sound of air moving with a little fan sound. The new P6K has the whine/buzz which is the issue. It's not the volume, it's the pitch that's the problem.

The exact comment from Blackmagic is:

"Our repairs team have assessed your camera and I have also been down to take a look and the unit is performing as we would expect, your unit outputs a very similar noise to our lab unit and we have confirmed that this is expected behaviour.

There will be slight tolerance differences between different cameras as this is just the nature of manufacturing, your unit is not louder than our lab units and the fan is not catching inside, it may be that your other PCC6K is quieter than most."


As you say, it's staggering that the company thinks these levels of fan noise are acceptable. And frustrating that they clearly can make them quieter, it appears to be down to luck of the draw with the manufacturing process.
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Pete Tomkies

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Re: P6K noisy fan - now resolved

PostSat May 08, 2021 5:32 pm

Update:

I emailed Blackmagic back and asked them if they would replace the fan as a gesture of goodwill which they agreed to do... and now my new P6K is as silent as my original version.

Great communication and support from Jake at the UK BM office throughout and the problem is resolved so a great outcome. Very happy.
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