Blackmagic Forum

Hi Guys, Santa brought me a BMCC 2.5k MFT. I'm really happy. I bought the latest metabones and a Tokina 11 to 16mm and it is really wide. Anyway, I just starting testing and when recording pointing at the sun, the famous "sun spot" is there. The first thing I did was to update the firmware to the 1.5 but the spot is there. What do I do? Do I return the camera for another one or how do I solve this issue.

Sadly I can post anything as my computer drive died today so I can't see the footage and Dell will send me a new workstation.

Thanks

The sunspot removal is only for the pocket camera.

Issue can be fixed by not shooting into the sun, and if you do/find a light source that causes it, use resolve to mask it.

Can't resist mentioning that while I was watching the Season 3 premier of "Sherlock," I noticed black dots during a scene with characters holding flashlights.

I don't know what cameras were being used for the production, but production values were very high, so I found it interesting that no one thought it worth the bother to track it out.

Fantastic show, by the way.

Randy Walters wrote:Can't resist mentioning that while I was watching the Season 3 premier of "Sherlock," I noticed black dots during a scene with characters holding flashlights.

I don't know what cameras were being used for the production, but production values were very high, so I found it interesting that no one thought it worth the bother to track it out.

Fantastic show, by the way.

I saw it as well, it wasn't a black dot, but def the same type of issue. I don't know what they shoot on for this season, but it was Sony F35 for season 1 and Alexa for season 2.

The probably didn't see it in the same way the miss to paint out a boom mic or any other equipment on any other show or movie.

Hampus Lager wrote:

Randy Walters wrote:Can't resist mentioning that while I was watching the Season 3 premier of "Sherlock," I noticed black dots during a scene with characters holding flashlights.

I don't know what cameras were being used for the production, but production values were very high, so I found it interesting that no one thought it worth the bother to track it out.

Fantastic show, by the way.

I saw it as well, it wasn't a black dot, but def the same type of issue. I don't know what they shoot on for this season, but it was Sony F35 for season 1 and Alexa for season 2.

The probably didn't see it in the same way the miss to paint out a boom mic or any other equipment on any other show or movie.

I saw it too, and it was clearly the black dot, they are using Alexa's on series 3 also.

Nick Vega wrote:The sunspot removal is only for the pocket camera.

Issue can be fixed by not shooting into the sun, and if you do/find a light source that causes it, use resolve to mask it.

Hi, I have the 2.5k and I see the sun spot, even just pointing at it.

Nick Vega wrote:Issue can be fixed by not shooting into the sun, and if you do/find a light source that causes it, use resolve to mask it.

I'm NOT shooting straight to the sun, but I can see it in the background. That shouldn't be there. I do not want to do extra job in post masking it. How can I resolve this issue?
it is firmware or the camera it self? Do I return it?

Rude wrote:

Nick Vega wrote:Issue can be fixed by not shooting into the sun, and if you do/find a light source that causes it, use resolve to mask it.

I'm NOT shooting straight to the sun, but I can see it in the background. That shouldn't be there. I do not want to do extra job in post masking it. How can I resolve this issue?
it is firmware or the camera it self? Do I return it?

The issue is that the sun is over loading the sensor. This happens on other cameras too. Arri Alexa does it, Sony F5/55 does it. Even the RED camera have done it in the past.

There is nothing wrong with the camera.

BM have said they are looking into it. It's probably taking time as it affects how the entire image is captured. Changing things it to fix it would affect the whole image. So it takes time to make changes, test, rinse, repeat.

It does not happen all the time. Only happens in extreme cases. I've never had it happen on a production job. I have however been able to get it to happen in test when the camera was pointed directly at the sun.

Try backing the exposure off a little. That often helps.

Rude wrote:

Nick Vega wrote:Issue can be fixed by not shooting into the sun, and if you do/find a light source that causes it, use resolve to mask it.

I'm NOT shooting straight to the sun, but I can see it in the background. That shouldn't be there. I do not want to do extra job in post masking it. How can I resolve this issue?
it is firmware or the camera it self? Do I return it?

As it is not a fault - returning it will not resolve it.

If you are seeing it without the sun or another very bright light point within the frame, I would be concerned. Can you show an image of this?

Tom wrote:

Rude wrote:

Nick Vega wrote:Issue can be fixed by not shooting into the sun, and if you do/find a light source that causes it, use resolve to mask it.

I'm NOT shooting straight to the sun, but I can see it in the background. That shouldn't be there. I do not want to do extra job in post masking it. How can I resolve this issue?
it is firmware or the camera it self? Do I return it?

As it is not a fault - returning it will not resolve it.

If you are seeing it without the sun or another very bright light point within the frame, I would be concerned. Can you show an image of this?

Thanks, I'll be testing but the shop here in Toronto where I bought it gave me the phone of BM Support in California so I'll call monday.

adamroberts wrote:Try backing the exposure off a little. That often helps.

Yes, I did back the exposure and it helped. If point to a really bright spot is fine, but if the sun appears in the background the black sun is there. Bigger or smaller, depends of the exposure but as soon as the sun was covered by a cloud it's fine. I know I can do a mask in post but I rather to solve issues in camera and less in post.
Anyway, thank you all for the feedback and is getting dark now, here in Toronto, so I'll test more tomorrow...snow storm is coming...

Cheers guys

Rude wrote:

adamroberts wrote:Try backing the exposure off a little. That often helps.

Yes, I did back the exposure and it helped. If point to a really bright spot is fine, but if the sun appears in the background the black sun is there. Bigger or smaller, depends of the exposure but as soon as the sun was covered by a cloud it's fine. I know I can do a mask in post but I rather to solve issues in camera and less in post.
Anyway, thank you all for the feedback and is getting dark now, here in Toronto, so I'll test more tomorrow...snow storm is coming...

Cheers guys

That sounds like you are in fact shooting directly into the sun - as such you can either underexpose further, use a ND grad or fix it in post.

Either way, it is not a fault, and so sending it back will not fix it.

Rude wrote:Can you show an image of this?

Hey, I can't show an image as I have this awesome super powerful workstation and my C drive fail, so Dell is sending me a new system but now I have to wait 10 to 15 days for my custom build system so I'm stuck without a system. I have a laptop too but my doc for the SSD is USB 3/eSata and my old laptop is only usb 2...so I'll have to wait...

Rude wrote:

Rude wrote:Can you show an image of this?

Hey, I can't show an image as I have this awesome super powerful workstation and my C drive fail, so Dell is sending me a new system but now I have to wait 10 to 15 days for my custom build system so I'm stuck without a system. I have a laptop too but my doc for the SSD is USB 3/eSata and my old laptop is only usb 2...so I'll have to wait...

I'll have to reinstall everything again, AvidMC, DaVinci, Ableton, combustion, AE, etc, etc... a pain

Dell.....enough said