Micro Studio Camera / Gain and no ISO /

The place for questions about shooting with Blackmagic Cameras.
  • Author
  • Message
Offline
User avatar

Aleš Markup

  • Posts: 2
  • Joined: Wed May 18, 2016 11:03 am
  • Location: Czech Republic

Micro Studio Camera / Gain and no ISO /

PostThu Jun 02, 2016 7:52 pm

Hello all,

i shooting club parties and inside is dark and i have problems with lights and i hope when i buy these cameras will be all fine and better (i use gopros before), because footage is rly dark i try gain +18, footage looks rly weird and still dark, but better than before.

adapter: http:/zyoptics.net/product/zhongyi-lens-turbo-adapters-for-micro-four-thirds-cameras-m43/
Lens: Zenitar 16 mm 2.8f

Why micro dont have ISO control, i dont care about noise, because footage will be still better than gopro. Would be great if this camera have ISO control or something for more bright footage.

Thank you for your advice and helps :)

Best,
Aleš
Last edited by Aleš Markup on Fri Sep 09, 2016 1:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Online
User avatar

rick.lang

  • Posts: 17279
  • Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2012 5:41 pm
  • Location: Victoria BC Canada

Re: Micro Cinema Camera / Gain and no ISO /

PostThu Jun 02, 2016 10:28 pm

Not sure what ISO control you want but the BMMCC can shoot up to 1600 ISO, native is 800 ISO, and you can go lower if you want.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Rick Lang
Offline
User avatar

Aleš Markup

  • Posts: 2
  • Joined: Wed May 18, 2016 11:03 am
  • Location: Czech Republic

Re: Micro Cinema Camera / Gain and no ISO /

PostThu Jun 02, 2016 11:21 pm

I just wanna say

Gopro is better with low light quality, than BMMCC, gopro is full of noise, but for me is ok.

I want go higher with ISO, like 3200, but i dont find this setting in menu. I have old Canon XF105 and this camera is still better, cause i can set higher ISO with noise, but its still ok for me.

BMMCC is professional camera for shooting, but for me is now waste of almost 3700$ +speedboosters and lenses. This is reason why i am here and looking for answer.
Offline

Denny Smith

  • Posts: 13131
  • Joined: Thu Aug 01, 2013 4:19 pm
  • Location: USA, Northern Calif.

Re: Micro Cinema Camera / Gain and no ISO /

PostFri Jun 03, 2016 12:26 am

The BM cinema cameras, including the Micro CC are not low light cameras. They are designed for commercial,shooting app,ovations that are properly lit, not available light documentary work. ISO on'y goes to 1600, because of the limits of the sensor and processor, to maintain an acceptable image quality standard for professional film applications.

You should be looking at the Sony Alpha series cameras for low light work, not BM.
Denny Smith
SHA Productions
Offline

CaptainHook

Blackmagic Design

  • Posts: 2057
  • Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2012 4:50 am
  • Location: Melbourne, Australia
  • Real Name: Hook

Re: Micro Cinema Camera / Gain and no ISO /

PostFri Jun 03, 2016 1:24 am

Hi, it sounds like you have the Micro Studio Camera 4K rather than the Micro Cinema Camera, which uses the terms gain instead of ISO but they do similar things.
**Any post by me prior to Aug 2014 was before i started working for Blackmagic**
Offline

Anatoly Mashanov

  • Posts: 518
  • Joined: Sun Sep 28, 2014 11:36 am
  • Location: Russia

Re: Micro Cinema Camera / Gain and no ISO /

PostFri Jun 03, 2016 1:49 am

Aleš Markup wrote:BMMCC is professional camera for shooting, but for me is now waste of almost 3700$ +speedboosters and lenses. This is reason why i am here and looking for answer.


1. I have no idea about Sony Alphas and BMMCC since I have BMPCC. And I have experimented with low-light shots.

I was able to obtain satisfactory results when the histogram was in first 2/5 of the full scale and good results when I open the aperture 1 stop. It was needed to apply a PAIR of brightness control plugins and a noise suppress plugin to achieve it. Also when I use a Fujinon C6x17.5 f/1.8 lens fully open and 360 degrees shutter in my room with lights off I actually see better through the viewfinder than directly. In the same conditions my previous quite expensive prosumer camera (which was used for some quite spectacular night shots) at ISO 1600 0.5 sec f/2.7 sees only noise and dark spots.

2. To spend US$3700 - I feel it's just quite difficult to do :o My last buy - Fujinon C6x17.5 was 27.77 GB Pounds +p&p - needed some repair but seems to be my best lens in the class in terms of sharpness.
Offline

Denny Smith

  • Posts: 13131
  • Joined: Thu Aug 01, 2013 4:19 pm
  • Location: USA, Northern Calif.

Re: Micro Cinema Camera / Gain and no ISO /

PostFri Jun 03, 2016 2:05 am

If he has a Micro Studio 4K camera, it will need even more light! The Pocket and Micro Cinema can do some nice things is "low" light, but still need some light. It sounds like OP is talking about very dimly light clubs/Bars, which would be a challenge for any camera not designed for low light shooting.
Denny Smith
SHA Productions
Offline

Denny Smith

  • Posts: 13131
  • Joined: Thu Aug 01, 2013 4:19 pm
  • Location: USA, Northern Calif.

Re: Micro Cinema Camera / Gain and no ISO /

PostFri Jun 03, 2016 3:53 pm

With the Micro,Cinema this is very true, but me thinks after re-reading the OP comments, he has a Micro Studio camera, with the 4K sensor, so it is a native ISO 400 camera, with "gain" settings, rather than ISO.
So 0 = 400, then each +6dB gain setting adding 400 to the base ISO, so +6dB = ISO 800, +12 = 1200 etc., with +6 being very useable, but noise becomes apparent at +12 or above, but still more useable than a GoPro at a similar setting.

As CaptainHook pointed out only the Studio cameras use "gain" settings, the Cinema cameras use ISO, including the Micro Cinema. The OP is complaining his Micro camera has no ISO setting, and a poor image in low light.

So I return to my original comment, OP has the Wrong camera for his very low light shooting situation, the Micro Cinema would be better, per previous comments on pushing the image more in post, but a camera designed for low light would be better yet.
Cheers
Denny Smith
SHA Productions
Online
User avatar

rick.lang

  • Posts: 17279
  • Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2012 5:41 pm
  • Location: Victoria BC Canada

Re: Micro Cinema Camera / Gain and no ISO /

PostFri Jun 03, 2016 5:07 pm

I didn't catch that like I should have when I replied. I just saw Micro Cinema Camera and no ISO.

Struck out at the plate chasing a ball low and away. I'm never gonna get to the big leagues at this rate!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Rick Lang
Offline

Denny Smith

  • Posts: 13131
  • Joined: Thu Aug 01, 2013 4:19 pm
  • Location: USA, Northern Calif.

Re: Micro Cinema Camera / Gain and no ISO /

PostFri Jun 03, 2016 7:54 pm

I didn't either first time round Rick, until CaptHook posted his comment, then it clicked; the OP is either mixed up about gain vs ISO or he has got the two Micro cameras mixed up in his header. Either way, it is confusing.
Cheers
Denny Smith
SHA Productions
Offline

Christopher Cox

  • Posts: 251
  • Joined: Tue Oct 22, 2013 4:49 am
  • Location: Brisbane, Australia.

Re: Micro Cinema Camera / Gain and no ISO /

PostMon Jun 06, 2016 4:31 am

The problem/s with shooting in clubs is almost always the person behind the mixing desk.
That's where the lightning is usually [out of] controlled from. Not what camera we're using.

A higher sensitivity camera like the one's Sony are making will help when there's simply not enough light,
BUT that still leaves a whole host of other problems caused by the frequently terrible lighting.
Those other problems include over-saturated coloured LED lights, unmanageable contrast ratios, inconsistent brightness across the stage, et cetera et cetera ......
All the problems that are to be expected when the lighting person sets the lighting to Random,
or "Press This Button For Instant Disco" mode.

No matter what camera we're using; even if we're shooting stills in 14bit RAW @ISO 25,600, we need the cooperation of the lightning person if we're to have any chance of getting useable footage.
There's no way around it.
Wielding a Pocket Cinema Camera from a wheelchair.
Online

RRRoger

  • Posts: 107
  • Joined: Tue Nov 01, 2022 4:02 am
  • Real Name: Roger Martin

Re: Micro Studio Camera / Gain and no ISO /

PostThu Mar 21, 2024 7:30 pm

My Nikon D500 can shoot clean video at above 25,600 ISO
Also my experience with the BM 4k pocket camera is about twice the low light capable of the micro.

Return to Cinematography

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: David Cherniack, kfriis and 203 guests