Blackmagic Forum

Reckon it would provide a heap more transparency if the people on this Forum who have received a trial or test camera free of charge, provided this information as part of their signature.

Maybe this is is something controversial but am never sure who here is part of BMC and who here are pure paying customers.

Sure the people who are part of the trial may end up purchasing their own camera but in reality those who receive a camera free of charge are in effect an extension of the BMC development program as they are performing a service to BMC and am only guessing, but imagine they have signed up to something like or similar to a non disclosure agreement.

Would make it much clearer to me as a customer who are the pure customers and who are in effect an extension of BMC !

Hi Andrew: Good idea. Here's my boring story:

I was loaned a BMCC for a few days for "free" by a BMD dealer (DVeStore.com). I paid the cost of the return shipping to send the camera back to the dealer.

As far as I know, they loaned the camera to me in hope that I'd place a pre-order with them, and eventually buy a camera from them. They were right: I've since placed a pre-order with them for a BMPC-4K.

I bought a Hyperdeck Shuttle from B&H.

I've never received payments or compensation from BMD.

That's it. That's the extent of my dealings with BMD and their dealers.

Meanwhile, John Brawley has kindly invited me to share a beer with him in Australia if I travel there, which I hope to do someday ... probably on my own dime.

Cheers.

Here's our backstory on how we got access to a pre-release camera for a weekend:

http://latenitefilms.com/2012/09/05/bla ... ma-camera/

Peter J. DeCrescenzo wrote:Hi Andrew: Good idea. Here's my boring story:

I was loaned a BMCC for a few days for "free" by a BMD dealer (DVeStore.com). I paid the cost of the return shipping to send the camera back to the dealer.

As far as I know, they loaned the camera to me in hope that I'd place a pre-order with them, and eventually buy a camera from them. They were right: I've since placed a pre-order with them for a BMPC-4K.

I bought a Hyperdeck Shuttle from B&H.

I've never received payments or compensation from BMD.

That's it. That's the extent of my dealings with BMD and their dealers.

Meanwhile, John Brawley has kindly invited me to share a beer with him in Australia if I travel there, which I hope to do someday ... probably on my own dime.

Cheers.

Hey Peter, didn't know you are going with the 4K. Wondering what made you switch. Maybe PMing would be better so we don't clog this thread. I will say I never received a beta or prerelease cam, I just preordered early. Same for the 4K. I was at NAB and once the leaked poster shots came out, I emailed my reseller. The next day while I was in the BMD NAB booth, I was on the phone with my reseller giving them my payment info.

I guess that's the next best thing to being a beta tester... But hey, if someone from BMD is reading this and wants to give me a beta 4K cam, I won't be complaining. In fact I'd shoot a ton of narrative films with it and make the cam look good. No really... I would... .. My email is in my profile. Feel free to use it guys. just sayin'...

PaulDelVecchio wrote:I guess that's the next best thing to being a beta tester... But hey, if someone from BMD is reading this and wants to give me a beta 4K cam, I won't be complaining. In fact I'd shoot a ton of narrative films with it and make the cam look good. No really... I would...

I remember waaaaayyyy back before recorded time, a beta tester's job was to break things and document problems...not make the cam look good.

These days, the real beta testers are the early adopters. What are called "beta testers" are just a select few invited to contribute to a private film festival...It really falls short of getting problems and bugs worked out on a pre-release prototype.

PaulDelVecchio wrote:Hey Peter, didn't know you are going with the 4K. Wondering what made you switch. Maybe PMing would be better so we don't clog this thread. ...

Read all about it:
http://herefortheweather.wordpress.com/ ... ng-summer/

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mhood wrote:

PaulDelVecchio wrote:I guess that's the next best thing to being a beta tester... But hey, if someone from BMD is reading this and wants to give me a beta 4K cam, I won't be complaining. In fact I'd shoot a ton of narrative films with it and make the cam look good. No really... I would...

I remember waaaaayyyy back before recorded time, a beta tester's job was to break things and document problems...not make the cam look good.

These days, the real beta testers are the early adopters. What are called "beta testers" are just a select few invited to contribute to a private film festival...It really falls short of getting problems and bugs worked out on a pre-release prototype.

Personally, I love "breaking" things. And reporting issues as I find them. And, heck or high water, getting on with the job at hand -- and life -- if at all possible. Doesn't matter if I'm a paying customer, beta tester, or employee.

Once a tech support geek, always a tech support geek. That's me.

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I got my camera in December. Paid in full. I ordered mine in the UK on the day they were announced.

All the tests and files I've shared have been done in my own time. No one has paid me in any way.

I've also ordered both the 4K BMPC and the BMPCC on the day they were announced.

Once they arrive, time permitting, I'll happily share my test with the community.