Blackmagic Forum

There hasn't been a word said about the 4K BMCC in a long while. Can you please give us some sort of update in regards to this camera - PLEASE.

Thank you.

1. Will it ship as scheduled at the end of July?
2. When can we expect to see some sample footage?
3. If someone were to pre-order right now, would they still get one or is the wait quite longer for late pre-orders?

4. Has the 4k camera been sent to beta testers yet where they can shoot with it? Just curious if there are working models out there or not yet. The end of July is fast approaching.

I'm not sure you understand how Blackmagic does things.

An update before an update was due? That'd be something!

Robert Bentley wrote:...
3. If someone were to pre-order right now, would they still get one or is the wait quite longer for late pre-orders?

BMD has stated repeatedly (and as recently as a couple of days ago) that they don't release shipment/sales quantity numbers about their products. So, it's extremely unlikely you'll get an answer to your question. I mean, they might answer you, but I wouldn't hold your breath.

It seems likely that the BMPC-4K will be relatively popular considering its features, software bundle, price, and possibly very good video quality (the latter TBD).

If you haven't already placed a pre-order with your dealer for a BMPC-4K, you could be in for quite a long wait if you hope to get one "off the shelf". Hopefully you'll be able to place a no-deposit, fully refundable pre-order with your dealer, so if you get tired of waiting (or change your mind) you can cancel your order if necessary.

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Robert Bentley wrote:... 2. When can we expect to see some sample footage? ...

When it's ready?

Difficult to predict the future, but in the past Cinematographer John Brawley posts BMD camera "first" sample footage on his blog or Vimeo page:
http://johnbrawley.wordpress.com/
http://vimeo.com/johnbrawleytests

Stay tuned.

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Peter J. DeCrescenzo wrote:

Robert Bentley wrote:... 2. When can we expect to see some sample footage? ...

When it's ready?

Difficult to predict the future, but in the past Cinematographer John Brawley posts BMD camera "first" sample footage on his blog or Vimeo page:
http://johnbrawley.wordpress.com/
http://vimeo.com/johnbrawleytests

Stay tuned.

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It won't be Raw sample footage anyway, So I wouldn't base any decisions from just the ProRes sample footage, I'm sure the image will look fantastic but we wont see raw in the 4K for awhile.

Darryl Gregory wrote:It won't be Raw sample footage anyway, So I wouldn't base any decisions from just the ProRes sample footage, I'm sure the image will look fantastic but we wont see raw in the 4K for awhile.

I'm looking forward to seeing the 35mm sensor and how much it looks like 35mm film. I really like the 35mm sensor of the FS100 and FS700. To me 35mm sensors looks more fuller/wider and cinematic, and strangely more crisp. The 5D has always looked more crisp to me than the 7D or T2i/T3i. You can tell when you edit them side by side.

Plus the benefit of seeing how certain lenses look in comparison. I feel with the 35mm sensor, you just get more out of your lenses, like they were intended to be used. Would love to see the widest lens possible put on it, to see how much can be fit onto the 35mm full frame image. Can't wait to see something, even a little peek.

Robert Bentley wrote: Would love to see the widest lens possible put on it, to see how much can be fit onto the 35mm full frame image. Can't wait to see something, even a little peek.

Um... The BMPC4K is not full frame. It's close to Super35mm. Which, like the FS100/700 is similar to ASP-C (T2i, T3i, 7D, etc)

adamroberts wrote:

Robert Bentley wrote: Would love to see the widest lens possible put on it, to see how much can be fit onto the 35mm full frame image. Can't wait to see something, even a little peek.

Umm... The BMPC4K is not full frame. It's close to Super35mm. Which, like the FS100/700 is similar to ASP-C (T2i, T3i, 7D, etc)

Not only what Adam stated, but most of us will probably never even see what it was designed for (Shooting Ultra HD) before it's release date, I am re thinking my decision about purchasing the 2.5K or 4K, I do have a need for both since I like to make money, but I'm not 100% sure of BMD's promise to deliver, as we all know they lack a serious & trusting relationship with us, But with that said they have delivered, just way off the mark.

Only future firmware will allow me to trust BMD as a camera manufacturer, Because if they release a version 2 with all the bells and whistles at NAB 2014 before we get a proper camera in version one, and are left trying to sell an obsolete camera I'm out forever, Nothing more to say.

Darryl Gregory wrote:

adamroberts wrote:

Robert Bentley wrote: Would love to see the widest lens possible put on it, to see how much can be fit onto the 35mm full frame image. Can't wait to see something, even a little peek.

Umm... The BMPC4K is not full frame. It's close to Super35mm. Which, like the FS100/700 is similar to ASP-C (T2i, T3i, 7D, etc)

Not only what Adam stated, but most of us will probably never even see what it was designed for (Shooting Ultra HD) before it's release date, I am re thinking my decision about purchasing the 2.5K or 4K, I do have a need for both since I like to make money, but I'm not 100% sure of BMD's promise to deliver, as we all know they lack a serious & trusting relationship with us, But with that said they have delivered, just way off the mark.

Only future firmware will allow me to trust BMD as a camera manufacturer, Because if they release a version 2 with all the bells and whistles at NAB 2014 before we get a proper camera in version one, and are left trying to sell an obsolete camera I'm out forever, Nothing more to say.

Hi Darryl: You're of course entitled to your opinion. However, I think BMD's camera products are different enough in announced features & list price that I don't lump them together the way you describe.

Each BMD camera has important capabilities different from the others, and there's quite a range of price difference among them (of course, there's no diff. in list price between the BMCC-EF & BMCC-MFT).

And because all BMD cameras have capabilities & software bundles unlike most/all other cams on the market, they have a relatively high resale value, too. Of course as with all cameras, their resale value will change over time.

Concerning firmware updates: BMD has pretty much delivered the original BMCC in a form as initially described in its product announcement. Since then, they've added to its capability via free firmware updates. It's OK to debate if there are "missing" features or not, features which perhaps should have existed all along, and I generally agree that there are. However, not all of us agree on which features are "missing" and which should be implemented first. At the end of the day, the BMCC is what it is, and all of us get to decide for ourselves if its excellent good qualities & software bundle outweigh its debatable deficiencies.

As for your complaining about the very fact that the BMPC-4K is a "4K" camera, as if that was some sort of drawback, I responded to your similar lament in another post:
viewtopic.php?p=56316&sid=78301b61454d3aa856c27b2c85a3ea41#p56316

Cheers.

Darryl Gregory wrote:...I'm not 100% sure of BMD's promise to deliver, as we all know they lack a serious & trusting relationship with us, But with that said they have delivered, just way off the mark.

Only future firmware will allow me to trust BMD as a camera manufacturer, Because if they release a version 2 with all the bells and whistles at NAB 2014 before we get a proper camera in version one, and are left trying to sell an obsolete camera I'm out forever, Nothing more to say.

Will be a big step if the BMPCC ships on schedule with the BMPC4K following shortly afterwards. However the firmware updates are crucial since we know that raw may wait a firmware update. As for being obsolete after NAB2014 announcements, BMD has said they plan to have essentially the same firmware applied to all of their existing and currently announced cameras within the limitations of the camera hardware. I expect that will apply even in 2014; whenever a new capability is implemented in firmware on a new camera or updated version of their current cameras, I wager they will also apply it to the older cameras within the limits of the older hardware.

You know the older cameras will still function, but inevitably they will be replaced. It seems other manufacturers update their physical cameras at least every year or two and rarely update a camera's firmware let alone release new firmware for older cameras. Of course there are exceptions, let us hope BMD are one of the exceptions that keep value in their older cameras within the limits of the camera's ability. In the end though, it is people, including you presumably, who will rarely use their older cameras when newer and more capable cameras become available regardless of their firmware, who will no longer see a purpose in using older cameras and hence making them obsolete.

If BMD stays the course in their minimalist camera design, their cameras may tend to last longer than a camera with a dozen buttons to push being obsoleted by a camera with two dozen buttons. I can still use my manual fifty year old Nikon F film camera because it can be as capable today as it was fifty years ago and will continue to be so until film dies. Today's digital cinema cameras will function until you can no longer find computers and peripherals that accept its Thunderbolt, SATA, and SDI connections. And that could happen within ten years with the first generation Thunderbolt or SATA possibly the first to be replaced by something better and not fully backward compatible. Interfaces are the Achilles heel of digital technology, not the firmware. My current iMac supports Firewire but soon no Mac will and then my tape Canon HV20 will be a museum piece in less than ten years from its release. Thankfully before then, I'll have replaced it with a BMD camera and use it for another five to ten years.

Rick Lang
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

rick.lang wrote:I wager they will also apply it to the older cameras within the limits of the older hardware.

Frank Zappa called that "the crux of the biscuit."

Robert Bentley wrote:4. Has the 4k camera been sent to beta testers yet where they can shoot with it? Just curious if there are working models out there or not yet. The end of July is fast approaching.

The usual pattern is JB mention on his blog that he is testing, then weeks if not months later he will release a test footage, followed by another in between a few weeks after. Months later one of the regional big reseller gets a sample model to show customers then a month or two later people on the beta list such as Bloom, Laforet, etc get their camera, they will tell people on the forums and blogs that they have recieve their camera early because they are on the beta list. Then followed by another month or more when the first customer destined camera arrives.

That is if everything goes well

Why would a camera become obsolete when its successor is presented? It will still do what it did before, and what we bought it for. So even if BMD has new exciting products to show at NAB next year, i'll love my Pocket CC nonetheless (if i received it by then...).