Shooting at 50mb/s for broadcast standards

Hi,

We are evaluating using the BlackMagic Cinema Camera for Documentary filming who will be broadcasted in top TV HD channels.

As the industry standard, we are required to used a minimum data rate of 50mb/s or higher.
I was wondering if the camera meets this standard.

Also i was wondering about the camera strengh for remote travel filming and cold /extreme warm/moisture exposure.

Thanks!

Nacho G
The Beagle Productions

Hi,

We are evaluating using the BlackMagic Cinema Camera for Documentary filming who will be broadcasted in top TV HD channels.

As the industry standard, we are required to used a minimum data rate of 50mb/s or higher.
I was wondering if the camera meets this standard.

Also i was wondering about the camera strengh for remote travel filming and cold /extreme warm/moisture exposure.

Thanks!

Nacho G
The Beagle Productions

It shoots in RAW at 2.5k so the data rate for that is going to be around 150-200Mb/s.

You can then transcode from Resolve to ProRes 4:4:4:4 so it will easily meet industry standard (particularly if the 5DMkII is being used for TV work).

Thanks Tom,

Did you personally used the camera? any tips about the previously mentioned outdoor exposure strenght?

Thanks Tom,

Did you personally used the camera? any tips about the previously mentioned outdoor exposure strenght?

John Brawley said that the better way is go for the highlight(zebra 98% to 100%) and don't underexpose, It seems that the camera is closer to film than to video in exposure matters.

Maybe if he have time he can explain it(I love it ) better than me but he's actually on shooting I think.

You forgot to mention that it also shoots in ProRes 422 HQ (184mbps at 25fps) and DNxHD (similar data rates) in both film log gamma and Rec 709 gamma.

Thanks Tom,

Did you personally used the camera? any tips about the previously mentioned outdoor exposure strenght?

John Brawley said that the better way is go for the highlight(zebra 98% to 100%) and don't underexpose, It seems that the camera is closer to film than to video in exposure matters.

Maybe if he have time he can explain it(I love it ) better than me but he's actually on shooting I think.

Do u mean to say don't overexpose?

Capturing raw or log is not like capturing a baked in image like on DSLRs.

You need to expose the sensor so that you pull in all of the scene's up to the sensor's dynamic range (13 stops).

In other words, most of the time you want to bring the exposure up until the highlights almost clip. That means you're using the entire sensor to record as much information about the scene as it can.

If you have more than the sensor can handle, it's up to the DP to decide whether they simply want to expose to keep the highlights (zebras stop flashing) or blow some highlights to save some of the shadows becoming black. I remember John Brawley having to do this for some shots.

Thanks Tom,

Did you personally used the camera? any tips about the previously mentioned outdoor exposure strenght?

John Brawley said that the better way is go for the highlight(zebra 98% to 100%) and don't underexpose, It seems that the camera is closer to film than to video in exposure matters.

Maybe if he have time he can explain it(I love it ) better than me but he's actually on shooting I think.

Do u mean to say don't overexpose?

Nick explained better than me sorry English is not my native lenguage and sometimes is hard for me to explain technical things.

P.D:Thanks Nick

It shoots in RAW at 2.5k so the data rate for that is going to be around 150-200Mb/s.

Just a quick correction: Mb means Megabit and MB means MegaByte, which are different by a factor of 8.

RAW is 5MB (that's MegaBytes) per frame. At 24fps, that's 120MB/s (MegaByte), or approximately 960Mb/s (Megabit). The 50Mb/s often quoted is a megabit-per-second data rate, and the Blackmagic's data rates are *at least* many times that.

Nacho..

The record specs of the Blackmagic camera far exceeds the 50mbit/s standards you listed. of course the specific network engineers have to do their own bench test to officially approve a specific camera for their particular use.

As far a extreme weather operation.. that's a questions best suited for the fine engineers at Blackmagic Design. The BMCC is a software based camera so there aren't too many mechanical parts to freeze up.. but again.. I'm not an engineer or live in a polar/tropical climate.. Heck I don't even have the camera yet.. So best ask the source.

That's why I recommend that if someone from BMD doesn't respond here to contact them by phone or email with your questions. As far as portability.. I wouldn't imagine it wouldn't be any more difficult to transport/operate on locations than your typical DSLR.

Bill Rich

on sub zero celsius any lcd will go super sloooooooow.

it may interfere with usage in cold weather.
I'm not sure if it also affects sensor.

Sometimes i take pictures in -25 celsius and batterys go empty in a heart beat.
So there are a lot of combined problems in really cold weather.

fot regular TV bmc should be more than needed by specs.

Nacho..

The record specs of the Blackmagic camera far exceeds the 50mbit/s standards you listed. of course the specific network engineers have to do their own bench test to officially approve a specific camera for their particular use.

As far a extreme weather operation.. that's a questions best suited for the fine engineers at Blackmagic Design. The BMCC is a software based camera so there aren't too many mechanical parts to freeze up.. but again.. I'm not an engineer or live in a polar/tropical climate.. Heck I don't even have the camera yet.. So best ask the source.

That's why I recommend that if someone from BMD doesn't respond here to contact them by phone or email with your questions. As far as portability.. I wouldn't imagine it wouldn't be any more difficult to transport/operate on locations than your typical DSLR.

Bill Rich

Thanks Bill,

We will be travelling to one very remote destination with no electricity for 40 days and altitude over 5000 mts (so no HDD available).

We have serious concerns about the backup workflows (that is a problem shooting RAW). If we record ProRES i need to be sure to exceed the 50mb/s for sure.

Our needs for storage are high and is a big concern, but this camera is worthy to give a try for the price.

Thanks for your feedback and the rest of the people at the group.

I also would aprecitate very much some BlackMagic guys answering some of the questions as well, if possible.

Nacho

on sub zero celsius any lcd will go super sloooooooow.

it may interfere with usage in cold weather.
I'm not sure if it also affects sensor.

Sometimes i take pictures in -25 celsius and batterys go empty in a heart beat.
So there are a lot of combined problems in really cold weather.

fot regular TV bmc should be more than needed by specs.

Thanks

Mosf cameras are not designed to work under 0º but doesn't mean you can not put a cover with heaters even to use it. I succesfully used many cameras designed for 0º or -5º in -30º with this sistem. You have batteries systems that you can put inside your clothes and connected through a cable to the camera.

You are completely right about the LCD. and the condensation... what i was wondering if there are any 'surprises' such quick inside condensation, etc.

Also i was wondering if this camera has batteries you can remove (so bring several with you) or is an internal battery you charge from the outside. I could not find the answer.

Thanks!

Nacho

You can add any external battery from 12 to 30 volts if it gives 2,5amps or more.

Like car battery or any other battery you can find and use.

Really flexible. Use what eve rbattery you like.

We have serious concerns about the backup workflows (that is a problem shooting RAW). If we record ProRES i need to be sure to exceed the 50mb/s for sure.

It's 176mbps at 23.97fps, 184mbps at 25fps and 220mbps at 29.97fps. Waaaay more than 50mbps

Has anyone noticed recently that the BBC HD requirement is a minimum of 50Mbs inter-frame or 100Mbs intra-frame.

So I assume it's 100Mbs for ProRes?

SK

[Joshua Helling]

Nick posted pretty accurate numbers above.

So does this mean that I have to shoot in RAW in order to achieve 50mbps? Or can I shoot in ProRes?

So does this mean that I have to shoot in RAW in order to achieve 50mbps? Or can I shoot in ProRes?

As Nick notes in his post above, the BMCC's compressed recording modes (ProRes & DNxHD) easily exceed the minimum 50 megabits/sec acquisition requirement of many broadcasters. The BMCC's RAW uncompressed recording data rates are 5 times higher.

In other words, all of the BMCC's recording formats far exceed typical broadcast requirements.