6K Pro Viewfinder Connector - a wishful letter to Blackmagic

Blackmagic showed with this update once again that they are really listening to the community and customers - incorporating two of the most requested features into this new camera, internal NDs and an EVF. So people working for Blackmagic - I know you're here on this forum - please read on.

I personally won't be using an EVF with this camera, but I am glad that there is an option now for those who do. However looking at Grant's presentation video again, I was wondering: Could this viewfinder connector on the camera perhaps become something like an extension module to the camera?

Now hear me out, there is a number of accessories that would greatly benefit from being directly mounted to the camera, here's just a few I came up with:

Wireless Video via Wifi such as Hollyland Mars X and Accsoon CineEye
These are tiny units and fill a great need, but by the time you rig them up with an articulating arm, HDMI cable and a power supply or a battery, there are taking up quite a bit of space on the camera. If someone made a model that attaches right into the viewfinder slot, wouldn't that be grand? After all the two things those transmitter need are already there - power and a video signal. Adding wireless video streaming to iOS and Android devices without any additional cables? I would pay a few hundred dollars for that and I'm sure I wouldn't be the only one.

Autofocus via LIDAR such as AFX by CDA-Tek and DJI Ronin 3D Focus System
This would only use the power aspect of the slot, but again would greatly benefit from a cleaner, more integrated build and simplify calibration by it always being in the same spot. People like CDA-TEK are already doing amazing work and I believe autofocus via LIDAR is just around the corner to go mainstream. All the people complaining about lack of good AF on the camera, how would you feel if somebody made a unit that plugs right into the viewfinder slot and provided you with this?


Blackmagic Design - this camera is going to sell like hot cakes. Already there is quite an amount of pocket specific accessories, so there is definitely a market for that. Now you have the chance to open up the viewfinder port, so people stop pestering you about that dual-pixel AF you are never going to do or wireless video that you don't seem particularly interested in either - but would definitely increase the market for this camera. So what you do need to do to make that happen? Actually not a lot at all - simply provide the specifications of the viewfinder connector:

- What kind of connector is it?
- What pins are used for power and what for image?
- What are the exact specs on the power output?
It's not going to be a whole lot, but perhaps enough to power small accessories, if it can power an OLED screen of that size.
- What are the exact specs on the image output?
Judging from the 1280x960 this is likely not a FHD output, but can you confirm this?
- What is the thread and size of the screw and the two locking holes?
This you already provided to us on the product page of the EVF: Integrated M4 x 3.3 (0.7 pitch) locking screw

I believe there is already a precedent for this - the S.bus expansion port on the Micro, your longest selling camera. I know the port on the 6K Pro is likely a proprietary one, but still providing us with that information would provide the opportunity to accessory makers to explore the option of using it.

So while we wait for Blackmagic to respond to this (might be a long one ), perhaps we can do some crowd-sourced reverse engineering? The power draw perhaps could be estimated by measuring runtime with and without the viewfinder or by judging of the panel size. I know there are some very tech-savy people around here. Here are the relevant stills from Grant's presentation


Thank you for coming to my TED talk

TLDR: Blackmagic please provide us with the specifications of the viewfinder port to allow for 3rd party accessories.

Wireless Video via Wifi such as Hollyland Mars X and Accsoon CineEye
...
Adding wireless video streaming to iOS and Android devices without any additional cables? I would pay a few hundred dollars for that and I'm sure I wouldn't be the only one.

Just want to note that the new Z CAM EVF does this.

ZCam EVF Unboxing and Review including Wireless Setup and Latency Test

Also costs as much as a Pocket 4k.. Just to get this straight, I am not asking for new features here, just to give us some additional information, so perhaps 3rd parties can add those features.

Also costs as much as a Pocket 4k.. Just to get this straight, I am not asking for new features here, just to give us some additional information, so perhaps 3rd parties can add those features.

It costs US$1000. The Pocket 6K Pro EVF is $500, and you say in that paragraph "I would pay a few hundred dollars for that [WiFi] and I'm sure I wouldn't be the only one."

Sounds like you may be a potential customer for the Z CAM EVF. If you want WiFi without an EVF, there are already solutions that don't need the Pocket EVF port.

Then I didn't get my point across very well. I am not looking for another box that adds cables and turns this into a rig. If I did, Hollyland and Accsoon have already provided very capable solutions for that. What I meant was, I would pay the price of a Hollyland Mars X or Accsoon CineEye (or even a small premium over that) that provides me with the same function but in a clean, integrated package that clips right into the 6K Pro viewfinder port.

Anyway, what I am really looking for is any input on the type of connector used. Any ideas Robedge?

Then I didn't get my point across very well. I am not looking for another box that adds cables and turns this into a rig. If I did, Hollyland and Accsoon have already provided very capable solutions for that. What I meant was, I would pay the price of a Hollyland Mars X or Accsoon CineEye (or even a small premium over that) that provides me with the same function but in a clean, integrated package that clips right into the 6K Pro viewfinder port.

Anyway, what I am really looking for is any input on the type of connector used. Any ideas Robedge?

I just don't see what difference it makes what port wireless uses. As you say, there are already solutions. Regardless of what port is used, you need a box and an antenna, although the Z CAM will apparently work at short distances without the antennas mounted.

I doubt that any third party is going to make a wireless solution that is specific to one camera.

The niftiest solution is the new Sony phone. You even get wireless transmission and streaming over cellular networks. Not cheap, though:

The Only REAL "Pro" Smartphone?!

Hmm. But the Accsoon and Hollyland are not wireless? Like they need an HDMI-cable as well as a power supply/battery? The appeal of it obviously would be that it cleanly integrates into the camera without the need for additional cabling, plus it leaves the HDMI port for other acccessories as they don't all have a pass-through.

I doubt that any third party is going to make a wireless solution that is specific to one camera.

Manufacturers do make camera-specific accessories all the time provided the market is big enough. From cages over battery solution to cables. CDA-TEK even made a whole PBC controller just for this camera and Tilta sold a custom display tilting mod (RIP, but good on trying anyway, it's probably what demonstrated to BMD that there was a real need for this). So why wouldn't they for wireless image transmission?

The more widely-appealing aspect to this request is to be able to remove the viewfinder from the camera and put it where it belongs.

I agree Palmer - and thanks for bringing back this thread. Seems like BMD doubled down on the form factor and view finder attachment with the release of the 6K cinema camera, so would be great if they could release some info on this connector!

I would love if they made a hdmi version of the viewfinder with a cold shoe mount at the bottom.

Now we see that the latest BMD EVF uses DisplayPort (via USB-C connector).

I wonder if this one also uses DisplayPort, but in a proprietary connector.