That old black magic’s got me in its spell
That old black magic that you weave so well
When the original Blackmagic Cinema Camera (BMCC) was first introduced at NAB, blogs and the enthusiasts who patron them, lit up with wonder. This camera, from a relatively unknown and untested brand, was promising a whole lot of features in a compact body at an even more compact price. Chief among those features that got tongues wagging–RAW. For anything under or over $3k that was universally unheard of. Imagine being able to edit video files with the latitude usually reserved for high-end, high-powered and high-priced machines that costs well into the ten’s of thousands.
Dynamic range was another goodie that could not be ignored. All-in-all, despite some production glitches and missed deadlines, these remain some popular cameras (as evident by the constant unavailable notice at all the rental houses).
This year’s announcement is twice as jaw-dropping as the previous one. Two fantastic, budget-minded entries that will have novice and pro alike salivating at the opportunity to use these lil gadgets. First, there’s a micro 4/3′s camera that’ll shoot 1080p as well as record in RAW. Oh, and it’s under a grand. Then there’s a 4k model (roughly twice the resolution of 1080p) that will also shoot RAW and that models is coming in at an unbelievable sub-$5k price. Wow. These camera’s may be niche, but you’d better believe Blackmagic has just found a boatload of street cred and will quickly find itself in a great position to be a bona-fied leader in the low budget/indie production category.
Blackmagic Design Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera
- Super 16mm Sized Image Sensor
- Active Micro Four Thirds Lens Mount
- 13 Stops of Dynamic Range
- Records Full HD 1080 CinemaDNG RAW
- Apple ProRes 422 (HQ) at 220 Mbps
- Portable Design (5″ Long and 12.5 oz)
- 3.5″ LCD Display with 800×480 Resolution
- Uses SDXC and SDHC Memory Cards
- EN-EL20 Compatible Rechargeable Battery
- HDMI, LANC, 3.5mm Audio Input and Output
Blackmagic Design Blackmagic Production Camera 4K
- 4K Super 35mm Sensor with Global Shutter
- Canon EF Compatible Lens Mount
- Records 4K (3840×2160) & HD (1920×1080)
- Compressed CinemaDNG RAW
- Apple ProRes 422 (HQ)
- Bulit-in SSD Recorder
- 12 Stops of Dynamic Range
- 6G-SDI Output for Ultra HD via One Cable
- 5″ Touchscreen LCD (800×480 Resolution)
- Includes DaVinci Resolve and UltraScope
