ETHICS STATEMENT: BlackMagic supplied me a camera for testing and evaluation purposes. I have not been paid for this and will never be paid by a manufacturer to review a product. This was all done in my own time and it took A LOT of time for the readers of my blog. If you do decide after watching this to purchase the camera doing so through my affiliates makes these reviews possible as I can’t work when making these! Please read more on my ethics statement here. If you want to make a small donation to help me make these I would be very grateful! Please use the flattr button at the bottom of the blog. I appreciate it!
Edit. I have just checked out the just announced micro four thirds version at IBC. Looks great but it’s passive so no iris control through the camera or IS. You need a manual lens like the Voigtlanders.
The good news is with a M43 mount you can put on any lens with easily available adaptors for PL, M, Nikon, Canon. C mount (make sure they cover sensor). It’s a much more flexible camera lens wise and makes more sense than the EF version here to be honest!
I am currently sitting in a hotel room in Amsterdam for IBC finishing the edit of the BlackMagic Cinema Camera. It has been a mammoth task, making sure I cover as much as I can, pros and cons…I haven’t reviewed Resolve as I am still so new to it but it seems incredible considering it comes free, although the lite version does most of what you need and that is free for all on the Blackmagic site to download…
Without a doubt I have missed a few things, nature of the beast, also much of what I cover will change with firmware updates…also remember this is just my opinion and take it as such!
The review is a whopping 45 minutes long. Sorry it’s so long but so much to cover and to be honest if you are thinking of spending $3k on a camera 45 minutes is not much of an investment…but PLEASE do not purchase on my review alone. Check out Vincent LaForet’s one here and many others.
Remember that this is just a camera. No need for fan boy rants or disrespectfulness in comments. If I see them in the moderation queue I will delete them. This camera is just another tool for us to use. Is the best tool for you? Only you can decided, obviously it’s not the best camera in the world…how can it be for such a low price…but it is incredibly impressive. I for one will continue to use my C300 for the bulk of my work as the workflow is way faster, the image super sharp and the dynamic range just a stop less than this camera. It isn’t raw though or prores HQ…but as most of my work is documentary work the C300 is by far the best choice for me…yes for me…It is an expensive camera and way out of the budget of many. This camera brings huge quality to the lower end of the market, something which can only be a good thing. The big boys will see this, see the incredible features on offer and will HAVE to respond…
Review footage and Dungeness footage graded in Magic Bullet Colorista II and Looks available below with 20% using code bloom 20. Finland footage graded in Resolve
Music is once again from the brilliant Music Bed
Dungeness shot on the Blackmagic Design Cinema Camera from Philip Bloom on Vimeo.
I am not paid to make these so if you want to make a small donation to help me make these I would be very grateful! It helps me keep doing these! Please click the icon below!
B&H Photo Video Link Below
CVP LINK BELOW
Zacuto Rigs for the Blackmagic Camera from Steve Weiss on Vimeo.
So now you have watched the review here are a few summary points…
THE GOOD
Price…it’s a bargain!
Comes with Resolve and UltraScopes
Image is very filmic
13 stop dynamic range
Raw and ProRes both terrific
Feels solid
Micro four thirds mount makes more sense
Image responds super well to sharpening in post if desired. Image itself is nice and filmic but I added +17 in premiere to footage in review to bring out the detail
The Bad
Canon lens mount not ideal for this size sensor
Micro four thirds mount is passive so no iris control
Bad rolling shutter issues, not as bad as DSRLS but worse than FS100/ C300
Terrible ergonomics
Needs a rig
Screen too reflective (fixable with same stuff you use on iPad)
Cinema DNG eats up a lot of SSD space
Needs Cinemform RAW. Uncompressed raw Cinema DNG is overkill and not needed. Please license!
No XLRs, 1/4 inch jacks
No Phantom Power
No meters on screen (firmware fixable?)
No exposure aids other than zebras (firmware fixable?)
Low light good but not great
No IS support currently (firmware fixable?)
No F-Stop display on screen (firmware fixable?)
No HDMI
Pink highlights in ProRes currently. (firmware fixable?)
KIT USED ON BLACKMAGIC CAMERA
24mm Samyang Cine F1.4
35mm Zeiss ZF F1.4
Canon 70-200mm F4
Sigma 8-16mm F4.5
Tokina 11-16 F2.8 (just in Finland)
Heliopan Variable ND filter
Miller DS20
Miller Compass 20
Kessler Bloom Black Signature Pocket Dolly
KIT USED ON BTS C300
24-105 Canon F4 IS
17-55 Canon F2.8
Sanken COS11
Sony UWP wireless
Miller Compass 20
PROS AND CONS
So, although the cons list is longer, most of these are niggles whereas the pro list is shorter but massive plusses there. I hope you have watched the review, it covers all this so much better and in way more detail!
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