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Here's a Black Sun from an Alexa shoot of mine, and a nice OLPF flare from a DXL / RED Monstro on the latest Mission Impossible trailer. JB

There are way too many armchair professionals around here so @jase, I think it will be difficult for you to get an honest opinion of this camera based on YOUR criteria for wanting one. I shared your interest in this camera about a year ago and scoured Vimeo and YouTube for video samples and honestly, I found some pretty good stuff shot with it, so for the price... go for it. You’ve proven time and time again that you are more than capable enough to produce quality work with whatever camera you have in your hands. If you don’t like it, you can easily sell it and get your money back, or very close to it... so where’s the harm? Or maybe you’ll like the lens so much that you’ll want to upgrade to the a7iii. I see no harm in a good old fashioned test.

As awesome as BM is as a company, there is no reason to speak badly of tone1k for asking an honest and reasonable question. It also doesn’t serve any new customers that are elated by the announcement of the P4K. I believe every single BM cinema camera has had an issue or two when first released. Most people understand that a small company does not have the resources that the major players have but to ignore that the issues existed makes you sound like a shill. Sure previous cameras were made from off the shelf parts and everybody understands that it takes some trial and error through design and manufacturing to get everything right but moire was a problem because the camera lacks an OLPF and had nothing to do with the sensor specifically. Hell even the Micro had some issues with FPN and BM was using that sensor for years before the Micro was released. And I don’t know what you read but I followed the Ursa 4.6k magenta issue and there is no reason to say that it was user error. So yes, sometimes products do get released with issues that require a repair or a new unit but this is a regular thing with BM. Personally, I believe there will be some issues with the P4K as well, but at that price point, who cares? BM does have a track record of releasing cameras late and with issues, but they also have a track record of making the customer happy. But due to the price point, there is going to be a lot of new adopters to the BM ecosystem and hopefully BM either gets it right or these new customers understand what they’re getting for the money and show some patience. Or maybe since they’re using that sensor, this will be a more generic release from BM but God I hope that sensor isn’t a signal that it’s a generic camera.

"Lucky to not understand"... Patronising much? I'm in Melbourne, a friend of mine is a product manager at BMD though not the camera department and I've had conversations about this with him, though not directly relating to BMD. I understand perfectly. This is all beside the point though. The issues that plagued 1st gen cameras were given as an example and way to ask a question: with the P4K, is product testing more stringent now or should we expect to see issues like those found in the BMD first gen cameras or even the Ursa Mini 4k considering the sensor is new to BMD. That's it. Yes, first gen TV's. That's why I'm asking the question. BMDs cameras are not first gen now but this sensor is a first gen sensor for them hence the question..... Is it really that unreasonable a question? Having a hot light source in the frame is completely normal. As is shooting any indoor scene without the FPN and flicker that plagued Ursa Mini 4k. I used three copies and they were all un usable with the same issues unless shooting in bright sunlight.

I would guess only a little, but Blackmagic probably figured out how to streamline testing as they know how to make cameras by now. I think whatever Blackmagic does to deliver their cameras at a low cost is fine by me because they at least seem to be very open about replacing defective cameras with a new one. And it's the same with computer hardware. If you look on newegg or similar sites all you see are bad reviews because no one who recieves hardware in good condition actually leaves a review. If it works as expected, everyone knows from benchmarks and specs how a particular piece of computer hardware performs. Likewise, no one is out making threads about how good their camera works, or how it arrived with no defects. Blackmagic seems no worse than other brands it's just due to the amateur pricing of their products, you get a lot of idiots who don't know how to use the cameras properly and claim defects because they don't know how to expose. There was a guy who compared a bunch of different cameras including Alexa Mini and a few others and he declared the 4.6K "unusable" due to magenta all over the images and the manufacturer Rec 709 lut looking bad. Maybe if he had used the same kind of ND that is internal with the Alexa Mini and learned how to grade he wouldn't be saying these ridiculous things.

Do you think you can get a baked in look without mashing the shadows too much?

Trusty Voigtlander 40mm f2

I've seen some stunning work done on the C500 as I have with the C300... I mean seriously. JB is shooting some of his network narrative handheld with a BMMCC, just for one "local" example. Anyone can crap on anything if they want to but creatively speaking, any quality shooter/producer can make any number of cameras, tossed around this and other sites, produce brilliant imagery. It's like the the idea that no one is using _____ camera or ___ camera on big shoots. Well yeah, when you're spending tens of ks per day on production of course you use the most versatile, proven and adaptable cameras you can budget. But to equate that (as a lot of people do) into a sense that smaller/cheaper cameras can't produce the necessary image for quality story telling just doesn't stand up to scrutiny. We crossed that Rubicon a while ago.

Maybe it will be nice to share fast unpretentious vacation-shots around the world... At least I'm always glad to see them, so that's mine last one.

Also did you watch some of those CookeTV videos with Geoff Boyle? About 6 months ago they posted a video where Geoff talks about using a certain companies camera that lacks an OLPF and testing it for a few months. He doesn't mention said company by name but we all know who it is. He says if he shoots certain patterns he can produce moire, just like with the herrinbone suit that was seen during the HBO camera test. BUT after all of that he says it doesn't matter when you actually get the camera and shoot REAL jobs. Sure you can take a Blackmagic camera, underexpose it 2 stops and find more FPN than a certain competitors camera, and yes, you can maybe find moire if you shoot certain patterns, but in the small chance that it does happen, i can easily be fixed by moving the camera a little bit. The magenta issue was one of the only problems that was very "real" and I would define as a serious issue, but they fixed that almost completely with firmware updates.

Wikipedia: The Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5 is a Micro Four Thirds mirrorless interchangeable lens camera body announced by Panasonic on 4 January 2017. Dpreviwed: Apr 11, 2017 https://***URL removed***/products/panasonic/slrs/panasonic_dcgh5 Nothing to mention that preordering was become actual always after first shots are widely available. But I think you know it all very well. Several months after announcing and receiving preorder, and after mr Petty proudly said that as of today he is happy that camera may go on the street shooting out of laboratory, all we have from obviously qualified ambassador in 150 pages massaging long thread is spectacular illumination - "Testing and finding errors doesn’t mean they will get fixed before shipping". Please don't get me wrong - I'm just reacting when it seems to me that is threatened common human sense and expected behavior similar for everybody at one place where I'm participating...

Correct, it uses a smaller portion of the sensor. I haven't done the math but it gives ya that little extra reach without quality loss. I'd test it out, you can assign it to a button to turn it on and off when you need it. It's also useful when using vintage lenses that don't completely cover the sensor.

Yes but you will be throwing away image data in the process and there is no need when you have proxy workflows available.

As mentioned above, the best thing is to try an a7 II first if possible. One thing I didn't see asked before is WHY you want to use the Nokton 40mm f/1.2 lens? what is so special about this lens? I think if you are going to be shooting close to wide open, then you will be less bothered by the moire and aliasing than you would if you were shooting with a larger DOF (that's the way it is for me on my a6500 shooting in 1080p). A few people have mentioned various soft filters as well for shooting on the a6500 in 1080p. There are other "interesting" things about Sony cameras you should consider as well, like the color science, the ergonomics, the LCD screen brightness (or lack thereof), the menus, the battery life, the SD card placement... And note that this is coming from a 100% Sony FanBoy... I mean, I am seriously considering buying a FF a7 III and using my aps-c glass on it - and taking a hit in resolution - for the sole benefit of the better ergonomics / usability. Granted, the ergonomics on the a7 II are probably much better than on the a6500 / other Sony aps-c cameras. Still, something to think about.

I can’t comment about the testing process. But as alluded to here, testing and finding errors doens’t mean they will get fixed before shipping. No camera is perfect and THAT was my point. Today, I can make an Alexa show a black sun without too much difficulty and I can make a DXL or current top of the line RED have a strange OLPF flare in similar shooting circumstances. I’d classify these as major imaging problems in the way you were characterising issues to do with BMD, and I was only showing you that those cameras got knowingly shipped with similar issues that HAD to have been known about. Those that test and find faults aren’t the ones in charge of the building, fixing or shipping or repairing. It’s not their call on if something is a show stopper or not. There’s an assumption that faults were somehow missed, that there’s a problem with the voracity of the testing regime and yet, if you’re not allowed to talk about the testing process and what you find... No camera is perfect. The question becomes...Is it good enough...can you get away with it. That’s what every manufacturer has to ask themselves because they ALL have imaging faults. JB

Tremendously so.

I think this was exactly the kind of users I was referring to in my earlier post. There are different sensor designs, and each design has drawbacks and positives. The Ursa Mini 4K was the CMOSIS CMV12000 and that sensor sucked. This pocket 4K uses a back illuminated Starvis design so I doubt it will have issues with FPN like other Blackmagic sensors do. And as far as "unusable" in anything but bright sunlight. Are you sure you weren't just underexposing your images? First gen blackmagic cameras had a bit more aliasing/moire then previous cameras and they did have slightly more fpn than newer models, but they didn't have huge issues. And likewise, the 4.6K sensor as a whole is very good and doesn't have many issues either. Testing is mostly useful to calibrate and spot bad sensors, as not every sensor is perfectly made, and I assume you can streamline the process once you get better at making cameras. The "issues" you claim plauged first generation Blackmagic cameras have nothing to do with testing but rather their choice of sensor, which you seem to not like.

My prediction: dji mavic 2 and Mavic Pro 2 the one in the image is a Mavic 2 With its silver bands. It has the bigger sensor Mavic Pro 2 caméra attached to it. On the gimbal on the side there is the smaller Mavic 2 camera. They will be interchangeable. Mavic 2 same price a pro 1 and Mavic Pro 2 1300

I own a 1DC and have used the HDMI out before in 4k mode and it really does look great. Better than a C100 for sure and its APS-H instead of S35 so you get a little more room with your lenses. I will say however, if you either convert all your footage to ProRes, or you edit on an iPad Pro......the 4K MJPG can be dealt with. By the way, an iPad Pro can play 4k MJPG files like its nothing in LumaFusion

@nigelbb Thanks... I'm personally little bit tired of endless discussion of the same technical tips - so I thought it would be more interesting to see them in some unpretentious, uncontrolled actions with artistic touch, at least in the season of vacation... Actually, it was interesting weather for me, being able to filming during all day with diffuse light and without ugly harsh shadows - while I was not occupied wiht long swimming ... As I wrote in youtube comment, it was GH5 with Voigts 17.5 and 42.5, maybe just to add that all was in HLG with ISO 400, just in the night shots ISO800... Of course, all handheld, even just at 24p with Atomos recorder (it happened to be that I had no enough space for 60p). Actually, I had also and Contax Zeiss S 60mm with me, but there's no need/time for its usage... besides, that Voigts have plenty enough macro capabilities and power to "see in the dark"... What maybe suprised me the most is - how low is color fringing even at f0.95 (maybe I'm lucky with lens samples). @jonpais Thanks, I appreciate your comment. It is really great and encouraging if night shots look clean even at your big monitor/resolution! And yes - for these shots I played (and will and further on play) with reconstructed @Sage Alexa lut... I didn't bought it, but I inspected his process and results and tried to reconstruct... so, IMO, he really did marvel and I'm ready to take totally serious what he said about how close GH5 with cleverly tweaking channels/colors could be to, say, Alexa! Great time for artistic shooters... @webrunner5 Yes, it would be challenge even for me-fanatic (once upon a time I swam for national swimming team)... but maybe you still have some pirate boat around the corner... or forgotten in the your old full photo storeroom...

And you won't even need to cook it first!

The lowlight at the time was probably quite a bit better than the RED offerings.

Out of likes. Agree on that. But the MōVI® M10 came out in 2013. So they had gimbals soon after the Canon C series stuff came out, and the Red Scarlet.

Of course like most cameras these days it's possible to get good results. There are better options clearly when it comes to video but here is a vid I shot on the a7 ii a year or 2 ago. (To see something by someone with less talent than the example above) Mostly just to put some video to my music and it's the cam I had with me in Kazakhstan at the time.

Might be helpful

If the C500 is not enough camera for you, it’s worth considering that perhaps the camera is not actually the issue. After all, if it’s good enough for a major motion picture... and with that said I as high a hopes as I have for the P4k, I’m not expecting it to live up to a C500. Just keeping it real.

Try 50-100 1.8 Art its must have with 18-35 ?

So I finally updated my nightly build to the July 4th build and so far everything seems good... once I remembered all of my settings. I also tested the 4K crop module and in all modes it seemed unuasable. 2/3rds of the screen was whited out. And I really couldn’t get any higher resolutions/lower bit modes to work cleanly in LiveView. I don’t know if it was the build I was using or if I just didn’t have the correct settings configured... either way... I just reinstalled the latest nightly build.

Heey, I took the ump and the leica-r summicrons for a testspin. I did make a lot of errors but learned from them, so I can take that with me on the next project. Feedback is welcome. Kind regards,

Well if you made mistakes I sure don't see them. That was pretty awesome. Man BMD sure has some crazy good cameras. I can't wait for the 4K BMPCC.

This is how I envisage Sony's planning meetings concluding for every version of the RX100