Andrew Reid

NAB 2013, Las Vegas, USA - April 8, 2013 - Blackmagic Design today announced Blackmagic Production Camera 4K, a new high resolution 4K digital film camera with an innovative large Super 35 size sensor with professional global shutter, combined with precision EF mount optics and high quality Apple ProRes 422 (HQ) file recording for only US$3,995. Blackmagic Production Camera 4K will be demonstrated on the Blackmagic Design NAB 2013 booth at #SL218. The latest high end televisions and video projectors support Ultra HD, which is four times the resolution of regular HD video. The Blackmagic Production Camera 4K shoots to high quality compressed CinemaDNG RAW and ProRes 422 (HQ) files in 4K, giving customers a complete solution to shoot the most amazing high resolution music videos, episodic television production, television commercials, sports, documentaries, news stories, interviews and feature films. The new Blackmagic Production Camera 4K also supports the new 6G-SDI video connection out so it can be used on live video production. Blackmagic Production Camera 4K has been designed with portability and durability in mind. With standard connections and an internal battery packed inside a beautiful machined aluminum design, the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K will easily handle the rigors of location work. A high resolution LCD display shows settings such as shutter speed, color temperature, aperture and timecode in an easy to read status strip. The built in capacitive touchscreen offers direct access to menus with a touch of the finger and allows changing settings such as recording format, shutter angle and more. The touchscreen also allows users to enter important metadata that is compatible with popular video editing software including Final Cut Pro X. With a large Super 35 size sensor, cinematographers get familiar framing and behavior from the lenses they already own. This camera sensor features a global shutter and its large size allows minimal crop factor so cinematographers get nice wide angle shots from their wide angle lenses. When working in HD customers can use the high resolution images to reframe and zoom into shots without any quality loss. With the built in EF compatible lens mount there is a wide choice of optics to take advantage of the large Super 35 size sensor without cropping. Cinematographers get the choice of the world's most amazing optics from leading lens crafters like Canon, Zeiss and more, with full electronic control. The EF compatible lens mount means customers are not locked into a specific lens and even professional cinema lenses with EF mount with professional rails and follow focus accessories can be used. The Blackmagic Production Camera 4K easily captures 4K in compressed CinemaDNG RAW and ProRes 422 (HQ) using the built in high speed SSD recorder. Once the shoot has wrapped, the disk can be connected to a computer for editing or color correction of the shots straight from the disk, which can be formatted in either HFS+ or ExFAT for Mac and Windows compatibility. In addition to the regular CinemaDNG RAW format, Blackmagic Design will also implement a QuickTime wrapper for the open standard CinemaDNG and companion codec, allowing the camera to record in a format that allows RAW editing in popular editing software. The wide dynamic range of the Super 35 sized sensor can be mapped into the quantizing range of the file so you can color grade shots to allow greater detail in highlights and shadows. When working fast, the customer can also record to regular Rec. 709 video files. Blackmagic Production Camera 4K uses standard connections, so customers do not need to worry about sourcing custom cables. The camera features 6G-SDI output that can be down-converted to HD or used for amazing quality Ultra HD video. In addition, the device includes a built-in Thunderbolt port and UltraScope software for real time waveform monitoring. For audio you get 1/4” jack mic/line inputs plus 12V to 30V DC input, a 3.5mm headphone socket and LANC remote control. And with a built-in uncompressed audio recorder you can eliminate post audio synching altogether. “Customers have been asking us to design a camera with global shutter and a large sensor. With the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K we have delivered that, plus the high resolution needed for the latest Ultra HD production work,” said Grant Petty, CEO, Blackmagic Design. “This is a very exciting camera and it produces amazing looking pictures that we are sure everyone will love. It’s going to allow Ultra HD programming to be simple and easy!” Blackmagic Production Camera 4K Key Features Large high resolution 4K Super 35 mm sized sensor with superior handing of image detail. Professional global shutter for smooth pans and image motion. Wide 12 stops of dynamic range allows capture of increased details for feature film look. Compatible with extremely high quality EF mount lenses. Built in SSD recorder allows long duration recording onto solid state disks. Open file formats compatible with popular NLE software, such as Apple ProRes and compressed CinemaDNG 12 bit RAW. No custom file formats. Features all standard connections, including jack mic/line audio in, 6G-SDI output for monitoring with camera status graphic overlay, headphone mini jack, Thunderbolt, LANC remote control and standard DC 12 power connection. Built in touch screen LCD for camera settings and metadata entry compatible with popular video editing software including Final Cut Pro X. Supports Ultra HD and 1080HD resolution capture in 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97 and 30 fps. Includes UltraScope software for live scopes via the built in Thunderbolt connection. Includes DaVinci Resolve color grading software.   Availability and Price Blackmagic Production Camera 4K will be available in July for US$3,995 from Blackmagic Design resellers worldwide.

CVP are taking pre-orders and claim Blackmagic are again aiming for start of July with the new Production and Pocket Cinema Cameras. The Production Camera is expected to be EF mount. No mirrorless or Micro Four Thirds version. The mount on the Pocket Camera will be active M43 and compatible with Panasonic & Olympus lenses. Blackmagic's website is down (possibly due to high traffic), just as the official press release was due to be published [url=http://www.eoshd.com/content/10027/live-coverage-blackmagic-production-camera-4k-and-pocket-cinema-camera]Read the full article here[/url]

Global shutter on a CMOS does impact noise and dynamic range but all depends on the individual sensor how it will turn out. Seems strange to omit the number of stops of DR from the banner at NAB, if it was 13 stops I would have thought that would be worth shouting about like with the Pocket Cinema Camera.   10bit is fine.   If they use a CCD sensor (which is highly unlikely) global shutter comes 'for free' and doesn't impact the image.   Maybe they have a rolling shutter mode too - usually sensors with a global shutter can do that as well.   I won't miss uncompressed raw too much, won't be much difference in image quality with compressed raw I don't think. It also does ProRes. 4K ProRes would be lovely looking too.

Updated the article. CVP had a M43 mount version for pre-order. This was a mistake. EF mount only.   Hopefully there will be a mention of E-mount somewhere in the official info when it comes in the next few hours.

Wonder when Sony and Canon will enter the market?   :)

Surely it doesn't do uncompressed raw recording internally in a body that sized to SD card?   Though the poster certainly suggests that is possible!?

This is just.... insane. Blackmagic are set to announce the Blackmagic Production Camera with 4K Super 35mm global shutter sensor and a Pocket Cinema Camera with Super 16mm sensor, raw and active Micro Four Thirds mount. Apart from the form factor remaining the same, Blackmagic have done everything we could ever have hoped (dreamed?) for with the V2.0 camera. I have to say the pricing is completely bonkers. Just $1000 more for 4K AND a larger sensor AND a global shutter AND compressed Cinema DNG! [url=http://www.eoshd.com/content/10018/blackmagic-production-camera-4k-shocks-nab-4k-for-4k-compressed-raw-super-35mm-and-global-shutter]Read the full article here[/url]

It is staying for now - necessary to distinguish at the start of the page title / URL between the comments thread and the article itself for Google search results. However it will be changed before long so that only the page title for Google will be like "EOSHD Forum - Plantom Flex...." and the Blog Comments thing won't show any more. Just need to find out how to do it without having to recode the forum topic titling system.

http://vimeo.com/63490371   Totally blown away by this.   And it isn't just the slow mo -  Imagine the kind of photography in terms of the stills you can get with this ultra high resolution, high speed cinematography.   Congrats to Vision Research, AbelCine and the director Brendan Bellomo and DP Gregory Wilson.

  Sony have revealed two very early prototype cameras at NAB. They are hybrid stills / video cameras from the pro A/V division in Japan. One is a DSLR style camera with what looks like a PL mount. Sony is also committed to developing a range of full frame cinema prime lenses. [url=http://www.eoshd.com/content/10004/sony-show-cinema-eos-style-future-camera-range-based-around-full-frame-dslrs]Read the full article here[/url]

  Key info 4K at 1000fps, uncompressed raw and TBA 'industry standard' codec $140,000 with 2TB CineMag October delivery date The record breaking (4K at 900fps) FT-One just got bettered by Vision Research who have unveiled their latest Flex high speed camera at NAB. Delivery doesn't start until October at the earliest as features are still being added throughout the Summer of 2013, but the prototype at NAB is able to record and function at a high level despite the early state of the firmware. [url=http://www.eoshd.com/content/9997/phantom-flex-4k-revealed-1000fps-at-full-resolution]Read the full article here[/url]

Looks good, but need to ship in volume.

DXOMark is weird.   I see a significant decrease in low light performance with the V2 due to the 14MP res over 10MP. Really is nosier than the V1 at high ISOs but the extra stuff compensates for it.

The cynicism is not very appealing guys.   Regardless of what you think of the price, this idea didn't exist in the community before.   Sometimes it takes 'advertising' to get the word out. I think Vincent is someone who shot with it and thought it worth shouting about.   That is very different to advertising where someone is paid to shout about something usually mundane.   If you heard of the MoVI style use of copter gyro gimbal tech before now, why aren't YOU shouting about it?

Informative...   http://timurcivan.blogspot.de/2013/04/liberation-something-wicked-this-was.html   The MoVI comes with the wireless video monitoring system and control unit. Timur was the DP and explains how they operated.   Sounds like really good fun to shoot with it.   For people concerned about the price - I am sure there's a lot of potential sub $3000 ones in the pipeline as it is based on existing copter tech.

Brown owl / chicken... All does the same job. Organic accelerometers are wonderful. How about a new brand at NAB 2014? RotarOwl? ChickPan?

Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't believe the Zenmuse has accelerometers or the ability to do pans and tilts in the same way the MoVI does.   If a cheap DIY solution can be had for DSLR shooters then I am all for it but it has to perform and be made for the purpose.   Attaching a top handle to the quadrocopter gimbal is one thing... A purpose built system quite another.

Even if unaffordable to most indies to own, it certainly helps popularise the concept. Expect a lot of cheaper alternatives.

It is silly to be cynical about something because of how badly people might use it!   I am sure when space travel becomes a cheap practical reality, people will be moaning about all those wannabe Captain Spocks flying around with their warp drives bumping into Mars. Who cares.   The creativity and freedom to move the camera this thing gives us is enormous!   And it is not all about 10 minute tracking shots. Subtle moves and pans / tilts are going to be common uses too. A tripod is so very yesterday.   The MoVI is very similar to the 5D Mark II, it allows a talent to fly. Without talent and creative ideas it is nothing, same with the cameras.

Well - my thinking is... They're a small company, small team of 5 people. To do the kind of quantities a low price point would have necessitated wouldn't be possible. Sorry but that is the way it is. Better to provide it first of all in small quantities to pros - and they are certainly willing to pay for such a thing.   I hope - really hope - they will grow significantly and in a year to 2 years be offering price competitive devices, as the market is sure to flood with similar things for cheaper very soon.   In a related note - How did the steadicam builders miss this? Have they been ignoring the quadrocopter scene altogether? Strange.

  Yes it is.   Goodbye tracks, dolly, tripod, slider, steadicam.

The shots this allows you to do conveniently and quickly are incredible in my view, very cinematic.   Check out the GH3 footage shot with the MoVI in his other video at Vimeo On Demand http://www.vimeo.com/ondemand/movi

[media]http://vimeo.com/62917185[/media] Check out the GH3 MoVI footage and donate to charity - $3 at Vimeo On Demand If you've ever wanted to pull off just about any camera move with a tiny handheld rig, that just became reality. Potentially replacing the traditional steadicam at a stroke the tiny lightweight MōVI (easier to Google as "Movi") is a gyro stabilised platform with gimbal and hand grip. It appears to be so effective it allows you to pull of a tracking shot without a track, a pan / tilt without a tripod and a dolly shot without a dolly! [url=http://www.eoshd.com/content/9985/movi-set-to-revolutionise-filmmaking-vincent-laforet-shows-gyro-stabiliser-by-freefly-systems-with-footage-from-gh3-and-1d-c]Read the full article here[/url]

I'm keen to find someone back in Britain to service LOMO anamorphic lenses. The one I know is superb (Olexander or Olex Camera Services) but being based in the Ukraine has me a bit afraid customs may open the box and kick the lens around the floor for fun :)

As far as I know if you do it as a business or gain any kind of credit / reward for operating one, you are wrapped up warmly in red tape.   No such regulations go for drones operated merely as hobbies, non-commercial uses - which is great but also a little silly - as the pros are more likely to operate one safely and yet anyone else can seemingly do pretty much what they like with no rules!?