Bioskop.Inc

Still got my OG Pocket & all I can say is forget RAW, simply because ProRes HQ has all the DR you'll ever need - RAW also produces way too much M&A & noise, whilst I've never seen in it in PRHQ. Also the highlight roll off is lovely, even if you clip it slightly & I've had to do that a few times in the past - no complaints.

It does get hot - i've burnt my finger on the metal casing before, but it was about +30 degrees when I that happened!

Make sure you've got the latest FW on it, as they made huge strides with the Video mode setting & the colour it produced - it was like they'd added a BM LUT to the Film setting & you still had room to grade it more.

Be really careful of the mini-HDMI port as it is really fragile - i've heard of it breaking even with a cage clamp. Which brings me onto the screen - don't believe all the rubbish about how bad it is. I never used anything but it's screen & I was able to nail focus every time - I could pull focus using it too!

IR/UV cut filter essential. And if i remember correctly WB of 4500 was always a safe bet, which you could easily tweak in post if need be.

Nice lens & pretty rare, so well done for buying it.

A few tips about infinity & some vintage lenses (especially the Helios) - I've found that sometimes the taking lenses infinity mark is slightly off & you might need to dial it back a little (mm if anything). Test the taking lens, get the infinity set properly & tape it down so it doesn't move or remember the mark - this should sort your infinity problem out with some vintage lenses, it's certainly the case with most of my Russain lenses.

The Meyer 100m is a really nice lens, one of my favourites for colour/contrast, not always the sharpest but I don't care about that nonsense.

I've found that the Nikon Ai-s 50mm F1.8 pancake lens is a really good one for anamorphics - really cheap too!

Another one to think about is the Super-Takumar 55mm F1.8 - small & sharp (don't get the SMC one, the Super-Tak version is single coated so will be good for flares etc.).

The normal rule of thumb for taking lenses for these anamorphic attachments is to find one with a simple lens recipe - the Helios 44-2 is normally a winner with most of these attachments, but if it's not working for you then you'll need to experiment.

One thing to take account of, if this is really a Baby Iscorama rebranded etc. (as is claimed in this thread), then wide open they are dreamy soft.

Don't get put off by the GH5, saw this the other day & it certainly doesn't disappoint 

14 hours ago, IronFilm said:

I agree with most of your post, up until the last sentence. 

BMD never repeated worldwide (aside from a momentary flash here or there at some shops shortly after) half price sale of the BMPCC. It was for most intents or purposes a "one off". 

Many of us waited to see it happen for the BMPCC again, only to never get that chance again. And it took a very very long time to wait for 2ndhand prices to universally come down to the sub $500 level. 

And I waited for ages for a half price Micro Cinema Camera which sadly never came :-(
 

You can dream can't you?! I personally think they'll do another half price sale at some point & you'll have to jump quick. The Micro was a waste of time & energy - a drone cam at best & they got it totally wrong. My guess is that they stopped production & just sold back stock, so no point of a sale.

I'm happy with my OG Pocket & that comparison video just shows why - it's still can hold it's own against most things. This little camera isn't a pain to use & is stunning - they got it right & just not sure it'll happen like this for a while.

The only reason I won't jump on the 4K bandwagon is that it really isn't as widely adopted as a delivery format as people seem to make out. TBH there isn't much you can watch on a 4K TV - Amazon/Netflix own brand product & YouTube/Vimeo, but the rest is HD. It took ages for HD to take off, not only as a delivery format but also a recording one too. I'm happy to no longer invest, just rent.

Getting a bit bored of the slow-mo & the RAW footage! Would really like to see what this camera can do all by itself - ProRes & No Log. I really think this would be the best way to see what this camera is all about & what they've put together. As far as no mojo, think that's all down to it being a 4K camera & the OG Pocket was S16 - they couldn't be more different beasts. To me 4K cameras just look like 4K cameras - not much to choose between them TBH. Yeah it's cheaper than the GH5 or whatever other camera, but it does do just 1 thing - the others take photos, so at least you've always got that handy option.

8 hours ago, mercer said:

He thinks he’s smarter than everybody else and he’s a miserable prick. Admittedly, I shouldn’t have let him bother me so much but after a while, his annoying little comments are grating. 

Yep, we should be calling these people out as Trolls (there are 2 of them, but one backs off when challenged).

I think we should rename them as the "Egyptian Trolls", after are most famous useless Troll/Advisor/Imposter & Waste of Space contributor. It's getting really annoying as people are sharing stuff, which is a brave thing to do online as it really brings out the worst in some idiots. But this forum always seemed like an accepting safe haven from that & people would give constructive criticism or just shut their big mouths instead of being nasty!

No forum is perfect, but at least here most people are understanding & accepting. My biggest grip is the PK4 thread that was taken over by a GH5 troll - what a waste. Perhaps we need to counter attack or just keep people in check?

Anywho, back to this thread: So here is a run'n'gun I did with the OG Pocket - The very wide shot was done without a tripod, which meant standing still for 6mins (got 3 bites of the action - 1 wide shot & 1 close up of singer both shot during sound check & run'n'gun during the actual gig). Using 3 points of contact, using a cheap viewfinder on the BMPCC screen, a Krasnogorsk-3 pistol grip/shoulder brace rig with a Zacuto baseplate with rails & taking lens with anamorphic adaptor (just under 1kg of weight).

29 minutes ago, webrunner5 said:

Super wide angle lenses are the Thing, and have been for a few years. And a 50mm is what we see I said that. And guess what it is boring as shit to see in a movie. It is the, been there done that thing. You act like a 90 year old man. Get with it. Yeah I fight because there is some silly ass statements on here that are just not true. Basic stuff that most people Ought to know 2 years into photography.

Yeah and I am a asshole because I tell it like it is. Some people on here act like all this shit was just invented 4 years ago. You want to be great at your craft, or just jump from system to system hoping for a miracle. The miracle is somewhere between your ears, learn to use it instead of the latest toy. Go back to basics, learn lenses, not just a 50mm. That has been done already. Be different, that is what stands out, different.

I am not grumpy, I am trying to let you know it is a brave new world out there now. 50mm Is old hat. Everybody does that. You want to be like Everybody., That is pretty boring. I hardly ever used a 50mm equivalent on weddings I took, or even all the ENG work I did. It looks flat, no depth to it.  And no don't give me that oh I have a f1.2  50mm stuff. For weddings, ENG you Never want to be out OOF, never. So it is useless as tits on a boar hog in that circumstance.. Sure for static stuff on a tripod, yeah that works. But that is not what is in this month, this year. Run n Gun is the thing, and a 0.95 lens is pretty silly in that circumstance.

stupid cunt, that is pretty funny coming from a Prick.

Weddings! Ahhh! Now that explains a lot & you mentioned the unmentionable or at least the one thing no one ever comes out & admits.

The topic of the thread is about the one lens you'd like to use for the rest of your life & not what is the current craze so lets jump on a band wagon. It would be a sorry world if we all wanted the same thing or that we had to be pressured into saying or using a type of focal length because everyone else was - that's just plain stupid & pathetic. I've used loads of lenses throughout the years from super wide angle to near telescopic lenses - as you said, all these things have been around for years & it's not as if anyone is reinventing the wheel. And your ridiculous comment about a brave new world, it's the same one i've been in for decades - there's no new focal lengths & so nothing new to try.

So why shouldn't I like my Super Takumar 55mm f1.8? It's a lens that I personally like. It's not boring or unoriginal, it's a lens out of many that exist & one that I keep going back to. I don't really go back to many 50mm lenses, but this one I do. I also love my Meyer Orestor 100m f2.8 for it's colour & you could include the 30mm Lydith as well. And the Helios 40-2 (85mm) for it's crazy swirly bokeh when shot wide open. There's a plethora of lenses & no shame in my or anyone's choice.

You go on about how people should want to stand out & be different, but you also state that everyone nowadays shoots with wide angle lenses - so how is that being different. See being different is using a wide angle lens for a close up, but you don't really see that a lot? (For those of you that don't know what that looks like just watch Amelie, those weird close ups - bingo!)

And Run'n'Gun isn't a new thing, it's been around for ever. The new thing, kinda, is people using Photography cameras to shoot video with, getting disappointed that they look like video because they're using photography lenses to shoot with & not really understanding why a cinema camera (and what goes into making a film) looks the way it does when used by someone who knows what they're doing. We all should know that these DSLRs are basically cheap under par compromises. I really tried to get on board & they're good for certain things. But the OG Pocket was the closest I've come to liking the image coming out of one of these things & I loved using without trying to make it anything other than what it was - a S16 sized sensor.

3 hours ago, webrunner5 said:

Each division of lenses has a Look whether you like it or not. You can not make a 105mm lens look like a 24mm lens and vice versa no matter if you move forward or backwards. Crazy talk. And a 50mm really has no Look to it that is different than what We see. So it is pretty plain looking in reality. It has nothing unexpected to it, good or bad.

Wide angles un compress the back ground, and telephoto lenses compress them. Simple as that.

3 hours ago, webrunner5 said:

What the hell does that have to do with focal length?? Any lens, regardless of length can have all of those attributes.

Why are you always out for a fight & have to be right? All your statements here are just so obvious they're unimportant. See, I find wide angle lenses to be as boring & a waste of time. They're special effect lenses that have no use whatsoever, other than allowing people to capture everything simply because they can't make a decision. This whole "I've got to be able to see everything" is completely uninspiring, unnatural & reeks of amateur time.

You're wrong when you say a 50mm isn't a good focal length for precisely the reason you gave - it's how we see & what could be better than than? Perhaps if we walked around with our eyes shut or do you prefer bug eyes? It really boils down to the fact that you don't like it or perhaps you just can't shoot properly with one?

Stop being a grumpy fucking arsehole! It was funny for a while, but now you're just coming across as a stupid cunt!

5 hours ago, zerocool22 said:

I would not hold my breath for that half price sale. If it does, im buying 3 pocket 4K's. 

You know it's going to happen - I mean why wouldn't they? It's a cheap camera & they'll either want to flood the market [once they've ironed out all the Beta problems] or will need to off load, after all the Beta testers sell them for cheap & no one wants to pay full price anymore.

5 hours ago, Jocelyn Deguise said:

If you can wait a year before getting it, then you don't need it.

Yep, you're absolutely right there. I don't need another camera & can wait for a bargain, but we'll see how the complaints go first shall we?

I love the way people think BM have changed - it took them a year of Firmware updates till they finally left the OG Pocket alone & it got to stores at about the same pace this one.

No need to worry, the camera will get to you in the end & the longer you wait, the better - as they'll listen to the beta testers & solve loads of issues before you actually have it in your hands.

Still gonna wait for the Half Price Fire Sale that'll come next year - you just know they'll do it again!

I really love my Super-Takumar 55mm f1.8 & I don't care what sensor it's on.

For me, it's never about focal length, it's how the lens always seems to deliver something special no mater what. The exclamation "it's not wide enough" is never something that enters my mind - I just move about & frame with what I've got.

Go take a look at the original version of Point Blank (1967) - they just used a 50mm lens & diopters.

To get steady shots with a minimal set up, then you need 3 points of contact to your body - just holding the camera bare bones is a complete disaster without in-camera/lens help (& then you get that dodgy looking image). If you rig out the camera for a shoulder rig, then unless you exercise & build up your back muscles, you will ruin your back for life - you also will need to learn to put the camera down, a lot or at least take it off your shoulder (years of using ENG cameras taught me so much, especially how delicate & important your back is). Heavier lenses always help with a small camera, but again, you'll need to re-asses how you hold the camera (cradle it or use a top handle etc.) & add movement to your shots to avoid noticing those slight movements you get from breathing or just standing still for too long - you won't be able to just hold it out in front of you for extended amounts of time.

It's amazing how many people just don't want to practice, practice, practice! Handheld camera operating isn't something you can learn or be good at overnight - It's time consuming & you just can't rush to the finishing line without putting in the time. IMHO all the gimbals, IS (whether in-camera/lens or in post) etc. will never look as good or natural as a well rehearsed handheld shot & in the end you will be able to get those shots without thinking about what you're doing.

If you can't be bothered, then a Tripod or Monopod are your options - I also have the Gorillapod with me, as it's so adaptable & will get you shots you'd never be able to get with anything else.

9 minutes ago, JordanWright said:

Cvp emailed me saying they have recieved cameras and will allocate them first come first served. 

I haven’t had mine allocated yet and they previously told me I was in the first 20. That means cvp must have recieved less than 20 cameras.

The first Pocket camera trickled into the UK at a very slow pace - some places got 5 a week, some got 3 or less. Unfortunately, you're all going to have to play the waiting game - the US & Asia got them a lot quicker than those of us in the UK last time round, but we did get them....in the end!

Nothing wrong with your idea, back in the day we used to borrow 2 or 3 Sony Z1s from work & shoot shorts etc... Not the best quality, but they were broadcast approved & had all you needed all in one handy package. Just remember that Festen was filmed using a Sony Handycam & it is still one of the best films from the 90s! As long as your story is good, it doesn't matter what you shoot it on. Just shoot something....

I'm editing up a short ATM which I shot a few years ago on my 60D - I had shelved it as I decided the original idea wasn't that great & work got in the way. I've come back to it now, with loads of ideas & I don't care what I shot it on - it looks absolutely fabulous considering what people say about how crap the 60D was for filming. I'm also using this film as a way of learning Resolve, finally!

2 hours ago, DBounce said:

Well here’s a BIG YES!

Think it might be a no after all - spec sheet on website doesn't have 3k anamorphic mode on it.

Only the mini pro 4.6k has that mode ATM! Maybe something they might add in a future firmware update - they added loads of improvements via updates on the last Pocket, so if people shout enough this might be there too.

5 minutes ago, mercer said:

I’d be thrilled with 2K Raw up to 60p continuous with DPAF... well worth the upgrade.

If they can get a 2.7K “Alexa” mode, or even 3K with a clean liveview... well that’s just icing on the cake. 

Yeah, if it's good enough for ARRI, then this would really be something for the 5D4.

Also, don't forget all the other goodies ML gives the camera for shooting pics, timelapses etc...

But, then BM just announced their version of RAW, but their cameras don't take dedicated stills - exciting times!

2 minutes ago, DBounce said:

Well more reason to focus on the 1DXMK2... it is not a “C” camera.

Yeah, it might happen, but will probably need someone to donate/lend them one to do the work on or be a guinea pig. If you've got one, go to the forum & ask - they are the most friendly/helpful bunch i've ever encountered for a forum.

2 hours ago, Andrew Reid said:

I entirely missed the 3K anamorphic mode. When did that creep in? Why is nobody reporting on it?

I think it was mentioned, but just not enough Anamorphic shooters on here for anyone to shout YES!

1 minute ago, DBounce said:

1DXMk2... need coffee. Warned off? Didn’t phone manufacturers loses a similar suit about custom roms? 

That happened a while ago, they stated that Canon didn't want them hacking their C Series camera, which I think included the 1DC. But, the real problem is going to be access to this camera, as this has been a stumbling block in the past for some of the cameras. Anywho, even if they get stable continuous 2 or 3k out of this, it'll be worth it & knowing the ML teams dogged attitude, they'll probably get 4K running after a while.

9 minutes ago, DBounce said:

They should be focusing on the 1DMk2. It has the media to handle the data rates. 

Isn't it the 1DCMk2? They have been warned off these cameras, which is why they never tried to hack the 1DC.

The detail in that half-image is amazing!

2 hours ago, seanzzxx said:

I mean at this point you're just outright misrepresenting what Areia shot. Yes, he did shoot a video walking around a zoo. He also shot what I consider to be a well-shot, edited and graded video

You're right, this was one of the better vids released, but mostly because he used vintage glass & the whole thing shone.

I think the bigger question here is what were BM doing in Manchester? Well, we know that the BBC has it's main hub up there now & they are one of the most rigorous testers of cameras - they have a list of cameras you can & can't use to film with. There is no wriggle room whatsoever & if it doesn't make their list you are screwed! DSLR's are not allowed, only for timelapse or extreme location shooting. It's obvious that BM have gone the ENG style route for their other cameras & if you look at the link below, you can see the report for their URSA MIni 4.6K (tier 2, oops!):

https://tech.ebu.ch/camera_reports_tech3335

The conclusion makes for interesting reading (as does the whole thing & then read the Arri one!). It would be interesting to see who they invited, my guess anyone who could get them a break in the BBC market or even the BBC themselves. Small cameras like this could be good work horses for small BBC productions, but the BBC won't use RAW or Film mode - they want good quality & quick turnaround ("fix it in post" is not a phrase to be used, ever!).

The other thing to think about is that BM seem to have forgotten the UK - last time round the Pocket's came in in 2s or 3s (Asia & US got loads). I think the tipping point for Andrew was probably that Cinema 5D got a look in & they really don't deserve to. I think most people would have preferred Andrew to see what was what, but hey, the advertising people probably don't know shit. And yes, the somewhat sloppy/unprofessional nature of some of the videos does beg the question of why they gave them to some people - they do want people to buy this thing, don't they?

Anyway, read some of those reports - very interesting & informative if you ever want to be taken seriously.

(GH5 report is on there too!)

9 minutes ago, Kieran said:

The iBong is in production as we speak ; )

That's what they meant by Liquid Retina! Well, if it doesn't make phone calls, I'm not buying it!

Look, Pros use Film, Red, Arri, Canon & Sony (in no particular order), they do not use BM cameras. They are not seen as reliable & they have had huge QC issues. I know all cameras have this, but for some reason BM hasn't really caught on in the Pro arena (Crash cams & JB don't count). I'm not being mean, because I bought the 1st Pocket & think it's great - should have bought their first 4k box too, as that really shone (in a properly light environment). These cameras are for people who haven't got the budgets to rent for projects & need to buy something cheap - it's got loads of flavours of ProRes (great) & RAW (no one uses RAW). They are not for Pros....

46 minutes ago, Kieran said:

You've always got to hide the hash ?

Tried Alt+B and no Bong came flying out of the keyboard!

Damn these Apple people, they tempt you & then let you down!

It's a conspiracy.....

52 minutes ago, Kieran said:

 

Try hitting 'alt' and '3' to get the #

##############################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################

What else are these fuckers hiding from me!

32 minutes ago, Andrew Reid said:

I am not slating the guy.....I know it is the Trump-era and people are a little sensitive about criticism just like him. You can't seem to critique the work of someone these days without it coming across as you hating the living daylights of the person who made it. I certainly don't hate.

This sort of attitude is starting to get on my tits - it's the internet, you post something & you take what comes (the good & the stuff you don't want to hear).

Digital Bolex footage really stands out as something special everytime & such a shame it all went belly up. There is a film on Netflix shot entirely on the DB - "Hashtag Horror" (sorry no symbol for hashtag on my keyboard - fucking macs, suppose apple don't want anyone going on twitter being mean to them!)

When is this camera coming out, so the real tantrums can begin - I need more entertainment on my days off!