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crevice

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    crevice got a reaction from Matias Mayolo in Blackmagic Micro Cinema Super Guide and Why It Still Matters   
    Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera Super Guide and Why it Still Matters Today
    The Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera was released in 2012. At the rate that cameras are being announced these days, that’s a century ago in the consumer/prosumer world. The camera was released with very little fanfare as it didn’t have a monitor and was marketed as a great companion to drones, head cams, dash cams, sport cams, etc. Some people rigged it up, but for the most part it wasn’t exactly the most popular camera at the time. Though I keep speaking in past tense, this camera is still available to buy today - though with the Pocket 4k and 6k on the market - it’s very unlikely anybody is buying them. As we enter the most competitive market ever for the low/mid tier videographer and filmmaker, I am here to tell why this small unassuming - and rather ancient by todays standards - camera is special and why it could fit well with some of you.
     
    This guide is meant to be a fun way to explore a hidden gem, not to cause a spec war, fanboy war, or any kind of mean spirited debate. It is just an opinion of one person, but something that I have been thinking about doing for awhile. Lets get into.
     
    Brief History
    The Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera shares the same sensor as it’s older cousin, the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera. A camera that truly revolutionized the filmmaking world, by giving filmmakers that didn’t have the cash to buy expensive cinema gear a camera that had an amazing cinematic and filmic quality to it. Something that wasn’t found in DSLRs at the time with not only the film look, but also specs. The camera could record internal RAW at a price point that was and still is unheard of. But the camera suffered from many issues. The screen was garbage, there was a lot FPN issues, and most notably the battery life was straight up horrible. Batteries would last around 20 minutes and often times much less.
    The Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera shares the same sensor as the original pocket. Its’ a sensor created by Fairchild Imaging, with a sensor called the CIS1910F. Fairchild are a company based out of San Jose, CA. They have created several sensors for Blackmagic, but I believe the new sensors of the Pocket 4k/6k are now Sony sensors. The sensor is important in this guide, because thats where the special sauce lies.
     
    Blackmagic Micro Differences to Pocket
    The Blackmagic at first glance seems like a stripped down original Blackmagic pocket. The thing is, it actually cleaned up quite a bit inside the hood. The micro received a new more modern processor, allowing it to clean up some FPN issues and improved rolling shutter. Though not a low light beast, it handles things generally better all the way around compared to the Pocket. When using a monitor, accessing the menus though tedious with its button placement, is much more responsive - where the pocket was a lag fest.
    Here is where we get to the good stuff. The micro cinema camera on paper and at first glance seems like a bit of a letdown. No monitor? No cold shoe? No handle? Canon Batteries? But, thats because of how Blackmagic marketed it. They didn’t market it like how Red or Zcam do it, which is a modular camera with a build your own adventure way to build it. They didn't even really offer accessories for it. But that is how it needs to be looked at. You get a brain and you need to add accessories, there is no way around it. But building around it is not as daunting as most people make it seem and once you take the step, you really unlock something special.
     
    Whats the Point of This and What Makes this Camera Special?
    I am going to use some overused/misused terminology here to explain how the footage looks and what makes it special. In a current era where modern sensors show every single pore and are mostly made by Sony (with insane modern feats) - there is an organic look about the early Blackmagic cameras (BMMCC, BMPCC, BMCC) that is special and has a very film like look to it, which is what Blackmagic set out to achieve and emulate. This is going back to Fairchild and what they were able to achieve. The look that is ever so popular with almost every young filmmaker and over used on almost every filmmakers youtube titles - which is a ”cinematic or film look”.
    Yeah, I know, you want to argue its lighting and lenses and actual cinematography skills that achieves that. You are right. But there are still more tangible attributes besides that which can affect the way a video looks. Color science, DR, a soft look, and motion cadence are 4 keys to getting that look. If you can nail all of those, you get a rather easy filmic/cinematic look out the box. And the Blackmagic micro has all of those and is really the last Blackmagic camera to ever use one of those organic sensors that Fairchild brewed up. It’s also the last and only Blackmagic camera that you are able to buy today that has one of those most special sensors every created for its cheap price and accessibility. . It is a hidden gem and footage from the camera are often confused for cameras way out of its league. It’s a look that modern mirrorless cameras don’t often have, at least not without heavy film grain, pro mist filters, vintage glass, added motion blur, etc. What makes this camera special is not on the spec sheet, because 1080p isn’t going to making you excited. It’s not on the paper that will make you go “wow”. It’s simply with the footage. You can throw all the specs you want. The footage of this camera and the fact that it’s still available today new and very cheap used, is the reason for this entire guide.
     
    Keys To Rigging
    You need a cage and an external monitor. There is no way around this. If you don’t purchase or have those, there is no point exploring further. Remember, like I briefly mentioned above - don’t think drone cam or sports cam - think modular RAW capable cinema cam. Smallrig and 8sinn both make cages for it, I have the smallrig and don’t see why you would need anything else. Take your pick with monitor, that is a personal choice, but I prefer something with Sony style NPF batteries.
    If you only shoot RAW with this camera (which is what I do) - then you can basically set your settings and forget them. I would leave your ISO at 800 and manage your light with your lens aperture and variable ND Filter. There is no need to go into any menus, other than to possibly reformat your memory card. If you do that, you avoid the headache which is the awkward placement on the menu buttons.
    If you shoot pro-res and you want to constantly change settings (ISO, WB, etc) then you will need to either get used to the buttons or buy a second hand “One Little Remote”. Which is a little add on module that can help you change your cameras settings without menu diving.
    For battery, you can use canon batteries for about an hour/hour half before it dies. Or choose the best option, which is to buy the NPF bridge (https://www.starvingartist101.com) which allows you to simply attach NPF style batteries to the camera. With this option you can get around 4 hours of battery life on 1 charge or even longer if you opt for the larger style NPF batteries.
    A monitor most people already have. And if you shoot RAW, which is kind of what makes this camera special and what I recommend using, then you don’t need to menu dive or you can simply use the one little remote. And if you use NPF batteries you now have a cinema camera that doesn’t require v-mount batteries and can shoot RAW video for about 4 hours. All in an insanely small package with amazing footage. I think thats what gets lost with this camera is that people complain about having to rig it up - but a lot of the add ons are either pretty cheap or you already have. The NPF bridge is around 30 bucks. Cage from smallrig is around $80. The monitor you prob already have. You really don’t need the one little remote if you shoot RAW or get used to the menus.
     
    Memory Cards
    If there is one legit complaint, its that newer sandisks memory cards do not work with this camera. Here is the scoop:
    “Please note that we have discovered an issue with the newer revision of the Sandisk Extreme Pro UHS-I SDXC 95 MB/s cards that begin with the product prefix SDSDXXG.
    These cards do not work with the following products:
    1. Pocket Cinema Camera
    2. Micro Cinema Camera
    3. Video Assist
    4. Video Assist 4K
    We believe that these new cards have the V30 rating on them.
    Currently, only Sandisk Extreme Pro UHS-I SDXC 95 MB/s cards that begin with the product prefix SDSDXP are compatible.”
     
    Though that sucks, good news is that if you have a sandisk pre 2018, it should work. Also there are non sandisk cards that do work. I have tested this one for example: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00X1406EC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and it works fine and with RAW. It is still something that you should be aware of. I got lucky and all my sandisks work.
     
    Speedbooster
    There is a dedicated speedbooster for this camera in Nikon or Canon variant. Its called Nikon G to BMPCC or Canon EF to BMPCC. There is a “T” version that has minor improvements, especially to the felt material inside. There are other speedboosters for micro four thirds that will work as well. Viltrox speedboosters also work. The difference is that the specific BMPCC version gives you a 0.58x vs x0.71 or higher crop factor.
     
    Resolution
    Let us now address the elephant in the room. This camera does not shoot 4k. If you want a camera that shoots 4k, this is not it, simple as that. But, if you are a person that cares more about the image quality than the resolution, you won’t be disappointed. But lets say you really do want 4k, well, there is another hidden gem that takes this camera one step further. Inside Davinci Resolve is a feature called “superscale” which upscales footage beautifully. And scaled micro cinema footage to UHD/4K looks fantastic. See Rob Ellis' beautiful video on this:
    Also even if you need 4k for certain projects, this camera should still be in your arsenal. It’s cheap enough where you can have it along side something like a pocket 4k/6k. Again, the footage speaks for itself.
     
    IR Cut and Moire
    I highly recommend using an IR Cut filter with this camera as there is some IR pollution that can affect your image if you dont use one. You can find some for as cheap as 20-30 bucks. There are also some moire filters, like the RAWLITE OLPF, that does IR CUT and reduces moire at the same time. You install this over the sensor and you dont have to worry about using filters, but it's costly. I don’t have too much of an issue with moire - so for most a simple IR Cut filter could be enough.
     
    Where to Buy
    You can still buy these new today. But you can score amazing kits on ebay, craigslist, etc. You can often find one with a one little remote, cage, and even memory cards for under $700. Some will even include a monitor. You can legit get a full kit for $1,000 - including every thing you need to shoot and rig it up.
     
    Conclusion (TL;DR)
    I made this post because I am a junky of sorts. I buy all the new cameras, fall into the hype traps, and have severe GAS. Every camera I have used lately has left me with a “meh” feeling. Except the micro. Specs can be great, some have amazing autofucus or great color. Some have shit color and shit bitrates. Some are great but the lens system and adapting to it are a pain. And some are plain beautiful but are really expensive. The micro has a rare balance of amazing filmic quality, a lens mount that most of us on here are well aware of at this point, fantastic battery life of around 4 hours with NPF batteries, compact size, legit RAW (not BRAW) to internal SD cards instead of expensive cfast or having an SSD hanging from your camera and its cheap. Ridiculously cheap if you buy used. It also has that old blackmagic special look so many of us fell in love with back in the day and in my opinion is lacking today. It is a hidden treasure in the filmmaking world that is still available new at many retailers. I created this to share and possibly open eyes to what is an amazing camera this is and probably the last of its breed.  As we enter the resolution wars with sharper, high res videos, we will slowly be leaving behind that soft organic look. If you like shooting older cameras with vintage glass to get that "look" then you can think of this camera the same way. You do it for the look, not for the specs. 
     
    Bonus: Footage!!!
    Here is some great content that I believe shows off this camera and what is capable of doing
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    (All the footage from his reel at the start of this video are from the micro)
     
  2. Like
    crevice got a reaction from Patrick B. in Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K   
    Patrick - you really shouldn't let the usability turn you away - the only must have is an external monitor - if you have that already, there is no reason to not buy one for how cheap they area. If you need more info or have questions, just send me a PM and I can help assist. 
  3. Like
    crevice got a reaction from Kieran in Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K   
    I’ve returned or sold many cameras in the past few years and have kept my micro the entire time. I agree with the quirks, but for me they are solvable. For example only shoot raw and manual focus lenses, so I have no need to ever even go into the menus - besides maybe to format a card once in awhile. So the menu buttons don’t bother me. I also have the NPF adapter, so battery life is great. So the micro is more compact, battery life is better, it has in my opinion the better raw codec, and a better filmic quality to it and also records to regular SD cards. Yet, nobody talks about it because of the way blackmagic promoted it as almost a drone only/go pro-ish brain. When in reality it’s an amazing filmic camera perfect for rigging. It’s truly one of the most insanely under-appreciated hidden gems in the consumer/prosumer film/video industry. Also, with resolve superscale - you can upscale it to 4k with amazing results. 
    @Skip77
    120hz only makes it look worse to me. It’s not the motion cadence being bad. Most starting out in the past few years won’t tell a difference. For us old timers, the motion cadence we are speaking of gives a bit more cinematic feel to it. For example the micros motion cadence seems slower, with more natural blur, which I find more pleasing. 
  4. Thanks
    crevice got a reaction from Kieran in Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K   
    Here are my early impressions of the pocket 6k
     
    - My camera came with scuffs and scratches all over the body. It looked like it has been used for months. Went on FB and saw several people complaining and posting pictures of very bad scratches and even dents all over the body. Check out the official Facebook group to see more info on this. 
     
    - Vmount or some other solution is needed. I fall into the prefer pocket full of batteries category, as I like to keep it compact. But I am not even sure I made it 15 minutes before it died with an official canon batter (newest version). It was really bad. I need to do more tests on this. I was shooting 6k braw for what it’s worth  
     
    - Motion cadence and overall look still doesn’t really do it for me. It looks fantastic, but it doesn’t have the magic older blackmagic sensors had. Maybe it’s the resolution bump and it’s just the way it is with these modern sensors. So far, nothing in the consumer/prosumer price range beats my blackmagic micro cinema camera as far as motion cadence and nailing the filmic look with ease. I feel cameras now days nail the specs on paper, but they lack feel/organic quality/smooth motion cadence, etc. Often people get up and arms when the word “cinematic” is brought up. Yes you can make cinematic footage with the pocket 6 or prob any camera for that matter. Yes lighting impacts it and proper grade does as well. And yes it’s a term that is overused and misused. But I think their is definitely an organic feel missing from these often sterile modern sensors. Sure you can throw a pro-mist filter on it, some vintage glass, and massage it to look great. The sensor kind of reminds me of my old Red Raven. Which isn’t really a bad thing (or great). Just has a slightly similar look and feel to it. 
    - Having a dedicated ef Mount is wonderful. Much better not dealing with an adapter.
    TL;DR Overall, it’s a great camera and just like the pocket 4k - it’s great when rigged up. Battery life seems much worse than the 4k when using canon batteries - but I need to do more testing. Overall look and feel is sharp and impressive, but lacks an organic quality which can be attributed by slightly video-esque motion cadence, modern sensor, and higher resolution. 
  5. Thanks
    crevice got a reaction from hansel in Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K   
    Here are my early impressions of the pocket 6k
     
    - My camera came with scuffs and scratches all over the body. It looked like it has been used for months. Went on FB and saw several people complaining and posting pictures of very bad scratches and even dents all over the body. Check out the official Facebook group to see more info on this. 
     
    - Vmount or some other solution is needed. I fall into the prefer pocket full of batteries category, as I like to keep it compact. But I am not even sure I made it 15 minutes before it died with an official canon batter (newest version). It was really bad. I need to do more tests on this. I was shooting 6k braw for what it’s worth  
     
    - Motion cadence and overall look still doesn’t really do it for me. It looks fantastic, but it doesn’t have the magic older blackmagic sensors had. Maybe it’s the resolution bump and it’s just the way it is with these modern sensors. So far, nothing in the consumer/prosumer price range beats my blackmagic micro cinema camera as far as motion cadence and nailing the filmic look with ease. I feel cameras now days nail the specs on paper, but they lack feel/organic quality/smooth motion cadence, etc. Often people get up and arms when the word “cinematic” is brought up. Yes you can make cinematic footage with the pocket 6 or prob any camera for that matter. Yes lighting impacts it and proper grade does as well. And yes it’s a term that is overused and misused. But I think their is definitely an organic feel missing from these often sterile modern sensors. Sure you can throw a pro-mist filter on it, some vintage glass, and massage it to look great. The sensor kind of reminds me of my old Red Raven. Which isn’t really a bad thing (or great). Just has a slightly similar look and feel to it. 
    - Having a dedicated ef Mount is wonderful. Much better not dealing with an adapter.
    TL;DR Overall, it’s a great camera and just like the pocket 4k - it’s great when rigged up. Battery life seems much worse than the 4k when using canon batteries - but I need to do more testing. Overall look and feel is sharp and impressive, but lacks an organic quality which can be attributed by slightly video-esque motion cadence, modern sensor, and higher resolution. 
  6. Like
    crevice got a reaction from Patrick B. in Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K   
    Here are my early impressions of the pocket 6k
     
    - My camera came with scuffs and scratches all over the body. It looked like it has been used for months. Went on FB and saw several people complaining and posting pictures of very bad scratches and even dents all over the body. Check out the official Facebook group to see more info on this. 
     
    - Vmount or some other solution is needed. I fall into the prefer pocket full of batteries category, as I like to keep it compact. But I am not even sure I made it 15 minutes before it died with an official canon batter (newest version). It was really bad. I need to do more tests on this. I was shooting 6k braw for what it’s worth  
     
    - Motion cadence and overall look still doesn’t really do it for me. It looks fantastic, but it doesn’t have the magic older blackmagic sensors had. Maybe it’s the resolution bump and it’s just the way it is with these modern sensors. So far, nothing in the consumer/prosumer price range beats my blackmagic micro cinema camera as far as motion cadence and nailing the filmic look with ease. I feel cameras now days nail the specs on paper, but they lack feel/organic quality/smooth motion cadence, etc. Often people get up and arms when the word “cinematic” is brought up. Yes you can make cinematic footage with the pocket 6 or prob any camera for that matter. Yes lighting impacts it and proper grade does as well. And yes it’s a term that is overused and misused. But I think their is definitely an organic feel missing from these often sterile modern sensors. Sure you can throw a pro-mist filter on it, some vintage glass, and massage it to look great. The sensor kind of reminds me of my old Red Raven. Which isn’t really a bad thing (or great). Just has a slightly similar look and feel to it. 
    - Having a dedicated ef Mount is wonderful. Much better not dealing with an adapter.
    TL;DR Overall, it’s a great camera and just like the pocket 4k - it’s great when rigged up. Battery life seems much worse than the 4k when using canon batteries - but I need to do more testing. Overall look and feel is sharp and impressive, but lacks an organic quality which can be attributed by slightly video-esque motion cadence, modern sensor, and higher resolution. 
  7. Like
    crevice got a reaction from zerocool22 in Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K   
    Here are my early impressions of the pocket 6k
     
    - My camera came with scuffs and scratches all over the body. It looked like it has been used for months. Went on FB and saw several people complaining and posting pictures of very bad scratches and even dents all over the body. Check out the official Facebook group to see more info on this. 
     
    - Vmount or some other solution is needed. I fall into the prefer pocket full of batteries category, as I like to keep it compact. But I am not even sure I made it 15 minutes before it died with an official canon batter (newest version). It was really bad. I need to do more tests on this. I was shooting 6k braw for what it’s worth  
     
    - Motion cadence and overall look still doesn’t really do it for me. It looks fantastic, but it doesn’t have the magic older blackmagic sensors had. Maybe it’s the resolution bump and it’s just the way it is with these modern sensors. So far, nothing in the consumer/prosumer price range beats my blackmagic micro cinema camera as far as motion cadence and nailing the filmic look with ease. I feel cameras now days nail the specs on paper, but they lack feel/organic quality/smooth motion cadence, etc. Often people get up and arms when the word “cinematic” is brought up. Yes you can make cinematic footage with the pocket 6 or prob any camera for that matter. Yes lighting impacts it and proper grade does as well. And yes it’s a term that is overused and misused. But I think their is definitely an organic feel missing from these often sterile modern sensors. Sure you can throw a pro-mist filter on it, some vintage glass, and massage it to look great. The sensor kind of reminds me of my old Red Raven. Which isn’t really a bad thing (or great). Just has a slightly similar look and feel to it. 
    - Having a dedicated ef Mount is wonderful. Much better not dealing with an adapter.
    TL;DR Overall, it’s a great camera and just like the pocket 4k - it’s great when rigged up. Battery life seems much worse than the 4k when using canon batteries - but I need to do more testing. Overall look and feel is sharp and impressive, but lacks an organic quality which can be attributed by slightly video-esque motion cadence, modern sensor, and higher resolution. 
  8. Like
    crevice got a reaction from austinchimp in Fuji X-T3 and X-T4 discussion   
    Thats because most people that own this camera use it as a stills camera and are not videographers, with no clue what they are doing on the video side - but yet - they still decide to upload shitty test footage on youtube. Also, a lot of people are using film simulations with auto white balance, default settings, NO log profile, with incorrect shutter speed settings, no ND filters,  and no idea how to color grade. Add that all up and you will get underwhelming results.
    Don't let this forum fool you, the majority of people that still by this are long time Fuji photographers who aren't videographers. We are a still a small percentage. 
     
    Use LOG with NR and Sharpening and -4 and then throw the Eterna LUT on and tweak it from there and you will see beautiful amazing/cinematic results not seen in many of the mirroless cameras.
  9. Like
    crevice got a reaction from TurboRat in X-T3 or Pocket 4K?   
    I have conducted a bunch of tests comparing shots between the XT-3 and the Pocket 4k, which unfortunately I can't share because they are of my wife and she won't let me post them online. I will see if I can do some shots of other folks whom are comfortable having video of them shared online. But for now I can give a bit of insight with my findings. The highlight retention/roll off of the Pocket 4k is miles ahead of the XT-3. Having the ability to have RAW, is also miles ahead of the XT-3. Both of these are obvious to me and I pretty much knew them going in. I think we all knew this. The colors straight out of the camera, again, blackmagic wins. So is the obvious choice the Blackmagic Pocket 4k? No. Keep reading...
    After all that, the combination of a more organic/slightly softer looking image and much MUCH smoother motion cadence of the Fuji XT-3, make it look more cinematic, with less work. When both cameras are out of harsh light, I prefer the video of the XT-3. Just the way the movement looks is immediately apparent and almost jarring. I know a lot has been talked about whether the pocket 4k is the same sensor of the GH5 or not, personally I am not here to say it is or it isn't, but the actual movement (motion cadence) reminded me of my old GH5. You can soften the video all you want, add grain, but tweaking motion cadence is not an easy thing. So I really value the way the motion looks.
    With both arguments out there, I still don't see it as a clear choice for the XT-3 or Pocket 4k, unless you start factoring what you want out of it. If you do gimbal work, the XT-3 is hands down a better choice with its great auto focus. If you need RAW, then you don't even need to read or bother with your choice and I am not sure why you even read this far, the Pocket 4k is your choice. Screen on the pocket 4k is amazing, fujis is small and harder to use. But, you can use a small Ninja on the Fuji and record prores. With the Pocket 4k, unless you are using CFAST, you will need to mount an SSD on a cage. So with either one, chances are you will have either an ssd or monitor on top of it.  I prefer having a monitor on top, because thats an added bonus of easier to focus and choose angles.
    Here is where I stand. I shoot video and do photography, pretty much 50/50. The specs of the pocket 4k blow my mind. They are amazing. But, for what I do, I am not sure if its worth having 2 cameras, 1 for photography and 1 for video, which means more gear I need to carry - as opposed to just my Fuji to do both.I bought the pocket 4k to see if it would blow my mind. It has impressed me, but has not blown my mind. I lose some, no RAW, not as great of a color science, and far better codecs. But, I also gain some with the Fuji, smaller body, easier to balance on gimbal, autofocus for gimbals, and no need to lug around 2 cameras and more lenses for each system. This last argument is whats making it harder to just keep both. The fuji regardless is staying, because its my main photography camera. Its a keep the fuji or keep both choice for me.
    I am going to do more tests once the sun goes down a bit and see how they fair outside of the harsh light I tested today. Right now, I am leaning toward sending the pocket 4k back, just to simplify things. When I have too much gear , over stimulated/whelmed with choices - I end up NOT being creative. This is why I have always liked hybrids as a photographer, the camera is always on you and ready to shoot video when you need.
    Decisions, Decisions...
    I am open to answering any questions on either camera.
  10. Like
    crevice got a reaction from webrunner5 in Fuji X-T3 and X-T4 discussion   
    My guess is that it needs one of those super expensive atomos HDMI 2.0a cables for this to work. They are like 100 bucks. I have tried a few cables I have, but 400 mb/s is greyed out with all of them. I can do 4k 60 200 mb/s though. 
  11. Like
    crevice got a reaction from Alex Uzan in X-T3 or Pocket 4K?   
    The highlights in general are better on the pocket, but that’s mostly because of the RAW. Not sure I said the DR in general itself was miles ahead. I am going to run some tests in better lighting and hopefully I’ll be able to share. Both great cameras. 
  12. Thanks
    crevice got a reaction from Alex Uzan in X-T3 or Pocket 4K?   
    I have conducted a bunch of tests comparing shots between the XT-3 and the Pocket 4k, which unfortunately I can't share because they are of my wife and she won't let me post them online. I will see if I can do some shots of other folks whom are comfortable having video of them shared online. But for now I can give a bit of insight with my findings. The highlight retention/roll off of the Pocket 4k is miles ahead of the XT-3. Having the ability to have RAW, is also miles ahead of the XT-3. Both of these are obvious to me and I pretty much knew them going in. I think we all knew this. The colors straight out of the camera, again, blackmagic wins. So is the obvious choice the Blackmagic Pocket 4k? No. Keep reading...
    After all that, the combination of a more organic/slightly softer looking image and much MUCH smoother motion cadence of the Fuji XT-3, make it look more cinematic, with less work. When both cameras are out of harsh light, I prefer the video of the XT-3. Just the way the movement looks is immediately apparent and almost jarring. I know a lot has been talked about whether the pocket 4k is the same sensor of the GH5 or not, personally I am not here to say it is or it isn't, but the actual movement (motion cadence) reminded me of my old GH5. You can soften the video all you want, add grain, but tweaking motion cadence is not an easy thing. So I really value the way the motion looks.
    With both arguments out there, I still don't see it as a clear choice for the XT-3 or Pocket 4k, unless you start factoring what you want out of it. If you do gimbal work, the XT-3 is hands down a better choice with its great auto focus. If you need RAW, then you don't even need to read or bother with your choice and I am not sure why you even read this far, the Pocket 4k is your choice. Screen on the pocket 4k is amazing, fujis is small and harder to use. But, you can use a small Ninja on the Fuji and record prores. With the Pocket 4k, unless you are using CFAST, you will need to mount an SSD on a cage. So with either one, chances are you will have either an ssd or monitor on top of it.  I prefer having a monitor on top, because thats an added bonus of easier to focus and choose angles.
    Here is where I stand. I shoot video and do photography, pretty much 50/50. The specs of the pocket 4k blow my mind. They are amazing. But, for what I do, I am not sure if its worth having 2 cameras, 1 for photography and 1 for video, which means more gear I need to carry - as opposed to just my Fuji to do both.I bought the pocket 4k to see if it would blow my mind. It has impressed me, but has not blown my mind. I lose some, no RAW, not as great of a color science, and far better codecs. But, I also gain some with the Fuji, smaller body, easier to balance on gimbal, autofocus for gimbals, and no need to lug around 2 cameras and more lenses for each system. This last argument is whats making it harder to just keep both. The fuji regardless is staying, because its my main photography camera. Its a keep the fuji or keep both choice for me.
    I am going to do more tests once the sun goes down a bit and see how they fair outside of the harsh light I tested today. Right now, I am leaning toward sending the pocket 4k back, just to simplify things. When I have too much gear , over stimulated/whelmed with choices - I end up NOT being creative. This is why I have always liked hybrids as a photographer, the camera is always on you and ready to shoot video when you need.
    Decisions, Decisions...
    I am open to answering any questions on either camera.
  13. Like
    crevice got a reaction from webrunner5 in X-T3 or Pocket 4K?   
    I have conducted a bunch of tests comparing shots between the XT-3 and the Pocket 4k, which unfortunately I can't share because they are of my wife and she won't let me post them online. I will see if I can do some shots of other folks whom are comfortable having video of them shared online. But for now I can give a bit of insight with my findings. The highlight retention/roll off of the Pocket 4k is miles ahead of the XT-3. Having the ability to have RAW, is also miles ahead of the XT-3. Both of these are obvious to me and I pretty much knew them going in. I think we all knew this. The colors straight out of the camera, again, blackmagic wins. So is the obvious choice the Blackmagic Pocket 4k? No. Keep reading...
    After all that, the combination of a more organic/slightly softer looking image and much MUCH smoother motion cadence of the Fuji XT-3, make it look more cinematic, with less work. When both cameras are out of harsh light, I prefer the video of the XT-3. Just the way the movement looks is immediately apparent and almost jarring. I know a lot has been talked about whether the pocket 4k is the same sensor of the GH5 or not, personally I am not here to say it is or it isn't, but the actual movement (motion cadence) reminded me of my old GH5. You can soften the video all you want, add grain, but tweaking motion cadence is not an easy thing. So I really value the way the motion looks.
    With both arguments out there, I still don't see it as a clear choice for the XT-3 or Pocket 4k, unless you start factoring what you want out of it. If you do gimbal work, the XT-3 is hands down a better choice with its great auto focus. If you need RAW, then you don't even need to read or bother with your choice and I am not sure why you even read this far, the Pocket 4k is your choice. Screen on the pocket 4k is amazing, fujis is small and harder to use. But, you can use a small Ninja on the Fuji and record prores. With the Pocket 4k, unless you are using CFAST, you will need to mount an SSD on a cage. So with either one, chances are you will have either an ssd or monitor on top of it.  I prefer having a monitor on top, because thats an added bonus of easier to focus and choose angles.
    Here is where I stand. I shoot video and do photography, pretty much 50/50. The specs of the pocket 4k blow my mind. They are amazing. But, for what I do, I am not sure if its worth having 2 cameras, 1 for photography and 1 for video, which means more gear I need to carry - as opposed to just my Fuji to do both.I bought the pocket 4k to see if it would blow my mind. It has impressed me, but has not blown my mind. I lose some, no RAW, not as great of a color science, and far better codecs. But, I also gain some with the Fuji, smaller body, easier to balance on gimbal, autofocus for gimbals, and no need to lug around 2 cameras and more lenses for each system. This last argument is whats making it harder to just keep both. The fuji regardless is staying, because its my main photography camera. Its a keep the fuji or keep both choice for me.
    I am going to do more tests once the sun goes down a bit and see how they fair outside of the harsh light I tested today. Right now, I am leaning toward sending the pocket 4k back, just to simplify things. When I have too much gear , over stimulated/whelmed with choices - I end up NOT being creative. This is why I have always liked hybrids as a photographer, the camera is always on you and ready to shoot video when you need.
    Decisions, Decisions...
    I am open to answering any questions on either camera.
  14. Thanks
    crevice got a reaction from Emanuel in X-T3 or Pocket 4K?   
    I have conducted a bunch of tests comparing shots between the XT-3 and the Pocket 4k, which unfortunately I can't share because they are of my wife and she won't let me post them online. I will see if I can do some shots of other folks whom are comfortable having video of them shared online. But for now I can give a bit of insight with my findings. The highlight retention/roll off of the Pocket 4k is miles ahead of the XT-3. Having the ability to have RAW, is also miles ahead of the XT-3. Both of these are obvious to me and I pretty much knew them going in. I think we all knew this. The colors straight out of the camera, again, blackmagic wins. So is the obvious choice the Blackmagic Pocket 4k? No. Keep reading...
    After all that, the combination of a more organic/slightly softer looking image and much MUCH smoother motion cadence of the Fuji XT-3, make it look more cinematic, with less work. When both cameras are out of harsh light, I prefer the video of the XT-3. Just the way the movement looks is immediately apparent and almost jarring. I know a lot has been talked about whether the pocket 4k is the same sensor of the GH5 or not, personally I am not here to say it is or it isn't, but the actual movement (motion cadence) reminded me of my old GH5. You can soften the video all you want, add grain, but tweaking motion cadence is not an easy thing. So I really value the way the motion looks.
    With both arguments out there, I still don't see it as a clear choice for the XT-3 or Pocket 4k, unless you start factoring what you want out of it. If you do gimbal work, the XT-3 is hands down a better choice with its great auto focus. If you need RAW, then you don't even need to read or bother with your choice and I am not sure why you even read this far, the Pocket 4k is your choice. Screen on the pocket 4k is amazing, fujis is small and harder to use. But, you can use a small Ninja on the Fuji and record prores. With the Pocket 4k, unless you are using CFAST, you will need to mount an SSD on a cage. So with either one, chances are you will have either an ssd or monitor on top of it.  I prefer having a monitor on top, because thats an added bonus of easier to focus and choose angles.
    Here is where I stand. I shoot video and do photography, pretty much 50/50. The specs of the pocket 4k blow my mind. They are amazing. But, for what I do, I am not sure if its worth having 2 cameras, 1 for photography and 1 for video, which means more gear I need to carry - as opposed to just my Fuji to do both.I bought the pocket 4k to see if it would blow my mind. It has impressed me, but has not blown my mind. I lose some, no RAW, not as great of a color science, and far better codecs. But, I also gain some with the Fuji, smaller body, easier to balance on gimbal, autofocus for gimbals, and no need to lug around 2 cameras and more lenses for each system. This last argument is whats making it harder to just keep both. The fuji regardless is staying, because its my main photography camera. Its a keep the fuji or keep both choice for me.
    I am going to do more tests once the sun goes down a bit and see how they fair outside of the harsh light I tested today. Right now, I am leaning toward sending the pocket 4k back, just to simplify things. When I have too much gear , over stimulated/whelmed with choices - I end up NOT being creative. This is why I have always liked hybrids as a photographer, the camera is always on you and ready to shoot video when you need.
    Decisions, Decisions...
    I am open to answering any questions on either camera.
  15. Like
    crevice got a reaction from deezid in X-T3 or Pocket 4K?   
    The highlights in general are better on the pocket, but that’s mostly because of the RAW. Not sure I said the DR in general itself was miles ahead. I am going to run some tests in better lighting and hopefully I’ll be able to share. Both great cameras. 
  16. Like
    crevice got a reaction from deezid in X-T3 or Pocket 4K?   
    I have conducted a bunch of tests comparing shots between the XT-3 and the Pocket 4k, which unfortunately I can't share because they are of my wife and she won't let me post them online. I will see if I can do some shots of other folks whom are comfortable having video of them shared online. But for now I can give a bit of insight with my findings. The highlight retention/roll off of the Pocket 4k is miles ahead of the XT-3. Having the ability to have RAW, is also miles ahead of the XT-3. Both of these are obvious to me and I pretty much knew them going in. I think we all knew this. The colors straight out of the camera, again, blackmagic wins. So is the obvious choice the Blackmagic Pocket 4k? No. Keep reading...
    After all that, the combination of a more organic/slightly softer looking image and much MUCH smoother motion cadence of the Fuji XT-3, make it look more cinematic, with less work. When both cameras are out of harsh light, I prefer the video of the XT-3. Just the way the movement looks is immediately apparent and almost jarring. I know a lot has been talked about whether the pocket 4k is the same sensor of the GH5 or not, personally I am not here to say it is or it isn't, but the actual movement (motion cadence) reminded me of my old GH5. You can soften the video all you want, add grain, but tweaking motion cadence is not an easy thing. So I really value the way the motion looks.
    With both arguments out there, I still don't see it as a clear choice for the XT-3 or Pocket 4k, unless you start factoring what you want out of it. If you do gimbal work, the XT-3 is hands down a better choice with its great auto focus. If you need RAW, then you don't even need to read or bother with your choice and I am not sure why you even read this far, the Pocket 4k is your choice. Screen on the pocket 4k is amazing, fujis is small and harder to use. But, you can use a small Ninja on the Fuji and record prores. With the Pocket 4k, unless you are using CFAST, you will need to mount an SSD on a cage. So with either one, chances are you will have either an ssd or monitor on top of it.  I prefer having a monitor on top, because thats an added bonus of easier to focus and choose angles.
    Here is where I stand. I shoot video and do photography, pretty much 50/50. The specs of the pocket 4k blow my mind. They are amazing. But, for what I do, I am not sure if its worth having 2 cameras, 1 for photography and 1 for video, which means more gear I need to carry - as opposed to just my Fuji to do both.I bought the pocket 4k to see if it would blow my mind. It has impressed me, but has not blown my mind. I lose some, no RAW, not as great of a color science, and far better codecs. But, I also gain some with the Fuji, smaller body, easier to balance on gimbal, autofocus for gimbals, and no need to lug around 2 cameras and more lenses for each system. This last argument is whats making it harder to just keep both. The fuji regardless is staying, because its my main photography camera. Its a keep the fuji or keep both choice for me.
    I am going to do more tests once the sun goes down a bit and see how they fair outside of the harsh light I tested today. Right now, I am leaning toward sending the pocket 4k back, just to simplify things. When I have too much gear , over stimulated/whelmed with choices - I end up NOT being creative. This is why I have always liked hybrids as a photographer, the camera is always on you and ready to shoot video when you need.
    Decisions, Decisions...
    I am open to answering any questions on either camera.
  17. Thanks
    crevice got a reaction from BTM_Pix in X-T3 or Pocket 4K?   
    I have conducted a bunch of tests comparing shots between the XT-3 and the Pocket 4k, which unfortunately I can't share because they are of my wife and she won't let me post them online. I will see if I can do some shots of other folks whom are comfortable having video of them shared online. But for now I can give a bit of insight with my findings. The highlight retention/roll off of the Pocket 4k is miles ahead of the XT-3. Having the ability to have RAW, is also miles ahead of the XT-3. Both of these are obvious to me and I pretty much knew them going in. I think we all knew this. The colors straight out of the camera, again, blackmagic wins. So is the obvious choice the Blackmagic Pocket 4k? No. Keep reading...
    After all that, the combination of a more organic/slightly softer looking image and much MUCH smoother motion cadence of the Fuji XT-3, make it look more cinematic, with less work. When both cameras are out of harsh light, I prefer the video of the XT-3. Just the way the movement looks is immediately apparent and almost jarring. I know a lot has been talked about whether the pocket 4k is the same sensor of the GH5 or not, personally I am not here to say it is or it isn't, but the actual movement (motion cadence) reminded me of my old GH5. You can soften the video all you want, add grain, but tweaking motion cadence is not an easy thing. So I really value the way the motion looks.
    With both arguments out there, I still don't see it as a clear choice for the XT-3 or Pocket 4k, unless you start factoring what you want out of it. If you do gimbal work, the XT-3 is hands down a better choice with its great auto focus. If you need RAW, then you don't even need to read or bother with your choice and I am not sure why you even read this far, the Pocket 4k is your choice. Screen on the pocket 4k is amazing, fujis is small and harder to use. But, you can use a small Ninja on the Fuji and record prores. With the Pocket 4k, unless you are using CFAST, you will need to mount an SSD on a cage. So with either one, chances are you will have either an ssd or monitor on top of it.  I prefer having a monitor on top, because thats an added bonus of easier to focus and choose angles.
    Here is where I stand. I shoot video and do photography, pretty much 50/50. The specs of the pocket 4k blow my mind. They are amazing. But, for what I do, I am not sure if its worth having 2 cameras, 1 for photography and 1 for video, which means more gear I need to carry - as opposed to just my Fuji to do both.I bought the pocket 4k to see if it would blow my mind. It has impressed me, but has not blown my mind. I lose some, no RAW, not as great of a color science, and far better codecs. But, I also gain some with the Fuji, smaller body, easier to balance on gimbal, autofocus for gimbals, and no need to lug around 2 cameras and more lenses for each system. This last argument is whats making it harder to just keep both. The fuji regardless is staying, because its my main photography camera. Its a keep the fuji or keep both choice for me.
    I am going to do more tests once the sun goes down a bit and see how they fair outside of the harsh light I tested today. Right now, I am leaning toward sending the pocket 4k back, just to simplify things. When I have too much gear , over stimulated/whelmed with choices - I end up NOT being creative. This is why I have always liked hybrids as a photographer, the camera is always on you and ready to shoot video when you need.
    Decisions, Decisions...
    I am open to answering any questions on either camera.
  18. Like
    crevice got a reaction from deezid in X-T3 or Pocket 4K?   
    I bought the XT-3 recently and then today randomly found a pocket 4k in stock, so I said why not try em both! The XT-3 is my photography camera as well, so its here to stay. The pocket 4k is in a weird spot. I have been eyeing it since April and the initial footage didn't impress me, but in the last week or so there has been some better footage.  I am going to test out the pocket 4k and see if it has a place in my setup as well. I do like the idea of a separate camera for just video, that I can keep in cage, partially rigged up, etc.
    Financially speaking, I am invested in Fuji for the future, which feels good, because I really like what they are doing and I like their future. I plan on testing both cameras this weekend, grading them, trying similar shots to see how they look, see how they both handle, etc. and then make my decision if I will even bother keeping the pocket 4k. Everything for the pocket 4k is returnable, including the lenses (bought from amazon today) so it will be a simple few clicks of a button to go back to only Fuji.
  19. Thanks
    crevice got a reaction from Emanuel in Fuji X-T3 and X-T4 discussion   
    Some more impressive footage here :
     
  20. Like
    crevice got a reaction from Jimmy in Fuji X-T3 and X-T4 discussion   
    Some more impressive footage here :
     
  21. Like
    crevice got a reaction from Topcat in Fuji X-T3 and X-T4 discussion   
    I am in a dilemma. I currently have a Sony A7III and blackmagic pocket 4k on preorder. I have not been blown away by the pocket 4k footage. The specs are great, but so far the footage I have seen seems very similar to the GH5, which doesn’t do it for me. Where the XT-3 footage has looked great and has a less sterile look to my eyes. I shoot photos and videos for what it’s worth  
    I am contemplating selling all my Sony gear, canceling pocket 4k preorder, and buying an XT-3 with 4 lenses. I would use it as a hybrid camera. I am a hobbyist that does no paid work. But, leaving full frame scares me, though shooting with Fujifilm seems more “fun”, for lack of a better word. The look of the body, film simulation, and lenses are what draws me. 
    I would love to hear any opinions on my first world problem. Also, just for the sake of it also being a huge pro for going Fuji - if I sold my Sony gear - canceled  pocket 4 - and still bought an xt-3 with lenses, I would still get back almost $4,000, since my Sony camera and lenses net me back a lot of money. So yes, money plays a factor here as well. 
  22. Like
    crevice got a reaction from Prandi in Fuji X-T3 and X-T4 discussion   
    Yes - colors and how the image looks are so much more important than specs. I used a canon c200 which used an 8 bit codec when recording mp4 and the 8 bit codec looked better than most cameras. In deciding which camera I want, the thing I kept going back to was color and feel and so far all the footage I have seen with the xt-3 looks better than the pocket 4k, GH5/s, or any Sony series camera. Add the fact that it takes great stills as well and THAT is the reason why I am contemplating selling my Sony gear. Specs are specs, but how does the footage look, is whats important to me. 
  23. Like
    crevice got a reaction from Jimmy in Fuji X-T3 and X-T4 discussion   
    Yes - colors and how the image looks are so much more important than specs. I used a canon c200 which used an 8 bit codec when recording mp4 and the 8 bit codec looked better than most cameras. In deciding which camera I want, the thing I kept going back to was color and feel and so far all the footage I have seen with the xt-3 looks better than the pocket 4k, GH5/s, or any Sony series camera. Add the fact that it takes great stills as well and THAT is the reason why I am contemplating selling my Sony gear. Specs are specs, but how does the footage look, is whats important to me. 
  24. Like
    crevice got a reaction from Brian Williams in Fuji X-T3 and X-T4 discussion   
    Yes - colors and how the image looks are so much more important than specs. I used a canon c200 which used an 8 bit codec when recording mp4 and the 8 bit codec looked better than most cameras. In deciding which camera I want, the thing I kept going back to was color and feel and so far all the footage I have seen with the xt-3 looks better than the pocket 4k, GH5/s, or any Sony series camera. Add the fact that it takes great stills as well and THAT is the reason why I am contemplating selling my Sony gear. Specs are specs, but how does the footage look, is whats important to me. 
  25. Thanks
    crevice got a reaction from Brian Williams in Fuji X-T3 and X-T4 discussion   
    Won’t happen. Some will lie and give you an answer on how they agree and want a camera that can last them for years and years, etc. Not me! I don’t mind selling bodies or lenses and exploring, I have no horse in this race, don’t get paid for it, and love technology. It’s a hobby and regardless of the gear - I still go out and shoot. Not saying you are wrong by any means - in fact you’re right. But I love this arms race, shit, I might switch another 5 times for all I know. I know, it sounds ridiculous, but I like gear and exploring. 
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