Overboard over the BMC?

[markm]

The camera is the first time non professionals have access to a pro camera. When we were denied access to large sensors we used and invented all kinds of contraceptions to get a dof effect and when we did went crazy. Of course the BMC is overkill for 98% who just want to make films for the net and maybe festivals.

The problem is if you're making a feature you would STILL go with the high end stuff where the equipment is a fraction of the budget .

If your a consumer It is unlikely you would be making films for the big screen for a start you wouldnt get distribution let alone a budget to pay cast and crew and all the rest of the equipment let alone decent actors.

For most consumer uses correctly exposing isn't that big an issue and workarounds employed or even working in 8 bit and even prores will fill up hard drives make colour correction slow and cumbersome.

This need for access to high end gear has been fostered by manufacturers with drip drip improvements.

Whats so groundbreaking is you can now go out and make a feature with an affordable camera on an uber low budget and to that end this fulfills a creative need that many of us have been denied although ultimately for 99.99% doomed to failure although for a few whose budget is low and whose talent is high with a vast knowledge this icould help. Although you could look to rent an Alexa but would still be 10 times the price of buying a BMC .

In practice once people realise the BMC has little value in making net films or even TV, a new understanding will settle in and the BMC will become a popular indie film makers tool.

Personally for most uses I will use a GH3 even as a second camera hooked up to an atomos.

But pride of place will go to my treasured BMC that will only come out when it can do its Magic.

[Germy1979]

[quote name='markm' timestamp='1352891554' post='21605']
The camera is the first time non professionals have access to a pro camera. When we were denied access to large sensors we used and invented all kinds of contraceptions to get a dof effect and when we did went crazy. Of course the BMC is overkill for 98% who just want to make films for the net and maybe festivals.

The problem is if you're making a feature you would STILL go with the high end stuff where the equipment is a fraction of the budget .

If your a consumer It is unlikely you would be making films for the big screen for a start you wouldnt get distribution let alone a budget to pay cast and crew and all the rest of the equipment let alone decent actors.

For most consumer uses correctly exposing isn't that big an issue and workarounds employed or even working in 8 bit and even prores will fill up hard drives make colour correction slow and cumbersome.

This need for access to high end gear has been fostered by manufacturers with drip drip improvements.

Whats so groundbreaking is you can now go out and make a feature with an affordable camera on an uber low budget and to that end this fulfills a creative need that many of us have been denied although ultimately for 99.99% doomed to failure although for a few whose budget is low and whose talent is high with a vast knowledge this icould help. Although you could look to rent an Alexa but would still be 10 times the price of buying a BMC .

In practice once people realise the BMC has little value in making net films or even TV, a new understanding will settle in and the BMC will become a popular indie film makers tool.

Personally for most uses I will use a GH3 even as a second camera hooked up to an atomos.

But pride of place will go to my treasured BMC that will only come out when it can do its Magic.
[/quote]

I agree to a point on this.. I guess it kind of boils down to the freedom of it all. Renting a high-ender like an Epic or an Alexa would be ideal yes, but it's kind of hard to justify an $8000 weekly rate when you can get a 12bit raw, 13 stop cinema offering for $3000... And own it. I'd rather rent a set of cinema primes. I think a lot of people are broke, but know they need a tool with more space to work around in also.. That's where i think the BMC stands on a positive note. When you're broke, you are constantly studying, researching, and finding the limitations of what you have to work with. To me, this is the next step. This whole dslr revolution gave new guys access to cinematic features to begin the process and say at one point, "alright, these are the limits, this is what i'd like.. But it's too expensive." So now here we are at the next level.. We're only here though, because we can afford it. And people are honestly wondering why it's going to be a while before they get their cameras, lol.

On the negative note, this also opens the doors to a new era of random cat videos on youtube. Some guys just like shooting doorknobs, corners, porchlights, etc.. Calling it a low light test and seeing how many comments they can get, lol. Like facebook. Vimeo needs a "like" button..

I look at it this way, if you've got the work ethic & the drive, you'll make a movie. I've got 2 jobs & a family... Renting doesn't work so well on days when you suddenly find yourself unobligated for a change, lol. The BMC opens a door of spontaneity in that sense for guys like me and I can really appreciate what Blackmagic did for that price point. There's just a whole lot of positives regarding the next level of "accessibility" now.. If you can get a Red One MX at $4000, (granted be ready to spring another 2 or 3 thousand to get it "battle ready") - compared to where it was, companies are responding i think. Lots of new offerings this year... Either still out of our budget, or they fall short somewhere else.. I was pretty disappointed to see moire on the gh3..

[Julian]

[quote name='Germy1979' timestamp='1352895269' post='21612']
On the negative note, this also opens the doors to a new era of random cat videos on youtube. Some guys just like shooting doorknobs, corners, porchlights, etc.. Calling it a low light test and seeing how many comments they can get, lol. Like facebook. Vimeo needs a "like" button..
[/quote]

So what? Let people enjoy their hobby.

If they don't shoot their cat with a BMCC they'll do it with a 5D Mark III or their iPhone and put it on Vimeo / YouTube as well. A lot of people enjoy buying high end expensive gear. It's good for the economy. At least the cat video's now will have a great dynamic range (and crappy hdr over the top post processing because of the raw capabilities ;))

By the way, Vimeo has a 'Love' button already.

[Germy1979]

...lol. I sound like a real dick when you pull it out of the whole comment like that..

Hey, i'm not aiming for Oscars when I shoot a corn field, but i did. And i can tell you that using Sedna AQ1 on a Gh2 with a Nikon AIS 85mm f/2, looks fantastic on Film Convert!...and yields incredibly cinematic results when shooting corn:)
I'm not saying these videos have to be content worthy to be posted, but it sounded funny.

[Andrew Reid]

[quote name='markm' timestamp='1352891554' post='21605']Of course the BMC is overkill for 98% who just want to make films for the net and maybe festivals.[/quote]

Everyone needs to set high standards for themselves no matter what the work. If you can practically set that high standard for image quality, do it. Doesn't matter if the film is destined only for Vimeo. Just do it.

It isn't overkill. We're being offered ground breaking image quality for the first time at a mind bogglingly low price. The is ALL about those net films and festivals looking better and more organic just as with DSLRs in the start when everyone was struggling with small chip camcorders.

[markm]

Seriously? As the Zacuto tests show you can get great images from any camera It doesn't matter if highlights blow out as long as they do it in a nice way. Quality will always end up as 8 bit 4.2.0 on TV are on the net. Of course you want to capture the best image you can but you have to weigh that against what it is your trying to do. As the Canon C300 using 8 bit 4.2.2 high compression shows. Of course if you need to colour correct in a big way and you want to make sure you risk nothing then the BMC is the way to go. But now we have options with our tools and the BMC really adds to the toolset. The BMC really is a baby Alexa but if I had an Alexa would I really be making web films on it?

My advice is buy a BMC and get a GH3 to go with it. If the BMC could compress stuff at 50 35 25 mbps It would have the lot.