Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K
Blackmagic is having trouble keeping up with demand on the Pocket Cinema Camera 4K, so they announce the 6k version!? Nevermind the business model, because the new body is coming soon. (Maybe right now for a few customers.)
Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K
https://blackmagicdesign.com/products/blackmagicpocketcinemacamera
(Image from Cinema5D.com)
Featuring a larger 6144 x 3456 Super 35 sensor and EF lens mount, the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K lets you use larger EF photographic lenses to create cinematic images with shallower depth of field, allowing creative defocussed backgrounds and gorgeous bokeh effects! Extra resolution also gives you more room for reframing in editing and color correction. This means that you can shoot in 6K and then in post production zoom and re‑frame to allow wide shots and close ups to be created, all from a single camera and without losing image quality!
DOF - 4k version
DOF - 6k version
(Images supplied by Blackmagicdesign)
Comments
Blackmagic Pocket 6K Camera Review
Tom Antos
Published on Aug 13, 2019
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
Hmmmm. More room for Ken Burns effects. Should we wait for the 8K?
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" - Wayne Gretzky
Personally, I couldn't imagine even ordering this camera, seeing as how so many are still awaiting their 4k version to arrive. Also, why not add tracking focus to this camera?
I suspect that Blackmagic was caught off guard by the amount of prospects for the Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 4K. (The previous Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera [Super16, 1080p] was pretty successful but no where near the interest generated in the Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 4K.)
It seems obvious now that Blackmagic was co-developing both the 4k and the 6k versions of the camera. (It takes a considerable time to bring these products from concept to manufacturing/production/sales.) I suspect that the 4k version simply became available first. With the 6k version imminent, it would not be prudent for Blackmagic to ramp up production on the 4k, while some buyers would be better off with the 6k version.
The Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 6K is definitely a "Production" video acquisition tool, and not designed to compete with camcorders, video-dSLRs or mirrorless cameras. As such, a dedicated focus-puller is going to be the norm for a tracking shot using this system. This is similar to professional production quad-copters when working in difficult environments like a landing or takeoff in a forested scene. (For instance, rather like adding a DJI FOCUS system to an Inspire carrying either the Zenmuse X5 or Zenmuse X5R camera.)
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
A camera I regard as a competitor to the BMPCC4k, the Z Cam E2, has both single-shot AF and Continuous AF, and it costs more than the BMPCC4k.
However...
NewsShooter reviewed the Z Cam E2, and in the Autofocus section of the review they stated,
The Z Cam E2 is a pretty special camera in many respects, but the AF section appears to be weak, and people still purchase that camera for it's relative strengths. (Again, for a tracking shot there are solutions available, just not intrinsic camera-automated options.)
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
All of this makes sense to me, but none of it suggests that people will get their 6k model in a more timely fashion than those who are still awaiting a 4k model they already ordered. Unless you're saying they bailed on the 4k as soon as the 6k was available, which seems like kind of a d*** move from a company to its customers. It's like saying, 'Thanks for your money, we have other more interesting things to do now, we'll get back to you.'
I could be mistaken, but with a name like 'Pocket...', it seems reasonable that one would assume it's most certainly more akin to that of a mirrorless or DSLR video camera. This is a low-budget cinema camera with 15 stops of DR, designed to be portable and compact, so it just seems to me like adding a tracking focus to it would be the perfect match. Otherwise, in my mind it's nothing more than a fancy camera you could hang on a drone...but then again, ya' gotta deal with the focus issue.
Either way, I'm not trying to down the camera by any means, I'm just voicing some real world consumer viewpoints. Personally, I think it's a cool design and concept. But refinement needs to be made for sure. It runs only 45min on a battery, you have to add a focus tracking mechanism if you have movement specific to a subject, and you may or may not get one that you paid money for, depending upon production and upcoming releases.
Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 6K | Indie FilmMakers Dream Camera?
Published on Sep 16, 2019
Potato Jet
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
BLACKMAGIC 6K RAW CAMERA REVIEW - How is it only $2500?
Published on Aug 19, 2019
Matti Haapoja
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
I've been seeing some in the field footage from this camera, and I gotta say...it's pretty fabulous. The data recovery in post is proving to yield the equivalent of about 15 stops of DR, while the camera is only rated at 13 stops. Very impressive.
You can pull a really smooth color/luminance tone curve from the camera, and then grade the image in post to match, or come close to matching, tones from cameras 10x the cost.
I'm betting that Netflix certifies the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K for both primary (principal) camera use as well as for secondary capture, for many acquisition duties in their "Netflix Partner" certification program.
Netflix Partner Cameras and Image Capture
Approved Cameras
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
p> @ziggy53 said:
I think you're spot on, Netflix would be foolish to exclude this powerhouse
Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Recommended CFAST Cards, SD Cards and USB-C Drives
I strongly suggest visiting the official Blackmagic link for current recommendations:
https://blackmagicdesign.com/uk/support/faq/59026
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
ziggy note: As of mid-September 2019 BlackMagic does supply a free capability for adding BMPCC 4k and 6k cameras plugin support to Adobe Premiere and Avid Media Composer. BlackMagic DaVinci Resolve was already supportive of these files and a free copy of the full Resolve is included with the cameras mentioned.
Check here for the information:
Developer SDK13 Sep 2019, Blackmagic RAW 1.5
Black Magic Pocket Cinema 6k vs. RED Weapon 6k - Parker Walbeck
Sep 23, 2019
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
My Minimalist BMPCC 6K Rig (also the 4K)
Feb 10, 2020
James Matthews
ziggy note: James has a linked list of the components he uses back on this YouTube page: https://youtube.com/watch?v=AV9vcCBqmTk
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
Blackmagic Pocket 4K vs 6K – Which Should You Buy? - DSLR Video Shooter
Mar 3, 2020
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums