top of page
Rigging the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera:
HolyManta, Rapid ND, Contineo Cage, Zacuto Z-Finder, Tascam DR-60D & Rokinon Lenses
GEAR LIST (in order of appearance):
Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera - focuspull.in/bmccpckt
Panasonic 12-35mm f2.8 zoom lens - focuspull.in/hs12035
Rokinon Cine lenses for EF mount - focuspull.in/rokincine
HolyManta VND - focuspull.in/holymanta
Light Craft Workshop Rapid ND - focuspull.in/RapidND (use my coupon code LC-1308 for 10% off)
View Factor Contineo cage - focuspull.in/contineo
Tamrac N-45 padded leather quick-release camera strap - focuspull.in/Tamrac
Zacuto Z-Finder - focuspull.in/Z-Finder
Ikan battery adapters - focuspull.in/ikanbatt (choose desired battery & mounting)
5.5 x 2.1mm female (Ikan) to 2.5 x 0.7mm male (BMPC) adapter - focuspull.in/bmpcpwr
Tascam DR-60D audio pre-amp/recorder - focuspull.in/DR-60
Rode NTG-2 shotgun mic - focuspull.in/ntg-2
Polaroid shotgun mic mount - focuspull.in/shckmnt
Flolight 1/4"-20 Stacker for mic mount - focuspull.in/Flolight
Tether Tools Jerkstopper thread mount - focuspull.in/Jerkstop
Roxsen Focal Reducer EF to Micro-4/3 - focuspull.in/focalred
Last year, when the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera arrived, I made a video to break it in, and laid down a commentary (below) to share some insights. Not the newest thing now, it's still the only option for capturing 10-bit 4:2:2 log video without a big rig, and costing under a grand. But it's always needed a bit of rigging, and while filmmakers keep using it to make amazing films - examples here - there's still a lot to talk about, in terms of rigging it up right. Following up the commentary I made last year that went sort of viral, here's a similar chat: because sometimes showing stuff and talking over it works better than writing an article. For a streaming clip, it runs long, but it covers lots of ground - and I'm looking forward to your comments below.
Within the week of posting, my NYC test run of the new Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera went north of 3k playbacks, seeming sensible now to complement with a split-screen comparison of the untouched footage straight from the camera, alongside that finished product after color correction/grading. I have no delusions of being a studio auteur, who could justify a braggart director's commentary, but after thinking about the option to write a long, wordy blog post, I figured it's easier and better all-around just to talk over my footage. It's a visual medium anyway, and I'm sort of surprised there aren't more of these. Would love to see yours, too. The video streams by default in full 1080p high definition, so if you get jitters, click the HD icon in-frame to reduce your playback resolution. Filmed handheld on a Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera, using a single lens (Panasonic 12-35mm, continuous f2.8 aperture, optically stabilized H-HS12035). Shooting was on September 1 and 2, 2013, with post-production on September 7 and this commentary on September 12. Edited and graded in Adobe Premiere Pro CC, with clip-by-clip balancing adjustments using Fast Color Corrector, then applying an Adjustment Layer over the entire sequence with FilmConvert Pro 2, using its Blackmagic Cinema Camera profile and selecting the classic film stock emulation of KODAK VISION3 250D Color Negative Film 5207/7207 (with vintage Super 16mm film grain to match the feel - and the actual size - of the BMPC's digital sensor).
New York City:
"Color Commentary" on the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera
Overview with commentary on the Atomos Shogun, emphasizing camera tests and comparisons, rather than a critical review. Mentioned at the beginning, you should start with Atomos' own introductory video, if you haven't already, for an explanation of the Shogun's menus and features in-depth: http://vimeo.com/114644960.
These test results show only slight differences, but they are precise. For apples-to-apples comparison without deviation, there's always a compromise between getting devices into perfect docile alignment, and pushing them to their respective limits using shot diversity and severe motion. I chose the first approach here, for formal comparison, but subsequent field work will bear out the other more instinctual types of comparisons (and I'll be looking forward to seeing your samples).
As explained in this video's commentary, I was satisfied by the proof here comparing 10-bit 4:2:2 via ProRes HQ (Shogun) against 8-bit 4:2:0 via .MOV (GH4 internal), ironically by way of deduction: the capture looked identical between the Shogun externally versus the BMPCC internally, both recording at 10-bit 4:2:2 via ProRes HQ. The design philosophy at Atomos is right-on: they are leaving sensor design to the big industry vets, while pushing the envelope on this recorder/monitor side where it's usually neglected in camera bodies. I look forward to mating the Shogun as often as possible with the GH4, but as I mention in the commentary, V-Log couldn't come soon enough. For now, as you'll see during each sample, I'm relying upon the FilmConvert plug-in to match footage between different camera color spaces, for common ground. And 10-bit 4:2:2 capture really shows its "colors" when you grade footage heavily, which I do.
I "obey" the 180-degree shutter rule always, because a camera test is useless if it doesn't approximate field use, and good cinematographers are obligated to capture motion blur correctly and consistently (for the sake of their audiences)! Thus all of these shots are locked down to a shutter speed of 1/60, as I'm shooting at 30 frames per second. My GH4's ISO was at the minimum 200 in movie mode, though I cranked up to 600 or so after the sun went down. Rather than fiddling with the shutter speed (boo!), I compensated by opening up my aperture on bright lenses, including the lovely Leica 42.5m f/1.2, and the Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8.
Thanks for watching, and as this feed grows into a real resource, please hit the "Follow" button below, to get notified about video uploads from FocusPulling.com. For a quick look behind-the-scenes from this shoot, and for full-resolution comparison stills, there's a photo album at https://flic.kr/s/aHsk7ez9cQ.
Atomos Shogun Tests:
Panasonic GH4 and Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera
bottom of page