Reddit mentions of Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera with Micro Four Thirds Lens Mount

I have one, and if your budget includes $995 for the camera and about $375 more to get it up and running (batteries, LCD viewfinder, etc.), the BMPCC is still a great camera for beginning cinematographers.

If you really want to learn cinematography - and you don't need a still camera, I recommend the BMPCC. It is the least expensive interchangeable lens camera you can buy that has 13+ stops of dynamic range, a built-in 3.5mm headphone jack, can record 12-bit RAW and 10-bit ProRes straight out of the box and sets the shutter in degrees instead of fractions of a second (cinema cameras use degrees, still cameras use seconds).

DSLRs in this price class have about 10 stops of DR, no headphone jack, record to low bit rate h.264 codecs and you have to set their shutters by dividing 360 by the desired shutter angle, multiplying the answer by the frame rate and then taking the inverse. It's less complicated than it sounds, but it's a pain.

Here is what this little powerhouse cinema camera can do:

Narrative

http://vimeo.com/89563847

http://vimeo.com/94798326

http://vimeo.com/101576471

Documentary

http://vimeo.com/83284391

Music Video

http://vimeo.com/88103618

Travel/Low Light

http://vimeo.com/79531723

Wedding

https://vimeo.com/148634178

There are lots more examples in the [Pocket Cinema Camera group] (https://vimeo.com/groups/pocketcamera) I moderate over on Vimeo.

This camera is terrific, but its ergonomics and battery capacity leave a lot to be desired. You will also need to address the camera's high data rate storage requirements (especially for RAW).

But it doesn't have to cost a lot of money to get started. Here's the setup I use [Referral Links]:

• [Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera - $995] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CWLSHUK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00CWLSHUK&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20)
  
  
• [Ikan BMPCC-PWR-BC-S Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera Belt Clip DV Power Kit for Sony L - $69.95] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LPJ1FJ0/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00LPJ1FJ0&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20)
  
  
• [2 x Sony NP-F550 batteries - $19.76] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007Q9PWQ/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0007Q9PWQ&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20)
  
  
• [Dual Battery Charger - $25] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FYXLSYU/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00FYXLSYU&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20)
  
  
• [SanDisk Extreme PRO SDSDXPA-064G-X46 SDXC Flash Memory Card with up to 95MB/s - $42.97] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007NDL54C/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B007NDL54C&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20)
  
  
• [Kinotehnik LCDVFBM LCD Viewfinder for Blackmagic Pocket Camera (LCDVFBM) - $152] (http://adorama.evyy.net/c/60286/51926/1036?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.adorama.com%2FLCDVF3C.html)
  
  
• [Fotasy HRDV Ergo Handle Pistol Grip and Cleaning Cloth for Sony Camcorders (Black) - $31.74] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NA797JU/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00NA797JU&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20)
  
  
• [ALZO Cold Shoe Mount for Blackmagic Cinema Cameras and Pocket Cinema Camera - $9.59] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HQPF7PU/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00HQPF7PU&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20)
  
  For about $1375 plus lenses, you should be able to get everything you need to get started.
  
  Here's what my setup looks like, ready to shoot: https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-f3hbYYV_y8o/VHDp77GMxoI/AAAAAAAAJF8/xnHRvNcCm5o/w724-h543-no/P1020575.JPG
  
  With the pistol grip and LCD viewfinder, the BMPCC becomes a very handy little camera.
  
  Although it has a steeper learning curve than a consumer DSLR, and color grading in post is pretty much mandatory - in my view, this is the best filmmakers' camera in this price range and well worth the money for someone who is just starting out.
  
  Hope this is helpful and best of the holidays!
  

This is highly dependent on your price range, but if you're going to be in it for $500 prizes, I'm going to assume you'd like to spend less than $1000.

In that case, you can't really go wrong with a Canon dSLR, especially the t series, their entry level camera. I think the newest version is the Canon t5i, but the t4i and t3i also shoot high quality 1080p video and you'll be able to find them for cheaper.

The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera is increasingly popular in that price range, but I wouldn't recommend it to an amateur. It has a fantastic image but a high learning curve.

Nikon dSLR's are great too, but if you invest in Nikon lenses as a videographer, you're going to have a bad time. The majority of video camera bodies are manufactured for Canon mount lenses, so if you ever want to leave Nikon, you're kind of stuck or forced to use lens mount convertors.

With all of these cameras, lenses are arguably more important than the camera itself. With the Canon, the best bang for your buck is going to be a Canon 50mm 1.8. It's a cheap lens, but it has a great image for the price and is great in low light. If you can afford a good 2.8 zoom lens like the 17-55 2.8, go for it, but it's often near $1000.

Hi /u/badass_wolf_shirt - yes, it's expensive and a lot of hassle, but you can get fabulous results with a quality camera with quality glass (such as the [Beaulieu 4008 ZMII with an Angenieux or Schneider lens] (http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?ff3=4&pub=5575034783&toolid=10001&campid=5337235943&customid=&mpre=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_odkw%3DBeaulieu%2B4008%26_from%3DR40%257CR40%26_osacat%3D4689%26_from%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dp2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.XBeaulieu%2B4008%2B-brochure%26_nkw%3DBeaulieu%2B4008%2B-brochure%26_sacat%3D4689)) plus a telecine process with digital stabilization of frame to frame jitter and color/gamma correction.

The best I've seen is from a company called [Ochoycinco in Spain] (http://ochoypico.com/super8-telecine-english/), as seen here:

http://vimeo.com/62389177

and here:

http://vimeo.com/61530553

and here:

http://vimeo.com/83774924

The other way to get the film look is with a relatively inexpensive digital camera with wide dynamic range and 10-bit or 12-bit color depth, such as the [Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CWLSHUK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00CWLSHUK&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20).

As seen here: http://vimeo.com/101576471

I think there's room for both film and digital video art. I own the BMPCC and can get results that are very close to film - but I still plan to pick up a Beaulieu and do some experimenting. With telecine, you can shoot film and edit in digital - which removes a lot of the hassle I remember from 40 years ago :)

Good luck!

Amazon too:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CWLSHUK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00CWLSHUK&linkCode=as2&tag=dlevi-20

Hi /u/cwtchweddings - sadly, the [GH4] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I9GYG8O/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00I9GYG8O&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20) does not output 12-bit uncompressed RAW. The specifications are [here (click on "specs")] (http://shop.panasonic.com/shop/model/DMC-GH4KBODY).

Below $5,000, you would have to buy a [Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CWLSHUK/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00CWLSHUK&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20) , [Cinema Camera] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A4NPTMC/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00A4NPTMC&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20) or [Production Camera] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CWLSHYG/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00CWLSHYG&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20) for RAW (or you could use Magic Lantern firmware to record RAW with a Canon camera).

That said, I have a [Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CWLSHUK/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00CWLSHUK&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20) for recording RAW - but I prefer to use its 10-bit 422 ProRes output 99% of the time because it is so much easier to deal with. I'm guessing that I'll be just as happy with the [GH4] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I9GYG8O/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00I9GYG8O&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20)'s 10-bit 422 externally recordable 4K output, so I went ahead and pre-ordered one.

Hope this is helpful!

Bill

You can get a black magic pocket cam for under 1K now. http://www.amazon.com/Blackmagic-Pocket-Cinema-Camera-Thirds/dp/B00CWLSHUK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416287427&sr=8-1&keywords=black+magic+camera

Huh, and it's up to $695 at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Blackmagic-Pocket-Cinema-Camera-Thirds/dp/B00CWLSHUK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407329259&sr=8-1&keywords=blackmagic+pocket+camera

Weird. The sale was supposed to go until the end of August. Wonder why the prices are all different now?

Sometimes you get lucky. I was monitoring the price of the BMPCC for a bit and saw the $595 price, then later in the day it switched to $500 (the in stock date was about a few days later). After my purchase, it stayed at $500 for a bit then jumped to $800! Then later I saw it again at around $595... now it's at $840! I'd maybe recommend just checking out the one on Amazon every so often and maybe you'll get lucky.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CWLSHUK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This is a good point. However, I would imagine a camera like that isn't ideal for someone just starting out in the area of video and film, based on what I know about this particular model. While I do agree that Blackmagic Camera is a nicer option over DSLR in the long term, I think just starting out you can get something that's definitely usable and very cheap in the form of DSLR; recently I saw T2i's going for less than 200, and a T3i I just purchased with a 50mm 1.8 lens (nifty fifty), was around $350. In my original post I was vague on models and this point simply because I didn't think it was something particular to the question, rather the point of storage identification needed an example and I jumped to DSLR as that's what I see most indie and new students are familiar and knowledgable with from the start.

Of course, if you start out with a Bmd camera over a DSLR, I think you'd be very well off, just a bit more of an investment in terms of additional hardware and learning curve. I wouldn't complain either way!

I would go with the GH3 because it is simply an improved version of the GH2. The only area the GH2 is better(IMO) is bit rate and even then it is diminishing returns after the 72mbps that the GH3 has so the improve iso performance is more valuable. The headphone out is also pretty helpful and just having a better body is good.

If I were you though I would look into the BMPCC since it is pretty cheap right now at roughly $775. It is a hell of a lot more work though and you should be aware of what you are getting into when you buy it. I would look up tutorials on color grading the footage before actually going with it. Overall it really just depends on how much you want to pay for certain drawbacks of each of the lower end cameras. I think the GH3 is just the most well rounded camera at that price point.

I just looked up that lens, its a $25,000 (useed, is all I could find) on a sub $1000 camera

Video is not my thing, but I always though when it comes to ergonomics and video features, you want to go with dedicated video cameras, Sony, BlackMagic..

You can make it work with Canon DSLRs or Panasonic m4/3 or Olympus OMD gear but if your aim is purely video why not get a camcorder?

edit: hmm nevermind I just checked them out and they are price prohibitive for your budget

In that case I would go with Panasonic m4/3 options, this way you will have an upgrade path to BlackMagic with the m4/3 mount for your lenses.

edit2: I guess this black magic isn't too far off: http://www.amazon.com/Blackmagic-Pocket-Cinema-Camera-Thirds/dp/B00CWLSHUK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408143915&sr=8-1&keywords=black+magic

The bmpcc is on sale 50%
http://www.amazon.com/Blackmagic-Pocket-Cinema-Camera-Thirds/dp/B00CWLSHUK