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Reviews about this item

Review Summary

2015-10-18T10:30:47

Rated 5 out of 5

FPN fixed, Absolutely for Professional Work!

I am a published filmmaker Artist. The Blackmagic Production Camera 4K is an excellent camera for creative work. It is not a low light camera. However like most Film cameras, a good set up is necessary to get the most out of this unit. For whatever reason there are some people who continue to compare this unit with Dslr still photography cameras.. ?!? My assumption is that some people who are not experienced in motion film work will approach the Blackmagic from a 'Camcorder' background and expect out of the box a run and gun experience. Much like the Arri, Red and other production Film cameras. Such units need to be set up and properly dialed in in order to produce high-end results. I am very happy with my Blackmagic and have found very few to zero issues with the camera. The FPN issues was addressed some time ago. Great professional device that I would certainly recommend to independent and industry film makers. However if your work includes photographing weddings and your dog skippy. Then perhaps the bmpc4k is not for you and a camcorder or dslr solution may be in order.

DARCY S.

2015-09-18T06:44:13

Rated 1 out of 5

Failed sensor - just after warranty expired

Pros: - cheap - Good image quality (once they fixed the FPN problem) - cheap - pretty good firmware update commitment to improve features. Cons: - terrible (I do mean terrible) ergonomics. - Terrible (I do mean terrible) screen. - Terrible (I do mean terrible) delivery/un-kept promises for dates. - un-definable minor issues (strange flickering behavior after firmware updates, different sensor qualities after firmware updates). - Support: Always in defensive mode. - My sensor died (vertical black line in center screen) after 1.5 years. No offer of warranty fix. The company innovates, that's for certain. The execution (engineering/deadlines, manufacturing quality, company lack of backing/remedy for obvious defects/issues) leaves customers in the lurch. This product is NOT for a serious pro or semi-pro user.

JOHN O.

2014-11-04T19:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

FPN problem fixed

The recent update for this camera provides in camera formatting, audio meters and a few other things. The FPN was not a problem with my camera. I think they have updated the current products they've been shipping. But I do believe if you were to receive a faulty camera they would send you a new one. BM seems to be working to resolve any issues with their frequent firmware updates. If they could just work on the LCD display to make it less like a mirror in the outdoors. Overall I have been happy with my camera. Hoping someday they will add 6o fps to their next firmware update, but who knows. Good camera for the price!

Brad

2014-05-29T21:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

Not ready for professional work

I believe this camera should not be out in the market. Its strongest value is its 4K image and many of the units sold are reported to have issues with it. If you know how to light your shots or make proper use of ND filters you should be good with the image, but not 100%. It is however sold clearly as "not a low light camera". What does anybody expect for $3000? Seriously. I would expect what the manufacturer markets it to be, which it is not unfortunately. Buy a Sony, pay what it costs and expect to get exactly what Sony markets it to be. Or be brave and make this BM production camera work whichever way you can while the manufacturer figures out how to fix the issues… oh well. Battery power readings are not good, but one is expected to use an external battery with this camera. Audio, which is marketed to be of professional quality, it is not. Audio monitoring is bad. It has no audio meters and I would not rely on internal audio recordings for any serious shoot, but who does? You can still make it work with a field mixer such as a Mixpre - D from Sound Devices… and it may just sound great. Recording to SSDs is pretty cool. I own two docks and it seems quite simple to move the media in the SSD directly into my scratch. Who doesn't have a dock of sorts today? There are so many options. Example: Seagate External Thunderbolt Adapter for Portable Drives. Cheap and fast. If your mac has two thunderbolt ports you're good to go on set, but you can also have as many SSDs as you need for the shoot without needing to copy footage on set. I prefer to back up everything as soon as an SSD is full. All in all, you pay 3K and get to play with 4K and cine lenses. If you are lucky, your camera will have a good image all the way through for just $3000!!!

ALEJANDRO V.

2014-05-21T21:00:00

Rated 1 out of 5

FAULTY PRODUCT

These cameras suffer from a problem called Fixed Pattern Noise or FPN. There are vertical lines throughout the image. The cameras are faulty and Blackmagic Design has yet to acknowledge the problem nor fix it. If you go to the forums on blackmagicdesign.com you can see the numerous posts from customers who all suffer from the same problem. DO NOT BUY until the problem is fixed or you will be stuck with a $3,000 paperweight. DO NOT BUY!!!!!

BRYAN D.

2014-05-20T21:00:00

Rated 1 out of 5

Footage has a fixed pattern noise

Unfortunately, these cameras' sensors are riddled with FPN (fixed pattern noise). The problem creates vertical lines of noise in the footage. It shows even in well lit scenarios, and even at the native iso! The problem varies slightly from camera to camera, but in most cases the issue is very noticeable. I would absolutely NOT recommend this product to anyone, especially not professionals. BMD's support has has been completely unhelpful in addressing the issue. They will only admit it is a known problem on private tech-support calls. In fact, I have never in my professional career seen a company produce a "production camera" this dysfunctional. The FPN issue is so widespread, I believe this camera should be recalled entirely. Just visit the Black Magic cinematography forum to read up on the problems. This product had great potential, but was released in a beta state and backed up with horrible support. The price is not worth the hassle, trust me.

Patrick

2014-05-14T21:00:00

Rated 3 out of 5

Not what I was expecting

Pratical because it shoots PRO RESS 4k but unpractical because you need a card reader in order to unload the footage. The camera also doesn't mount on the desktop and the battery charger does not display the power accurately. Lastly, There is no 60 fps option which for some reason I thought came standard. And you can't format the SSD card on the camera... you have to do it through a disk utility (wack!).

Victor L.

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Blackmagic Design Production Camera 4K Specifications

  • Effective Sensor Size

    21.12 x 11.88" / 536.45 x 301.75mm (Super 35)

  • Effective Sensor Resolution

    4000 x 2160

  • RAW Resolution

    12-bit RAW files recorded at 4000 x 2160

  • Shooting Resolutions

    4K RAW at 4000 x 2160. ProRes at 3840 x 2160 and 1920 x 1080

  • Frame Rates

    4K RAW at 4000 x 2160p 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 30
    Ultra HD 2160p23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 30
    HD 1080p23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 30

  • Dynamic Range

    12 stops

  • Focus

    Focus button turns on peaking

  • Iris Control

    Compatible with manually operated PL mount lens

  • Lens Mount

    PL mount for manually operated lens with manual iris control

  • Screen Dimensions

    5" and 800 x 480 resolution

  • Screen Type

    Integrated LCD capacitive touchscreen

  • Metadata Support

    Automatic camera data and user data such as shot number, filenames, and keywords

  • Controls

    Onscreen touch menus and physical buttons for recording and transport control

  • Microphone

    Integrated mono microphone

  • Speaker

    Integrated mono speaker

  • Mounting Options

    3x 1/4"-20 UNC thread mounting points on top of camera. 1 x 1/4"-20 UNC thread tripod mount with locator pin

  • Storage Type

    Removable 2.5" / 63.5mm SSD

  • Storage Format

    Mac OS Extended or exFAT format. SSDs can be formatted on any Mac or Windows computer

  • Storage Rates

    8MB per frame using 4K CinemaDNG RAW fits about 20 minutes of video on a 256GB solid state disk. Compressed Ultra HD formats fit more than 5 times the amount of RAW video

  • Recording Formats

    Lossless CinemaDNG RAW with film dynamic range at 4000x2160. Apple ProRes 422 (HQ), ProRes 422, ProRes 422 (LT) and ProRes 422 (Proxy) at 3840x2160 and 1920x1080 10-bit YUV with either film or video dynamic range

  • SDI Video Output

    6G-SDI 10-bit 4:2:2 with choice of Film or Video dynamic range

  • Analog Audio Input

    2x 1/4" jacks for professional balanced analog audio, switchable between mic and line levels

  • Analog Audio Output

    3.5mm stereo headphone output

  • SDI Audio Output

    2 channels 48 kHz and 24-bit

  • Remote Control

    2.5mm LANC for Record Start and Stop

  • Computer Interface

    Thunderbolt port for waveform monitoring of 1080 HD video, and capture of Ultra HD and 1080 HD video. USB 2.0 Mini-B port for software updates and configuration.

  • SDI Compliance

    SMPTE 292M

  • SDI Audio Sampling

    48 kHz and 24-bit

  • Software

    DaVinci Resolve grading software including Resolve USB dongle for Mac OS X and Windows. Blackmagic UltraScope. Blackmagic Media Express software. Disk Speed Test

  • Software Applications

    Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro CC, After Effects CC, Nuke, Photoshop CC, Pro Tools, DaVinci Resolve, UltraScope, Media Express, Disk Speed Test

  • Operating Systems

    Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks or later
    Windows 7 or later

  • Power

    Integrated Lithium-Ion Polymer rechargeable battery. 11V-30V DC port for external battery power or use included 12V AC adapter

  • External Power

    12V-30V DC port for external battery power or use included 12V AC adapter.

  • Battery Life

    Approximately 90 minutes

  • Battery Charge Time

    Approximately 2 hours when not in use

  • Operating Temperature

    0deg. to 40deg. C (32deg. to 104deg. F)

  • Storage Temperature

    -20deg. to 45deg. C (-4deg. to 113deg. F)

  • Relative Humidity

    0% to 90% non-condensing

  • Dimensions

    6.54 x 5.24 x 4.98" / 166.12 x 133.1 x 126.49mm

  • Weight

    3.74lbs / 1.7kg

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About Blackmagic Design Production Camera 4K with PL Mount, NO DONGLE - SKU#1584210

FEATURED REVIEWS

FPN fixed, Absolutely for Professional Work!

By DARCY S.

I am a published filmmaker Artist. The Blackmagic Production Camera 4K is an excellent camera for creative work. It is not a low light camera. However like most Film cameras, a good set up is necessary to get the most out of this unit. For whatever reason there are some people who continue to compare this unit with Dslr still photography cameras.. ?!? My assumption is that some people who are not experienced in motion film work will approach the Blackmagic from a 'Camcorder' background and ex...

View full Review

The Blackmagic Design Production Camera 4k with PL Mount features cinematic Super 35 sized sensor with global shutter. It includes 12 stops of dynamic range, built in 4K RAW and ProRes SSD recorder, touch screen with metadata entry, strong machined aluminum chassis and more. It includes DaVinci Resolve software for a complete solution for shooting, editing, color correcting and finishing 4K digital film.

Super 35mm Size Sensor
If you need higher resolution, global shutter and a more creative depth of field then the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K models feature a large Super 35 size sensor and professional PL or EF lens mounts, so is the perfect choice. You get incredible Ultra HD images with 12 stops of dynamic range for feature film quality shooting. The minimal crop factor lets you shoot with super wide angle lenses so you get images that are big and beautiful, plus have the dynamic range to capture highlight and shadow details far beyond that of any traditional video camera.

Wide Dynamic Range
Video cameras clip highlights and shadows giving you images that look like video. Some cameras use multiple exposures or "HDR mode" to simulate wide dynamic range but that doesn't work well with motion video where you have movement. The ultra wide dynamic range 2.5K sensor has so much range that you can even shoot indoors with correct exposure and still get full detail through windows outside! This is the secret that allows feature film imagery when color grading with DaVinci Resolve.

High Resolution
With the choice of two high resolution sensors, at 2.5K ultra wide dynamic range or 4K wide dynamic range, you get enough resolution to reframe shots, eliminate bayer loss for full resolution color and to shoot in native Ultra HD. With the latest incredibly large screen TV's available to consumers the demand for Ultra HD content has never been greater. The Blackmagic Production Camera 4K model is the perfect choice for Ultra HD production and you can shoot native RAW to get every single bit of data direct from the sensor or you can shoot in ProRes for high quality video files that are as easy to use as HD files. That means you can shoot in Ultra HD with the same workflow as HD.

Touchscreen Display
The Blackmagic Design Production Camera 4k with PL Mount features cinematic Super 35 sized sensor with global shutter. It includes 12 stops of dynamic range, built in 4K RAW and ProRes SSD recorder, touch screen with metadata entry, strong machined aluminum chassis and more. It includes DaVinci Resolve software for a complete solution for shooting, editing, color correcting and finishing 4K digital film.

Super 35mm Size Sensor
If you need higher resolution, global shutter and a more creative depth of field then the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K models feature a large Super 35 size sensor and professional PL or EF lens mounts, so is the perfect choice. You get incredible Ultra HD images with 12 stops of dynamic range for feature film quality shooting. The minimal crop factor lets you shoot with super wide angle lenses so you get images that are big and beautiful, plus have the dynamic range to capture highlight and shadow details far beyond that of any traditional video camera.

Wide Dynamic Range
Video cameras clip highlights and shadows giving you images that look like video. Some cameras use multiple exposures or "HDR mode" to simulate wide dynamic range but that doesn't work well with motion video where you have movement. The ultra wide dynamic range 2.5K sensor has so much range that you can even shoot indoors with correct exposure and still get full detail through windows outside! This is the secret that allows feature film imagery when color grading with DaVinci Resolve.

High Resolution
With the choice of two high resolution sensors, at 2.5K ultra wide dynamic range or 4K wide dynamic range, you get enough resolution to reframe shots, eliminate bayer loss for full resolution color and to shoot in native Ultra HD. With the latest incredibly large screen TV's available to consumers the demand for Ultra HD content has never been greater. The Blackmagic Production Camera 4K model is the perfect choice for Ultra HD production and you can shoot native RAW to get every single bit of data direct from the sensor or you can shoot in ProRes for high quality video files that are as easy to use as HD files. That means you can shoot in Ultra HD with the same workflow as HD.

Touchscreen Display
The heart of the design is the built in 5 inch touch screen that's as easy to use as typing on your Smartphone! You can frame shots, view histogram and audio meters on the heads up display as well as change camera settings and enter metadata all on the built in screen. You can also control other camera features via the touch screen such as double tapping the screen to zoom into the image for easy focus and swiping up and down controls for the "heads up display" that shows histogram, time remaining and audio level meters so you can get perfect exposure and audio levels! The status strip displays transport status, shutter, aperture, ISO, battery and more.

Direct Metadata Entry
The built in high resolution 5" LCD touch screen can be used for entering metadata directly into the camera by simply typing on the soft keyboard, so it's as easy to use as any Smartphone. Shot number can automatically increment, so you don't have to enter it for each shot! Entering metadata directly into the camera means every time you record the shot information is recorded into the media file so editing software such as DaVinci Resolve 11 or Final Cut Pro X can quickly identify and locate the shot you need when you are in post production saving editing time and eliminating manual logging.

Super Fast SSD
Most professional digital film cameras use proprietary media only available from the manufacturer which increases the cost of using the camera. The Blackmagic production Cameras eliminate this "usage tax" by using off the shelf computer solid state disks, or SSDs, so you can buy high performance storage media at much lower cost as well as getting higher speeds and capacity by taking advantage of the latest generation SSDs the moment they are available. SSDs can be mounted on your Mac or Windows machine using adapter cables or a Blackmagic MultiDock and because the speeds are so high you can edit directly off the SSD without time wasting file copying.

Industry Standard Connections
You get 3G-SDI or 6G-SDI on the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K model for monitoring, 1/4" mic/line audio inputs and a Thunderbolt connection for live streaming from the camera and scopes when using the included Ultra Scope software. When you want external camera and lens control a LANC port is included.

DC Power
The built in rechargeable battery can record for up to 90 minutes and makes the Blackmagic Cinema Cameras truly portable! You also get a standard 12 - 30V power connector so that you can add external professional battery packs such as V-Lock or any other DC power pack. That means you'll be able to shoot longer and recharge the internal battery at the same time.

Custom Rigs
The top of the camera has three 1/4" thread mounting points for easily adding ambient and directional microphones, shoe mounts, EVFs, cages and more! The thread mount located on the bottom of the camera lets you secure the camera to tripods, attach handles, stabilizing systems, rails and even quad-copter drones.

Use Your Favorite Software
The files you record on Blackmagic production Cameras are compatible with virtually every video software tool available on every computer platform available. Simply plug the SSD into your computer and drop the files straight into the software you want to use. Now you can use powerful editing, color correction, visual effects, audio post production tools such as DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut Pro X, Avid Media Composer, Adobe Premiere Pro CC, ProTools, Nuke, Fusion and many more.

DaVinci Resolve 11
The Blackmagic production Camera includes a full copy of DaVinci Resolve 11 so you can immediately begin editing and color grading the RAW files without purchasing any additional software. That means you get a complete solution for managing and backing up your media, editing, color correction and authoring final video and film master files for distribution. The full copy of DaVinci Resolve included with the camera includes support for multi user timelines, temporal noise reduction, 3D tools and much more.

Blackmagic Design Production Camera 4K with PL Mount, NO DONGLE - SKU#1584210 Features

  • Large Super 35 Sensor: With a large Super 35 size sensor you get familiar framing and behavior from the lenses you already own! The sensor features a global shutter so you get perfect panning and with minimal crop factor you also get beautiful wide angle shots from your wide angle lenses.
  • PL Lens Mount: The PL models allow you to use, or even rent, professional cinema lenses from companies such as Panavision, ARRI or Zeiss. You can even usevintage PL cinema lenses when you're shooting period work where you want to recreate the look of that time by using the actual lens they used back in those days!
  • Capture 4K ProRes directly to a removable SSD!: With a built in SSD recorder, Blackmagic Production Camera 4K easily captures 4K in ProRes 422 (HQ) and compressed CinemaDNG files. You get a 4K camera designed from the ground up to be part of your post production workflow!
  • Open File Formats: Unlike traditional cameras that record obscure file formats that take time to convert before you can start post production, the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K records directly to files that are compatible with your editing software.
  • Beautifully Crafted Design: Blackmagic Production Camera 4K has been designed with portability and durability in mind. With standard connections and an internal battery inside a beautiful machined aluminum design, you can be confident that the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K will easily handle the rigors of location work!
  • Easy to Use Touchscreen: Use the capacitive touchscreen to access menus to change settings such as recording format, shutter angle and more! Double tap the screen to zoom into the image for fast and accurate focus. Tap once on the screen to display the metadata entry page where you can enter information such as shot number.
  • Dynamic Range: With 12 stops of dynamic range you get amazing looking images beyond those of regular video cameras or even the highest end broadcast cameras. All this dynamic range is captured into ProRes or CinemaDNG files at 4K resolution, so images retain a beautiful film look.
  • No need to buy expensive custom cables!: Blackmagic Production Camera 4K uses standard connections, so you never need to source custom cables! It includes a 6G-SDI connection for Ultra HD resolution or down converted HD output over a single SDI cable.

What's in the box:

  • Production Camera 4K with PL Mount
  • Body Cap
  • Power Supply
  • Item Note: Missing Shoulder Strap; Sun Shield; USB Dongle with DaVinci Resolve and UltraScope Software