Launched in 2013, the original Blackmagic Pocket
Cinema Camera became a success for bringing professional grade quality and
control to a compact, pocketable design. Five years and many requests later,
the company has finally announced the successor - Blackmagic Pocket Cinema
Camera 4K.
The new 4K model is completely redesigned and
although it's probably not pocketable anymore, it's still a relatively compact
camera that promises big things. The biggest upgrade is the new 4/3 HDR sensor
with a native 4096x2160 DCI 4K resolution. The camera now boasts 13 stops of
dynamic range and an ISO range of up to 25600. It's compatible with Micro Four
Thirds lenses.
The camera records in 10-bit ProRes and 12-bit RAW
format with support for 3D LUTS. You can record in 4K 60fps or 1080p 120fps
(cropped). It has four microphones built-in along with a mini XLR input with
48V of phantom power. Other connections include a full sized HDMI with HDR and
clean 10-bit video feed with optional on-screen overlay, headphone jack, microphone
jack, locking DC 12V power and USB-C. The last one is the most interesting
because you can now directly plug in a USB-C hard drive into the camera and
record directly on to the drive. Alternatively, you can record on internal SD,
UHS-II or CFast cards.
The camera uses a new carbon fiber polycarbonate
composite body for added rigidity. On the back is a new 5-inch touchscreen with
Blackmagic OS for simple operation. There is also support for remote operation
via Bluetooth.
The best part of all this is the price. The new
Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K is priced at $1295, which is about half that
of the new Panasonic GH5S. The price also includes full license for DaVinci
Resolve Studio, Blackmagic's video editing application. The camera is expected
to go on sale some time later this year.
