Blackmagic Design has unveiled the Pocket Cinema Camera 6K (BMPCC6K), an EF-mount cinema camera with a 6K Super 35 (S35) sensor, a step up from the Four Thirds sensor found inside Blackmagic Design’s Pocket Cinema Camera 4K (BMPCC4K).
At the core of the camera is a 23.10 x 12.99mm Super 35 sensor with Dual Native ISO (400 and 3200), 6144 x 3456 pixel resolution and 13 stops of dynamic range. It can shoot in 10-bit ProRes or 12-bit Blackmagic RAW formats.
The S35 sensor will shoot up to 50 fps at 6144 x 3456 16:9 or 60 fps at 6144 x 2560 2.4:1 and 60 fps at 5744 x 3024 1.9:1. There is also a high frame rate option that shoots 120 fps at 2.8K 2868 x 1512 1.9:1 as well as a true anamorphic 6:5 mode that shoots in 3.7K 60 fps (3728 x 3104).
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| A comparison from the BMPCC6K product page highlighting the difference in the depth of field between the Four Thirds sensor inside the BMPCC4K and the roughly APS-C ‘Super 35’ sensor inside the BMPCC6K. |
The EF mount on the BMPCC6K will feature full electronics so Canon’s EF lens lineup can communicate with the camera for focus and aperture control, as well as Image Stabilization support. In addition to using Canon’s EF mount, the BMPCC6K also uses the same Canon-style LP-E6 battery as its predecessor. Blackmagic rates this for 45 minutes of runtime and can be charged via external battery packs through the onboard USB-C connection.
Recordings can be captured as 10-bit Apple ProRes files in all formats up to 4K or 12-bit Blackmagic RAW in all formats up to 6K. The BMPCC6K features both a CFast and SD UHS-II slots, as well as a USB-C port for storing to external media. Blackmagic Design says ‘Customers can use regular SD cards for HD or higher performance UHS-II and CFast cards for native 4K or 6K when using Blackmagic RAW. Imagine capturing over an hour of full resolution 6K images on a single 256GB SD UHS-II card.’
Notably, though, the manual recommends CFast or USB-C-connected SSD storage for the camera’s high res, high frame rate output, as most of the compression options exceed the 90MB/s guaranteed speeds of the latest V90 UHS-II cards.
A full-size HDMI connection is included for monitoring footage and outputting 10-bit video, including HDR. Other connections include a mini XLR connection with 48 volt phantom power, a 3.5mm microphone input, a 3.5mm headphone output and a locking DC power connection.
On the rear of the BMPCC6K is the same five-inch touchscreen found on the BMPCC4K, which displays the Blackmagic OS, a proprietary operating system designed specifically for Blackmagic Design’s cameras.
The BMPCC6K utilizes Blackmagic Design’s Generation 4 Color Science, first introduced on the URSA Mini Pro G2. In Blackmagic Design’s own words, ‘Blackmagic Generation 4 Color Science uses a complex dynamic 12-bit gamma curve designed to capture more color data in the highlights and shadows, so they get better looking images.’
Other features include still frame capture up to 21.2-megapixels, remote camera control via Bluetooth, localization for 11 languages and a built-in timecode generator for synced multi-camera shoots.
The BMPCC6K is available now for $ 2,495 from resellers around the globe.
Press release:
Blackmagic Design Announces New Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K
Fremont, CA, USA – Thursday, 8 August 2019 – Blackmagic Design today announced the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K, a new handheld digital film camera with a full Super 35 size 6K HDR image sensor, 13 stops of dynamic range, an EF lens mount and dual native ISO up to 25,600 for incredible low light performance. This new model builds on the popularity of the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K but has a larger Super 35 sensor size with 6K resolution, allowing higher image quality. The EF lens mount model works with a wide range of lenses from companies such as Canon, Zeiss, Sigma and Schneider.
Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K is available immediately from Blackmagic Design resellers worldwide for US$ 2,495.
The elegant design of the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera packs an incredible number of high end digital film features into a miniaturized, handheld design. Made from lightweight carbon fiber polycarbonate composite, the camera features a multifunction handgrip with all controls for recording, ISO, WB and shutter angle right at their fingertips. Because it’s an advanced digital film camera, the sensor is designed to reduce thermal noise allowing cleaner shadows and higher ISO. Plus the large 5 inch LCD makes it possible to get perfect focus at 4K and 6K resolutions.
Featuring a larger 6144 x 3456 Super 35 sensor and EF lens mount, the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K lets customers use larger EF photographic lenses to create cinematic images with shallower depth of field, allowing creative defocussed backgrounds and gorgeous bokeh effects. This means that customers 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.
Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K and 6K both have an incredible 13 stops of dynamic range which means they preserve more detail in the lightest and darkest areas of an image than simple video cameras can. This allows customers to set exposure for an indoor scene such as a cafe and still retain the details of bright outdoor light coming through a window. Customers even get more colors than the standard DCI-P3 colorspace used for feature films.
The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera features dual gain ISO up to 25,600, which means both the 4K and 6K models are optimized to minimize grain or noise in images, while maintaining the full dynamic range of the sensor. The native ISO of 400 is ideal for scenes with on-set lighting. The gain is set automatically as they adjust the ISO setting on the camera, so it’s easy to capture great images when they don’t have time to set up lights.
The new 6K model will shoot up to 50 fps at 6144 x 3456 16:9 or 60 fps at 6144 x 2560 2.4:1 and 60 fps at 5744 x 3024 17:9. For higher frame rates they can window the sensor and shoot up to 120 fps at 2.8K 2868 x 1512 17:9. Customers can even work in true anamorphic 6:5 using anamorphic lenses in 3.7K 60 fps at 3728 x 3104.
Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera records using standard open file formats so customers don’t have to waste time transcoding media. Recording works in industry standard 10-bit Apple ProRes files in all formats up to 4K or 12-bit Blackmagic RAW in all formats up to 6K. Best of all media files work on all operating systems plus customers can format media cards and disks in HFS+ for Mac and ExFAT for Windows.
The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera features built in CFast and SD UHS-II card recorders, and a USB-C expansion port for recording direct to an external media disk. Customers can use regular SD cards for HD or higher performance UHS-II and CFast cards for native 4K or 6K when using Blackmagic RAW. Imagine capturing over an hour of full resolution 6K images on a single 256GB SD UHS-II card.
Blackmagic RAW is a revolutionary new format designed to capture and preserve the quality of the sensor data from their camera. Video formats such as H.264 are highly compressed, plus add noise and weird artifacts, causing original sensor detail to be lost forever. Blackmagic RAW eliminates this problem and gives them stunning images with incredible detail and color throughout the production pipeline from camera to edit, color and mastering. It also saves camera settings as metadata so customers can set ISO, white balance and exposure in camera or override them later while editing, all without any loss of quality. Blackmagic RAW files are also small and fast to use making them easy to work with.
The rear of the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera features a large, bright 5 inch touchscreen that makes it easy for customers to frame shots and accurately focus. It’s like getting a built in Blackmagic Video Assist with their camera. The touchscreen displays critical information while shooting, as well as menus for setting up the camera and intuitive touch to focus controls. On screen overlays show status, a histogram, focus and peaking indicators, levels, frame guides, playback controls and more.
With the advanced Blackmagic OS, customers get an intuitive and user friendly camera operating system based on the latest technology. The interface uses simple tap and swipe gestures to adjust settings, add metadata and view recording status. Customers also get full control over advanced camera features such as on screen focus and exposure tools, 3D LUTs, HDR, metadata entry, timecode, Blackmagic RAW settings and more.
Featuring the same Generation 4 Color Science as the high end URSA Mini Pro G2, the Pocket Cinema Camera delivers stunning, accurate skin tones and faithful color in every shot. Blackmagic Generation 4 Color Science uses a complex dynamic 12-bit gamma curve designed to capture more color data in the highlights and shadows, so they get better looking images. The color science also handles some of the complex Blackmagic RAW image processing, so color and dynamic range data from the sensor is preserved via metadata which customers can use in post production.
The camera includes a full size HDMI connector for monitoring with support for HDR and clean 10-bit output. There’s also a mini XLR connection with 48 volt phantom power for attaching professional microphones, a 3.5 mm video camera style microphone input, headphone connection and a professional locking DC power connector.
Digital film cameras shoot logarithmic colorspace to preserve the dynamic range, which is great for later post production, however when these files are viewed on a monitor they can look flat and washed out. 3D LUTs solve this problem because they allow customers to apply a “look” to the monitor so customers get an idea of how the finished images will look like when editing. The Pocket Cinema Camera works with industry standard 17 and 33 point 3D LUT files, or customers can work with the built in LUTs such as Extended Video, Film to Video, Film to Rec.2020 and more.
Professional cameras include professional features and customers also get a built in timecode generator, allowing shooting with more than one camera while keeping perfect sync. Simply plug in an external timecode generator such as Tentacle Sync into the 3.5 mm audio jack and the camera will automatically detect timecode and lock the internal generator. Now each camera can start and stop recording and all the shots from all cameras will have the same matched timecode. Imagine shooting a music festival with multiple roving cameras. Best of all the new DaVinci Resolve 16.1 will automatically find and sync the shots from all cameras so they don’t need to waste time sorting through thousands of shots.
The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera uses standard removable LP-E6 type batteries and also features a locking DC power connector so they never have to worry about losing power in the middle of a shoot. The included AC plug pack can power the camera and charge the battery at the same time. The USB-C expansion port can also be used to charge the battery from portable battery packs, mobile phone chargers or a laptop computer. Customers can even add an optional Blackmagic Pocket Battery Grip that lets customers use 2 batteries to dramatically extend the power of the camera.
Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K and 6K models include a full version of DaVinci Resolve Studio, which is the same software used in Hollywood for creating high end feature films, episodic television shows, commercials and more. DaVinci Resolve features a revolutionary new cut page with intelligent editing tools and innovative new features designed to help customers quickly find the footage customers want, edit it together and output it fast. In addition to the new cut page, customers also get DaVinci’s legendary professional editing, advanced color correction, audio post and visual effects tools, all in a single software application.
“The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K features incredible new 6K imaging and EF lens support that customers have asked for,” said Grant Petty, Blackmagic Design CEO. “It has all of the great features customers love from the 4K model, but now adds an EF lens, increased 6K resolution for even higher quality images and more. Plus, with the built in Video Assist features, customers don’t have to purchase and carry around extra equipment. DaVinci Resolve Studio is also included, making it an incredible all in one solution that enables anyone to be creative and tell a story.”
Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Features
- Use for independent films, documentaries, blogs and more.
- Designed from carbon fiber polycarbonate composite.
- Multifunction grip allows single hand operation.
- 2 models with 6K at 6144 x 3456 and 4K at 4096 x 2160.
- Compatible with MFT or EF lens mounts.
- Wide 13 stops of dynamic range for film looks.
- Up to 25600 ISO for incredible low light performance.
- Records full resolution up to 60 fps or 120 fps windowed.
- Standard open file formats compatible with popular software.
- Built in SD, UHS-II and CFast card recorders.
- Features incredible quality Blackmagic RAW recording.
- Built in 5″ touchscreen allows accurate focus when shooting 6K.
- Blackmagic OS as used in URSA Mini and URSA Broadcast cameras.
- Includes Blackmagic Generation 4 Color Science.
- Features full size HDMI for monitoring with status overlay.
- Professional mini XLR input with 48 volt phantom power.
- 3D LUTs can be applied for both monitoring and recording.
- USB-C port allows recording directly to external disk.
- Built in timecode generator for sync muli-camera shoots.
- Supports still frame capture up to 21.2 megapixel.
- Localized for 11 popular languages.
- Supports remote camera control via Bluetooth.
- Powers via 12V DC input and can recharge via USB-C.
- Includes full DaVinci Resolve Studio for post production.
Availability and Price
Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K is available now for US$ 2,495, excluding duties, from Blackmagic Design resellers worldwide.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
