Everything you need to know about the Blackmagic Pocket 4K camera

Here’s all the info about my latest rig that I setup for the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K. I also learned some interesting things when it comes to the ISO settings when shooting in RAW on this camera along with the different adapters and lenses I use. I even found a better and cheaper way to power the camera and monitor with one small battery.

As you can see in the video above there is a lot of new things I discovered about the BMPCC4K or the Pocket 4K camera as I prefer to call it. Definitely the one thing you want to be aware of are the ISO limitations that I talk about when shooting in RAW. Basically when shooting in RAW, unlike in other RAW cameras that allow you to change the ISO to any other setting after the fact, in the BMPCC4K you are going to be limited to either the first base ISO range which is ISO 400 range that starts at 100 ISO and ends with ISO 1000. So if you shoot in any of the value withing ISO 100 and 1000 then you can change the ISO setting in post but only to other ISO settings within that first range. If you wanted to raise it above 1000 ISO you are out of luck. Now if you shoot in ISO 1250 up to 6400 then essentially you are switching to the next base ISO bracket of 3200 ISO. In that case in post you can also adjust the ISO but only within the range of ISO 1250 to 6400. So what happens when you go higher than ISO 6400? Let’s say you shoot at ISO 10,000 or 16,000 and then in post you look at the footage and decide it’s too noisy. Can you simply adjust the ISO value down to say 3200 ISO like you can with most other RAW cameras? Not really. If you are shooting in ISO values larger than ISO 6400 then you are essentially outside of that base ISO range and so you will be stuck with that setting. So you can’t adjust it. Which means that I would personally never advise shooting in ISO higher than 6400 unless you have a big monitor connected to your camera on set where you can 100% confirm that you are okay with the amount of noise visible in the footage.

Anyway, watch the full video above to also see me talk about the different rig accessories I put on my Pocket 4K camera and also the different lenses and adapters I use.

Here is a list of everything I show in the video.

➡Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K is available right now on:
eBay https://ebay.to/2ATt1XM
B&H https://bhpho.to/2r87V2O
Amazon https://amzn.to/2T1YFJU
Adorama http://bit.ly/2JNJobr

➡SmallRig Cage
B&H https://bhpho.to/2IVlZqP
Amazon https://amzn.to/2LjEx6d
eBay https://ebay.to/2JagqUM
Adorama https://adorama.evyy.net/A5zB7

➡SmallRig Half Cage
B&H https://bhpho.to/2IUAN9h
Amazon https://amzn.to/2JixOa7
eBay https://ebay.to/2Vy59nZ
Adorama https://adorama.evyy.net/9q123

➡Top Handle
B&H https://bhpho.to/2IU2SgL
Amazon https://amzn.to/2PGi41L
eBay https://ebay.to/2Werh3H
Adorama https://adorama.evyy.net/G16EL

➡Side Handle by SmallRig
eBay https://ebay.to/2DLknLZ
B&H https://bhpho.to/2IU2WNx
Amazon https://amzn.to/2JiAe8H
Adorama https://adorama.evyy.net/VdrgE

➡Battery for Monitor and BMPCC4K
eBay https://ebay.to/2WlTkhM
Amazon https://amzn.to/2DLnmUL

➡DC Power Cable for BMPCC4K
Amazon https://amzn.to/2Y2HycA
eBay https://ebay.to/2GQJxcU
B&H https://bhpho.to/2IXLV5d
Adorama https://adorama.evyy.net/0zrnJ

➡Monitor Mount
B&H https://bhpho.to/2IVJAaQ
Amazon https://amzn.to/2VGRECg
eBay https://ebay.to/2WjcmoP
Adorama https://adorama.evyy.net/27PgQ

➡SmallRig Articulating Magic Arm Kit
B&H https://bhpho.to/2IY7l1R
Amazon https://amzn.to/2DJermF
eBay https://ebay.to/2Vg5TPj
Adorama https://adorama.evyy.net/4MkLo

➡Shoulder Pad
B&H https://bhpho.to/2IWqQb7
Amazon https://amzn.to/2LshHJM
eBay https://ebay.to/2UX4Bnc
Adorama https://adorama.evyy.net/yoDOW

➡Rail Mount
Amazon https://amzn.to/2GXuDD1
eBay https://ebay.to/2IX0MN4

➡V-Mount Battery Plate from SmallRig
B&H https://bhpho.to/2IVYQ7K
Amazon https://amzn.to/2Y3ul3g
eBay https://ebay.to/2DVBCur
Adorama https://adorama.evyy.net/xoxmv

➡15mm Rod Rail Handle Kit by SmallRig
B&H https://bhpho.to/2IXNKz5
Amazon https://amzn.to/2LhAfw3
eBay https://ebay.to/2GXRePJ
Adorama https://adorama.evyy.net/5zeqN

➡Lots of great camera accessories from SmallRig
Amazon https://amzn.to/2DJTWX8
B&H https://bhpho.to/2IVO4OR
eBay https://ebay.to/2PHpDoK

➡FEELWORLD Master MA5 5″ Monitor
Amazon https://amzn.to/2FsEAbe
B&H https://bhpho.to/2FOl8HT
Adorama http://bit.ly/2AGrsfe
eBay https://ebay.to/2H7Qv0I

➡FEELWORLD FW279 7″ 2200nit Ultra Bright Monitor
Amazon https://amzn.to/2M56HhU
B&H https://bhpho.to/2Cft2oE
Adorama http://bit.ly/2SLb4RP
eBay https://ebay.to/2VNL75T

➡Olympus 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7
B&H https://bhpho.to/2FFVEZG
Amazon https://amzn.to/2TJ343r
eBay https://ebay.to/2Vbh1ZH
Adorama https://adorama.evyy.net/m07me

➡Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 35-100mm f/2.8
B&H https://bhpho.to/2FR64sH
Amazon https://amzn.to/2uxj7r3
eBay https://ebay.to/2HOofzo
Adorama https://adorama.evyy.net/xR7GA

➡Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm f/2.8
B&H https://bhpho.to/2FVT84Z
Amazon https://amzn.to/2OzGv0a
eBay https://ebay.to/2HMVFOX
Adorama https://adorama.evyy.net/DJ2Nj

➡Panasonic Lumix G 25mm f/1.7
B&H https://bhpho.to/2SnCwIx
Amazon https://amzn.to/2uxMTfa
eBay https://ebay.to/2CLYvj5
Adorama https://adorama.evyy.net/9rXoW

➡Lens Adapters I used were:
Metabones T Speed Booster XL 0.64x Adapter https://bhpho.to/2Ceh5j0
On Amazon https://amzn.to/2NKUD6x
Metabones T Speed Booster Ultra 0.71x Adapter https://bhpho.to/2Ft8A7P
On Amazon https://amzn.to/2ErYReY

➡Lenses I used were:
Rokinon 50mm T1.5 Cine DS Lens https://bhpho.to/2Izdwdx
On Amazon https://amzn.to/2GWGoLc
Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 Art Lens https://bhpho.to/2TlbGBn
On Amazon https://amzn.to/2EGte2H
Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 UMC Lens https://bhpho.to/2T7m1kf
On Amazon https://amzn.to/2ILIsHK

➡Watson V-Mount Cine Battery https://bhpho.to/2PKrQzL
➡Watson V-Mount Batteries and Charger https://bhpho.to/2FCpjpP

➡LP-E6 Dummy Battery
Amazon https://amzn.to/2PTe4OR
B&H https://bhpho.to/2FBfrNa
eBay https://ebay.to/2DQEnh9

—————————————————————————
DISCLAIMERS:
This video was sponsored by Skillshare.

Some of my links have an affiliate code, allowing me to make a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks!

The opinions expressed in this video were not influenced by or paid for by any outside individual or company. I use and test lots of products that are sent to me or that I buy myself. In the end, I only talk about the products that I find interesting.

5 thoughts on “Everything you need to know about the Blackmagic Pocket 4K camera”

  1. As far as noise reduction, check out NeatVideo’s plugin. A life saver for FCPX, Adobe, etc.! Works great with super high ISO patterns on the PCC4K and on the URSA Mini.

    For that plugin, you can load custom noise prints as well. Leave your lens cap on, set your settings to various ISO levels, then record separate clips as “reference” noise patterns. e.g. clip 1 = ISO 800, clip 2 = ISO 1600, etc.

    I would recommend creating variations of each ISO noise pattern: 24fps for example, versus 60fps, versus 120 fps. Each of these at 1080, each of these at UHD.

    This latter customization is NOT required but it really adds a valuable dimension in post processing.

    NeatVideo has saved my reputation on a few shoots!!

    1. Thanks for sharing your info and tips on using NeatVideo. Have you ever given Davinci Resolve Studio a try and it’s noise removal tools?

      1. I haven’t yet. Is it comparable? With Resolves integration of the entire post process, it’s tempting to make the full jump over to it.

        I’ve used it to process some BRAW into ProRes clips. Are there any Resolve tutorials you’d recommend (YouTube links perhaps) on their noise reduction tools? Thanks Tom!

  2. Impatiently waiting for the ProRes RAW firmware…

    Bought the bracket for the Ninja (the angle bracket is too short that comes with the Kit)

    Did not buy the Moza Remote Focus option 1.) the Z lens’s focus ring is too close to the camera body to attach) 2.) You can’t – predictively – Pull Focus ie 4 feet 5.5 inches from optimal focus will not be exact when you change focus and come back to 4 feet 5.5 inches like a manual lens on a non-Mirrorless camera body… right?

Leave a Reply to Tom AntosCancel reply