A Good BlackMagic Setup for Documentaries.

[David Jim]

Any thoughts on this?
Cheers

[Bill Bruner]

Hi Dave – congratulations on setting out to shoot your own projects. Since you’re starting from scratch, you may want to start out with a camera that is a little easier to deal with in the field than the Blackmagics.

If you want a large sensor interchangeable lens camera for interviews and action, I recommend the 4K Panasonic GH4. You can get one with the 12-35mm f2.8 lens and the 10-bit 4:2:2 Atomos Shogun external recorder (ships in September) for £3773.71 from DigiBroadcast.

If you don’t want to wait until September and don’t mind recording 8-bit 4:2:0 4K internally, your can get the GH4 with the lens and an external interface unit with 10-bit 4K HD-SDI output and timecode for £4018.20.

Either of these setups will give you XLR mic inputs which should prevent you from having to buy an external sound solution.

This camera shoots 1080/96p slow motion, has a long-lasting battery and a built-in electronic viewfinder – all features that the BMPC 4K lacks.

Here is what this camera can do, compared to the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K (please watch at your monitor’s highest resolution):

https://youtu.be/6H-xLfUh85U

Here is what the GH4 can do on its own:

SLOW MOTION:

https://vimeo.com/97096167

https://vimeo.com/100034235

TRAVEL/DOCUMENTARY:

https://vimeo.com/95030149

https://vimeo.com/101109282

https://vimeo.com/99523009

https://vimeo.com/96684489

AERIAL:

https://vimeo.com/101324047

I think Blackmagic cameras are terrific – I love my Blackmagic Pocket Camera – but I really do think the GH4 is a better camera for the lone camera operator.

Hope this is helpful and best of luck!

Bill
Hybrid Camera Revolution

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[David Jim]

Thanks for your thoughts Bill. I’ve not even considered that camera. The footage looks good.
My heart is set on the BM, but I’ll have to do a bit more research as maybe it isn’t the right camera…

Thanks
Dave

[Marco Solorio]

There are some additional things to also consider between the GH4 and the BMD 4K. The GH4 does shoot nice images and the HFR options is also very nice. I wouldn’t necessarily call any Micro Four Thirds sensor a large sensor format however. The Production Camera 4K uses a Super35 sensor with a global shutter, which for us, is key for the type of acquisition we need. Likewise, we can internally shoot various 10-bit ProRes formats or we can shoot 12-bit RAW for truly high latitude pushing in post. Even with the Atomos Shogun (a nice unit itself), it can “only” go up to 10-bit ProRes HQ in comparison. Like all cameras, different tools for different needs.

Marco Solorio | CreativeCow Host | OneRiver Media | ORM Blog | Facebook | Twitter | BMCC Newsletter

[David C jones]

We recently purchased the BMPC 4K for documentary work. One thing to keep in mind is that the camera comes with…well…the camera. So expect to spend several thousand more dollars for the rest of the stuff you really need to make it useful.

For the price though, you really won’t find a better camera.

Dave J

[Bill Pryor]

Hi, David. I’m wondering how you’re getting along with the BMPC for documentary work. I’m considering the same thing. I’d like to know what EVF you got, rig, likes and dislikes, etc. My major concern is audio. Thanks.

[Philippe Orlando]

There is no reason to go with the headaches of using the Black Magic Cameras. The quality out of the GH4 and probably today out of the NX1 is more than enough to film anything, including fiction. Any difference can only be perceived in side by side comparisons by people who are doing just that, side by side comparisons. Frankly, a tiny bit more dynamic range would not make this more interesting, just the life of the shooter and the editor more complicated. If your subject is interesting, if your story is captivating, nobody is going to have time to wonder if the trees, that we can see outside the windows, from inside, are fuzzy or perfectly in focus and clear. Who cares?
Once you can buy what the GH4 and the NX1 can give you, don’t entangle you in the world of Black Magic to gain something nobody will see. Focus on content, lighting and get it right while filming, that way you’ll minimize working with colors in post. And no, the H265 is not a problem, just convert it to prores.