[Erik Cantu]

I recently switched from editing on a mac to a PC and I shoot with a BMCC and my workflow hasn’t changed at all, I still shoot ProRes, edit ProRes in Premiere Pro on PC and export H.264.
The Premiere Pro on the PC can read the ProRes files just fine for editing. It cannot export ProRes files, but editing the footage you shot and exporting to any other format works perfectly for me.
If you need a higher quality export format, similar to ProRess 4444, etc, the Cineform codecs are high recommended.
Also, the Blackmagic cameras do also shoot to Avid’s DNxHD format which is the same on PC and Mac and can be exported from Premiere.

Erik Cantu
Video Producer
RadioU TV & Animal Basement
14 years experience as a fulltime broadcast shooter, editor & broadcast designer.

[Erik Cantu]

While I do understand you about the price point being the same on both cameras that do have the same image sensors and recording formats; the 4k URSA mini seems like a no brainier choice.
I can see somebody still buying the Blackmagic Production Camera because of the smaller size or if they already have accessories for that size camera or because the media is still cheaper per GB than CFast cards.

Erik Cantu
Video Producer
RadioU TV & Animal Basement
14 years experience as a fulltime broadcast shooter, editor & broadcast designer.

[Erik Cantu]

I think your question is better served by asking which lens mounts have adapters for FD lenses, as most of the cameras you are asking about offer different lens mounts. The lens mount available on blackmagic cameras are MTF, PL and EF. MTF mounts have adapters for FD lenses, and there are a few that adapt a FD lens to an EF mount but they do introduce artifacts to the image, and I haven’t done the math for the flange distance, but I know of no FD to PL adapters.

Erik Cantu
Video Producer
RadioU TV & Animal Basement
14 years experience as a fulltime broadcast shooter, editor & broadcast designer.

[Erik Cantu]

ISO doesn’t matter in RAW mode. Setting ISO is RAW mode just affects the picture on the camera’s monitor. ISO and color temperature are the two items that aren’t “baked” into the footage, like shooting ProRes or DNxHD. Once in Resolve, you select the exposure and color temp of the footage.
Your RAW footage may be fine, and you just need a bit more help with your Resolve workflow.
Could you post a .dng still of some footage you are having problems with?

Erik Cantu
Video Producer
RadioU TV & Animal Basement
14 years experience as a fulltime broadcast shooter, editor & broadcast designer.

[Erik Cantu]

Try shooting higher than 200 ISO too. The camera’s native ISO is 800 and that’s all I’ve ever shot with it at when shooting ProRes. I shoot ProRes mostly myself, from corporate stuff on green screen to outdoor interviews – all at 800ISO (using IRND’s outside.)

Keep experimenting, the camera is fantastic, but it’s far from a point-and-shoot. I love the quality and challenge of shooting with it.

Erik Cantu
Video Producer
RadioU TV & Animal Basement
14 years experience as a fulltime broadcast shooter, editor & broadcast designer.

[Erik Cantu]

I think your key problem is what you are shooting in, “”Available bedroom lighting.” None of the Blackmagic cameras are known for their low light ability. They look fantastic with better light, try shooting outside in the day. If you are coming over from DSLR shooting, you are going to have to think about light more than you are used to, especailly since the monitor on the camera isn’t so great to show you what you are getting.
I do find that RAW is more forgiving in low light, try a test with that too.

Erik Cantu
Video Producer
RadioU TV & Animal Basement
14 years experience as a fulltime broadcast shooter, editor & broadcast designer.

[Erik Cantu]

For my BMCC rig I bought a Monfrotto 504HD head and Induro Alloy M8 legs, $675 total.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/683559-REG/Manfrotto_504HD_504HD_Fluid_Video_Head.html

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1026236-REG/induro_475_333_lfba333s_alloy_8m_vid.html

Erik Cantu
Video Producer
RadioU TV & Animal Basement
14 years experience as a fulltime broadcast shooter, editor & broadcast designer.

[Erik Cantu]

I would by a a mic preamp from Juicelink or Beachtek over a second system sound recorder. They punch up the sound to where you need it for the camera’s inputs, attach to the camera so they are convenient to work with, and no need to press record on two devices each time, and certainly no need to sync audio in post.
Most of my work is easy indoor interviews – not a lot of moving around, so I just run my mics into my Sound Devices 302 mixer and then into my BMCC. The input of the BMCC’s audio input is set very low, often 5%, and the mixer just does the work of delivering a strong signal.

Erik Cantu
Video Producer
RadioU TV & Animal Basement
14 years experience as a fulltime broadcast shooter, editor & broadcast designer.

[Erik Cantu]

Right, ISO and color temp are both something you decide in post when shooting RAW. It’s nice to set them right when shooting as that info is in the metadata of the RAW files and is a starting place when color grading, and it also sets the camera’s monitor to the right settings.

Only when shooting to “video file” formats like DNxHD & ProRes does a camera need a proper ISO and Color temp setting for the best picture.

Erik Cantu
Video Producer
RadioU TV & Animal Basement
14 years experience as a fulltime broadcast shooter, editor & broadcast designer.

[Erik Cantu]

If you operated the camera in any shade, I am not sure if you would have problems, especially recording RAW; but if the camera was in direct sunlight I would expect heat problems. I would do what you can to keep the camera body out of direct sun and keep air moving around it.

Erik Cantu
Video Producer
RadioU TV & Animal Basement
14 years experience as a fulltime broadcast shooter, editor & broadcast designer.