With the touch of technology, the world of cinema has changed a lot. A decade ago, things that could not have been imagined without VFX, are now being implemented more realistically without VFX, using technology. And the major contribution behind this is the newest cameras on the market. At present, there has been a qualitative change in the lens of the camera, in addition to focus, the ‘FPS’ or ‘frame per second’. Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera is the best movie camera within your ability and we have written a review about this camera.
The latest technology attracts a lot of emerging filmmakers. But they are hampered by their prices. Red or Sony high FPS and resolution cinema cameras are priced at 20K usd or more. It is impossible for young dreamy filmmakers to bear the burden. So the dream of making movies at high FPS will remain unfulfilled? No, Blackmagic Design Company in Australia doesn’t want that.
The company has two additions – Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K and Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K. The Blackmagic Camera 4K version is available for $1295 and the Blackmagic Camera 6K version is available for $2490 at Amazon.
| Pros | Cons |
| 1. Huge and sharp screen | 1. Weak battery life |
| 2. Comprehensive connections | 2. Inconsistent battery meter |
| 3. Friendly method and ease of use | 3. No articulating screen |
| 4. Excellent 4K & 6K video capture |
Young cinema makers nowadays are buying DSLR cameras of the modern era, not buying traditional video cameras, to make movies. This camera offers perfect video and high resolution at affordable prices. Besides, these cameras are easy to carry because they are small in size. The Blackmagic Pocket Camera series has unveiled a new horizon in the world of DSLR cameras. Following the overwhelming response from buyers with the earlier version of Blackmagic Pocket 4K, the updated version of this series Blackmagic Pocket 6K came on the market a while ago.
Also Read : Best Digital Camera under 500 usd
According to review Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera is able to easily compete with price, lenses, FPS, resolution – mirrorless DSLR cameras on the market. But one thing to keep in mind, the Blackmagic Pocket 4K and Blackmagic Pocket 6K camera have been created keeping in mind the movie makers. This may not be the ideal camera for photographers.
Size
The Blackmagic Camera 4K and Blackmagic Camera 6K are almost identical in appearance. When you first look at the Blackmagic Camera 6K camera, its may look like the previous model of the series Blackmagic Camera 4K. The display, the button, the mount – everything looks exactly the same. However, the main difference between the two camera views will be the size.
The Blackmagic Camera 6K Camera is a bit larger than the Blackmagic Camera 4K in size. Again, its mount is larger on the side and height than the previous model’s mount. In all, its shape has increased significantly, so many people do not call this camera a pocket camera.
Before you begin complaining about the form, I would like to mention, the Reason Model Blackmagic Camera 6K is one of the main reasons for the shape enhancement of the Canon DSLR glass used in it. Third-generation micro-four glasses have been used on the previous model Blackmagic Camera 4K. Compared to those, the Canon EF DSLR is ahead in both glass size and quality. And to achieve the maximum advantage of this glass, it has used a super-35 size sensor, which is another reason for the overall size of the Blackmagic Pocket 6K camera.
Of course, using EOS glass on a mount would not raise the question of such size. But firstly says, the Blackmagic Series cameras are made with budget in mind. Although there is not much difference between the performance of EOS and EF Glass, the price gap is huge. Therefore, the EF Glass is a good fit for the camera.
One of the biggest benefits of the Blackmagic Pocket 6K is its easy-to-use approach and understandable. It takes hours to learn how to use high quality video cameras. However, using the Blackmagic Pocket Camera, anyone with no prior experience can learn in 30 minutes. And it’s possible for a 5-inch touch display with its excellent visual and simple driven menu system.
Some basic settings like ISO, aperture, shutter angle can be changed with the button. Everything else can be changed from its touch display. Driven menu systems like Android Mobile make it easy to change any settings. Resolutions, memory cards, RAW or ProRes, sound settings, all appear in alignment in the main menu, from where you can access more advanced settings.
Video Performance
To review of video performance of Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera, first of all, the main difference is with other mirrorless DSLR cameras is Blackmagic Pocket Camera does not have many automated methods like the ordinary DSLR, such as – Auto Focus, Auto-Stabilization, Auto-Exposure, Continuous Focus, etc. Its Auto Focus system is very limited and Continuous focus is not possible. The camera is designed for manual focus and stabilization, which is helpful for video capture with high quality FPS.
That’s why the Blackmagic Pocket Camera isn’t for everyone, not for use at all kind of works. Sony, Panasonic or Canon cameras are best for excellent autofocus. When doing video at high resolution due to large sensor you will get excellent cinematic footage with Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera. But there are also disadvantages of large sensors. Despite the use of high-power lenses from Blackmagic Pocket 4K to Blackmagic Pocket 6K cameras, noise levels have not made much difference in the new version and pixel size is not increased.
Because of this large lens, the Blackmagic Pocket 6K camera has become remarkably good at capturing little light footage again. Due to its dual ISO sensor system, the footage contained at 6K resolution on this camera will be able to compete with the highest priced camera footage in the market. The biggest difference between the Blackmagic Pocket cameras with other cameras in the market is, Its footage has clarity, perfect color, incredible sharpness and cinematic touches. As with any presets video, the Blackmagic Pocket cinema camera footage will have a cinematic touch.
And the RAW video of this camera is no comparison. Smooth and high FPS videos are unique for editing. Mistakes made during footage are easily corrected due to high FPS.
FPS
In the world of mirrorless cameras, there is no doubt that the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera is best for FPS. Blackmagic Pocket camera’s FPS can easily beat other DSLR cameras. This can be compared to the FPS of the best movie cameras in the market, which costs 15-20 times more!
Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera can shoot still photos at 21.2 megapixels on the 6K model and 8.8 megapixels on the 4K model. 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 you can window the sensor and shoot up to 120 fps at 2.8K 2868 x 1512 17:9. You can even work in true anamorphic 6:5 using anamorphic lenses in 3.7K 60 fps at 3624 x 3020. On the 4K model you can shoot up to 60 fps 4K DCI at 4096 x 2160 and 60 fps in Ultra HD at 3840 x 2160.You can even shoot 120 fps in 1080HD!
Battery
The weakest thing about a Blackmagic Pocket Camera is its battery. Even though videos are made with small resolutions, the time will be reduced as the resolution increases. Although Blackmagic Design Company guarantees 50 minutes of video in Blackmagic Pocket 4K resolution and 45 minutes of video on Blackmagic Pocket 6K resolution, but reality is different. Videos can be made up to a maximum of 30 minutes. Hopefully, this camera uses a Canon LP E6N battery which is extremely cheap. So buying multiple batteries is not a problem for long videos.
Check Price & Buy : Canon LP E6N Battery Pack
Connector
Both Blackmagic Pocket cameras have a 3.5 millimeter headphone and a microphone port – this is very common. But what is remarkable is that the Blackmagic Pocket Camera has a standard mini XLR monolith port, with that it is possible to make high quality sound in any type of professional work. What’s more wonderful is that the two ports are simultaneously usable. It can also act as a backup. There is also a USB C-type port, a full-size HDMI connector and advanced stereo microphone.
Storage and compression
The two Blackmagic Pocket cameras have a 256GB C Fast 2.0 built-in storage. The user can also use up to a few TB of memory as needed. There is an SD UHS‑II slot for mounting external memory. The speed of this slot reaches a maximum of 300 MB per second. But the built-in C Fast speeds up to 525 MB per second. Like Blackmagic Pocket 4K, Blackmagic Pocket 6K has no options for uncompressed video. Videos are compressed in different proportions from 12:1 to 3:1.
Final Thought
So buy this camera or not? The answer depends on your tendency. According to review of Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K and 6K were not designed for ordinary photographers. This camera is for really high quality movie makers and skilled producers. If you are accustomed to Sony or Panasonic’s excellent autofocus cameras, then this camera will disappoint you. However, if you are interested in making movies at high resolution, there can be no better camera than Blackmagic Pocket cameras at such a small price.
Among the market’s mirrorless cameras, the Panasonic’s S1H can hold video at a maximum of 5.9K resolution and it’s worth 4K usd. Sony or Red professional movie cameras capable of holding video at 6K resolution cost more than 20K usd. But the Blackmagic Pocket 4K is available for only $1295 and the Blackmagic Pocket 6K resolution camera is available for only $2490! So, blackmagic pocket movie cameras are best for the best video at affordable prices.
Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 4K
4K camera with dual native ISO, full 4/3 HDR sensor, Blackmagic RAW recording to internal SD/UHS‑II and CFast cards, USB‑C expansion port for recording to external drives and more!
Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 6K with EF Lens Mount
6K camera with dual native ISO, Super 35 HDR sensor, Blackmagic RAW recording to internal SD/UHS‑II and CFast cards, USB‑C expansion port for recording to external drives and more!
Blackmagic Pocket Camera Battery Grip
Battery extender and hand grip for Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera lets you shoot for over 2 hours on a single charge!
LP-E6 Battery
LP-E6 compatible Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery. For use with Blackmagic Micro cameras and Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera.
Canon Battery Pack LP-E6N
LP-E6N Lithium-Ion Battery Pack from Canon. It is compatible with the LC-E6 and LC-E6E chargers and can use with Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera.
