Blackmagic Pocket 6K Pro with Internal ND Filters and EVF

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This is an amazing camera for the price, but since I already own a BMPCC6K rig I don’t feel the need to upgrade. Though that cheap EVF looks very interesting. I wonder why Blackmagic didn’t give it a more universal design? Perhaps it can be modified to work with other cameras? If they could make a $500 EVF that works with any camera, they’d have a monster hit on their hands.
 
The poor battery life is a shame. Real world of ~40 minutes is just too short. They just can't make cameras without some kind of gotcha feature...! Really nice camera but at $3,000 with the viewfinder, it is close enough to other choices like the A7sIII which are a more complete bundle. But I do l like the BM imagery. Probably why Sony felt compelled to add S-Cinetone to the A7sIII. Maybe the GH6 is lurking around some corner... :)
 
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I would really like an 8K version for my needs but one has to say this is a good featured camera. Comparing to the A7SIII it is like having a Ninja V included in the price. Also has ND that the Sony does not have either. So a good looking spec. With the battery grip, so three battery power, should be good for a long time even powering a SSD. Will wait and see what Panasonic have to offer, must get some info soon.
 
Bob Loblaw said:
that cheap EVF looks very interesting. I wonder why Blackmagic didn’t give it a more universal design? Perhaps it can be modified to work with other cameras? If they could make a $500 EVF that works with any camera, they’d have a monster hit on their hands.
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I agree. It looks like a nice compact design. Is that just an HDMI port and 1/4”-20 screw on the bottom, or are there also power pins somewhere to power the EVF screen? It would be great to be able to use this EVF on other cameras.
 
fromashesrise said:
I agree. It looks like a nice compact design. Is that just an HDMI port and 1/4”-20 screw on the bottom, or are there also power pins somewhere to power the EVF screen? It would be great to be able to use this EVF on other cameras.
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It seems to be some kind of proprietary connector on the EVF as it has a smoother trapezoidal shape without the more angular indents on the bottom part of a typical HDMI connector. The EVF port also appears to have more connection pins (maybe around 25 or so) as opposed to the 19 pins used in a standard HDMI port.

The EVF has an optical sensor that can disable the larger rear screen on the camera when putting your eye up to the EVF. So in addition to powering the EVF through the connector, there is also bi-directional communication back to the camera through that port.

It seems like the attachment screw is also a bit smaller than 1/4"-20 size, as there is a standard 1/4"-20 thread mount visible on the top of the camera that is larger than the EVF screw.

evf-1.jpg
Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera EVF

evf-2.jpg
EVF Connector on Camera

hdmi-port-type-a.jpg
Standard HDMI Port
 
"The poor battery life is a shame. Real world of ~40 minutes"
AC for static studio/events, add grip for greater run and gun
 
Gweilo66 said:
"The poor battery life is a shame. Real world of ~40 minutes"
AC for static studio/events, add grip for greater run and gun
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Where are you getting that number from ?

I’ve been getting a solid hour.

There’s a guy who posted on YouTube he got 70mins with the screen at 50%

JB
 
It's so variable because of the opportunities presented from using external SSD, power draw from longer, stabilized, electronic lens can be significant too. I power mine from a V-mount battery d-tap, and most events can go the full duration on full lcd power without switching the camera off, just leave it on, always ready for every shot. Through the hirose 2-pin connector, it also recharges the internal canon battery. So in the unlikely event you do need to change out V-mount batteries, you can keep going. A lot of shooting time on a 1TB SSD at BRAW Q5, super fast scrubbing/editing/rendering in Resolve too. It's been a versatile tool that exceeds the expected use case for me, actually a pleasure.
 
John Brawley said:
Where are you getting that number from ?

I’ve been getting a solid hour.

There’s a guy who posted on YouTube he got 70mins with the screen at 50%

JB
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John,

If you find the time for it, I'd love to know how much time you get on the battery shooting at a higher frame rate and with the screen at full brightness and/or 24pm with the screen at full brightness.

The specs say one hour for 24p with screen at 50%. For outdoor use, the screen would probably be at full the whole time, and shooting high frame rates is not a rare thing in that scenario for B-roll (overused is perhaps a more accurate word!)

Anyway, I'm sure other reviewers will be testing all of that soon, but if you do happen to test that type of scenario, I'd love to have an idea.

Thanks!
 
Having shot a project with the PCC 6K last year, I don't understand the battery run time complaints on this new one. If you need the run times, just slap a V mount on the back, or use the grip with the internal.
This camera needs a cage badly and it's a full blown cinema camera so should have FF, rods, cage, but now can you can get away with not needing an external monitor. It's not really a GH5 that can be slung around without accessories,
it needs them so why not add one of the next gen small, light V mounts to the back and not worry about battery life?

If I wasn't so invested in Canon and Fuji. I'd pick one of these up, it makes what was already a good camera with shortcomings into a great camera with none I can see short of no AF. But it's a cinema camera
so keep a mirrorless for AF and stills. It's astounding how much value this new camera gives for a pittance. Kudos Grant and company, you're raising the bar. BMD continues to impress the hell out of me! Frankly,
If I was Sony and Canon, this camera would embarrass me as far as value equation compared to our latest cameras.
 
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