VIDEO: NAB 2012 - Blackmagic Designs First Look
- Thread starter Jason Ramsey
- Start date
Simon Shasha
Well-known member
+1!
bufo55
Active member
I'm quite sure it's Blackmagic that is confused. They should be saying "ZE." In their haste to emphasize usability with the popular Zeiss "ZF/ZE" line, they got stuck on the "ZF" term. I'm sure it's their mistake because in their publicity photos they are clearly using a ZE 50mm Makro Planar. ZE on the front, and no aperture ring!
Edit: Or not a mistake, and they are just emphasizing the fact that you can use a ZF lens on it (with an adapter). Of course, you could use AIS with the same adapter, or "G" with an adapter that includes an iris control lever.
Actually, I wish they had made it M4/3 so the fast Voigtlander glass could be used. With it's short flange to sensor distance M4/3 has become sort of a universal mount (with adapters). I think the hope is that they chose EF with plans to integrate AF capabilities with Canon AF lenses at some point. Right now they have some sort of focus peaking, which is fine with me since all my best glass is Nikon AIS, Voigtlander AIS, and Zeiss ZF.
Last edited:
Question - why does everyone want this camera so much? Why just get an ATMOS Samurai or something, and still retain XLR, ND Filters, a larger sensor, Better ergos and physical controls, etc.?
This is a real question, not an argument. Is the dynamic range a lot better? Or are people wanting to use the EF lens mounts (but you can get that for the AF100, too... coupled with a Samurai seems like a better setup?)
Thanks for helping me understand!
This Camera record 12bit Raw,Apple prore,DnxHD then 10bit HDSDI output,only price is 3k,including there 2 popular software,that is a great deal,BM is Rocking
roxics
Veteran
It was smart of them to use an EOS mount simply because of all the Canon glass out there. But it would have been smarter (and more exensive) to use come kind of hybrid m4/3 mount that also contained the electronic contacts for EOS and removable pass-through EOS adapter.
That way you're still getting EOS compatibility out of the box, but also m4/3 compatibility.
That way you're still getting EOS compatibility out of the box, but also m4/3 compatibility.
John Brawley
Well-known member
Question - why does everyone want this camera so much? Why just get an ATMOS Samurai or something, and still retain XLR, ND Filters, a larger sensor, Better ergos and physical controls, etc.?
This is a real question, not an argument. Is the dynamic range a lot better? Or are people wanting to use the EF lens mounts (but you can get that for the AF100, too... coupled with a Samurai seems like a better setup?)
Thanks for helping me understand!
1. RAW.
2. 2.5K.
3. Cheaper.
4. All in one small box.
jb
filmguy123
Veteran
Right right. No, I get that. I just mean, if I already own a camera - like the AF100... I feel like I can get most of that with a Samurai attached (Well, 10-bit color and record straight to ProRes/SSD). And Resolve Lite is free anyway, and the stuff Resolve full does isn't really relevant to most people here's workflow I feel. Plus the AF100 does the rest - better physical controls, XLR, larger sensor, more mounting options for lenses, etc. Not to mention you can get a redrock adaptor if you want Canon EF glass. Not knocking the camera at all, just wondering if I have an AF100 would I be gaining that much by getting this camera as oppossed to just grabbing a Samurai or something?
Is 12-bit that much better than 10-bit? I know I can't do RAW with Samurai but realistically I'd probably end up using the ProRes option anyway... How many stops of DR does the AF100 have, compared the 13DR on this camera?
Rick Burnett
Section Moderator
1) No, the AF100 is 8-bit in a 10-bit wrapper. So you are going from 8-bit to 12-bit, and thats a big difference.
2) The AF100 doesn't resolve anywhere NEAR 1080p whereas, you might get that from the BM camera.
3) 13 stops of dynamic range. The AF100 has at most 10.5.
filmguy123
Veteran
Ahhh... ok got it. Thanks for the clarification! Is the AF100 still 8-bit in a 10-bit wrapper even when outputting to an external recorded like the Samurai? This might make a great companion camera to my AF100 then? especially since my GF has a Mark II with a bunch of L-Series EF glass. I just don't know if I could give up some of what the AF100 has for live event coverage and certain use cases.... but a camera like this for improved image quality might just be great, as opposed to investing in a Samurai external recorder?
Rick Burnett
Section Moderator
Yep, 8-bit in 10-bit. There are quite a few threads around here on it. I owned an AF100 so this is known. This is one of the biggest complains of the AF100 and the FS100 that you can only get 8-bits out no matter what path you take.
Giving up ND filters is hard to do. Which is why I am moving probably to the FS700. Other than that, I don't miss a lot of the other things about the AF100, but those are personal taste. I never liked the body style, never liked the placement of controls, never liked the handles. Of course, the FS100 is far from perfect as well. I have to admit, the BM is small enough you could make it into a lot of different shapes easily. Though I was amazed it is heavier than the FS100 or FS700 it seems!
The big issue at the moment seems to be power, what to use externally. And, how is low light? They are not done tuning it yet so unknown really at the moment.
Simon Shasha
Well-known member
Any word yet if it can do 48P/50P/60P in a ProRes wrapper or via some sort of resolution downscale?
Jaime Valles
Veteran
Exactly. Add to that the 12-bit in RAW and 10-bit in ProRes, plus built-in SSD recorder and full scopes via Thunderbolt. I'm in love.
The only thing missing for me is the possibility of adding on Micro 4/3 lenses, which you have already stated that they're considering. Once they do that, it's game over, man. Game over.
Will Turner
Well-known member
I'm very irritated they went EF over M4/3. I have a set of FD primes that I will (I should probably say would..) no longer be able to use. I'm really quite attatched to my glass too.
Jaime Valles
Veteran
Yep. Especially when Micro 4/3 is an almost universal lens mount that allows for nearly any type of lens to be used, including EF lenses. Supposedly they're working on it, though, so there is still hope for us. I have a Voigtlander 25mm f/0.95, SLR Magic 12mm f/1.6 and a Canon FD 50mm f/1.4 that are all itching to get it on with this sexy thang...
PopcornFlix
Well-known member
Not this July. John Brawley said they are considering various updates in the future, but for the July rollout, it will only do the 24-30fps listed in the specs.