Blackmagic 4k camera issue: vertical banding at DVinfo.net

Phil Goetz · June 5th, 2014, 10:18 AM

This is a screen grab from a mac laptop playing back. Footage is UltraHD. ISO 800 / 23.98 / PRORES shot on the CINECAMPROD4KEF. There is vertical banding. Anyone seen this before? Firmware issue?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/omegab...t/14373230813/

Chris Barcellos · June 5th, 2014, 12:59 PM

Phil:

This is something that many users of this camera are at odds with Blackmagic Design about. Most are calling it fixed pattern noise, or FPN. There is a petition started by users at the Blackmagic Design forum to try to get Blackmagic Design to acknowledge and fix the problem. There is nothing but silence. In the meantime, Blackmagic promised a firmware update for various issues on the other cameras within a month of NAB, and now 2 months later.

Initially, the excuses by Blackmagic was we spent a lot of time getting the new URSA line out, and the were trying to unify their firmware, On the other hand, they admit the hardware in the Cinema line is different from the new cameras, so code would have to be different.

Given the failure to correct audio issues over a year and half or more, and given the lack of response on this issue, one can only speculate what is going on with Blackmagic Design. They either don't have the hardware on board the cameras to correct the problems, or they don't have the technical people to do the job right.

Incidentally, initially, Blackmagic was letting sellers receive returns for the cameras with FPN, but stopped that policy quickly, while they tried to investigate the issue. In meantime, many 4k users are claiming they have a useless camera.

Andrew Kimery · June 5th, 2014, 01:42 PM

As Chris said it's a known issue among users. I know a couple of peopled that got replacement cameras from Blackmagic and the replacement cameras did not have the FPN problem.

Chris Barcellos · June 5th, 2014, 04:54 PM

By the way, if you go over to the Blackmagic Design forum, most threads started on the issue are started in the Cinematography section, but the Blackmagic Design moderators move it off to the off topic section. So you may have issues finding it.

Shaun Roemich · June 5th, 2014, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Barcellos

By the way, if you go over to the Blackmagic Design forum...

Also expect fanboys to dogpile you if you aren't drinking the Koolaid. I asked to be PERMANENTLY removed from the forum. It's a VERY different place than DVInfo.

Chris Barcellos · June 5th, 2014, 10:02 PM

Actually, right now, there is a pretty angry sentiment being expressed by many now. There are less and less fanboy defenders.

Shaun Roemich · June 6th, 2014, 10:10 AM

Once they release one of the new promised cameras, the tide will flow the other way until the reports start coming in of new issues. I've been watching the forum there since it opened.

Phil Goetz · June 6th, 2014, 11:32 AM

Friends and countrymen! Thanks for the research. I did get an official email...

>>>
This is something that has affected a number of our 4K Production cameras. We are currently looking into the cause of this problem so that we can come up with a permanent solution.

At this moment we cannot swap out cameras with fixed noise pattern since we do not have enough cameras to do this for every customer experiencing the issue.

This is a top priority issue for us and we hope to have a fix for this shortly, preferably in the form of a firmware update.
>>>

Hideto Shimizu · July 7th, 2014, 11:09 PM

Here's one way to go around the fixed pattern noise - https://twitter.com/millerandmiller/...53051921448960

Phil Goetz · July 8th, 2014, 11:35 AM

Problem was maybe firmware and then maybe was not?

June 5th, 2014, 10:18 AM	#1
Phil Goetz Austinite Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Austin Posts: 550	Blackmagic 4k camera issue: vertical banding This is a screen grab from a mac laptop playing back. Footage is UltraHD. ISO 800 / 23.98 / PRORES shot on the CINECAMPROD4KEF. There is vertical banding. Anyone seen this before? Firmware issue? https://www.flickr.com/photos/omegab...t/14373230813/

June 5th, 2014, 12:59 PM	#2
Chris Barcellos Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Elk Grove CA Posts: 6,838	Re: Blackmagic 4k camera issue: vertical banding Phil: This is something that many users of this camera are at odds with Blackmagic Design about. Most are calling it fixed pattern noise, or FPN. There is a petition started by users at the Blackmagic Design forum to try to get Blackmagic Design to acknowledge and fix the problem. There is nothing but silence. In the meantime, Blackmagic promised a firmware update for various issues on the other cameras within a month of NAB, and now 2 months later. Initially, the excuses by Blackmagic was we spent a lot of time getting the new URSA line out, and the were trying to unify their firmware, On the other hand, they admit the hardware in the Cinema line is different from the new cameras, so code would have to be different. Given the failure to correct audio issues over a year and half or more, and given the lack of response on this issue, one can only speculate what is going on with Blackmagic Design. They either don't have the hardware on board the cameras to correct the problems, or they don't have the technical people to do the job right. Incidentally, initially, Blackmagic was letting sellers receive returns for the cameras with FPN, but stopped that policy quickly, while they tried to investigate the issue. In meantime, many 4k users are claiming they have a useless camera. __________________ Chris J. Barcellos

June 5th, 2014, 01:42 PM	#3
Andrew Kimery Major Player Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 352	Re: Blackmagic 4k camera issue: vertical banding As Chris said it's a known issue among users. I know a couple of peopled that got replacement cameras from Blackmagic and the replacement cameras did not have the FPN problem.

June 5th, 2014, 04:54 PM	#4
Chris Barcellos Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Elk Grove CA Posts: 6,838	Re: Blackmagic 4k camera issue: vertical banding By the way, if you go over to the Blackmagic Design forum, most threads started on the issue are started in the Cinematography section, but the Blackmagic Design moderators move it off to the off topic section. So you may have issues finding it. __________________ Chris J. Barcellos

June 5th, 2014, 10:02 PM	#6
Chris Barcellos Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Elk Grove CA Posts: 6,838	Re: Blackmagic 4k camera issue: vertical banding Actually, right now, there is a pretty angry sentiment being expressed by many now. There are less and less fanboy defenders. __________________ Chris J. Barcellos

June 6th, 2014, 10:10 AM	#7
Shaun Roemich Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia (formerly Winnipeg, Manitoba) Canada Posts: 4,088	Re: Blackmagic 4k camera issue: vertical banding Once they release one of the new promised cameras, the tide will flow the other way until the reports start coming in of new issues. I've been watching the forum there since it opened. __________________ Shaun C. Roemich Road Dog Media - Vancouver, BC - Videographer - Webcaster www.roaddogmedia.ca Blog: http://roaddogmedia.wordpress.com/

June 6th, 2014, 11:32 AM	#8
Phil Goetz Austinite Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Austin Posts: 550	Re: Blackmagic 4k camera issue: vertical banding Friends and countrymen! Thanks for the research. I did get an official email... >>> This is something that has affected a number of our 4K Production cameras. We are currently looking into the cause of this problem so that we can come up with a permanent solution. At this moment we cannot swap out cameras with fixed noise pattern since we do not have enough cameras to do this for every customer experiencing the issue. This is a top priority issue for us and we hope to have a fix for this shortly, preferably in the form of a firmware update. >>>

July 7th, 2014, 11:09 PM	#9
Hideto Shimizu Tourist Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 2	Re: Blackmagic 4k camera issue: vertical banding Here's one way to go around the fixed pattern noise - https://twitter.com/millerandmiller/...53051921448960

July 8th, 2014, 11:35 AM	#10
Phil Goetz Austinite Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Austin Posts: 550	Re: Blackmagic 4k camera issue: vertical banding Problem was maybe firmware and then maybe was not?