BMPCC 6K review after a few months...

[Guillermo Ibanez]

Hey guys,

we've had the BMPCC 6K for a few months now and we decided to write about it. I'll say in advance that we love the camera but it also has some serious downsides to it!

https://www.vivalazoom.co.uk/bmpcc6k...uction-review/

Thanks in advance!!

Guille

[Pete Cofrancesco]

Nice review, thanks for sharing.

Caught a typo:

“ But they’ve compromised in probably the best way the could.”

[Cary Knoop]

It's a great camera but it is missing image stabilization and a viewfinder, both in my opinion are essential for a pocket camera.

[Guillermo Ibanez]

Thanks!

@Pete - typo corrected, thanks!

@cary true that, but for that price most people will be able to forgive its obvious shortcomings. These cameras are nothing more than a great sensor capable of producing great images in a plastic casing

[Doug Jensen]

Yeah, but for another $1500 you could have a Panasonic S1H that blows this camera out of the water in every way you want to compare them. Including sensor size, dynamic range, viewfinder, audio, codecs, exposure and focusing aids, timecode in/out, external controls, customization options, etc. In fact, I'm not sure that the BMPCC 6K beats the S1H in any respect except price. And that price difference ought to be of no concern for a pro who is going to go out and actually earn money with the camera. I would suggest that anyone who is thinking of buying any camera in this class do their homework and compare whatever camera they are thinking of to the S1H. It is an amazing cinema camera in a mirrorless body.

[Guillermo Ibanez]

Yes you might be right on that Doug, i'm not denying it but this is the camera we have and the one we have reviewed! For us it was important that our B and C cameras matched and that's why we went down that route. Another important factor for us was the Canon mount as we have lots of Canon glass even though i guess you can get an adaptor to the S1H?

[Doug Jensen]

Yes, the Canon adapter for the S1H is just $250 and passes all exposure, stabilization, and focus information to the camera. There is very little difference between native L-mount lenses and EF lenses with the adapter. I also have a PL adapter for the S1H which opens the range of lens options even further.

[Cary Knoop]

Originally Posted by Doug Jensen

Yes, the Canon adapter for the S1H is just $250 and passes all exposure, stabilization, and focus information to the camera.

Stabilization?

[Doug Jensen]

Yes, as I wrote, stabilization.

[Cary Knoop]

Originally Posted by Doug Jensen

Yes, as I wrote, stabilization.

What brand adapter transfers the lens stabilization info from an EF lens to the S1H?

[Doug Jensen]

Sigma MC-21
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...2855/KBID/3801

[Cary Knoop]

It is my understanding that Panasonic cameras only work with dual image stabilization (body + lens) on Panasonic lenses.

I take your word for it if you say that dual image stabilization (body + lens) works for Canon IS lenses through this adapter.

[Steve Burkett]

Originally Posted by Doug Jensen

In fact, I'm not sure that the BMPCC 6K beats the S1H in any respect except price.

Does the S1H offer a RAW codec? Does it offer punch in focus during recording? Does the S1H offer 6K at 50fps? Does it record to SSD drives via the USB input, does it come with free editing software? If not, then the Pocket 6K has advantages other than price.

The S1H is a lovely camera, but I find the H265 codec very unfriendly to edit and if you want 10 bit in 6K or 50p, you're stuck with it. You have focus, but not reliable compared to Canon or Sony. Frankly, for the price, I would need a more reliable focus, and a better codec. Having gotten so use to editing ProRes and RAW from my Pocket 4K, going back to H264 or H265 feels a step back. Even the 400mbit option on the S1H doesn't give me the flexibility that RAW does on the BM. And that Codec being available upto 50p in 6K on the Pocket 6K is a big bonus over the S1H.

Of course the S1H offers fullframe, stabilisation and Photography features. It's a better run n gun camera and has more dynamic range and a few other useful features. But when I choose to go to 6K, I'll be mor likely going for the Pocket 6K, unless something new and even better comes along in the meantime.

[Doug Jensen]

Good post, Steve. I like it when someone steps up to make their case about something they feel strongly about. I'm going to post some of my own thoughts, not to argue, but just to continue the discussion.

Shooting H.265 is not necessary. MOV is the format to choose and is the only one (of the three formats) that unlocks all the camera's potential.

What makes you so sure the S1H even needs RAW? Unless someone can show me there is a visible difference after grading in post, I contend that there is probably no benefit. I have not recorded RAW with the S1H but I've gone through all this before with the FS5 and FS7 and showed that RAW wasn't needed. There's nothing about the S1H that suggests to me that RAW would be of any benefit whatsoever. But I'll keep an open mind in case anyone posts some good side-by-side tests that proves my assumption wrong.

ProRes is a good, but bloated, codec that is inefficient for acquisition. I'd rather have the AVC codecs that Panansonic and Sony use.

The S1H is perfectly capable of recording every codec and frame-rate to regular SDXC cards. Why would I want or need an SSD?

The S1H does not need punch-in focus assist during recording because it has peaking and an OLED viewfinder with an adjustable diopter for precise focusing even when tracking a moving target.

No, the S1h does not offer 6K faster than 23.98. But its 6K images come from a FF sensor.

As for free software, any professional in this business should already own Resolve Studio. Getting another key would be useless to me.

Hopefully you can help answer a couple of questions I have about the Pocket 6K:

Does it have customizable paint menus so you can create a nice REC709 WYSIWYG look, or does everything have to be graded?
Does it have customizable zebras?
Does it have customizable peaking?
Does if have SMPTE time code IN/OUT?
Does BM offer a viewfinder option? If so, how much?
Can you add full-size XLR connectors to the camera's hotshoe like the S1H?
Does it have external audio controls?
Can the LCD rotate and swivel?
Can you use PL lenses?
Does it have Dual Native ISO?

[Steve Burkett]

I can't answer all your questions as some of the functions you enquire about I don't use and my Pocket 4K is not with me to check. And I don't yet own a 6K Pocket.

Peaking and zebras are customisable. To the same extent as the S1H. I dont know.
It has dual ISO.
You don't have to grade everything. You can bake a LUT into the footage in ProRes and in RAW have one added to the metadata.
Not sure about adding a full size XLR input to the hotshot. It has a mini XLR socket internal, which I have used to connect an XLR Mic to the camera with an appropriate cable adapter, without an external device. So a plus.
No external audio controls. But clear and easy menus are its strength and the audio one is very easy to access and use. I find the BM menus less fiddly than Panasonic.
LCD screen can not rotate. I'm amused you asked this. It's a well known limitation of the camera. :D
It can't take PL natively. Maybe via an adapter.

As for RAW, it's not just about picture quality. It's the flexibility to alter white balance and ISO in post production. I don't need it all the time, but I do need it some of the time and it's so useful to have. It is also much much much easier to edit than H264 and MOV codecs.

A more edit friendly codec for the S1H is seriously lacking in its specs. ProRes is good, bloated as you may feel, it is a strong codec. But I'd take something else that's not H264, H265 or MOV. Now if the S1H had access to BRAW, it would be a huge plus for me.

I am not a huge fan of SD cards. They are not as good as CFast cards that I use, feeling more flimsy. I've had some break, even the so called tough ones I use for my Panasonic cameras. And capture to SSD is very useful. Especially if capturing at anything higher than 200mbits. Plus I can edit straight from the hard drive without transferring footage across. A useful function for me.

Unless focus is better than the GH5 by a considerable margin, punch in focus is needed. Yes the peaking is good, but it's not perfect and sometimes I need to zoom in to make sure it has nailed the right detail. I miss it on the GH5 and GH5s that I use.

I'd rather have 50p 6K at S35 than fullframe 6K. ;) 6K also uses the H265 codec which I dislike. Its 3.2 ratio. Limited to 24p. Not a problem for me as such as I shoot that. If you drop to 5.9K, you get more frame rates I admit. But if shooting 6K, the Pocket 6K gives you a better codec. And if shooting at the 2.40 ratio, you can even get upto 60fps. All in BRAW.. :)

50p and 60p on the S1H is S35 not fullframe, and the codec not as strong. And you can't even get 50p at 6K at all. So this is another weakness of the S1H.

Of course no camera is perfect and I'm well aware of the limits of the Pocket cameras. They are far from perfect and miss several very useful features. But whilst I love the GH5 and GH5s, the Pocket 4K is my main go to camera. I did consider the S1H, but I feel it's short of a few things to make the high price worthwhile for me to spend.

They need a lot better auto focus. And a better codec than what they currently have. The 400mbit one is good. I use it on the GH5 and GH5s. But it could be better. I'd still like to see punch in focus during recording. And the option to record to SSD added would be a nice bonus.