4K BM “pocket” camera for weddings

[David Peterson]

Originally Posted by Steve Burkett

I know. I was more talking about the large number of mirrorless announcements in recent weeks. Besides Canon isn't technically fullframe either if you're shooting 4K. :)

They're not even APS-C!

[Mark Rosenzweig]

Originally Posted by Nigel Barker

I'm surprised that BM bothered with the CFast slot when they provide the facility to write direct to an SSD via a USB-C socket. Considering a 128GB CFast card is more than double the price of a 1TB SSD it would have made more sense just to have a slot for a 2.5" SSD.

If you use up the usb-c port for storage then you cannot use it for portable power - you can power the camera via the usb-c slot with a small power pack - so with CFast cards and small attachable power pack you can shoot RAW video for hours.

This camera is designed for handheld use, without a rig (does not mean you cannot use a rig for better video in some cases). A 2.5" SSD slot would make the camera bigger. Small is the reason they keep "pocket" in the name (though it certainly is not pocketable). I like the design decisions.

[Cary Knoop]

Originally Posted by Mark Rosenzweig

If you use up the usb-c port for storage then you cannot use it for portable power .

Oh, that's a bummer!

There is absolutely no other way to power the camera apart from batteries when the USB-c port is in use for recording? Would we be able to use a fake battery connected to a power supply as is the case on the GH5?

[Noa Put]

This camera is designed for handheld use

Does it have sensor stabilisation?

[Steve Burkett]

Originally Posted by Noa Put

Does it have sensor stabilisation?

No. So not really a handheld camera. Except you can carry it by hand and not mount on a shoulder. But really, it needs a tripod. Gimbal and other accessories to bring it to life. Latest rumours have it ready by the 5th October for delivery. It has to be out soon even if to a handful of early buyers. All this press they're engaging would seem silly if no one has the camera by the end of the year.

[Noa Put]

Then also the fact it is missing a viewfinder makes it even less suitable for handheld shooting, that means you have to hold the camera in front of you instead of against your eye and you"ll loose another point of contact to stabilize. You can also forget to shoot with unstabilised lenses.
This is a tripod camera or one to put on a shoulder rig.

[Cary Knoop]

Originally Posted by Noa Put

Then also the fact it is missing a viewfinder makes it even less suitable for handheld shooting, that means you have to hold the camera in front of you instead of against your eye and you"ll loose another point of contact to stabilize.

Perhaps it is only me but I find my footage more stable when I hold the camera in front of me and watch the screen.

[Noa Put]

No matter how you handhold the camera, if there is no lens or sensor stabilisation it results in unusable footage, unless you are ok with the jitter or you like the look of post stabilisation.

[Mervyn Jack]

Originally Posted by Cary Knoop

Oh, that's a bummer!

There is absolutely no other way to power the camera apart from batteries when the USB-c port is in use for recording? Would we be able to use a fake battery connected to a power supply as is the case on the GH5?

The BMPCC4K has a locking DC connector for external 12vDC power supply.

[Cary Knoop]

Originally Posted by Mervyn Jack

The BMPCC4K has a locking DC connector for external 12vDC power supply.

Great, then as far as I am concerned there is no issue in using the USB-c connector.

[Mark Rosenzweig]

Originally Posted by Noa Put

No matter how you handhold the camera, if there is no lens or sensor stabilisation it results in unusable footage, unless you are ok with the jitter or you like the look of post stabilisation.

Yes, but for years you and others shot handheld with optically-stabilized lenses only. IBIS for *video-capable* ILC cameras is relatively new. There are plenty of MFT lenses with stabilization built in. So it is nonsense you cannot use the camera handheld.

[Mark Rosenzweig]

Originally Posted by Cary Knoop

Great, then as far as I am concerned there is no issue in using the USB-c connector.

Sure, if you are happy with a rigged up camera on sticks - a 12v power supply is big and heavy. The point, again, is that this camera is *in (large) part* specifically designed for handheld or gimbal use, so big attachments defeat one of its major purposes. You can mount a small usb battery pack (+CFfast) or a small usb ssd drive (and replace small batteries a lot) and still carry it around to shoot.

[Noa Put]

Originally Posted by Mark Rosenzweig

Yes, but for years you and others shot handheld with optically-stabilized lenses only. IBIS for *video-capable* ILC cameras is relatively new. There are plenty of MFT lenses with stabilization built in. So it is nonsense you cannot use the camera handheld.

Read my post again, I was refering to lenses with no stabilisation and in that case it's not possible to shoot handheld without post stabilisation.
I and others did shoot with a very limited lens choice handheld in the past, but now I can shoot handheld with my gh5 with every lens I have which is a huge difference.

[Tom Roper]

Originally Posted by Mark Rosenzweig

Yes, but for years you and others shot handheld with optically-stabilized lenses only. IBIS for *video-capable* ILC cameras is relatively new. There are plenty of MFT lenses with stabilization built in. So it is nonsense you cannot use the camera handheld.

But only 2 are faster than f2.8 and weddings are lots of low light situations.

[Noa Put]

It was a constant frustration of mine that I could not use all my primes handheld so that same frustration will be present when using the pocketcam handheld as your lensselection will be limited; with the gh5 it doesn't matter what lens you use, every lens makes handheld shooting possible.