If the technology is available, i do wish to see the cameras made. We need BMC and others like them to ship the better tech as it is available. Yes, there will be imperfections. But let that be ironed out in v2 or v2.5, etc. So, thats the only area where i would have to disagree with in what was said. Love the boldness and forward-thinking of BM instead of the antiquated approach in minute updates with older tech. Slowing down is not better. Keep it going naturally. Its just a faster-pace and times now.

I think Phillip Bloom is a talented guy that tells us things as he feels them and seems to be sharing his thinking process as it happens on this. I get the whole does this make the current BMC obsolete thinking and one of the arguments against was made by John Brawley who brings up the DR of the current model as being a plus in it's column. I think if they give the current model compressed RAW it will continue to have a niche.

As for the letter, I also get the gut feeling of there being too many cameras coming out too fast or half coming out or whatever. I'm very surprised by the young hungry wannabe filmmakers and photographers around me that are still barely figuring out how to put an ND on their 60Ds, let alone realizing how everything that is on the market fits together. Or the opposite route, (as in a recent case when a candidate for Mayor I'm doing a campaign for asked if we shouldn't have this guy she knows DP the spot because he just got a BMC). There will be confusion, there will be chaos, there will be angry customers and people not using whats best for them and a whole lot of external hard-drives sold as the world collapses under petabytes of bullshit video.

So, yeah, I get the tongue in cheek sentiment of the open letter, but I disagree with slowing down actually being better. The more options, the fiercer the competition, the more complex knife fighting these guys do in a race to the bottom price wise...I think it is all only good for the content creators. The fat-chick in Ohio of Coppola legend. She won't be up on everything, but Lena style, somebody she knows will have a thousand dollar camera, and someone else a five hundred dollar tripod and someone else a five hundred dollar robot stabilizer and they will make images of high enough quality to be able to stand on the merits of their story. And the percentage amateur geniuses will not be higher than we see in other Arts, but it will become higher than it has been in Cinema. And only the corporate dogfighting can get us to that camera as a pencil point, I believe.

@mintcheerios: phil bloom is a decent film maker. but perhaps he is scared that more people will have access to good cameras and 4k :)

that letter of his is neither witty nore funny. on behalf what fukkin community is he talkin? so selfaware so full of...

Philip Bloom's thoughts: http://philipbloom.net/2013/04/08/nab2013bm/

Update: His comments about the BMPC using a CCD sensor have been redacted.

I personally found some of his comments really strange. He actually preferred that the BMPC didn't have the global shutter of a CCD sensor, but rather a "well-controlled rolling shutter" like the CMOS equipped Alexa and Epic.

I just wish this was a newly developed 4K cmos sensor. Yes we would have rolling shutter but it can be controlled with good processing. Look at the rolling shutter in the Alexa and Epic/ Scarlet for example. It’s do-able.

This almost feels like some desperate Canon rep trying to downplay one of the camera's best new features. Look at the rolling shutter in the Alexa and Epic? Yeah, we've seen it and we don't want it there. He also keeps mentioning that the CCD sensor it uses is "old tech".

S35 is the industry standard and is hugely desirable. The problem is it’s using old tech [CCD].

He also says

The 4k sensor is CCD, yes this means global shutter, but it also means inferior dynamic range and less sensitivity.

I've heard a lot of complaints about the Production Camera, but I've not heard one person complain about it using a CCD sensor and how it is "old tech" (actually I didn't know it used a CCD sensor until Bloom's post).

He also has a tongue-in-cheek letter telling all the camera manufacturers to stop making cameras because what we have is good enough and ends it with "Yours sincerely, The filmmaking community". His reaction to BMD releasing two game changers (that target Canon the most) is a jokingly written open letter telling camera manufacturers to stop making cameras. If one thing's for sure, this guy definitely does not speak for the filmmaking community.

EF mount is a dissapointment for many since it is virtually non-adaptable. No PL for this thing. EF-M or anything with short flange distance (such as kinefinitys own mount) would have made more sense. An EF adapter could always be included or sold separately. Now options are locked out. I guess it is due to keep the price as low as possible. However making only one model with different separate adapters could save money elsewhere.

oops- just downgraded from Red Scarlet upgrade to a 30fps 4K Blackmagic camera pre-order... I hate the BM form factor but let's hope they deliver footage and cameras sooner than the Dragon update.

Only remaining question is the low light capability and cinematic look from the Global shutter, which are the Achilles heel of most cameras...

Despite the benefits, no 60P seems to be the biggest drawback, but then again you can always rent if you really need super slow-motion...

To afford all this, I think I need to own a Cypress bank...

on the other hand- just saw the Red Scarlet-X to Epic or Dragon Scarlet (Huh?) upgrade offer- too many to choose from..

"2 Simple Options.

1. Upgrade your Scarlet to Full Epic-X (including new black body) - $9500. After that.. you can upgrade your Epic-X to Full Epic Dragon through the normal Epic-X to Dragon process.

2. Upgrade your Scarlet to Scarlet Dragon - $9500 ( keep your grey body ) Get all the dynamic range and new color science of the Dragon with a max framerate of 5K 60fps. Full specs to come soon.

Pre-orders begin this Thursday. Upgrades begin July. "

Exciting times!! I think the Pocket one will become the next gh2 for hacking porpuses.

Vitaliy, we should start getting together some $$ for you or driftwood to get one this babies and start playing with it the second they come out!!!

From what i've seen the Canon EF Mount has a ton of options so what is all the complaints really? Overall this is pretty much EXACTLY the kind of camera many of us have been asking for. These guys listen to their public which is basically guys like us. They are catering to our demographic in a big way. High quality and low price for the common man. I'm happy about it all.

@arknox

EF mount is a disappointment.

Canon lenses are great. It is just the bodies that are the issue. If this body works great with good lenses then everyone will be happy.

Effective Sensor Size: 21.12mm × 11.88mm (Super 35)
Effective Resolution: 3840 × 2160

21.12mm × 11.88mm is not Super 35. It’s actually slightly smaller than the standard Academy ratio 35 mm aperture.

I agree, just not MFT, as the sensor size and the mount diamater are probably not going to work. Sony FZ-mount seems solid, huge diameter and 18mm flange distance.

I can only say days of joy on what respect cameras, and end user. If they really bet all cards right, and they can really start shipping before the end of the year, then Canon/Sony/Red/Panasonic BEWARE AND WAKEUP or else, BlackMagic will become the number 1 in very short time. A move like this of delivering good products for good prices. If done properly can make blackmagic design sell millions of cameras, and make other companies try to understand why... while lowering prices or vanish.

I understand people like some brands, and companies have relations, but for end user this is gold, I can imagine myself doing 4k with this camera, it as all I need to. Buy some rokinon cinema lenses (its ok for the price) a rig, extra battery option, matte-box, some regular SSD cards, and you are ready for competing with hundred thousand dollars equipment. Absolutely out of reach for personal or cheap projects.

I'm not becoming any better or worst because of the tool is just that the tool allows me to do more for the same price and that's the gold of it.

Now let's see where this ends. Maybe they can get this in mass production by the end of the year it's ok for me, and just maybe the specs, bugs and reliability are just "GOOD ENOUGH" to make it a good camera.

I believe in you Blackmagic, don't disappoint us by being like other brands, that see customers like money.

Thanks Vitaliy.

Time to preorder. goodbai. i got a fresh EF BMCC today if anyone is interested? received it today.