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Black Magic Studio Camera – m43 and Broadcast-Savvy
  • http://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/blackmagicstudiocamera

    Has some cool features and shoots "Ultra HD". Giant view screen. Any studio and broadcast people think this will be implemented in studios?

    I hate that they went with built-in battery on a camera again. Although I guess with the scenario for this camera they will usually be running AC power anyway.

  • 30 Replies sorted by
  • @radikalfilm, from what I gather the CCU control will go into all the switchers, well at least in their software.
    I have read in other forums that the talkback hijacks channels 15 and 16.

  • @kavadni "I believe the CCU functionality is also available via HDSDI" Yes but how does that work. It's not triax, it's plain HDSDI. There is no spec for CCU signalling, just embedded audio channels. They could I suppose hijack some of those on the HDSDI in (when used for return PGM), but it would be a proprietary hack, usable only with their 2 M/E mixer.

    More likely their marketing overstated the pitch and CCU control is available only over the fiber link.

  • @thorn "The monitor screen itself is odd. Not every PA is nearly 6ft tall (and they don't dress like that, either) like the guy in the mockup. How exactly is a PA going to see the screen if they're barely past 5ft, because it doesn't TILT DOWN. You can't just lower the entire camera on a set; the camera height has to remain constant. Amateur oversight by BMD."

    Haha. I suppose PA's would have to be BMD-certified for size going forward. Good catch, I didn't see it though it's glaringly obvious. We both know this would be a fringe solution for new installations only. I do see it in my market (corporate live events) - when I decide to go HD it will be at the top of the list. That would be around when consumers start buying en-masse into 4K :)

  • I believe the CCU functionality is also available via HDSDI

    "Now you can remote control your camera! The Blackmagic Studio Camera can be remotely controlled from your ATEM live production switcher via the SDI connections for more professional production. "

  • Regarding a CCU - I've been looking over their site, and it does seem that the CCU is software-based. The BMD switcher looks like it has controls built-in, but again - I can't imagine a station dumping their 3yr old switcher for the BMD version, because they need CCUs for the BMD camera (gah, so many acronymns. sorry). The software version of the CCU is going to have a veteran TD screaming. The TDs I've worked with want to point the camera at a white card, hit the White Balance button, and then reset the frame all within 20-30 seconds - not poke around in Resolve. There's no TIME for that in live tv. Maybe there's an instant White Balance button somewhere in the software that isn't shown in the screenshot...

    B4 Mounts: If there comes a m4/3 lens option at some point that can replace the same functionality of all the B4 parafocal servo lenses (still in use, and working well), then so much the better. But as the cliche' goes - it's not always the camera that is the most expensive part of filming - it's the glass. And it's a hard sell to convince broadcast engineers to dump their B4 glass, and replace it with a lumix 35-100. It's not going to happen.

    How well does the BMD system integrate with ENPS and iNews? With Ignite?

    Again, this all goes to back the fact that TV stations upgraded all their gear when we had to go HD. Most (in major markets, anyway) already have their new cameras, switchers, CG, audio mixers, glass, etc etc. It doesn't matter if the BMD camera is $2000, if you already have four $8,000 cameras and a Grass Valley that are working perfectly fine. And if one of your $8000 cameras dies tomorrow, you aren't going to replace it with a different model by a different maker - you'll spend forever trying to make the picture match the other 3.

    The monitor screen itself is odd. Not every PA is nearly 6ft tall (and they don't dress like that, either) like the guy in the mockup. How exactly is a PA going to see the screen if they're barely past 5ft, because it doesn't TILT DOWN. You can't just lower the entire camera on a set; the camera height has to remain constant. Amateur oversight by BMD.

    I know very little about the needs of churches for video production, so won't offer much opinion on the suitability for this system for a church. But, I do know that a church doesn't have the same demands that a tv station does. A church doesn't have the same level of Engineering Division Purchasing Red Tape, nor the same buying power (multi-station discounts), nor the same service/warranty demands. BMD doesn't have a good service record with many existing customers... and while a church may be able to deal with sending a camera back a couple of times for sensor recalibration or hot pixels or whatever else, a major market affiliate won't put up with that crap.

  • @bmorgan83 Ok thats cool. You just didnt mention anything about ccus so i wasnt sure if you knew anything about them.

    @radikalfilm We were just talking about the mount and why they chose mft over the industry standard b4. I think i can speak for both of us when i say we knew they would come out with some type of a ccu or remote controller in due time. Its cool they already have it created and made it software based. Blackmagic is sick. It's great they continue to push the envelope. Im not gunna buy any of these cams but i suppose ill change my remark about no one buying them to small or beginning studios being quite interested in them.

  • I really like this camera because i do a lot of conferences recording, but i need in camera recording so it's looks like the blackmagic Hyperdeck Shutter is the way to go.

  • @bmorgan83 @volt Guys read the specs before bantering... Yes, you're right...except that IT DOES HAVE CCU support, by way of the all singing all dancing fiber optic link (which also carries A/V, tally, return PGM) - like triax but for 4K. The catch is the CCU units are built into their new mixer they also launched at NAB, the ATEM 2 M/E. The catch seems to be they don't have hardware controls for it, only software (optimized for touch screen).

    If the system works end-to-end (which is obviously their goal) this would make the cheapest studio/OBvan installation for either HD or 4K. I'm not a BM fanboy, and have mixed feelings about the Decklinks I own. But then again - the price...

  • I may end up getting some ... 3 or 4 ... a lot of sit down studio stuff (static 2 shot, static wide and manned close up, product camera) only uses 2-4 shots. So MFT primes present no issues.

    That said I don't think real good for OB; concert and sport without a real lens. I'd prefer to stick with EX1 type of cameras. You could probably pull off conferences and award nights.

  • @Volt - yes... thats pretty much what I stated... Until they have away to control the camera's from the CCU (or in this case the software that is pretty much a port of parts of resolve) this is going to be a tough sell. Being that it's an active M4/3 mounts, that would be resolved by proper M4/3 ENG lenses... parafocal, with servo zooms and active mounts.

  • @thorn - there's a HUGE market outside of television stations that could use this...

    One major market that is growing immensely is Churches. I used to work in video production and IT for a church, and the goal was eventually to do live HD broadcasts of our services. Something like this really makes the market much more affordable for smaller churches that don't have a huge budget. Avid/Digidesign really hit his market hard a few years back with their live sound systems. I went to a conference that really pushed the SC48 and D-Show stuff. Even Grass Valley is out there pushing into the church market... Black Magic has them beat on price for functionality from what I've seen.

  • @bmorgan83 All true studio cams are controlled by CCUs. Having a b4 mount doesnt make a difference because the control room has a remote so a director or an engineer could change it from there. No one is gunna buy it anyway so it doesnt really matter lol.

  • Just odd.

  • No one (if they want to keep their job) in a tv studio environment is going to use this thing with the currently available m4/3 lenses, along with some rigged up 3rd party gear-follow-focus system... the lenses aren't parafocal, and focus-by-wire won't cut it.

    Beyond that, stations had to go HD years ago. They've already bought HD studio cameras, which they'll keep until they are covered in duct tape and solder. I really don't understand how BMD thinks this market will care much about this particular camera. They're late to the party, and bringing the wrong date.

  • The one thing I'm curious about is using a B4 mount lens on here with an adapter, you'd lose the ability to control aperture remotely. Thats a big must have in the studio environment... so then you've got to use native M4/3 lenses... but those are typically not parafocal, and you don't have a servo zoom on them.

    We definitely need to see some proper lenses M4/3 ENG lenses for this camera, as well as the new JVC cams

  • @radikalfilm I agree with you about making the sensor 2/3 with a B4 mount. No engineer at the tv station i work at has any idea what m4/3 is lol. Im not saying this cam wouldn't be hilarious when hooked up to a fuji 100x, but i just dont see any of the big three investing in any of these cameras for their affiliate stations. And one more thing, focus pulling and our reflexes arnt our only assets when were doing live games, we occasionally find some hotties for the audience to enjoy ;)

  • My next camera will definitely be this one, the HD version don't really need 4K right now. The big Plus about it is it shoots 1080p 60fps that would compliment my BMPCC nicely. Does anybody know if the sensor shoots 13 Stops of DR, or 12 Stops. The only negative I can see is that it only records to external recorders I believe correct me if I'm wrong.

  • I think the majority of TV Engineers that will buy this are probably the same Eng crowd that bought a Trinity system from Play.

  • @balazer interesting that it comes out at 14.32mm, that's very close to S16 (14.5mm). It must have an electronic crop mode for B4 lens compatibility.

  • @kingmixer of course they wouldn't. Anyone in ENG/live TV would cringe at the thought. For decades the standard sensor size has been 2/3'' (with B4 mounts), which is smaller than 16mm (aprox 1'' sensor with C mount). A sensor larger than that becomes a pain/nightmare for a TV studio where you want DEEP DoF. Not so much for static talking heads where the operator doesn't have to refocus, but think of a pan to a different subject or the previously sharp wall panel display behind the speaker - the viewers will think there's something wrong with the TV.

    In any case I think the sensor is smaller than 1'', the reason being they advertise compatibility with B4 mount via a m43/B4 adapter (all those Fujinon zooms WILL NOT be discarded). The image circle projected by a B4 TV style lens is not much larger that its intended target (2/3''). Hence, logically speaking the sensor must be smaller than 1''. If I were to design the thing I would have made it exactly 2/3'' (or I would have an electronic crop mode of exactly 2/3'' for B4 lens compatibility). Also all the personnel used to the specific DoF of 2/3'' sensors would regard any shallower DoF as "broken"/unusable. They have years of split-second reflexes for pulling focus and that's their biggest (and sometimes only) asset on the job.

  • The Blackmagic Studio Camera HD sensor is the same size as pocket cam's - 14.32 mm diagonal. The Blackmagic Studio Camera 4K's sensor is slightly bigger - 14.98 mm diagonal. The majority of studio cameras are the 2/3" format - that's 11 mm. Compare it to the GH4's UHD mode, which is 16.52 mm. Sony A7s is 40.85 mm in full frame 16:9.

    2/3" lenses won't be suitable for either of the Studio cameras without an optical converter.

  • Yes, you're right. But I think you know what I meant – isn't even super 16 is still larger than the 1/3'', 1/2'', 2/3'' sizes that these productions have been using. Would Full Frame really be feasible for in-studio and EFP broadcast productions?

  • It's m43 mount but the sensor is the same size as the pocket.