Blackmagic Design has introduced the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro, an advanced new model of their popular 6K camera. This camera is designed for content creators and filmmakers who require professional-level features and image quality in a compact and portable form factor. The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro features a Super 35 sensor with 6144 x 3456 resolution, offering high-quality image capture with stunning dynamic range and color fidelity. It supports up to 13 stops of dynamic range, allowing for detailed imagery with rich tonal gradations. With the ability to shoot in Blackmagic RAW or ProRes formats, users have the flexibility to choose the workflow that suits their needs. One of the standout features of the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro is its built-in motorized lens mount, which allows for quick and easy lens changes.
What’s missing? Well there’s no IBIS and the EVF is a $500 extra. Battery life still isn’t up there with a Sony or Panasonic mirrorless camera. The stills mode is of course a pale imitation of what you’d get on a Canon EOS R5, Nikon Z6 II, or similar. The EF lens mount isn’t as flexible or as modern, compared to a mirrorless camera. Autofocus is basically a no.
In short I was able to receive the black colorway below retail and free next day shipping with the promos that they offered for being a new camera web-shop based from AZ. The camera lends itself to a more methodical filmmaking style, rather than the fast-paced one-person-band shooting one can fire off with mirrorless hybrids.
One of the standout features of the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro is its built-in motorized lens mount, which allows for quick and easy lens changes. This is particularly useful for filmmakers who frequently switch between different lenses or need to adapt to different shooting scenarios. The camera also includes built-in ND filters, providing up to 2, 4, and 6 stops of neutral density, giving users greater control over exposure in different lighting conditions.
Thoughts on the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro – Tilt screen, EVF, built in ND filters – but why EF mount?
For a long time the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Cameras have been a barebones experience to shoot with. Great codec and image quality but a lack of important other features (and not great build quality). Well Blackmagic has stepped up and beaten the mirrorless cameras to build-in ND filters. Yes in 2021 it’s finally happened! Well done camera industry. They have added a hinge to the screen as well. For an extra $500 you can get an EVF which slots on top. The battery also gets an upgrade from a smaller Canon LP-E6 to Sony NP-F570.
However one thing I find puzzling about the Pocket 6K Pro is the lens mount.
With mirrorless taking over especially for video, the lenses are also taking over – Sony E-mount, Canon RF and the L-mount alliance are the modern standard for full frame video shooters at the $2500 mark at which Blackmagic sells the 6K Pro.
Sony E-mount also has very capable adapters to Canon EF which give you native level autofocus performance on Sony cameras.
You would think it would be perfect for Blackmagic.
So why is the Pocket 6K Pro using the old Canon EF mount with long 44mm distance between sensor and lens, limiting compatibility, adaptability and AF performance?
Obviously there are still a lot of great cine lenses in EF mount but they are mostly rather on the large side. This will suit the high-end of the market interested in the Pocket 6K Pro but it doesn’t stay true to the camera’s name or concept. Using smaller mirrorless lenses on there would be great.
Even if E-mount is licensed by Sony and not approved for use on other cameras, nobody stops lens adapters from being sold. Therefore Blackmagic could make a camera with a swappable mount over the sensor – a proprietary fitting on the camera side and E-mount on the end.
I don’t know what Sony’s view is on the electronics side – but Metabones and Sigma obviously are allowed to sell their adapters with full electronic capabilities and autofocus. So should Blackmagic do the same with future cameras?
Besides the lens mount, Blackmagic get a lot right here. Although they did mess with the focusing system internally causing it to operate completely differently to previous cameras. This has impacted some third party accessories.
I think the build quality is still a bit plastic-fantastic, or at least feels that way.
The internal ND filter seems to occupy a bit more space around the sensor, as evidenced by the higher ‘viewfinder bump’ on the Pocket 6K Pro. That bump houses the filter when it jumps out of the way of the sensor. The larger the sensor, the larger the filter and more room it needs to mechanically manoeuvre. It would be great if Blackmagic can work on an electronically variable ND filter which has a ‘clear’ setting and doesn’t need to be moved out of the way when not in use. The Sony FS5 II remains impressive in this regard.
Blackmagic also get the codec side bang on. Internal ProRes 10bit and BRAW recording, no messing with HDMI recording, just fluid editing performance with Resolve.
In addition to its impressive image quality, the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro offers a range of professional-level features. It includes an adjustable HDR touchscreen monitor with a bright 1500-nit display, making it easy to view and navigate camera settings. The camera also features professional audio inputs, allowing for high-quality sound recording with XLR connections. The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro is designed to be a versatile camera that can be used in a variety of shooting situations. It includes a USB-C expansion port, which supports external storage and recording to SSD drives. This enables users to capture and store large amounts of footage without worrying about running out of space. The camera also includes a full-size HDMI output, allowing for easy monitoring and live streaming. Overall, the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro is a powerful and feature-rich camera that offers professional-level image quality in a compact and portable form factor. Whether you're a professional filmmaker or a content creator looking to elevate your production quality, this camera is worth considering..
Reviews for "The Ultimate Guide to Shooting 6K Videos with Black Magic 6K H2"
1. John - 2/5 stars - I was really excited to try out the Black magic 6k h2 camera, but I was disappointed with the results. The image quality was not as sharp as I expected and the colors appeared dull. The camera also had a lot of noise in low light conditions, which was definitely a letdown. Overall, I was not impressed with this camera and would not recommend it.
2. Sarah - 1/5 stars - As a professional photographer, I was looking forward to using the Black magic 6k h2 camera for my latest project. However, I was extremely disappointed with the camera's performance. The autofocus was slow and inconsistent, making it difficult to capture clear and crisp shots. Additionally, there were several issues with overheating, causing the camera to shut down multiple times during my shoot. I was incredibly frustrated with the overall experience and would not recommend this camera to other professionals in the industry.
3. Mark - 3/5 stars - While the Black magic 6k h2 camera has some impressive features, it fell short in a few areas for me. The menu system was not user-friendly, making it difficult to navigate and adjust settings quickly. The battery life was also quite poor and I found myself needing to constantly recharge or replace batteries throughout the day. The image quality was decent, but not exceptional. Overall, I think there are better options available in the market for the same price range.