NOTES: Last year, when the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera arrived, I made a video to break it in – vimeo.com/hpmoon/nyc – and laid down a commentary to share some insights – vimeo.com/hpmoon/bmpc. Not the newest thing now, it’s still the only option for capturing 10-bit 4:2:2 log video without a big rig, and costing under a grand. But it’s always needed a bit of rigging, and while filmmakers keep using it to make amazing films – examples at vimeo.com/groups/blackmagic – there’s still a lot to talk about, in terms of rigging it right. Following up the commentary I made last year that went sort of viral, here’s a similar chat: because sometimes showing stuff and talking over it works better than writing an article. For a streaming clip, it runs long, but it covers a lot of ground – and I’m looking forward to your comments below.
The first and main theme is that it’s wise to choose Canon EF-mount manual cine lenses, so that you can adapt them to the Micro-4/3 mount on the BMPC (and E-mount on Sony cams) with gadgets that take advantage of the conversion, enabling behind-the-lens ND filters and focal reducers. But it’s also true that typical Canon EF-mount lenses that aren’t fully manual will lack aperture control this way. Important to clarify! (There is not currently any Metabones solution specific to this need.)
For more exploring after this, visit the portal to these user groups at focuspulling.com where you’ll see daily user contributions of sample videos, tips, and news on your favorite gear.
GEAR LIST (in order of appearance)
Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera – focuspull.in/bmccpckt
Panasonic 12-35mm f2.8 zoom lens – focuspull.in/hs12035
Rokinon Cine lenses for EF mount – focuspull.in/rokincine
HolyManta VND – focuspull.in/holymanta
Light Craft Workshop Rapid ND – focuspull.in/RapidND (use my coupon code LC-1308 for 10% off)
View Factor Contineo cage – focuspull.in/contineo
Tamrac N-45 padded leather quick-release camera strap – focuspull.in/Tamrac
Zacuto Z-Finder – focuspull.in/Z-Finder
Ikan battery adapters – focuspull.in/ikanbatt (choose desired battery & mounting)
5.5 × 2.1mm female (Ikan) to 2.5 × 0.7mm male (BMPC) adapter – focuspull.in/bmpcpwr
Tascam DR-60D audio pre-amp/recorder – focuspull.in/DR-60
Rode NTG-2 shotgun mic – focuspull.in/ntg-2
Polaroid shotgun mic mount – focuspull.in/shckmnt
Flolight 1/4”-20 Stacker for mic mount – focuspull.in/Flolight
Tether Tools Jerkstopper thread mount – focuspull.in/Jerkstop
Roxsen Focal Reducer EF to Micro-4/3 – focuspull.in/focalred
Visit Paul Moon’s page on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/hpmoon
The first and main theme is that it’s wise to choose Canon EF-mount manual cine lenses, so that you can adapt them to the Micro-4/3 mount on the BMPC (and E-mount on Sony cams) with gadgets that take advantage of the conversion, enabling behind-the-lens ND filters and focal reducers. But it’s also true that typical Canon EF-mount lenses that aren’t fully manual will lack aperture control this way. Important to clarify! (There is not currently any Metabones solution specific to this need.)
For more exploring after this, visit the portal to these user groups at focuspulling.com where you’ll see daily user contributions of sample videos, tips, and news on your favorite gear.
GEAR LIST (in order of appearance)
Visit Paul Moon’s page on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/hpmoon
