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Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera Half Price @ US $495.00 (with Shipping AU $578) from B&H

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Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera Half Price @ US $495.00 (with Shipping AU $578) from B&HAffiliate
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MissKitty on 17/07/2014 - 01:11 bhphotovideo.com (1327 clicks)
Last edited 17/07/2014 - 13:55
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Amazing quality in a tiny package, the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera is going for half price.

Usually no lower than $1k on static ice. Price is insane, but be aware you need to spend a fair bit on accessories to get the best result.

Does not come with lens but you can throw on almost anything with adapters/speed boosters. M43 mount.

Edit: Available $552.50 shipped or $535 pickup Brisbane from Camera Pro.
http://www.camerapro.com.au/blackmagic-design-pocket-cinema-…
Edit #2: Available $545 shipped from Video Pro:
http://www.videopro.com.au/p-6286-blackmagic-design-pocket-c…

Electrical & Electronics Blackmagic Design Camera Cinema Cameras Micro Four Thirds

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closed Comments

  • gamma on 17/07/2014 - 02:00

    A better deal?
    http://www.blackmagicdesign.com/au/products/blackmagicpocket…

    Special Price Now A$535
    Normal RRP A$1,239. Special price available until 31st August and subject to availability.

    • MissKitty on 17/07/2014 - 02:09

      Yeah, just saw that. Gotta find a retailer doing that price though. I think it's just started so I don't think it's reflected in local store prices yet.

    • bamzero on 17/07/2014 - 12:31

      I'm seeing $589 on this site..

      • MissKitty on 17/07/2014 - 13:38

        Yeah, they bumped it. It was $535 last night. Lemac and Video Pro have it for $545 shipped.

  • hen dawg on 17/07/2014 - 08:31
    +2

    Crazy low price! Really only for the very keen cinematographer though, plus you need a fair bit of money for lenses & accessories. Still, that'll probably get you the best looking video for the price

  • ironjd on 17/07/2014 - 08:41
    -1

    Might as well get a gh3/4 tbh. You will need at least another $800-1000 in kit before its usable

    • c0balt on 17/07/2014 - 13:54

      I'll take Prores over AVCHD/264 anyday.

      • hj0809 on 17/07/2014 - 20:49

        If you already have the gear to support this camera or really colour grading/post, sure. Otherwise, there are more cost effective options for 1080p.

  • Leuke on 17/07/2014 - 09:03
    +1

    Great little camera… I'd think about buying a second at this price…

  • dalecjr on 17/07/2014 - 09:39
    +3

    Looks like these guys have it on special as well.
    http://www.videopro.com.au/p-6286-blackmagic-design-pocket-c…

  • tpan on 17/07/2014 - 09:51
    +1

    Just ordered with lemac. Crazy price

  • PCAviator on 17/07/2014 - 11:49
    +1

    Interested! I have a couple of original pro 4/3 lenses already that could be used with adaptor on this I guess? The question is, if I buy a OM-D E-M1 body which has 1080p video recording, what do I get out of this video camera I don't get with an OM-D E-M1 video? I am sure the video quality is certainly going to be better on this blackmagic camera, but does anyone have real-world experience with both? Is the difference going to be worth spending $600 on? Any feedback appreciated.

    • alphaomega on 17/07/2014 - 12:02

      Excellent question. I'm keen to hear anyone's experiences too.

    • lycos on 17/07/2014 - 12:25

      The video quality is FAR better than EM1. You can choose high quality ProRes or lossless video files. Note: this camera cannot shoot photo, only video.

      • PCAviator on 17/07/2014 - 12:34

        Yes fair call. I do realise this, but wondering if this difference in quality is really needed for the average joe, or is it for the more serious video producers. My choice is between a new OM-D E-M1 body to replace my E-510 body, or a Blackmagic Pocket for video only. Thinking the E-M1 video will be good for my needs I guess. Can always get a Blackmagic or similar a few years down the track when they will probably be $250 :P

        Still a touch decision to make. Ideally I would get both but can't afford that at the moment.

        • MissKitty on 17/07/2014 - 13:37
          +4

          Despite the size it's bascially a pro camera. A pro camera with shitty battery life, a bad screen and terrible audio, but a pro camera nonetheless. The quality (and ProRes) codec is fantastic, and it withstands grading very well. It's not really an average joe camera. It's a specialised bit of kit that needs extra stuff to work properly. That said, with a variable ND and a OIS lens you can still handhold it OK.

          For most people the OM-D is the way, way, way better choice (it also takes stills!). This camera, frankly, is kind of for specialists, or for hobbyists who enjoy getting pro images and want to spend the time in post. At this ridiculous price (even $1k is low) nothing else compares in terms of the quality of the end result.

        • emoticon on 17/07/2014 - 14:11

          @MissKitty:

          This gal knows her stuff. This camera is an insta-buy for anyone interested in film ESPECIALLY at this price.

          The high bit rates, codecs/filmic potential in post that this camera has you just can't get in a similarly priced DSLR. You'd be looking at $1600+ for a GH4 or a hacked 5D mkIII that shoots Raw. $500 is a bargain!

          I'm personally selling my Panasonic G6 to finance this upgrade -even though the video quality on that is already very good.

          Yes this camera isn't for everyone, you'll need to purchase extra SD cards because the file sizes will be huge, you'll need extra batteries, an external mic and it doesn't take still photographs. Plus to get the most out of it, you'll need to spend time in post, colour correcting the picture. It's a camera built on filming video. Not a camera that takes stills but also does video.

          tl;dr BUY IT! (if you're into video)

        • shungyiu on 17/07/2014 - 14:16

          @MissKitty:

          OM-D is great for stills but not suitable for video in Australia, it only has 30p. Of course if your intended audience is youtube and expect everyone to watch on their computers or tablets then it's no problem.

        • hj0809 on 17/07/2014 - 20:54

          @MissKitty: Exactly! People will see omg raw video it must be good at half price BARGAIN!

          Sadly no. ProRes sure gives a lot of post flexibility, but isn't suitable for your avg user.

          BMPCC has a lot of quirks and need a lot of extras to make it work as intended, but the output is great (for post)

      • c0balt on 17/07/2014 - 14:01

        Prores is awesome but the BMPC records in 422 and it shows when trying to pull keys and for general grading, especially when it's intercut with 4444 or R3D. It would be much better if it recorded 4444, but 422 is still much better than anything else in the price range. It can also record in DNG Raw, but it's messy to work with, and Black Magic Davinci Resolve doesn't particularly play nice with it.

        I've processed hundreds of hours of BMPC/BMCC/BMC4K footage and have to say that while they are great on paper, the results aren't particularly great unless under perfect conditions.

        Waiting on the Ursa though.

    • alphaomega on 17/07/2014 - 12:34

      Can M43 lenses fit straight on or would they need an adapter?

      • PCAviator on 17/07/2014 - 12:51

        It has a M4/3 mount, so they should go on directly. The older 4/3 lenses will require an adaptor.

    • hj0809 on 17/07/2014 - 20:51

      The video will be washed out. You will not get good out of camera footage. It requires a lot of post/grading to get right. This is why it appeals to videographers.

      If you want a good video out of camera, get a GH4 which also uses a m4/3 mount.

  • alphaomega on 17/07/2014 - 13:25

    Check out the Item Demo on the B&H page (the first photo link under the product photo). It's very informative. The lady says there is no onboard image stabilisation which is a killer for me, as she comments that there will be noticeable camera shake if you're using a lens without it.

    • alizzan on 17/07/2014 - 19:25

      Admittedly, considering you will most likely be post-processing the video captured with this camera, shake can be handled through various effects in post processing making this less of an issue. Also, a lot of rigs will remove this almost entirely with steadicam features.

    • hj0809 on 17/07/2014 - 20:52

      This requires a rig to get usable footage.

  • CameraPro on 17/07/2014 - 13:37

    $525 incl GST here: https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/153086

  • intothefray on 17/07/2014 - 14:05
    +14

    People should understand this isnt really a "prosumer" point and shoot video camera. Its aimed squarely at the professional video market, so if your just looking for a simple camera to shoot some good quality holiday/family video here and there, then i suggest looking at other options. However if your looking to shoot raw 1080p video, then its a great price for this camera. A few things to note include:

    A standard EN-EL20 battery (which this camera takes) will give you maybe 30 minutes of use, thankfully they aren't expensive, but plan on buying a bunch of those.

    Also if your planning on shooting RAW video, (which is really one of the main reasons you'd buy this camera) then your going to need to stock up on large class 10 SD cards, anything less simply wont work. You'll need something like the Sandisk Extreme Pro 95MB/s 64GB SDHC card, and that $150 64GB SD card will hold around about 18 minutes of raw video, so your going to need quite a few for a days shooting.

    The camera has NO built in stabilization, and is incredibly light, so shooting hand held is going to yield some shaky looking results.

    Also in regards to lenses, the camera basically has a 3x crop factor, so if you were thinking about throwing on some lenses you already had at home, your nifty 50mm lens in suddenly a 150mm telephoto now. So even your widest lens suddenly isnt going to be so wide on the pocket camera.

    If your planning on recording sound then you'll definitely need a good external mic, as the built in microphone in basically just for show.

    If your shooting outdoor the cameras built in LCD is extremely low contrast, which means its very difficult to see in bright sunlight, so you might want to look at other EVF options. Turning up the LCD screens brightness will help, but then your battery life is going to be even shorter.

    Anyway, the list goes on, but if your looking to get into more professional video work, and are aware that there are going to be considerable additional costs on top of the camera body itself, then this is a great deal for a camera in its price range. However i just wanted to make sure people know, this isnt the camera to grab if your looking for something easy to take to Thailand on your next family vacation.

    edit: typo

  • DEvok on 17/07/2014 - 20:32
    +1

    How is this compared to go pro quality?

    • bich.light on 18/07/2014 - 03:56

      The go pro is like a joke? Also, go pro comes with in-built lens whereas this is simply the body only. The go pro also has a superview/super-wide lens whereas you're unlikely to achieve that with this camera.

      Main reason for go pro is for action shots, whereas the main purpose of this is for professional video work or avid videographers.

  • PCAviator on 17/07/2014 - 23:19
    +1

    Thanks for all the comments and info folks. Kind of steered me straight to the OM-D E-M1 body instead of this. I'm not a pro videographer, and don't have time to post-process in detail. I've got a little JVC Full HD handicam that suits my needs, so I'm going to enjoy the OM-D E-M1 upgrade as soon as it comes back on sale again for around the $1k mark. Again, great info from Ozbargainers here, and much appreciated.

    • hj0809 on 17/07/2014 - 23:26
      +2

      The EM1 is a great camera, I'm sure you'll love it. There will be a big price drop closer to Sept (photokina)

      • PCAviator on 18/07/2014 - 01:15

        Interesting. Might wait for that price drop. Any idea what it might drop to (roughly)?

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