Blackmagic Studio Camera 4K Plus & Pro - Tour, in-action and thoughts // Show and Tell Ep.85

[@heretorecord]

Got a question about these that wasn’t covered? Ask it here!

[@PiDsPagePrototypes]

Can the Ethernet connection pass camera control and signal through a switch or router?, and if so, can the camera be powered from a regular POE hub ? There's a lot of potential if it can, as the control unit can be in the same rack as an Atem Mini (meaning very short HDMI cables required) while the camera is further away then the limits of HDMI cable lengths. Such a setup would allow the Pro camera to be very effective for local sports. Put a desk with 19" rack in the back of a minivan, couple of screens, Atem Mini ISO, CCU units in the rack. Grab some Ubiquiti gear and suddenly you can put the cameras hundreds of meters away from the van and still have full remote control.... Of course, there'll be some push back from Old Media when they realize how out of date those 100 million dollar trucks are... :D

[@heretorecord]

@@PiDsPagePrototypes not that we know of and most likely no. It seems to be a point to point system where you need the camera directly attached to the Studio converter box. And I suppose you could power the camera from a POE switch however it requires a lot of power to do that.

[@PiDsPagePrototypes]

@@heretorecord bit of a shame on that one, and, I'd take bets on it being possible if there's enough demand for a firmware change. Point to point is still a lot better then having to run expensive and delicate fibre, or the weight of TriAx, and should still enable runs out to about 100 meters. More then enough for tennis, basketball, even soccer, but not enough for AFL or Drag Racing. Maybe just enough for Sprintcars.

[@pbl4845]

@@heretorecord Why not? are you sure? could be very handy to test that ....it´s supososed to be TICO, which definetly can pass over switches because is a single stream SMPTE 2110 compliant

[@nelsonzhang1369]

Does it have good autofocus or just the same as BMPCC4K or 6K?

[@corn4679]

Thank you for shooting the video with the cameras so we can see the quality for ourselves. It’s incredible how many content creators don’t even show a single clip from cameras they’re reviewing.

[@Calvarydima]

Dude ! If you are ever down …. Or feel sad Just know - you live a dream life

[@SportFlow]

I see this camera as a good option for small studios only. For Electronic Field Production it has two problems: no decent MFT lenses available and no way to connect long cable runs (no locking ethernet connector, no fiber adapter...). Will see how it sells and maybe BM releases a B4 version or maybe will see a refreshed ursa broadcast. Who knows! Great review btw.

[@heretorecord]

Most certainly, in a fixed space where it will not go anywhere this camera will shine the most. Not sure I would take it on the road, but i'm never on the road these days anyway 😅

[@PiDsPagePrototypes]

BMD probably knows more about various lens manufacturers upcoming ranges then any of us do - Imagine if Panasonic or Fuji did a baby Box Lens with M4/3 mount. On top, there's a couple of lens mount adapters that will give these cameras control of EF lenses.

[@samscaravan]

This is a reasonably good review. I own a studio 4k plus camera and it is well and truly audible from a 1 metre distance. The inbuilt mic on the studio plus does not compete with the camera fan noise. The noise floor on these for a "studio" environment needs consideration.. Thanks.

[@heretorecord]

I'd certainly not use the built-in mic for anything but back-up or emergency. Always best to attach a mic and use that.

[@samscaravan]

@@heretorecord Yes, agreed. I guess my point is that the fan noise on the Studio plus is loud.. Thanks

[@DavidHarry]

Excellent overview. Thanks.

[@ONtvChannels]

Thank you John, great initial overview...

[@heretorecord]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@udetoiss7967]

great content. excellent quality. good job

[@heretorecord]

Much appreciated!

[@livetotell]

Thanks!

[@deanhome1]

looks good great video John

[@heretorecord]

Thanks 👍

[@rediadvertising]

I bought two plus versions for the Atem Mini Pro for conferences… Found out two things: First, the tally light and camera control only work with HDMI cables with Ethernet. Second, if you use for long distances the BMD Micro converters with SDI cables, you will not be able to have the tally and cam control options. Another “Con” you should mention is that you can only record but the camera has no “on camera” playback. Thanks for this video!

[@heretorecord]

No on camera playback for a studio camera does not surprise me. and I got the tally/control working without fibre cables however I used short ones. Did you use 3G micro converters? I am meaning to test those out to see if they work with tally.

[@Lindhagaa]

It would be really nice if you can test it with micro converters if tally works.

[@rediadvertising]

Yes I’ve used the Micro Converters 3G (HDMI to SDI----SDI to HDMI), even today after they came out with an “Update”. They don’t work. It only works with HDMI with Ethernet and make sure it supports 4K

[@AlexPettitt]

@@rediadvertising HDMI to SDI (or visa versa) don't work... I believe the you need the Bi-Directional 3G converters instead. These are currently the only model that sends the ancillary data back to the camera.

[@rediadvertising]

@@AlexPettitt Thank you so much, I actually just tried a 100ft HDMI Fiber Optical cable and it works great with the tally and camera control.

[@tyallgaier]

super helpful thank you

[@enregistreur]

From what I remember of the ATEM Mini Pro presentation at the time, the Orange tally light already exists on BMPCC4K/6K cameras, it appears while recording and connected to an ATEM. I guess the color on the Studio tally was directly inspired by it.

[@heretorecord]

You are most likely correct. Funny I have never actually used the BMPCC4K/6K with an ATEM so never noticed!

[@letmelooktv]

Would of been nice if they sent you a selection of powered lenses because thats key. What lenses work well with this camera...

[@heretorecord]

In terms of powered lenses, there are not many options

[@RyanSomerfield]

looking great in 4k!! :)

[@heretorecord]

Totally worth it (40 min export, 3 hours upload and waiting patiently for processing)

[@RyanSomerfield]

@@heretorecord 4K is always worth it ;)

[@ciopodcast6300]

Love it.. thanks John...

[@heretorecord]

Thanks for watching!

[@9thstreet]

The lack of powered MFT lenses kills it for me, but I've been mostly doing sports though. I just don't see anything that'd make me want to give up my camcorders, IMO it would be a downgrade going from parfocal lenses with massive reach and fast focusing to something where you have four jittery-zooming photography lens options on a camera that likes to focus hunt. If I did a lot of fixed cam stuff I guess these would be cool (but even then I think I might just go with ZCAM E2Cs). Unfortunately given the Mini crowd's typical real world experience (or lack thereof), I can see these popping up all over with inexperienced OPs button-mashing the color correction stuff and just putting out some weird looking footage with the focus jumping all over the place.

[@heretorecord]

Sounds like they are not for you and your productions - These are certainly not for sports

[@zenissart]

Totally agree with 9thstreet. You say they are not for sports, that seems to be true but only because of the MFT mount! With decent power zoom lenses it should have been perfect for live sports streaming!

[@TVJAY]

Multiple color tallies are very common in professional sports. One tally means you are on air with the home feed, orange/yellow may mean you are on both feeds, and green means you are on the away feed.

[@heretorecord]

Good to know!

[@krishnansrinivasan830]

Awesome and Thanks :)

[@Cookiess75]

Were is the plaayer?? i mean if i rec on ssd how can i see what i rec???

[@leonemukova6784]

Can you please share the name of the lenses you used here

[@aaronpk]

What lens did you shoot the closeups with? It looks really good!

[@heretorecord]

The good old 15mm 1.7!

[@aaronpk]

@@heretorecord ah of course! I really need to get another one since mine is basically permanently attached to my desk now

[@heretorecord]

Mine was too until I pulled everything apart to make this video 😅

[@SwaCity21]

what mobile app are you using to control the switcher?

[@singingsensation9355]

Please Does it come with Davinci Resolve studio 18 software ?

[@AmauryJacquot]

the one thing I've noticed is that the back where the screen is is identical to the Ursa studio viewfinder, which probably reduced the cost

[@heretorecord]

Interesting! In fact there are screw holes on the bottom of the cameras to mount the Ursa sunhood. I was wondering why they had those but now it makes sense

[@heesungchoi3212]

I have a question about the communication with cameraman, do we only need two 5-pin headset ? we need additional device for talkback ?

[@sergiubn]

Thank you for this great video! Have you tried HDMI optical fiber? You can run very long cables, plus you can control the camera from the ATEM over this cables, even if they are one way cables.

[@heretorecord]

Yes i've given those a go. I still think in the long run, and in terms of production flexibility that SDI is a better investment, however I am quite impressed how far HDMI can go now!

[@rediadvertising]

Wow nice to know… I will try that too for long runs

[@ryandundas2851]

Hey I am trying to figure out if the 3.5mm microphone jack on the Plus model can send out power to microphones? Or can I only use microphones with their own power source? I know the Pro model had phantom power on it's XLR inputs. Thanks

[@danielrubinstein6714]

the plus version stream 4k resolution through the hdmi?

[@tomrio9286]

Please if anyone can recommend MFT lenses for this camera, work with auto focus 🙏

[@SamLeconss]

I run a live production company that mostly films school concerts and presentations, also amongst conferences and things. I thought these looked wicked for what i do... How come you wouldn't recommend it for someone like me? - I also have a BM television studio HD and currently run 4x canon xa55's

[@heretorecord]

They may well work for you in that case. The important thing is knowing what they can and cannot do. I do think if you own the space and have control over it then they would likely be a good option, especially paired with that TVSHD.

[@SamLeconss]

@@heretorecord Cheers legend. Wish i could test them for a week and see how they go but unfortunately they arent available for hire near me and i don't think they will be for a long time

[@heretorecord]

@@SamLeconss if you do manage to test them then let me know how it goes!

[@splectronwilliams3384]

HELLO can i use a lut with this camera while its in a live streaming set up,if so where do i get luts ,how do i install them

[@heretorecord]

You can use them by loading them onto a drive and using the menu to load luts. Not sure about a good place to get them but you can make your own in DaVinci Resolve

[@gracenotes5379]

Are in-camera LUTs available for the live feed from these cameras? If so, did you opt to use one for the footage captured for this video? A discussion of color management for live production would be helpful for someone looking to get into this ecosystem for the first time, IMO.

[@heretorecord]

I think exploring that in another video would be excellent!

[@_chris79]

Woul you be willing to a comparison between these and the 6K, 4K, and a GH5? Interested in what image quality might be like in a small auditorium-like environment

[@heretorecord]

I don't have my hands on the 6K, nor an auditorium-like test place but I would love to see how the new cameras perform in those conditions

[@pentintv2266]

How to setup tally

[@andrewmclean1203]

Love the camera but the lack of a battery is infuriating. Do you have any recommended batteries? Ideally something that can be carried. I couldn't find a thing online. Thanks in advance!!!

[@wilsonbatuyong1147]

Thank you for this video, just want to ask is it possible to set different frame rate and video quality on the output and recording? Example fullhd 25p via hdmi output while it records 4k 30p. Thanks in advance

[@ONtvChannels]

One question I have John, any idea of the full workflow requirements and therefore costs of using the PRO cam for talkback via CAT5/6. When we evaluated the actual hardware costs of the talkback option on previous BMD models it was a no-no cost-wise?

[@heretorecord]

Interesting question. I’d have to sit and tally up the cost on that one. Though I will say that the added cost of the Blackmagic Studio Converter per camera will increase that cost a lot.

[@TheRealJPAdventures]

Good video! i will share share this out. I wondered myself about the lens, what are the considerations. Also, churches might benefit from these camera’s, for those who cannot spend extra $$ on more broadcast level setups. Thoughts?

[@aniruddhadeshpandestudio2891]

Hi there thank you for a nice video. I want to know whether the 10g ethernet port on the camera can be used to access the files recorded on SSD via usbc while the SSD is still connected to the camera???

[@heretorecord]

Not that I am aware of, unfortunately

[@aniruddhadeshpandestudio2891]

@@heretorecord thanks for the reply...

[@michaelcroff7097]

Thanks for all the information! I'm definitely going to use this for wedding videography! The brighter display of the Pro is compelling, but not for $500 when I don't need the livestreaming features and if my audio is going into a rigged Pocket 4K.

[@joshuahsmith8192]

Not sure why you would buy a studio camera for weddings though. You’d be better off getting another pocket

[@cristolate]

do you know what kind a resolution for stream we have from the hdmi? I mean the 4K is just for record and not for stream..

[@heretorecord]

The HDMI output appears to be set at 1080p though I believe in theory the connect could one day support 4K, but for now it’s 1080p

[@Deemediaproductions]

Hello, thanks for the update. What is the name of the app you used on your phone changing the camera on this project.

[@heretorecord]

That was MixEffect > mixeffect.app/

[@EventStreamTeam]

Can you post links to the lens that you used for this video?

[@heretorecord]

Sure! I used the... 15mm 1.7: geni.us/phLd2 25mm 1.7: geni.us/aR6rB 8-18mm: geni.us/WyWctNR

[@EventStreamTeam]

@@heretorecord The links do not work. I get a secure connection error

[@JulioCRoque]

Great video. What lens did you use for this?

[@heretorecord]

The lecia 15mm 1.7

[@simonstryja5685]

What type of ATEM switcher did you used for Tally test on video? We tried out with ATEM Television HD where it hasn't worked, But with Atem Mini Pro it works and we don't know what to do with it....

[@heretorecord]

I used the ATEM Mini Extreme. Keep in mind that for the ATEM TVSHD you will need to use 2x SDI cables and a 3G bi-directional converter for the setup to work.

[@simonstryja5685]

@@heretorecord Yes I already know it. I had read some forums. But thank you for help.

[@TheBackyardHideout]

Does the software that you use come with the camera?

[@heretorecord]

The ATEM Software Control is a free download from the Blackmagic Design website, though you will also need an ATEM switcher connected.

[@GregStonham]

Anyone got any tips to mount accessories on the studio camera? I've just taken delivery of a 4K Plus and am wondering about mounting a microphone or ssd. There are no 1/4 20 threads, could use 15mm rod then add to that but it's not going to look great. Are the handles 15mm? Could I use a rod clamp to go directly onto those?

[@GregStonham]

The only cages I've seen for these are *stupidly* expensive.

[@evangelical..movement]

How are you Sir Please help i want to built my home studio and streaming Between design studio and cinema pocket which one is better since their prices are same

[@heretorecord]

If there is no operator standing behind your cameras then it may make more sense to go for the Pocket style camera. Also, if you plan to take the camera out of the studio at some point then the Pocket would work well for that too.

[@rudeboycg]

Does it record 120fps ?

[@PeterVCook]

Are these like other BlackMagic cameras in that it doesn't have continuous autofocus? If that's the case, can you tap to auto focus? Any other focus options without the focus demand. Also I really want to see a test of the powered zoom MFT lens options. I know Doug was pretty negative on the idea, but I am really eager to see how they actually work once the zoom demand starts shipping.

[@heretorecord]

Correct. No continuous autofocus. And you can touch and hold to focus, or set up a function key to do that. And yes, if I can get the demands then I should also probably get some lenses to test too!

[@PiDsPagePrototypes]

@@heretorecord That's incorrect, at least according to the BMD presentation - Grant Petty talked about how the Varifocal M4/3 Power Zoom lenses are controlled to continuously correct the focus as the operator zooms in, so the camera must have focus control to do so. Focus will stay where the operator puts it.

[@hot_raqs]

What would be your main reason for not using this camera for a conference?

[@heretorecord]

It really comes down to the space, or rather spaces. When I used to do conferences I would be in loads of different venues and locations. I'd bring camcorder-style cameras and would find that even a 20x zoom didn't quite get the shot I wanted. I would not have wanted to invest in, nor carry around the lenses to cover all possibility. That said, if you know your space and know your lenses then these could certainly be used for conferences.

[@hippy3000]

Why do feel this would not work well for events/conferences?

[@heretorecord]

In the past, most of the event I have shot are in all sorts of different rooms and lighting conditions. I have found that a classic camcorder-style camera has worked better for me since these Studio Cameras (I believe) are more suited to controlled environments and known locations. I am willing to be proven wrong though!

[@hippy3000]

@@heretorecord Just now used it in two different settings. Didn't have any problems with it. GH5s sensor is still fine with a good lens. Especially a static is just fine, because the non-tiltable screen is VERY annoying. But as a cheap high res 12G SDI camera's, it's a great addition to our setup.

[@heretorecord]

Good to hear it. I’ve been using one for months here at home and am very happy with it!

[@JohnKagu]

Are you able to use talk back with any of the mini range or is that only available from the TV studio going up?

[@heretorecord]

Nope, none of the mini range supports Talkback- Only older ATEMs or perhaps newer ones coming this year (not that I know, but I am hopeful!)

[@JohnPretto]

Another GREAT video by our friend John. Bravo. Did you get a model release for your GF? :)

[@heretorecord]

ahhh crap, i'll get right on that :D

[@doubletroule]

Anytime I come along this 2 models, I ask myself, which one to buy! Will the Plus version serve all my basic needs? Or will I feel like buying the wrong studio camera, soon? hmm ... Heaby decision 🤯🤯🤯

[@heretorecord]

I know that feeling!

[@SportFlow]

The ethernet port will not survive the demanding treatment of live productions. In two days the connector will be broken. Ideally, it should be a Neutrik ethernet lock-on connector.

[@PiDsPagePrototypes]

That's dependent on whether or not the crew ops treat the gear with respect, or whether they want to find other jobs.

[@SportFlow]

@@PiDsPagePrototypes Of course, but the physics of the connector make not suitable for other things apart from fixed installations.

[@TechCondo]

Ooooh this video is soo much going to hurt my wallet!

[@heretorecord]

And then NAB comes and it hurts even more 😎

Eeh, i see that for one person in home studio pocket is still better cuz of portability.

[@heretorecord]

If you leave it set up all the time then wither will work in that case.

[@Lectro69]

well... RIP Z cam...

[@Calvarydima]

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

[@SportFlow]

These are broadcast tv cameras, the broadcast industry does not use RAW. It doesn't make sense to me that the only codec is raw. Some weird decisions from BMD.

[@PiDsPagePrototypes]

Not really - Raw makes sense when you include the sidecar files, and load it all in to Resolve with the ISO recorded files, allowing you to go back an swap edit points at maximum quality. To the editor, the raws will look just like the live shoot, but if the Director wants to change up the look of the program, it can be done with a LUT while retaining maximum quality. The only downside to recording raw in the camera, is the storage space.

[@SportFlow]

@@PiDsPagePrototypes broadcasters do not use Resolve to begin with. They are mostly Avid based. Broadcast video formats are mostly either Panasonic's P2 or Sony's XDCAM. Of course you can render/convert/mix but time is money and newsrooms cannot waste time converting files or applying LUTs, etc.

[@PiDsPagePrototypes]

@@SportFlow none of the broadcasters here use Avid. Mostly Aurora (broadcast version based on Edius), and Resolve taking over from Premiere. Time is why they use Aurora. Not a single other NLE can compete based on speed. From your reply, you're equating "broadcast" to be only News. It's not. News is a small portion of broadcast. All the studio based game shows, talent shows, interview programs, tonight shows, long form current affairs and the majority of pre packaged sports can all take advantage of the raw recordings, and these are all broadcast shows that pre-record and re-edit.

[@SportFlow]

@@PiDsPagePrototypes Didn't know about Aurora. I will investigate. Thanks for sharing. You're right about other flavours of broadcast but all of them don't like to work with huge RAW files. The programmes that you mention tend to be long long shows, so high-bitrate formats like RAW make more cumbersome workflows.

[@ronaldevans425]

@@SportFlow EDIUS can edit BRAW and ProRes RAW native , not plugins. It is a Windows program that can output ProRes too.

[@mongkhlsiri]

Still not impressed. Why didn't blackmagic studio camera 4k plus/pro go all out? High and low angle of view practicality is very bad in practical use if the viewfinder image cannot be viewed. Why doesn't blackmagic design allow the viewfinder to tilt up and down? It's going to have the versatility and beautiful angles that a studio should be. For a little while, you'll be dominating the market in this industry but you don't make it happen. Hopefully this comment the design engineers of blackmagic design will see and make it.