Once you have the BMPCC4k you either want to protect your investment with a cage or have a cage system that will allow modular options for a full and complete setup. Currently most cages are available for preorder and a few are on the market but I am sure they will fill your needs.
Not only will it boost the functionality by allowing battery, microphone, SSD, and other accessory mounting options but will give you a full on “professional” setup. The BMPCC4k transforms from a photography form factor to a cage system that can be rigged up for indie and Hollywood sets!
Here are a few of the cages that offer many options for the BMPCC4k.
By far the most comprehensive modular cage system, to date, is available from Tilta. They have not started to take preorders yet but once they do I believe they will be the go to cage for beginners and experienced BMPCC4k users.
Whatever option you choose, plan for the future and not just “right now”. There are plenty of other smaller cages and half cages but these are the ones that have great options.
Just got word from BMD that they will be releasing a new “external graphics processor featuring the blazingly fast AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 graphics processor”! For those of you using the BMPCC4k, Resolve is a must to unlock all the true pixel data retained by the sensor and pairing it with this new Blackmagic eGPU Pro your only limitation is your creativity.
The Blackmagic eGPU Pro is a bolt of lighting for your graphics and “delivers nearly twice the performance of the original Blackmagic eGPU model and up to 22x faster performance than the built-in graphics on a 13-inch MacBook Pro”.
If you haven’t made the conversion to Resolve please do yourself a favor and do so ASAP. You will find a new world of color correction and grading with an ease of use. Considering that it comes for FREE with your BMPCC4k how can you not convert?
Keep the magic alive,
MT editor/founder
Read more about the new Blackmagic eGPU Pro below in the official press release:
New model features blazingly fast AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 for up to 22x faster performance!
Fremont, CA – October 30, 2018– Blackmagic Design today announced the Blackmagic eGPU Pro, an external graphics processor featuring the blazingly fast AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 graphics processor. Designed to accelerate pro creative software such as DaVinci Resolve, 3D games and VR, the Blackmagic eGPU Pro delivers nearly twice the performance of the original Blackmagic eGPU model and up to 22x faster performance than the built-in graphics on a 13-inch MacBook Pro.
The Blackmagic eGPU Pro features a built-in AMD Radeon RX Vega 56, two Thunderbolt 3 ports, a new DisplayPort for connecting 5K displays, HDMI 2.0, 85W of charging power and four USB 3.1 connections. Designed in collaboration with Apple, the integrated design brings cutting-edge workstation-class graphics processing and computational acceleration to customers working in professional video, playing 3D games or using the latest virtual reality software.
The Blackmagic eGPU Pro will be available in November for only US$1,199 from apple.com.
The Blackmagic eGPU Pro features 8GB of HBM2 RAM, a massive 2048-bit memory interface with 410 gigabyte per second bandwidth, and 56 discreet compute units for up to 10.5 teraflops of processing power. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 can fill 94 billion textured pixels per second. In addition, the Blackmagic eGPU Pro supports Metal graphics technology from Apple, which provides near-direct access to the GPU for maximizing graphics and compute performance with games and applications.
With nearly 2x faster performance than the previous eGPU model, customers running DaVinci Resolve will get more realtime effects and color correction than ever before. That means they can spend more time exploring creative options and less time waiting. Customers running DaVinci Resolve on a 13-inch MacBook Pro will find that GPU-intensive operations, such as noise reduction, are up to 22x faster with the Blackmagic eGPU Pro. DaVinci Resolve 15 also supports multiple GPUs as well as Metal, so it’s the best way to get the full benefit of the Blackmagic eGPU Pro. Customers can download DaVinci Resolve 15 now free of charge from the Blackmagic Design website for the best editing, color correction, audio post and visual effects solution available.
For gamers and customers using VR software and headsets, the Blackmagic eGPU Pro delivers higher resolution images, higher frame rate gameplay, better lighting and more detailed textures for truly immersive experiences, even on a laptop computer. Plus, the Blackmagic eGPU Pro features a DisplayPort connection that can drive a 5K display.
The elegant, textured finish of the Blackmagic eGPU Pro is extruded from a single piece of aluminum and features a unique thermal cooling system that’s been designed to perfectly balance the airflow and dissipate heat more efficiently. The cooling system also enables extremely quiet operation, which is vital for those working in video production and audio engineering environments.
In addition to graphics and computational acceleration, the Blackmagic eGPU Pro is also the perfect docking hub for connecting devices such as keyboards, mice, Thunderbolt monitors, big screen HDMI televisions, 5K displays, VR headsets, high speed storage and more. It features two 40Gb/s Thunderbolt 3 connections, a built-in 4 port USB hub, DisplayPort and HDMI. Plus, the connections are ergonomically spaced, making it easy to connect and disconnect peripherals.
When it comes to power, the Blackmagic eGPU Pro has a built-in power supply that powers the GPU while also providing 85W of downstream power via Thunderbolt 3 for charging laptop computers and powering peripherals. The power supply works from 100V to 240V and features a standard IEC power connector so it can be used anywhere in the world.
“The new Blackmagic eGPU Pro is exciting because it delivers nearly twice the performance of the original model of the Blackmagic eGPU,” said Grant Petty, CEO, Blackmagic Design. “Whether you’re editing and color grading professional video with DaVinci Resolve, playing 3D games or working in VR, the Blackmagic eGPU Pro gives you the latest cutting edge graphics performance and computational acceleration available. It simply makes everything faster and makes everything look better!”
Availability and Price
The Blackmagic eGPU Pro will be available in November for only US$1,199 from apple.com.
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The second part of our focal reducer test closely examines the Pixco ef-mft .71x 1 stop vs Viltrox ef m2 .71x 1 stop. The price difference is significant but the results may surprise you.
I received a few emails about the video recently published comparing a Pixco v BMCC Metabones so I wanted to explain it a little further. I chose the Sigma 18-35mm 1.8 APS-C lens because that seems to be the most widely used zoom ef lens for mft systems due to sharpness and speed (lowlight).
So why choose a generic Pixco .71x 1 stop to compare against the BMCC Metabones .64x 1 1/3 stop? Because many forums have been debating if the old BMCC Metabones could be used on the BMPCC4k and many claim that it works perfectly fine. The Pixco was used because it is insanely low priced and I already owned it. I also already own the BMCC Metabones.
So then, why the vignetting and distortion on the BMCC Metabones? Well the lens is APS-C and the BMCC Metabones is a .64x which is designed for a smaller sensor than the one on the BMPCC4k. Therefore it vignettes and distorts. Although after corresponding with Metabones they said the BMCC Metabones .64x is the same crop as the XL but not sure “if the rear element will tip the shutter/filter” of the BMPCC4k. The XL .64x and the Ultra .71x are for full frame lenses while the Ultra .71x should be used for the APS-C. There is nothing wrong with the design and function of the BMCC Metabones it was just designed for a smaller sensor and will crop and distort with an APS-C lens on the BMPCC4k
And why is the Pixco slightly “darker” than the BMCC Metabones? It is due to the fact that the BMCC Metabones is 1 1/3 stops and the Pixco is 1 stop which causes the Metabones to allow 1/3 more stops of light in. Therefore making the image slightly lighter and more pixel/color data is obtained by the sensor.
Choosing the right focal reducer depends on what type of glass you own.
Make sure to subscribe to the first tech blog dedicated to the BMPCC4k.
In this video we see if you can use your old BMCC Metabones speedbooster .64x/ 1 1/3 stop and we compare it to the generic Pixco .71x 1 stop, both are ef-mft. We paired them together with the Sigma 18-35mm 1.8. All the settings are the same (4k dci, 24 fps, raw 4:1, film, 400 iso).
We also will be comparing the generic Pixco speedbooster with the Viltrox ef-m2 in a few weeks. So subscribe and follow us!
Thoughts: I would not use the BMCC Metabones at all due to the distortion and vignetting. Even at 24 mm the vignetting is pronounced. While the generic speedbooster is slightly warmer and has a little less light it can easily be adjusted by bumping up the iso/exposure and in post doing a little more color grading. Don’t forget the metabones has 1/3 stops more. The generic looks sharp and definitely a great tool that I am sure can be found relatively cheap. I think I paid $89 when I bought this a few years ago for my GH4. The only downside of the generic is that there is no iris control. I look forward to testing it against the Viltrox ef-m2 in a few weeks.
The advantage of using Davinci Resolve to unlock the true pixel data cannot be understated. For years I have been using Premiere Pro but will be using Resolve 15 from now on. Did I mention that it can even play Raw files! Good luck trying to even import them into PP. Anyways, I hope this may help you out in your quest for resources.
With so much anxiety, nervousness and anger of when the BMPCC4k will ship and preorders dating from April 2018 it seems there is a lot of mixed messages and possible misinformation. Some big retailers are now saying December 2018 for April orders and January/February for orders placed today or recently. So what’s the big delay?
I do not know of anyone that has publicly stated how many preorders were made from the date of announcement, April 9, 2018, to present but some estimate 10,000+. I do not think that sensors and many of the components are made immediately much less the QC process. You also must understand that BMD may be dependent on vendors which I am sure do not stop everything to ramp up production just because they need it. We will inquire from BMD about the manufacturing process and the time to make each camera. I hope they provide information not necessarily ship dates.
Some ask, “why are the big box stores like B&H and Adorama not shipping large quantities and smaller retailers are shipping more?” Well it’s all relative. If you think about it B&H must have orders in the thousands were as smaller retailers may have 10-20. So if you do the math if the smaller store ordered 25 on the first day they might be able to fulfill their orders and if they have any left over they can put them on out there. Which has happened in a few instances. So then, many people think that the big stores didn’t get enough and the smaller ones did which we do not believe is the case.
But the fact that many big box stores have been giving out conflicting statements on ship dates to customers fuels theories of why their order has not shipped. The market demand may have been underestimated or there may be production delays. But that is pure speculation since no one has issued an official statement.
It’s safe to say watching videos and downloading clips of this amazing camera only intensifies the urgency. Let’s not mention the notorious “unboxing videos”! So now that you don’t have a clue and already sent the vendor emails, called, and chatted what do you do now? If you believe the camera is the game changer we have all been waiting for then you learn as much as you can from blogs, Youtube, Vimeo that way when your camera arrives you already have filled the noggin with more than delayed gratification.
Keep the magic alive,
MT
editor/founder
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This blog is dedicated to providing the latest news, tips, videos and links about the BMPCC4k. We are not only going to publish official news but you can also submit for posting on our blog. This blog is a community of users looking for answers from other users or experienced hobbyist and professionals alike. Elitism is not allowed on this blog so save it!
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