I have a BMPCC4K ... and without having to build a huge rig to get weight, I bought a 4lb rectangular counter weight that mounts under the camera and helps a lot with stabilization. 😉
@@collinausbury sure thing. It’s $27 on B&H: Revo 15mm Counterweight for Shoulder Rigs v2 (4.6 lb) Great thing is I can put on or take it off in a few seconds depending on the situation. Again, IMO the biggest strength of the camera being able to slim down or bulk up which fits my filming needs.
Do you have a link to that, are those counter weights that attach to the rig? I thought about that but cant seem to find anything, its like the only way to add weight is by buying more expensive components
This is the first sort of "comprehensive" kind of BMPCC explanatory video I've sat through and enjoyed. Thank you for your insight and great commentary.
@@collinausbury Of course, wonderful video.. Probably lenses and how much you can get out of a lens if you know how to use it. I am working on getting myself some Contax Zeiss primes funnily enough, they seem like a perfect match for the BMPCC, again, thank you for the video
@@Iegacyfilm I hope you get your hands on some! This is definitely something I'm interested in as well. I'll try to get my hands on some vintage lenses as well and shoot the heck out of them. That's the end goal! Thank you!
If you take warp stabilizer into After Effects you can control the tracking points for every single frame. Deleting all points that are on moving objects and the sky will take away that warping/distorted effect. It is very time consuming but in certain cases (such as an important shot for narrative reasons) it is a life saver! Otherwise I kinda prefer no in camera stabilization. I would rather have a shoulder rig and get that natural feel. But that is my opinion. Good stuff!
also if you're going to stabilize in post then use da Vinci resolves "similarity " setting, it is WAAAAAY better. Night and day compared to other stabilizers
Dude - you have the perfect voice (the SM7B helps, I'm sure)! I've just made peace with the fact that I will only use my BMPCC 4k for shots in which I'm NOT walking (swiveling or swaying seems to have decent results for me) or if I'm walking at 60/75 fps with a 24p project. I have to use a camera with IBIS or on a gimbal if I'm walking - for 24 fps footage. +Sub
Ha thank you, Alex! At least realizing this helps you know your go-to tools for each shot. I’m with you. IMO Gimbals are fine for huge movements, but they don’t give the same energy that shooting handheld does. I’d prefer handheld any day of the week. All preference but knowing and embracing limitations is the first step to creative problem solving. We can’t have everything, so let’s embrace it. :)
Just wanted to say a big thanks for generously sharing your expertise! You’ve easily become one of my favourites creators and excited to see where the channel goes. God bless!
Thank you! Very solid info! It´as almost nobody is talking about this!!!! I don´t get it!!! The "shaky footage" problem has really been troubling me with the BMPC6K and stabilising footage can (most of the times) totalyy ruin everything and also strain all the emotions out of the shot. I really love working handheld, so it´s been pretty discouraging. Tried working with a gimbal and with higher frame rates, but still, a gimbal shot can´t replace hanheld when you´re going for handheld... and I tend to lose myself in the technical aspects of handling the gimbal and cannot concentrate as much as I would like to on the image and composition. I also believe that the BMPC 6K ´s rolling shutter doesn´t make things easier on getting good handheld footage either. I wonder if one hast the same issues with the red komodo for example, that has a global shutter... at least that´s one of the most important reasons for me to check the komodo out!
Blackmagic Production Camera 4K has global shutter. I recently found out that . I wondered why nowdays this camera is in much less demand than pocket4k. in my opinion, such a feature as a global shutter is extremely important for the quality of the material. Also, the difference between the resolution of this cameras is so insignificant. What do you think about that?
For what it's worth, it's not cliche to say "practice makes perfect" :) Someone who doesn't watch a single video on how to do something, but invests the time in practicing will develop their skill far quicker than someone who spends all of their time learning but hardly ever practicing.
BMPCC 6k. HHeld tips. I do a lot of impromptu street shooting. The 6k is my everyday carry camera. I go from the bag to recording street action in 6 seconds. I keep it rig free so it looks like I'm pulling a chunky DSLR out of my bag. These are tips for an unweighted camera taking full advantage of its SLR design. 1. Use the strap. I have mine attached to a Manfroto base plate. I slip that onto the Manfrotto quick release plate so its on the bottom of the camera and not getting in my way. Right hand on the controls, left hand on the lens, elbows in and you have three points of stability. Sigma 18-35 is long and heavy, use that length to soften movement with your focus hand. Practice. Keep note of your breathing. 2. Shoot shorter sequences. Are you building a scene or shooting Russian Ark? Most of my takes are 5 to 7 seconds. Switch on HFR. Nice. Think about your takes, do you really need to swirl around your subject? Are you showing off your cool or are you adding to the story? 3. Tamron SP 45mm F1.8 DI VC USD. Fast, has image stabilisation (Vibration Control) sensational for indoors shooting. The stabilisation is smooth with an effective zoom of 72mm. I want their 24 to 70 with 5 stops of VC. That would be way cool. 4. Squat down, get low, use your knee as a platform. Practice body glides, that is sliding your body from one side to another, often you don’t need to move the camera much. Use your torso. Practice. 5. When you get good at this you will command so much more control over your framing you will want to tell better stories.
@@collinausbury Thanks so much. I feel there is a moment that has not been acknowledged in the recent evolution of cameras and their operators that we are in the middle of. The camcorder or dad cam has suddenly morphed into serious film making equipment bringing with it (myself included) stills shooters evolving into moving image makers. No specific issue with that. However when it comes to RU-vid camera discussion so often the viewpoint is from a "content creator" overly enamoured with the features that allow them to vlog. The vloggers love the features that enable them to vlog. This creates a strange bias in what we value in gear versus the skills we practice and the way we connect with each other. So thank you again for a discussion about being behind a camera.
@inSurfersParadise I can’t tell you enough of how many times I see a video on someone claiming to be an expert or recommending a product that they’ve never used, or recommending people do something they’ve never done. What you’re touching on on the Vlog side is really important to notice, super valuable actually. Are we talking to filmmakers? Or are we talking to contact creators? Is this a hobby, or is this a career? Great questions, man.
Hey Goony, thank you! The two brands I would recommend are Tilta and Smallrig, but there are plenty of rig build-outs online. Find the one that works best for your shooting style. Length of rods depends on what kind of mattebox, etc. Best of luck to you, bro.
@@collinausbury the fact that you referred to me as Goony as if that's my name, made my day lollll but yeah I have a bit of a problem switching gimbal mode to hand held, so I'm not sure how I would be able to accomodate both with the rails unless they themselves can be removed as well quickly from a manfroto style plate. Hmm back into the forums we go 😂 the research feels endless but once I get it right I'm going to be pumped.
I’m torn... I’m picking up the 6k pro... all my other cameras are pretty heavy so jitters aren’t really an issue. I decided to get the Ronin S to fly this camera. But I’m torn between getting the Tilta cage setup or getting a sigma art 18-35 lens in addition to my setup. Which do you recommend actually owning a bmpcc? I’m currently using Rokinon lenses and I also own a 24-105 F4 canon, and a 135mm L series lens (which won’t be useful on a super 35 sensor)
Hey, let’s talk about it - by Tilta Cage Setup are you referring to Matt Gonzalez’s setup of his 6K or are you thinking just a Tilta cage. I just bought the Sigma 18-35mm and I love it. It does get flack (not sure why, it’s great), but is a great lowlight performer with some good weight. The image is clean. What are you trying to shoot? Let’s go from there. Also - For me personally, I’m not a fan of Rokinon lenses. It’s cheaper made and the image is was consistently not as clear for me.
Hey Nocturnus, at higher frame rates, when you slow down the image, you’re essentially watching the motion in 50%/40% of the speed of reality. So every movement will take ~twice as long. Our eyes like this buttery goodness.
@@collinausbury Ah okay. I thought you meant, recording in slow motion but play it as fast as it would be in real time. Of course, in slow motion everything is slower. Just got it wrong then. Thanks!
I dont know how to do like a countdown , where i dont have to hold the camera & it just takes a picture , i really dont know how to use the camera but im learning , im just wondering how i can do that ?
Hey! So the BMPCC isn't intended to function as a stills camera. What you can do to get still images is shoot a video and take screengrabs of frames you like. You can also purchase an external monitor that has a screenshot function and save frames this way.
Please help me, i must fixed that question today. İ have bmpcc 4k and im gonna buy 16"macbook pro with AMD Radeon Pro 5300M 4g gpu, 16gb ram, i7 cpu pc. Can i edit this camera's footage in resolve with this pc?
Hey Ahmet, I don’t know the specifics, but you can make proxies for any footage and edit lower resolution versions of the footage and relink the original files once you’re done. I haven’t done with Davinci Resolve yet, but I’m certain there are videos out there on this topic. Search “resolve proxies”. Wish you the best.
@@collinausbury Not trying to be a troll. No hard feelings! Just commenting based on your statement ("Practice makes perfect") in the video. I just hear people tell "students" this all the time and it's simply not true. Unless you have some knowledge of how to do it right, you'll never get better. That's why although I don't agree with your statement in the video...I really love your work and what you're doing on here and very much looking forward to more! Also, if you added more weight to the rig you're using in the video, you'll get more stable footage hand held. Although weight sucks, it is your friend....or an Easy RIg ;)
Thanks, Steven. Your point is valid for sure. Things to think about. Some people take the other extreme (I’ve fallen into this) and only study and watch videos and never get out there and learn for themselves. And yes I’m definitely gonna add some more weight for when those longer lenses come out! Cheers, bro.
Helpful! Also something worth mentioning is - just go out there and shoot, muscle memory and practice = makes perfect (well, not right away but..). Great clip, have fun peeps!
Great vid... I am just weighing this up against the 5 axis stabilised FX3 - as I have a couple of Zeiss Batis lenses which would work great with the Sony... just on stabilisation... do you feel the Canon IS lenses really iron it out on the BMPCC... or just partly?
Hey John! The FX3 seems great for the price. BMPCC w/ Canon IS glass is not perfect - won't ever be I imagine. There will always be a camera that has more than the one you're looking at. But if that's a deal breaker, go with the FX3!
Great tips! I’ve spent a year trying to figure out the best rig combination for the 6K, and I’ve mainly kept the camera on a tripod. Being loose is such a good point-helps cut down on micro jitters. And I’ve had success by bracing the camera against my chest with my rear battery plate. I put a handle on the left side and my right hand is free to run the follow focus. I cut the top heavy monitor problem but using the old IKan 3.5 inch monitor. That’s only for short handheld shots, of course. It’s a continuing process. Small world that we’re both in the ATL! Keep shooting…
Ha, funny you’re saying this. We just shot some corporate stuff restricting ourselves to only 24fps and it feels dope. I agree it can be done poorly. Depends on that projjjj.
@@collinausbury yeah there's a time and place but I think most people rely way too much on it. Looking at my favorite movies/music videos and dp's its very very rarely used and is often used to hide bad framing and uninteresting shots. Now that all cameras shoot high speed and everyone uses it all the time it actually makes me never want to use it.
Tip - Use the strap you got in the box. Allow the strap to take the weight off the camera. It's no stabiliser or easy rig, the images aren't perfect by any means, but if you combine it with a top handle, it'll be a lot better than just holding it outright.
@@collinausbury Of course! I hope that this video can continue doing well and get your channel the recognition you are working for! Ps. I see Scott and Ryan but definitely surprised by Jake 🤣
1) Don't hold the camera in the handle. 2) Use both hands to stabilize the camera. 3) Lock your arms into your body. 4) Hold the camera close to your body. 5) If possible rest it on your wrist. 6) Breath with the camera. 7) Take breaks. 8) Practice.
@@collinausbury Not much these days. But a GX80 that has amazing stabilization and an old Red Scarlet that is obvious heavy but can still have jitter issues if not handled careful and on a rig. On a longer project I used the Canon 5d II which made these tips really valuable.
Hey, Siim! Always story first and if handheld is the best way to convey some emotion and motivated for the scene, then brother we have a winner. Happy shooting bro!
I had this exact same issue, but I didn't just buy one BMPCC4k, I bought 2 and use the Vintage Canon FD lenses. Hated the jitter, loathed it. So we experimented with building out just one. Rails, V mount battery, mattebox with ND's the entire thing. Thank you SmallRig! Well, its heavy. But it's also far more steady. If I really want smooth shots, I'll spend the half-hour (LOL) getting it on my Ronin S. It's a pain with the Ronin S but you find your way eventually. Counterweights helped. Still not perfect, but when I shoot a home with a 12mm Mieke I rarely notice it and If I do, After Effects, fixes it. Nice work buddy
Great vid, thanks for making this. I have a BMPCC 6k and the jitters on it just kill me, it's a constant battle. This camera has a beautiful image but the fact that you have to rig it out so much, completely defeats the concept of "pocket cam." I shoot in LA where you often need to be discreet if you don't have a permit, so a giant heavy rig is not always possible. I'm thinking of switching to Sony A7s iii JUST for auto focus and stabilization alone on smaller camera.
Evan! The camera switch decision is oftentimes a time-consuming ecosystem overhaul... I feel for you. You’re totally right, it’s packed with sweet features - I was eyeing the Sony a7s iii for months before landing with the pocket. Truly a beast. Always depends on your workflow, and what works best for you, your clients, and your wallet. Good luck with whatever you choose. In an ideal world, we’d have both.
Love your breakdown and vibe here man. Instant sub. Just spent the last month rigging a bmpcc4k with the sirui. Got EF adapter too. This gave me great perspective to take into my handheld situations. Will be back for sure. Wondering whether to jump to the bmpcc6k and sell the sirui for the IS EF lenses but not sure yet and won't be soon! Maybe end of the year after I've used the camera more. I've been doing corporate for 2 years on canons C range with samyang cines and just wanting the pocket to fulfill my creative passion projects. All the best man!
Right on, Aaron! What are your thoughts on the Sirui? I hear anamorphic and I’m there lol. My guy there are many many reasons why the BMPCC4K can come out on top over the 6K. Autofocus is buns on both, so the speed boosters don’t need to have good AF electronics. You get that extra field of view. You got that 4K BRAW (a huge appeal for me). You got that extra light coming in the sensor. They’re both great man! :) Where’s your company based out of?
I highly recommend getting a professional gimbal or steady-cam for about $800. Image being smooth as butter is so smooth you won’t believe it’s not a butt.
Truth. Most people are unable to make the jump to that gear range due to price, and in an ideal world we’d all have that option! IMO there’s something about true handheld shooting that brings a human touch to your film. Again, always depends on what the story is. Whatcha trynna say? Cheers!
Hey man!! We're based in Atlanta too!! I just copped the 6K and am tryna get my chops up as a new amateur film maker!! I'd love any advice you could give!! Thanks!!
I just got the Fuji xh2s, and it has Ibis, but I feel like it usesless because it kinda looks like warp stabilizer in post, only it's baked into the footage, so i'm just turning it off
@@collinausburyi oove it so far! Working with the colors, in video and even raw photos it’s just amazing! Its kinda annoying how much the ibis sucks, but i just have to make my camera heavier for handheld shots, And i have cheap lenses for now so i havent really seen the full potential in photos yet, But im so glad i switched! And i use it in my professional work everyday
Today, I would build out the camera dumby big and consider adding actual weights to it. True handheld with smooth looking images is a real challenge with this guy, but I think this would help
nice video but examples in slow motion you have included are so wrong to see the real footage.. everything in slow motion looks fine so we can't see really what is happening
Hey Bibek! We are currently still in post production for the music video. The Artist is WENDLO and the song is called Shadow. I will link it as soon as it’s done! :)
Resolve handles all BRAW like a pro. I’m pretty amazed. It will start to lag behind if you have an absolute monster of footage to cut through (mostly the auto save might take awhile) but I’m very impressed with Black Magic’s products.
Thx for sharing m8! Great video! Preparing rig out my BMP 6K, adding more weight seems the only option if doing the handheld shooting. But hey, any chance of making a video about sigma 18-35 vs cannon 17-55 on BMP 6K?
Hey Yuyan! Thanks for the kind words. Glad it was helpful! I agree with you fully. The longer the lens, the heavier the build necessary so building it big at first isn’t an issue if you’re doing a lot of narrative where the cam lives on sticks when not shooting. Pop it off and go to town. But for events and travel, strip it down and go lighter. I will definitely consider this when brainstorming. The sigma is such a popular lens for this kit. Do you have either of these two lenses?
@@collinausbury Yeah, sigma18-35 is kinda the most popular lens while we talking about BMP camera (also 50-100) . I had one(18-35) a few years ago when I use Gh5s. The problem is no image stabilizer on the lens, also there is no IBIS in the camera body, I was not satisfied with the setup at that time. Today, when I consider buying the lens for my BMP, Image stabilizer is a kind crucial thing. Sigma do have a bigger aperture and the image quality is amazing, but no stabilizer in it. I searched a lot of info about cannon 17-55, the results are not bad, footage even could be used as a commercial one. Most important, the footage handheld is much usable. But I am still struggling if I can only buy one of them. The 1.8 aperture is too attractive for me. and I also want the image stabilizer. HAHA, am I too greedy?
Haha, this is so relatable. I was having some of the same thoughts before buying this cam. One of the biggest things I love about this camera is it teaches problem-solving. Search “Of Two Lands” on RU-vid and watch his “documentary rig” video. He shows you what lenses he uses and why and the results are pretty amazing! Even without IS or IBIS, you can still capture great images. Practice!
@@collinausbury Keep killing it mate! Love your work. Yeah, they have been super fun! Just filmed an entire video with some Italian Scrambler Motos last week which I'll upload soon. They performed pretty damn well. Not that I have much experience in other Anamorphics ha
Collin, I'm really glad I found your channel. I'm actually thinking on moving to northern Atlanta, close to Acworth. I'm in SoFla at the moment and my career has been as an Commercial photographer, Director and Agency producer. Looking forward to connecting with you.
3:38 hey collin, so the canon 16-35 f4 has moments of desqueezing and demorphing like in those shots? almost looks like its pulsing, or was stablization done in post for that walking shots?
Haha I shot for a few years on gimbal exclusively and got so used of the floating cam. I overdid it. IMO handheld and gimbal are two different things. The camera isn’t in my hands, I’m still attaching it a motor of some kind. But all in perspective my guy. Thanks for the watch!
Great video... let us not forget about the sisters shooting and swaying! Top handle and gravity is great. The BM6kPro is heavy... no one is really talking about that ... its heavy. And let's not even talk about adding the sigma 18-35mm... its like holding a actual baby... love the channel and what you up to. Peace!
For me a great way to stabilize is using a viewfinder loupe on the camera's LCD display and go old school super 8 camera style. Having the camera "pressed" against my head really helps a lot. And it also solves the problem with bright sunlight and having a hard time to see whats on the monitor.
I doubt you’ll ever be able to get it super steady without adding more weight. I have a cage, some handles, rods, a monitor, and a vmount battery and sometimes other things like a follow focus and mattebox. Once it starts getting heavier you really start to see the micro jitters go away. It might be a little annoying because it kind of takes the “pocket” aspect out of it but using longer and vintage lenses is definitely worth it.
@@collinausbury Thanks man! I actually did a behind the scenes video for this short that I will release alongside it. But it’s more of an overview of the whole bts as opposed to just the cinematography. But maybe i will make a more focused one sometime
So when you do all of the tricks to get more stable footage, do you still add on the stabilization in post? I feel like even my best hand held shots are still pretty jerky, but I don't want to cause too much morphing of the image.
This is the perfect information that I was looking for. Trial and error, I came to conclusion that Canon 16-35mm IS and handheld was the way to go. Thanks for confirming.
The great thing about the original BMPCC was that it was so light portable but it's also a curse. I can't stand the little jitters you get with that thing when shooting handheld. I have found that a heavy wide angle lens is just about the only lens you can put on that thing if you are going with the bare camera and no lens stabilization if you want smooth handheld shots.
Hey Sam! Luckily the camera is so light we can afford to put a ton of weight on it. On the other hand, it’s a blessing because shooting with the ginormous original Arri’s put my shoulder out for a few days. Pros and cons ha. Best of luck out there!
@@collinausbury I really like the 4K because it is such a versatile camera coming from the BMPCC. I miss the Fairchild sensor from the original, but overall it’s a better camera. I like having false color, better screen, better mics the most. The new 6K pro looks interesting, but for me, I think the 4K will enable me more than enough for years to come.
That’s tough! An 18mm (36mm equiv) may work well for you. Good balance. But the 21 coming up to 42 equiv also isn’t bad, but your shots won’t be very wide. You may need multiple primes to have an ideal setup. I’m not a big fan of zooms for narrative, but for client work zooms come in handy.