The highly anticipated Tilta BMPCC Display Modification Kit is now available to order, but its capabilities go well beyond just a tilting monitor. The Tilta BMPCC Display Modification Kit adds some really useful new capabilities. Image: Tilta. When Tilta first unveiled its BMPCC Display Modification Kit at NAB 2019 it raised a lot of questions. Not least because this is a mod that users would have to install themselves. However, what couldn’t be ignored was just how useful a modification like this would be. If there’s is one criticism that any owner of a BMPCC could level at the camera it’s that the screen can’t be tilted. This means it can often be difficult to use in daylight. It also limits the positions you can put the camera in and frame the shot effectively. The lack of a tilting screen meant that BMPCC owners often need to add their own monitors, such as a Video Assist or Atomos Ninja V. For a lot of users the idea of taking apart their cameras is the stuff of nightmares. But for the intrepid among you the Tilta BMPCC Display Modification Kit is now available to order. Luckily, for those in the US at least, it comes with the option of allowing Tilta to fit it for you. The Tilta BMPCC Display Modification Kit adds a new bay for SSD drives. Image: Tilta What does the Tilta BMPCC Display Modification do? The basic premise of the modification is that it adds a 180 degree tilting monitor to your BMPCC camera. While the new monitor cannot flip outwards at 90 degrees like, for instance, a Canon R, it will flip upwards at 180 degrees. The setup is currently slightly limited because it does not support image flipping, so selfie shots won’t be very practical right now. Although Tilta has said that a firmware that will add this feature is coming in the future. However there is far more to this than meets the eye. The modification has opened up several other opportunities to add extra capabilities to the camera. To begin with there’s space for an NVMe SSD to fit neatly behind the monitor. This removes the current need to mount an SSD on an external cage with a cable. The effect of this on the camera’s usability could be quite profound., It could make it much easier to use in run & gun situations without fearing if the USB-C cable will fall out or get damaged for instance. Tilta BMPCC Display Modification Kit adds a new external control port. Image: Tilta New Side Panel The new SSD bay is made possible by replacing the camera’s original side panel, which houses all the interface ports. It adds in a USB-C interface behind the monitor so that the SSD can be placed there without the need for cables. Replacing the side panel also provides other benefits. For example there’s a new external control port, which will let the camera’s record functions be controlled by Tilta’s side handles. The company has promised that it will be adding more functionality at a later date via firmware. Conclusion cinema5D will be featuring a full review of the Tilta BMPCC Display Modification Kit soon, but for now all the indications are that this will be a very useful addition to the camera indeed. The lightweight metal and carbon construction means that it doesn’t increase the weight of the camera too much, and it all looks very neat. My prediction is that it will make the camera much more usable without the need for bulky add on equipment. Tilta makes a really nice side handle that can house a Sony F series battery. The Display Modification Kit combined with a half cage, battery side handle and top handle could make for an incredibly compact run & gun option. The kit is available to order now for US $278 for the SATA version, US$299 for the NVMe variation, and for an additional US$249 Tilta will install the kit for you. But this is only available to US customers presently. I have a feeling that the company will be pretty busy in the months to come! In case you missed our popular hands-on video with the Tilta BMPCC Display Modification Mod from IBC last year, be sure to check it out here: Let us know if you’ll be buying the mod kit for your BMPCC in the comments below!

Blackmagic Design just released the new Camera V6.8 firmware update for both Pocket 4K and 6K cameras. The new firmware improves camera stratup times and USB PTP control performance, and it fixes the issue with slow mounting of media containing large number of clips. Further, it fixes the issue with EF lens stabilization for the Pocket 6K camera. Blackmagic Design Camera v6.8 for BMPCC 4K and 6K released. Image credit: cinema5D Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K and 6K both offer very nice image quality for the price. Although the cameras do have some shortcommings, which often need to be adressed by third party solutions (powering, media, etc.), they have gotten quite popular among filmmakers. To know more about these cameras, or to refresh some features and specs, make sure to check one of our older articles: Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K Hands-On Review BMPCC 6K Review & Footage – Five Reasons to Like the Pocket 6K Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Lab Test – Dynamic Range, Latitude, Rolling Shutter & More BMPCC 6K vs. BMPCC 4K – Which one is for you? Back in October 2019, Blackmagic Design has released Camera V6.6 firmware update, which brought some new recording modes, improved autofocus, and brought some more fixes. Now, they release the next update Camera V6.8. Blackmagic Design Camera V6.8 Firmware Update As Blackmagic Design published in their post today, the Camera V6.8 update is now live on their Support Center Website. Blackmagic Design Camera v6.8 for BMPCC 4K and 6K released. Image credit: BMD/cinema5D New features for Pocket Cinema Camera 4K: Improved camera startup time. Improved USB PTP control performance. Increased 4K 2.40:1 recording height from 1712 to 1720. Fixed issue with slow mounting of media containing large number of clips. New features for Pocket Cinema Camera 6K: Improved camera startup time. Improved USB PTP control performance. Fixed issue with slow mounting of media containing large number of clips. Fixed issue where EF lens stabilization cannot be turned on if camera is started with lens stablization turned off. The new Camera V6.8 firmware update is available as a free download through Blackmagic Design Support Center Website. Do you use one of the Blackmagic Pocket cameras for your video work? Did you have any of the issues listed above? Let us know in the comments underneath the article.

2019 was the busiest year in cinema5D’s history yet – we published a mind-boggling 725 articles. Out of these 725 articles, these are 10 that attracted the most interest among our audience. Let’s take a closer look back what moved you in 2019! 1. SIGMA fp – A Full Frame, yet Pocket-Sized Camera with Cine Mode & SIGMA fp Review – First Impression, Sample Footage and Lab Test Results In July, SIGMA surprisingly announced the SIGMA fp camera – a tiny, modular full-frame mirrorless camera that aspires to be the perfect photo and filmmaking package in an increasingly crowded market. We had early access to the camera and shot the first video about it. This became the most popular post we published in 2019, and the follow-up review post which included some of the first footage shot with the camera, made it into our top posts too. Here’s the initial footage from the camera that we captured. 2. Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Announced – Super 35 Sensor and EF Mount Another surprise camera announcement, this time in August, was the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K. Nobody expected Blackmagic to announce another version of their Pocket Cinema Camera only a year after the first one – when many preorders of the Pocket 4K version weren’t fulfilled yet. We can confirm that the Pocket 6K became hugely popular, both by the interest in anything we reported about it (including our renowned Lab Test, Pocket 6K Footage and a side-by-side comparison between the Pocket 4K and 6K). Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K 3. DJI Osmo Action Versus GoPro HERO7 – The King of Action Cams Dethroned? Many have expected DJI to enter the action camera market for a long time already, and May 2019 was the time it happened: The DJI Osmo Action is aiming to dethrone GoPro from their throne as the market leader in action cameras. DJI gave us early access to the Osmo Action and we put it side-by-side with the HERO7 (which at the time was still GoPro’s top model, and it has since been replaced with the HERO8). Watch the results below if you have missed it. 4. SIRUI 50mm f/1.8 1.33x Lens Announced – Affordable APS-C Anamorphic Lens Affordable anamorphic lenses are a rarity still – which essentially means if a company announces one, people go crazy about it. That was the case with Chinese manufacturer SIRUI. I overheard a conversation about this lens at IBC and we rushed to their booth, and we loved what we saw – a 50mm f/1.8 1.33x anamorphic lens which is available for $699 (regular price). Beautiful flares on the prototype, nice oval bokeh, anything you would expect from an anamorphic lens. Recently, we also reviewed the lens on the FUJIFILM X-T3, read what Johnnie has to say about it and watch the video below in case you missed it. 5. Panasonic LUMIX S1 – Closer Look and Sample Footage – A New Lowlight King? Panasonic was definitely late to the full-frame mirrorless game, but they gave their best – and ended up releasing a truly impressive line-up of cameras that offer a lot of (video) features that their competitors are still missing. The Panasonic S1 ended up being a particularly intriguing product especially after receiving a firmware update to support V-Log, and not least because of its relatively low price we only recently selected it to be  our mirrorless camera of the year. 6. What’s Inside a RED Mini-Mag? The Controversy & Jarred Land’s Statement There has been considerable conundrum around RED this past year – for one, RED’s attempt at a holographic phone failed spectacularly with the discontinuation of the HYDROGEN project and Jim Jannard’s retirement. For another, a guy named Bruce Royce from Jinni Tech, a company building cheaper Mini-Mags for RED cameras, started posting YouTube videos dissecting RED’s original Mini-Mags, claiming that he found only inexpensive off-the-shelf-components rather than the expected (and promised) high-performance hardware. We reached out to RED CEO Jarred Land and he replied with a lengthy statement which we published in this post. The post made waves on the Internet by being quoted by large YouTubers like Linus Tech Tips. After a second post on the matter (RED reduced the price on their Mini-Mags and Jinni Tech released another video), we decided to let the topic go. 480GB SSD inside 512GB RED Mini Mag. Source: RED Filmmaker (c5D knows the identity) 7. Sony a7 III and a7R III Firmware 3.0 Update Brings Timelapse and Better Autofocus Two of Sony’s top-of the line mirrorless cameras received firmware updates earlier this year, and not so much ofter that, the a7R III was succeeded with the a7R IV. The major updates reflect what Sony has been working on hard on all their cameras (including the professional line, see FX9 below): Incredibly reliable autofocus for video, in this particular case also for animals. Animal-eye-AF – one of the new features of the firmware 3.0. Source: Sony 8. Panasonic LUMIX S1H – Full Specs & Details, First Look at the 6K Full-Frame Mirrorless Panasonic pushed really hard with their mirrorless camera offerings this year, and after announcing the S1 and S1R, they also released a filmmaking-focused Panasonic S1H. That camera in particular puts many competing offers in the corner when it comes to video feature functionality, low light performance and resolution. This was our first look at the 6K full-frame beast at a press event in Hamburg. Here’s our full review, and here’s our lab test. 9. RED KOMODO Teasers: Compact 6K Camera with Canon RF Mount RED has been teasing a new “entry-level” RED camera, the RED KOMODO, during 2019. It’s supposedly going to be a small, 6K-shooting camera with a Canon RF mount, and the rest is mostly “what we don’t know” at this point, in typical RED-fashion. That new RED KOMODO teasers came a day after the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K was announced comes at no surprise, RED is under pressure with more and more compact cameras offering RAW output or even internal recording (like Blackmagic cameras utilizing the still-new Blackmagic RAW codec). Image credit: Jarred Land 10. Sony FX9 Announced – Full-Frame, Fast Hybrid Autofocus, Dual ISO Camera Last but not least in our top 10 posts of 2019 (based on audience traffic), we have the announcement of the Sony FX9, Sony’s new full-frame professional E-Mount camera, featuring the first major sensor upgrade (to the backlit full-frame EXMOR R sensor) in their professional E-Mount camcorder lineup since 2012. Believe it or not, but the preceding EXMOR Super35mm sensor has been in use since the Sony FS100 was released. The FX9 is the de-facto FS7 successor (even if Sony says that isn’t the case), but it’s upgraded in every single way, probably most notably the impressive autofocus and super-light-sensitive full-frame sensor. You might already hear my excitement, I decided to buy one (the FS7 has been my main camera for my professional work for the past 5+ years), so expect the usual rigorous testing and reviewing about the FX9 that you’re used to from cinema5D in early 2020.  Big Changes Coming in 2020 for cinema5D To round off our look back on 2019, it’s time to give you a teaser of 2020 and what’s in store for our site. It’s been in existence for 11 years now and it is truly no exaggeration to announce that 2020 is going to show the biggest changes to the site since its inception. It’s going to be fully relaunched within the first months of 2020 (exact timing tba), with new look, new logo and new …. well, you will see. We are also committed to making this site even more useful for all filmmakers in many ways, adding lots of educational resources over time. We can’t say more yet but it’s safe to say that 2020 is going to be our most exciting year so far. Onwards and upwards! We thank you all for your continued support over all those years. We are listening to your requests and we’re looking forward to creating the filmmaking tech site you always wanted. Thanks for the amazing ride so far and good luck and much health in 2020 wishes you the entire cinema5D team from around the globe. Let us know YOUR highlights of 2019! Please comment below. 

Slowly but surely, the year 2019 is fading out, and there is no better time to conclude and see if there is a camera we can declare as the clear winner of this year. Blackmagic Design, Panasonic, Leica, SIGMA, FUJIFILM and Sony – all those respected manufacturers worked hard to satisfy our (production) video needs. Did any of them do exceptionally well, catching our attention?  Let’s dive in and see.  Large sensor photo cameras that can shoot high quality video? Touchy subject… Remember all those who predicted that VDSLRs or mirrorless cameras will be abandoned by users  the moment “true” large sensor video cameras will appear? Well, the truth is quite the opposite. We’ve never seen such a wide selection of offerings fuelled by massive competition between camera manufacturers – in our hearts, as well as pockets. As active content creators who value the “tools”, of course we should be happy. Technical progress is being made year after year, picture quality is getting better, functionality is being enhanced and prices, in general, are becoming comfortable. But is there a good reason for joy? The Future – Will Mobile Phones Eat Everybody’s Lunch? I’m actually choosing to continue my article with a melancholic perspective. It is no secret that the traditional camera market is rapidly shrinking and sales are dropping sharply. Is there any single reason to take the blame? Is the giant quantum leap that mobile phone manufacturers have made, when it comes to capturing images, the reason? – Maybe. Reading the market, respected traditional camera manufacturers find themselves having to look for alternative sources of income. Even the ones who have never believed that video in stills cameras is valuable had to go along with the trend. But, is this move enough to survive in this market? Is there a way to “combat” the increasing dominance of mobile phones for anyone but professional photographers and video shooters? In my opinion, these are relevant questions – especially as smartphones have reached a level of functionality and speed where average users are content with the phone they have, the manufacturers’ way to show progress is by enhancing the photo and video capabilities of their devices. The amount of money being poured into the development of smartphone cameras can’t be matched by the investment of any traditional camera manufacturer! Now, if you’ve been asking yourself why am I drilling your brain instead of getting to the point (this article is about the best camera of the year, after all), it is because this may be the last year where our list consists of traditional cameras. I bet that 2020 or 2021 will look completely different, unless we as users will show responsibility and try to support those companies who are doing so much for us by planning, developing, manufacturing and selling their cameras. (And for complete transparency, we at cinema5D will cover, report and test upcoming mobile phone cameras too, yet at the same time, of course, without compromising the attention we give to more “traditional” filmmaking tools, too). OK, now that this is off my chest (not really, but as Elsa from Frozen said “let it go”), let’s be reminded of what we’ve covered this year and believe me, it was an extremely busy one! Instead of going the “usual way” and divide entries by sensor sizes, I’ve decided on two strengths. Picture Quality and Technical Achievements are the sub categories I chose to go with. If you guys feels like I’ve missed or neglected anything, please don’t hesitate to jump in. Please join the conversation and add your comment in the section down below. Camera of the Year 2019 – Technical Achievements Hope you guys will agree with me. There are NO bad cameras anymore. Some filming devices which do the job better than others, but all in all, we could have just dreamed about such performance and quality (especially for the price) a few years back. In fact, the best camera of the year 2018, the FUJIFILM X-T3 is still serving me very well. At times, I even wonder if any of the 2019 offerings really surpasses it, to the point where it’s worth considering exchanging… Anyways. For me personally, three cameras stood out of the crowd when it comes to technical achievements. FUJIFILM with their GFX 100, SIGMA with their fp camera, and Panasonic with their S1H. Each one for very different reasons. The forth candidate is Sony with their advanced autofocus system that can be found in the new a6600 and a7R IV. (Animal lovers can surly appreciate the new Animal AF technology). FUJIFILM GFX 100 – Defining Large Sensor Video Recording ($9,999) During this year, I was lucky enough to document the birth of FUJIFILM’s GFX 100 (please watch our BTS videos below and witness how magic happens). What really caught my attention during filming, was seeing how dedicated and committed the people behind the project are! For us the filmmaker crowd, 100 million pixels might prove to be not so relevant, but the large stabilized sensor size is of course revolutionary. Never before was it possible or so easy to pick up such a camera and shoot handheld video, with such clarity and quality. True, the price is not for everyone, but now that FUJIFILM have declared the medium format sensor format to be their “full frame device”, I wish they will consider going the same path for a fully video orientated camera at a more affordable price. FUJIFILM GFX 100 Main Advantages: Large format sensor 4K (DCI), All Intra, 10-bit, up to 400 Mbps internal recording Excellent Internal Body Stabilisation System Eterna Picture Profile built in Good built-in audio I also want to encourage you guys to take a look at Philip Bloom’s full length documentary,“Charmolipi: joy making sorrow”. It was shot with the GFX 100 and is a great example of deploying it in the field! Below: Our 2 part documentary. How the FUJIFILM GFX 100 is being made: SIGMA fp – When Small Form Factor becomes Beautiful and Capable ($1,899) SIGMA have caught the filmmaking community by surprise. No one really expected the successful lens manufacturer to come up with a revolutionary filmmaking device. We were lucky enough to witness and document the process of manufacturing the camera and also given the opportunity to test and review one of the first units before it was commercially available. As an advocate of compact and capable filming cameras, I think that SIGMA brought some playful fresh wind into our traditional (ageing?) industry. Backed by its own supporting accessories, this “joyful to use” fp camera has the true potential to shake things up and pave its way to glory. It is the smallest full frame camera out there that supports internal and external Cinema DNG RAW recording, (external compressed RAW recording via HDMI will be available soon too). Of course, there are some shortcomings (no camera is perfect), and I would have loved seeing better autofocus and an internal body stabilisation system included, for example, but in this particular “Best Camera of the Year ” article, seeing the full half of the cup is shading the empty part. SIGMA fp Main Advantages: Full frame TRUE pocket camera Uncompressed RAW recording (internal up to 8 bit and externally up to 12 bit) Lots of technology is packed into this little marvel, but what I like best is the support SIGMA is offering with their own custom made accessories. Additional SIGMA fp information – including our lab test – can be obtained by clicking here. Panasonic S1H – Feature-Packed and Ready for (Netflix) Show Time ($3,999) Waiting for the Sony a7S III? Well, the wait is over. The Panasonic S1H is here. (My humour has to be taken lightly…) This very capable, packed-with-features camera was introduced in segments, just a little at a time. Panasonic managed to equip the camera with an endless list of resolutions, bit and frame rates to choose from, all the way up to 6K. While the video quality this camera can produce is nice, I’ll repeat mentioning its Achilles heel. The internal noise reduction being implemented within is simply too strong, up to the point of the image becoming too clean. Panasonic S1H Main Advantages: Internal high quality recording Very flexible camera. Choosing the desired recording mode/frame rate/resolution/bit rate is a breeze Excellent In Body Stabilisation System Excellent EVF Very good lowlight capability 3:2 sensor. A good match to anamorphic lenses Dual ISO sensor Additional Panasonic S1H information – including our lab test – can be obtained by clicking here. Sony – Taking Autofocus to the Next Possible Level Sony was very active this year by offering a variety of 1”, APS-C and full frame mirrorless cameras but at the end of the day, the video functionality of all those cameras is rather equal. (Limited to 100 Mbps data rate, Long GOP encoding, up to 30 fps and more). The only noticeable field where Sony has shown advanced operation with their current offerings is the autofocus functionality. All of their newer cameras can autofocus nicely, but as a “proof of concept”, I chose to include the following a6400 video: What’s noteworthy about the current top-model of their APS-C cameras, the Sony a6600, it now has image stabilization built in, and uses the larger, MUCH better batteries now. In fact, I was so impressed with the autofocus performance of the a6400 when I tested it that I publicly (half-jokingly) asked our audience if the “End of manual focus lenses is near“. This is yet to be seen, but for now, as we are under the Technical Achievements section, I feel this is where Sony should be placed. Camera of the Year 2019 – Picture Quality The more I review stuff, I think its fair to say, the more subjective I see and define things – and “picture quality” is indeed one of those things where subjectivity is important to remember. Having said that, with so many cameras going in an out of our hands, I think we have developed a certain sense for it. Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 6K – Mojo, High Quality Internal Recording, APS-C sensor ($2,495) Let me start with sharing a small “behind the scenes” detail. It is no secret that we are proud to be affiliated with B&H and CVP. The affiliate income helps us move our boat forward (at no additional cost for you guys if you buy through any of our links). It also allows us to see what sells well, almost in real-time, and let me tell you, never in our cinema5D history, have we seen so many cameras being sold right after the official announcement. Obviously, from the filmmaking community’s perspective, Blackmagic did something right! We can debate on which camera is more functional and attractive to buy, the BMPCC 4K or BMPCC 6K, but with no doubt, this family of cameras can produce amazing, high-quality footage “out of the box”. In this regard, “mojo” (or texture of image) is very appealing, simply because it is very organic. BMPCC 6K Main Advantages: Small camera Excellent picture quality (very organic look) Robust recording codecs, including compressed RAW recording (BMRAW) and ProRes Dual ISO sensor Choice of recording media Additional Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K information – including our lab test – can be obtained by clicking here. For the full camera review, please click here. Leica SL2 – Such an Appeal, If Only I had the Funds, Then…($5,995) As always, I’ll be completely open and transparent with you guy and say that the Leica SL2 is the camera that excites me most (Alongside to the FUJIFILM GFX 100), when it comes to video footage aesthetics. True, I had a very short encounter with it and also true that if you look carefully, you will notice how the ugly head of Moiré is rising, BUT, a few things to remember: The original SL has already shown a very interesting organic look. In addition, Leica was kind enough to shed some light on and explain why the Moiré is happening. As a result of their explanation, I’m very eager to conduct a full camera review and see how the camera behaves while filming in full frame again, but this time together with less sharp lenses, or, in APS-C mode where the camera is supposed to deliver even cleaner video images. Seeing how closely Leica and Panasonic cooperate, even more so with the Leica SL2 (Panasonic S1R, anybody?), it is truly fascinating to witness the differences between those two cameras – especially when it comes to processing the video image. As mentioned before, while Panasonic is trying to keep it “super clean”, the Leica SL2 is quite the opposite. No noise reduction is applied to the images and the result is very pleasing! Leica SL2 Main Advantages: Very organic filmic images Excellent IBIS (In Body Stabilisation System) Excellent EVF Minimalistic button layout yet easy to operate Well controlled rolling shutter effect For our first impression review, please click here. Mirrorless Camera of the Year 2019 – Panasonic S1 ($2,498) OK, time to reveal our choice and yes, this is correct, no mistake in writing was made here (just in case you thought we meant “S1H”). This year, it was not easy AT ALL to choose a winner. There are A LOT of good cameras out there, yet none that really shine in a way of completely shadowing others. Saying that, after lots of sleepless nights and miles and miles of walking up and down inside the office, we have made the decision of nominating the Panasonic S1 as our winner! (Congratulations, Panasonic.) At the end of the day, the included camera features backed by a relatively affordable price led us to the conclusion above. It can be that Panasonic took the S1 a bit too far, offering a set of video features that makes their own S1H camera a questionable buy for a lot more money. For us, this is the case. All in all the two cameras (S1H and S1) do share a lot, and depending on your usage, the S1 offers the better price/performance ratio. If you are serious about video making, pay the extra and get yourself the S1 upgrade that unlocks V-Log. Greater Dynamic Range, flexibility when coloring (As you can shoot in V-Log), 10-bit internal and external recoding, and even manual control when shooting high frame rate when downloading the latest firmware, all there! Panasonic S1 Main Advantages: Shares many of the video capabilities of its higher spec and more expensive sibling, the S1H Full frame camera Excellent In Body Stabilisation System Great EVF Flexibility of choosing from a wide range of recording codecs, frame and data rates Great lowlight capability Additional Panasonic S1 information – including our Rolling Shutter test – can be obtained by clicking here. For our complete Panasonic S1 review, please click here. That’s it guys, here you go. We would love to hear your opinion on our decision. Now, we are looking forward to what 2020 will bring, and there is a lot to look forward to. All I can say is, the Tokyo Olympic games are happening in Japan next year and there is no better opportunity for Japanese manufacturers to show leadership and dominance. Stay tuned! 

PortKeys, a company specialized in HDMI and SDI field monitors, has just announced a new Bluetooth Module for their PortKeys BM5 field monitors. This add-on accessory screws directly to the back of the BM5 and allows you to control your BMPCC 4K/6K cameras wirelessly. Let’s take a closer look at it! PortKeys BM5 and BM5 II Earlier this year, PortKeys introduced the BM5 field monitor, an impressive little display that can control your camera. If you never heard of the PortKeys BM5 before, it is a 5-inch 1080P WLED touchscreen display that features an HDMI and SDI input, and an SDI output with cross-conversion. It is powered via a single Sony NP-F style battery, and you can use the power output of the BM5 to feed your camera via a dummy battery. Also, you can power it with an external battery by using the Lemo port on the monitor. The PortKeys BM5 is daylight-viewable with a maximum brightness of 2000nit – the newest BM5 II monitor is 2200nit – and it is entirely made out of aluminum for a total weight of 350 grams. The list of built-in monitoring tools is quite impressive and includes 3D LUT monitoring, waveform/false color/zebra, peaking and zooming, HDR support, and framing guides/grids/aspects. But, the real advantage of the BM5 over its competitors – other than the incredible $499 price – is the control port at the back of the monitor. By connecting the monitor to your camera, you can control various functions like start/stop the recording, change your ISO settings, adjust the focus settings… etc. It is already compatible with the Z Cam E2, Sony/Canon/Panasonic cameras. But, PortKeys just introduced a new Bluetooth Module that pushes the capabilities of the BM5 a little further. Image credit: PortKeys PortKeys Bluetooth Module for BM5 Monitors The new PortKeys Bluetooth Module for BM5/BM5 II monitors screws directly to the back of the monitor. This update is especially exciting for BMPCC 4K/6K users. First, you will have access to the daylight/tiltable screen of the BM5. Second, you will be able to control your camera via the monitor wirelessly. The number of settings you can adjust via the BM5 is imposing; please see the full list below. Image credit: PortKeys Also, the PortKeys Bluetooth Module adds support for Sony a7II/a7III/a7RIV/a9 cameras, and Tilta Nucleus-N/M follow focuses. Unfortunately, you will have to plug a cable from the monitor to your camera/follow focus to have access to these functions. Image credit: PortKeys Pricing and Availability The PortKeys Bluetooth Module for BM5 monitors retails for $119/99€, and you can pre-order it directly on PortKeys’ website. It should ship from the 30th of November. What do you think of the PortKeys Bluetooth Module? Do you think it is useful for the BMPCC 4K/6K cameras? Do you already have the PortKeys BM5 monitor? Let us know in the comments!

Kinotehnik just introduced their new LCDVF BM5 viewfinder for Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K and 6K. It features 200% magnification, AR coated and optically corrected lens, magnetic frame, and 46mm threading to attach diopter correction lenses. LCDVF BM5 viewfinder for BMPCC 4K and 6K. Image credit: Kinotehnik Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Cameras 4K (our review) and 6K  (our review) have gotten very popular among filmmakers. They offer great image quality with solid codecs for a very affordable price. Numerous third-party accessories for this camera have already been released to compensate for these cameras’ downsides – particularly battery life and support for SSD media. When it comes to ergonomy, another downside of BMPCC 4K and 6K is the absence of a viewfinder. Kinotehnik is a camera accessories manufacturer based in Estonia. They are known mostly for their LCDVF viewfinders and Practilite series of lights. The company just introduced LCDVF BM5 – their new viewfinder for Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Cameras 4K & 6K. While Kinotehnik claims their LCDVF BM5 is a world’s first viewfinder for the BMPCC 4K and 6K, I personally know filmmakers who have been using viewfinder from a Brazilian company GRID with their BMPCC 4K. To be fair, GRID 5.0 viewfinder is quite expensive at $241 and the distribution might be a bit problematic. My point is, that Kinotehnik LCDVF BM5 certainly isn’t the world’s first in this regard. Kinotehnik LCDVF BM5 Viewfinder The new viewfinder is a loupe only, so it uses Blackmagic’s own display. It features magnification of 200% specially tailored for BMPCC 4K and 6K 5” LCD screens with AR coated and optically corrected lens with 50mm clear aperture. It blocks all ambient light and lets users shoot in direct sunlight. It will also have 46mm threading to attach diopter correction lenses. LCDVF BM5 viewfinder for BMPCC 4K and 6K. Image credit: Kinotehnik Another advantage of a viewfinder is the additional stabilization it provides to the camera when shooting handheld – the eye acts as another “anchor point” and helps to get more stable footage. Thanks to the magnification it also helps with manual focusing.   The LCDVF BM5 is robust and durable with no moving parts. It is splash and dustproof and the eyecup can be flipped 180 degrees, which allows either left or right eye usage. A strong magnetic quick release frame adheres to the perimeter of the LCD screen and makes sure the viewfinder holds well in place. The achromatic lens pair included in the LCDVF BM5 consists of two vacuum-cemented optical components to form an achromatic doublet which is computer optimized to correct for on-axis spherical and chromatic aberrations. LCDVF BM5 viewfinder for BMPCC 4K and 6K. Image credit: Kinotehnik Price and Availability There is no official information from Kinotehnik about the price and availability of the LCDVF BM5 yet. I expect the price, however, to be similar to other viewfinders from this manufacturer, which are priced slightly under $100. What do you think of the Kinotehnik LCDVF BM5 viewfinder? Have you been looking for a solution like this for your BMPCC 4K or 6K camera? Let us know in the comments underneath the article.

During IBC 2019, we met Dimitar from CINE-X to talk about their new battery grip solution for the BMPCC 4K and 6K cameras. This CINE-X battery grip can be an excellent alternative to the official Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 4K Battery Grip that was announced a couple of months ago. Indeed, the CINE-X version features additional D-taps and USB ports. Let’s take a closer look at it! The back of the CINE-X battery grip features two Sony NP-F slots. Image credit: cinema5D CINE-X Battery Grip The team at CINE-X developed their battery grip solution for the BMPCC4K and 6K cameras. The CINE-X battery grips get attached to the bottom of the camera, and you can put two Sony NP-F batteries in it. To power the camera, there is a dummy battery that goes inside the BMPCC 4K/6K. This dummy battery is then attached via a cable to the inside of the battery grip. Also, the Sony NP-F batteries on the back are hot-swappable, which means you don’t have to shut your camera off. Image credit: cinema5D On the back of the CINE-X battery grip, there is a little LCD. It shows you the state of each NP-F battery as well as how much remaining battery life you have. The left side of the CINE-X battery grip features one 12-V D-Tap output and two 5V USB outlets. Image credit: cinema5D On the left side of the CINE-X battery grip, there is one 12V D-Tap port as well as two 5V USB ports. You can use these ports to power accessories or charge your smartphone. Image credit: cinema5D On the front, there are some small wooden handles that give you additional grip, as the BMPCC 4K and 6K are relatively small cameras. Also, there is another 12V D-Tap port to power wireless follow focus motor, for example. Pricing and Availability The CINE-X battery grip is still in the prototype stage and the guys at CINE-X are looking at the possibility of starting a crowdfunding campaign soon. In terms of design, I think that the CINE-X battery grip is pretty similar looking to the Atomos power station. Also, you usually grab your camera with your left hand touching the bottom left, where the D-Tap/USB ports are located. Hope that won’t be an issue while filming. For more information, please head to CINE-X website. What do you think about the CINE-X battery grip? Do you consider getting it for your BMPCC 4K or 6K? Let us know in the comments!

In somewhat of a surprise move, Tilta showed off a kit that will allow you to modify the screen of your Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K and 6K, to flip 180° up and 90° down. In addition to that the modification kit comes with a housing for an M.2 SSD drive that will bridge over to the cameras internal USB-C port and thus enable recording directly onto it. Furthermore the kit contains what Tilta considers an enhancement to the housing of the camera’s ports. Do-It-Yourself BMPCC 4K and BMPCC 6K Modification According to Tilta representative Jay Kaufman, the kit shown to us at the Tilta booth at IBC 2019 is still a prototype that arrived only yesterday, so there will still be a few modifications to it before sales start in November. The modifications kit for the Pocket 4K’s and 6K’s screen will come with all tools necessary to make the modifications, as well as video tutorials that will guide customers through the whole process. The modification is supposed to be fully reversable, although its influence on your camera’s warranty might be detremental. The kit works with the camera’s own screen and does not inhibit any camera functionality. So what is in store here? What can it do? The tilting mechanism strongly resembles that of the recently released Sony A6100 and 6400, tilting upwards up to 180° but also up to 90° downwards. The modified screen will still work with all of the accessories for Tilta’s cages for the BMPCC 4K and 6K, except for the sunhood – the new screen however has screwholes for a new to be released sunhood that will support the flipping screen. The mechanism itself looks sturdy and begs the question why Blackmagic didn’t implement something like this themselves. In addition to the modification of the screen, there is also a housing for an M.2 SSD drive that comes with the kit. Somewhat similarly to the Atomos SSD caddies, this will enable you to insert your own SSD and use it with the male USB-C plug, that will sit flush right behind the newly modified screen. For now this USB-C plug is just bridging over from the BMPCC’s internal plug, but Tilta has plans to enhance this, so that the camera’s USB-C will remain usable. What that will mean for the total bandwidth of the port remains to be seen. The third part of the modifications kit deals with the BMPCC’s ports. Assuming that user feedback for those might have been less than stellar, Tilta has implemented string-secured, carbon-fibre-styled plugs to close up and protect unused ports instead. Where did this come from and when will it be available? Modifications like this have been showing up in user forums and around the internet practically since the BMPCC 4K came out. This particular modification is actually a result of Tilta’s Tiltaing project cooperation with Mr Zhang – we reported about his BMPCC 4K modification back in June 2019. Tiltaing is Tilta’s initiative to fund interesting ideas and share profits with its inventors. We reported about Tiltaing from NAB in April 2018. Anyway, the large number of kits surrounding the BMPCC 4K and BMPCC 6K cameras without a shadow of a doubt speaks to their popularity. According to Tilta the modifications kit for the BMPCC will already be available in November for $329.00. We will keep you posted on any new developments and when it becomes available. Are you excited about these modifications to the BMPCC 4K and 6K? Would you actually buy this and install it in your camera? Let us know in the comments!