GEAR. BLACKMAGIC POCKET CINEMA CAMERA 6K G2
Decisions, decisions
Need a small, powerful camera with filmmaking credentials? You could go for a stills/video hybrid or, on the other hand…
WORDS. Roger Payne
T he notion of creating meaningful content on a camera as small as Blackmagic’s pocket cinema cameras would have been ridiculous a few years ago. But tech has changed, and models like this are democratising the filmmaking process, putting pro-spec footage and features within reach for the most modest of budgets. Costing just £1989, the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K G2 – to give this latest release its full name – provides a raft of high-end cinematic functionality for little more than the cost of a new iPhone. With a Super 35 sensor, Raw file format and colour science plucked from the company’s top-end Ursa Mini Pro 12K, it’s all here. Granted, it may not shoot a whole production, but it has a broad range of applications. Just ask
Taika Waititi, who used the 6K Pro version on Our Flag Means Death (see Definition , July 2022). Of course, Blackmagic’s Pocket Cinema Camera concept is nothing new – the company showed the first model back in 2012, with a 6K version seeing the light of day in 2019. This G2 updates that original 6K model by adding functionality from the pricier 6K Pro, launched in February last year. As a result, the family still features three models, all within £1000 of each other. The 4K with its Micro Four Thirds sensor sits at the lower price point, the 6K Pro at the higher end, leaving the 6K G2 to slot neatly between the two. SO, WHAT’S NEW? If you’ve come to this feature wanting to know how the G2 differs from the original 6K
model, let’s keep you sated. The most striking physical change is the addition of a tilting rear LCD, taken from the 6K Pro. Delivering the same touchscreen functionality as the rest of the family, the added tilt feature makes for easier composition at higher and lower angles. Plus, it provides easy access to controls, and a more efficient way to make focusing changes. The G2 is also powered by a larger battery. Gone is the standard Canon LP-E6 familiar to many EOS still camera users, in comes the NP-F570. The new battery offers 3500mAh compared to the 2130mAh on the LP-E6. Naturally, this leads to longer runtimes between charges – up to 60 minutes is claimed. Adding the tilt feature
PRACTICAL STYLE The five-inch rear screen is bright and clear, with an easy-to-use interface
22. DEFINITIONMAGAZINE.COM
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