GEAR. BLACKMAGIC POCKET CINEMA CAMERA 6K G2
DESIGNED FOR FILMMAKING With the key changes covered off, we can get down to the important business of discussing the essence of the Blackmagic PCC 6K G2. In simple terms, this is a camera designed for filmmaking (although it does also capture 21.2-megapixel stills), with a Super 35 sensor and a Canon EF lens mount. That means you have plenty of optical choices, alongside a sensor large enough to provide fine control over depth-of-field. Artistic defocused backgrounds with lots of bokeh? No problem. It’s great for use with anamorphic lenses, too. The sensor offers dual native ISO settings of 400 and 3200, with the range up to 25,600. Dynamic range (DR) extends to 13 stops, which is consistent from ISO 100 to 1000, but starts to drop beyond that. Between ISO 1250 and 6400, DR is around 12 stops; at 25,600 it drops to just above ten. At almost all ISO settings, the range extends further into underexposed than overexposed areas.
buttons in close proximity to the sculptured grip for intuitive handling. It may look like a mirrorless stills camera, but the easily accessed controls show that it’s very much a movie-focused machine. Functions that would be buried deep in the menu on a stills model, for example, are in plain view and can be customised. Measuring five inches from corner to corner, the rear LCD is larger than most and runs the Blackmagic OS, helping with familiarity if you use one of the company’s other cameras. Tap and swipe gestures change LCD functions, plus you can delve deeper and take full control over the more advanced features. The monitor also allows you to view 3D LUTs, to get a more accurate view of how final footage will appear.
Frame rates and resolutions are broad. At the top end, the G2 offers 6K at 50P, or 60P if you use the 2.4:1 ratio, which crops the sensor to 6144x2560 pixels. At the opposite end of the spectrum, Full HD records at up to 120P, while there’s a 3.7K 6:5 anamorphic option at 60P. Naturally, these are all maximum frame rates; all the standard rates from 23.98P upwards are also supported. Codecs are equally broad, with Blackmagic Raw at various bit rates and a selection of ProRes 422 options to choose from. The camera can hardly be described as an aesthetic tour de force, but it’s clearly designed with function rather than form as a driving force. The body is made from carbon fibre polycarbonate, so is both light and strong, plus it features a range of key function
A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE The tilting LCD screen makes it easier to monitor the action
“In simple terms, this is a camera designed for filmmaking, with a Super 35 sensor and Canon EF lens mount... plenty of optical choices”
24. DEFINITIONMAGAZINE.COM
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