Blackmagic Pocket Cam

Hi Tim.
You might be right about the range...I bought my paralinx 2 months ago and there was an issue with range and it was a faulty unit so it got sent back to manufacturer and I just got it back today so I have not have a chance to test the range but hopefully it's a bit more than 80m in line of sight. I'm sure Kopterworxs said that they were going to do some kind of booster for the Arrow but maybe that has gone off the radar with the event of brushless handheld and flying gimbals. The good thing about the PBC and Arrow though is that when it is connected to the Canon DSLRs and goes out of range the camera thinks that you have disengaged the HDMI port and so stops recording as the HDMI signal is lost. I tested the PBM today and going out of range does not stop the camera recording so it is more like a C300 or regular video camera which is rather good as I felt that the arrow with the DSLRs was not the best option due to the stopping recording.
I will ask my camera guys about the composite out for you but I am sure someone on the forum will already know the answer and just hasn't had a chance to respond yet.
Look forward to hearing your thoughts and tests on your lenses and hopefully the 12-35 won't need an extra plate. Once I get mine I will try and post some video but I am not planning on using a cinestar but a droidworxs Y3 to lift it with an adapted FF gimbal so might not be allow here!....Andy what do you think....other frames allowed?
But seriously, would love to see your footage with different lenses when you have a chance, especially the wide angle ones
Kat

 

Hi Andy.
In terms of the heliopan, I have used gone through a few vari NDs from when the 5D first came out and I have had colour shift with all but the Singh Ray and Heliopan. Obviously they are also the most expensive but if you want smooth aperture change for regular filming then they are the best. I also have recently bought some fixed heliopan NDs also as the vari ND is very heavy so if you don't need it then a couple of fixed NDs to give you 4 stops between them should be enough I would say even on the brightest of days. I think also by the time you buy 2 heliopan fixed NDs you have spent more than you would for the vari so then it is down to weight.

In terms of the switch. I am still a die hard cinestar fan and would have loved a hexa to play with but the opportunity to buy a Droidworxs AD hexa frame at a reduced price came up. I already had all the electronics lying around but I wanted to try a Y config that had a small footprint and would be able to carry the PMC so that is why. I have had to get a bracket made though so I can fit rails on it to be able to attach my echo plate and therefore have my trusty FF gimbal underneath.....it's like buying a bed from Ikea...nothing quite fits with anything else! But I will say that the Y config is very stable with a quick tune and stock DJI NAZA hexa Y mix, only tested it a couple of times so far to make sure it actually flies Hoping to post a little more about it once I have the gimbal attached and the Pocket in my possession
Kat

 

Hi Andy.
I would get a couple of different grades of ND and use each one on it's own as you have said. If you have the ability to do 4 stops then you should be OK
In terms of OSD, I have either DJI iOSD or the lovely new DJI mini iOSD on all my machines but on the Y the wingspan is about 65cm without props and I put Xoar 13 6.5s on it so not Phantom like in size and maybe a bit big for recce flights
I have a Droidworxs CX 4 and Flamewheel 450 with GoPro and zenmuse on for very small I'll send you a link of some footage, pretty fun for the size;-) The CX might carry the pocket Black Magic stripped down if it was a coax 8. I had it like that for a while and it flew very nicely but then used the motors and electronics to built the Droidworxs Y so it went back to a quad.

I hopefully will have no boom in shot on the Y and the FF 360 gimbal underneath the the Pocket Black Magic. I am trying to keep it under 7kg as then it comes under a different category for the B-NUCS but we shall see.
Kat

 

Thats interesting Tim. What did you not like about it? I have never flown a flat 6, only flat 8s and 4s. I have also never had the pleasure of trying a large X8, only the CX as a coax which is pretty small and I never mounted a gimbal underneath so good to hear what you think
Kat

 

Thanks for sharing this info, Tim. One of our shop guys has one on pre-order with B&H. The video results are very encouraging!

Greetings,
Adam

 

Hi Adam, do you expect/think the Freefly HDMI converter will work with the pocket?
Kat

 

Hello Kat,

It sounds like Tim is struggling with the hdmi output (see post #9 in this thread). I'll guess we will see b/c it doesn't appear that there is another video out option on this cam.

Tim: is this the LANC cable you are trying out?: http://www.quadrocopter.com/LancPro-Camcorder-Control_p_774.html

Greetings,
Adam

 

If I'd known I would have brought one out to VT with me . PM your address and I'll get one out today

Greetings,
Adam

 

That looks like a Composite -> HDMI converter. Don't you want an HDMI -> Composite converter?

 

Hey Katya
I would love to see the footage of the Flamewheel 450 and zenmuse. I was thinking of getting a similar setup maybe with a Phantom for
travel etc. Do you like it?
Nick

 

Hey Tim great footage,
What are the monitor brackets that you are using? Looks like a perfect way to mount them to avoid the sun.
Thanks,
Nick