While we got a sort of non-update a few weeks ago about shipping improving but not quite in full volume yet, it's clear that more and more people are getting their cameras every day, especially those who pre-ordered very early. We knew this firmware update was coming, but now version 1.2 for the Blackmagic Cinema Camera has arrived without much fanfare -- though anyone that has used the camera knows some of these features are incredibly important. Click through for more on the update.

Here are the new features in this firmware version:


  • New option for time-lapse recording in the Recorder settings
  • exFAT file system support
  • F-stop values are displayed when using compatible EF lenses
  • SDI output now supports RP-188 timecode
  • Support for Thunderbolt on Windows

These are currently the time-lapse options in the camera (thanks to Randy in the Blackmagic forum):

  • Frames: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
  • Seconds: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60
  • Minutes: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

I've talked about most of my issues with the camera as is, and this does fix a few of the major ones. Seeing your aperture on the display was absolutely essential for the EF mount version of the camera, as it is next to impossible to shoot quickly and efficiently when you have no idea what your iris is actually set to. Windows users will be especially happy about this new firmware update, as they now have Thunderbolt support with the camera. The BMCC has been very Mac-friendly so far, and it's good to see the camera become a bit more universal, especially with exFAT, which will allow read/write for the SSD drive on both Windows and OSX without any special software.

There are still many more firmware additions needed to make this camera really complete -- like audio meters, SSD formatting, and a storage calculator on-board to let you know how much space is left on your drive -- but this is certainly a huge step in the right direction. The only thing that's left now is for these to get into the hands of everyone who wants one.

To get the update, head on over to the Blackmagic support page using the link below, and choose your operating system to download.

Link: Blackmagic Support Center Downloads

[via Blackmagic Forum]