While the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K $500 off sale is coming to an end today, the company has released firmware 1.9.5, a much-needed update for this model that adds in-camera formatting.
Here's exactly what's in this update, with the general performance improvements including new white balance and shutter options seen here:
This software update adds in camera HFS+ and exFAT disk formatting to the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K as well as general performance improvements.
Kristian Lam has said in the Blackmagic forum that this update will be coming to their other cameras. This is the update I've been looking for Blackmagic to add for quite a long time in any of their cameras, because not being able to format cards in-camera has meant making sure you've either got a full supply of drives/cards that have already been formatted, or that you are carrying a laptop with you (which may not always be the case). A common workflow is to wait to format media until you're ready to shoot with those cards, but that's been impossible up until now. It's unlikely that we will see clip deletion, as there can be negative consequences to the media when clips are deleted (a number of higher-end cameras also do not have this).
As Lam says in the forum, this is coming to their other cameras (probably relatively soon), so it's going to be one more major feature that makes these cameras more usable in production environments.
You can download the Mac version here, and the Windows version here.
Your Comment
21 Comments
nice
September 5, 2014 at 4:47AM
Was that $500 or $2500 sale?
September 5, 2014 at 4:50AM
$500 "Off" is what I meant. $3,000 normal, $2,500 during the sale.
September 5, 2014 at 5:03AM
OK thanks.
September 5, 2014 at 5:20AM
Really good to see them addressing nearly every single issue customers have complained about.
September 5, 2014 at 4:52AM
Yes! just updated mine and we not have white balance options from 2500K-8000K in 200 increments! Now if only we could get 1080 RAW...
September 6, 2014 at 10:36AM, Edited September 6, 10:36AM
I know that people literally disregarded the use of the internal battery in this camera, but has there been some improvement in the power consumption with the updates? With a, I don't know, 'stand by' mode or dim the light in the screen when you attach an external monitor or something else?
September 5, 2014 at 5:02AM, Edited September 5, 5:02AM
We used the camera back in July for a week and didn't rent an external battery solution and kicked ourselves the whole time. We basically had to find power EVERYWHERE - the camera could charge over night and not reliably have power for more than 5 minutes the next day. Not good!!
September 5, 2014 at 8:46AM
But at least there is an internal battery. Many other camera's don't. Such as RED, Sony and Alexa. At least once you unplug the external battery the whole thing doesn't switch off.
September 8, 2014 at 2:41PM
This is a great addition to the firmware. Next up let's give us 60fps, black sun fix, slower shutter speeds for time-lapse, and double tap for critical focus to expand the view depending on where you double tap.
We all know that it should be possible to record 60fps in every codec except ProRes HQ and RAW because the damn camera shoots on SSDs for Chrissake which is five times faster than a 1000x CF card! The 60fps ability should have been unlocked once the new ProRes codecs were added.
September 5, 2014 at 5:11AM
I've been told that it's not the card speed, but actually a heat issue for trying to get more than 30fps. URSA has some pretty insane cooling for higher frame rates.
September 5, 2014 at 5:27AM
We've got faster shutterspeeds with this update — like the other 11.25deg.
Faster FPS is a hardwarelimitation not the medium, its a great update.
September 5, 2014 at 8:51AM
There are also still major major major problems with the RAW recording - maybe the internal formatting will help, but there isn't an approved list for drives to shoot RAW on and we used the high speed drives that were recommended for normal shooting and had terrible times trying to shoot RAW if we didn't format the drive to 360gb instead of 480gb. I hope they get this resolved because at $2500 the camera would have been a steal but after my week of power issue and inconsistent RAW recording we decided not to buy it.
September 5, 2014 at 8:48AM
There is an approved list for the Raw in 4K, its just very short. The Sandisk Extreme Pro 240, 480 and 960gb are approved by BMD.
I have it and its flawless.
September 5, 2014 at 11:29AM
Another reason to love Blackmagic. They may be slow but at least they listen to their customers. As a heavy BMCC user as a B-Cam all these little updates makes my job even easier.
September 5, 2014 at 8:49AM
At the current rate that new cameras are being introduced on the market, I'm thinking by the time Blackmagic roles out the updates that most people wish for, this camera might be replaced by some other company's cam. I guess they can always keep dropping the price though.
September 5, 2014 at 1:32PM
Yes, but buy a camera from another brand and you receive zero updates and have to buy a new camera earlier :)
September 6, 2014 at 12:15AM
It's about time. i wish the BMPCC had this available for the shoot this weekend.
September 5, 2014 at 7:09PM
Did everybody notice that the picture on the website also has the icon for a Frame Guides menu? Yet another feature I have been waiting for clearly coming soon!
September 5, 2014 at 9:30PM
Awesome - They sure are one a roll now, after that looong period of silence. Can't wait for this update to come to my BMCC!
September 6, 2014 at 1:08AM
Lets do this Black Magic! Every other week is an update.. i can dig this :-)
September 9, 2014 at 1:49PM