As you all well know, technology is moving by leaps and bounds. It seems every single day now we hear of something completely and radically new that didn’t exist just last week. Generally that means what you had last week is now obsolete. But in the case of a new camera in our arsenal, it means what’s old is new again!
Meet the Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera.
If you can’t figure it out, the Pocket Cinema Camera is on the right. That’s a 1983 Canon AE-1 film camera on the left. It’s Walter’s personal camera from his high school days when he used to take pictures for the yearbook and even had a darkroom in his house. Yeah, remember film? You used to have to take it to a store to be developed and…. well kids that’s a story for another day.
What’s really neat about that photo is both cameras are using the exact same lenses. Through a simple adapter, all of Walter’s lenses from the 1980′s are fully functional on the 2014 digital camera. What’s more, this is a super high quality digital camera capable of shooting television shows and independent feature films, all through 1980′s lenses.
This is the current trend in digital camera technology which is actually going back to how it all started. It used to be the cameras were just a recording device, they held the film and opened a shutter. The quality of the image was wholly affected by and created through the quality of the glass (lens) used on the camera. Then camera manufacturers started adding lots and lots of electronics to the camera itself allowing really cheap lenses to look pretty good thanks to all the onboard computing.
This little Pocket Cinema Camera is the film camera concept reborn. It records a high quality video format onboard, but the actual picture is wholly created by the quality of the lenses used on the camera. Use a good lens and really good lighting techniques, get a really good image.
The Pocket Camera connected to our AJA KiPro Mini recorder for a tutorial video featuring BCM Artist Kylee Wall
We’re just starting to play with it on WalterBiscardi.com tutorials but don’t be surprised if you see us show up for your next production using this very simple, yet very powerful camera that literally fits into your pocket. This is one case where brand new technology gave old technology a new life and we couldn’t be happier.