The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K Drops to Under $1,000 For First Time Ever

The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K

Despite being five years old, the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K is still a capable starter cinema camera. The camera features a 4/3" sensor that can capture up to 4096 x 2160 DCI 4K images at rates up to 75 fps in various codecs, including Blackmagic Raw at several bit rates and various ProRes 422 options.

With its latest updated version, the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K (stylized as the BMPCC4K) can record at up to 80 fps in a 2.8K raw mode for 4:3 anamorphic and up to 75 fps in a 4K raw mode for 2.4:1 widescreen.

For 4:3 recording, a 2x de-squeeze preview option is available for 1.33x recording, and a 1.33x de-squeeze option is also available. The BMPCC4K is great for slow-motion with rates up to 120 fps and is available in 2.6K raw for Super16 lenses and cropped Full HD.

The BMPCC4K features CFast 2.0 and SD/UHS-II card slots, which we’d recommend filling with the OWC Atlas Ultra High-Performance SDXC UHS-II V90 memory card of your choice. The OWC Envoy Pro Elektron is also on the compatible media list for the BMPCC4K and would be great SSD option as well.

The Philosophy Behind the Blackmagic Pocket

“The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K has been popular with customers as both a digital film camera and also a studio camera when used with ATEM Mini switchers. It has wide dynamic range for digital film and DaVinci Resolve color science, but it also has a color corrector built in, tally and remote control for live production. We have been working hard on our manufacturing processes and have lowered the cost of production even further, so we can now pass that on to people through a lower price. It's quite exciting because we have a fantastic solution to bring digital film quality to everyone!” — Grant Petty, Blackmagic Design CEO.

A Starter Cinema Camera

For many videographers and filmmakers looking for a starter camera, the options are mostly DSLRs and mirrorless cameras. These can be great if you’re looking for a hybrid camera to shoot photos and videos. The BMPCC4K is not that. It is a cinema camera only in form and function.

This means everything about the BMPCC4K is tailored for professional cinematography. Numerous pro cinematography features include support for a Blackmagic Pocket Battery Grip, a built-in horizon-level function, USB PTP control, customizable frame guides, an 8x pinch-to-zoom function, and the ability to embed custom LUTs as metadata in Blackmagic RAW.

Blackmagic has, of course, released newer models of this Pocket Cinema Camera over the years with the 6K, 6K Pro, and a 6K Pro G2, which are also worth considering. But for the best bang for your buck and as a true starter cinema camera option, this price drop makes the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K one of the most accessible cinema cameras on the market.

Specs and Availability

Here are the full specs for the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K, now available at a sub-$1,000 price point.

• 4/3"-Sized HDR Sensor

• DCI 4K60, 2.8K80 Raw in 4:3 Anamorphic

• Dual Native 400/3200 ISO / up to 25,600

• Up to 2.6K 120 Raw for Super16 Lenses

• 5" Touchscreen Display

• Active Micro Four Thirds Lens Mount

• CFast 2.0 & SD/UHS-II Card Slots

• External Recording via USB Type-C

• 13-Stop Dynamic Range, 3D LUT Support

• Includes DaVinci Resolve Studio License

Price: $995