By Lee Burghard March 2019
What's not to love about this camera? The BMPCC 4K is truly a video powerhouse with 4K DCI internal recording up to 60FPS available in RAW or ProRes codecs, 13 stops of dynamic range, Dual Native ISO technology, and a large 5 inch monitor loaded with assist tools... all in a compact form factor for just under $1300.
Perhaps the most interesting feature of the BMPCC 4K is it's ability to internally record Cinema DNG or Blackmagic RAW in 12 bit color. These RAW recording options give you a great deal of flexibility for pushing both color and exposure in post production. Even in the less than ideal underwater conditions we shot some of reef scenes in, we were impressed by how much we were able to significantly improve the color in post production.
The camera also features dual native ISO technology which offers improved low light performance when recording at high ISO's. We shot several scenes at an ISO of 1250, and were pleasantly surprised by how well the camera handled the low light conditions taking into account the smaller sensor size compared to super 35mm or full frame camera options.
The large 5 inch monitor offers 500nits of brightness, and is loaded with customizable assist tools for things like focus assist, false color, zebra lines, and 3D LUT's making it easy to properly check exposure and focus without the need of an external monitor.
4K recording is offered up to 60FPS and FHD recording up to 120FPS allowing for creative slow motion playback for a variety of underwater imaging scenarios and to smooth out camera shake.
Combine that with a versatile port/lens selection, excellent ergonomic design, and build quality of the Nauticam NA-BMPCCII housing and you have a truly awesome combo for underwater video.
The housing accommodates an external battery pack and a solid state drive that can be connected through a USB-C cable. This allows for uninterrupted recording with significantly improved battery life and record times without the need for constantly swapping batteries or media cards at the surface.
In addition you can also take advantage of Nauticam CMC-1 or CMC-2 for super macro imaging with an appropriate lens, and Nauticam's WWL-1 for a super wide, tack sharp 130 degree field of view with any 28mm full frame equivalent lens.
Want to see all the benefits for yourself? Have a look at our hand on review video here for a more in depth look:
Needless to say, we're very excited about the creative potential of the BMPCC 4K and Nauticam NA-BMPCCII. With all of the professional video features available in such an affordable package, this combo is a solid choice for any underwater video shooter to consider.