Blackmagic Power Solutions

By now everyone is well aware of the Blackmagic camera's and the various pros and cons surrounding each model and while the cameras are akin to Marmite for many their affordability is undeniable whether you love them or hate them. Here at Planet PC we receive a lot of enquiries about the complete Blackmagic range but one of the more common questions we get asked by customers purchasing the original 2.5K/4K/Pocket Camera models is "What about battery options?"

One such customer was Mark from Spart Media who recently invested in a Blackmagic Cinema Camera (4K version). Mark was well aware of the limitations of the Cinema Camera's internal battery and needed a solution to enable him to cover a full day's filming. Luckily we were on hand to offer help and advice and managed to supply Mark with an excellent power solution which means he can now concentrate on getting the shots that count without worrying about losing power mid-shoot.

For anyone who's wondering, Mark's solution eventually consisted of some great equipment from PAG who are a highly innovative British company specialising in the manufacture and design of highly innovative power solutions. We'll be talking more about them shortly but before we do here's a look at some more great power solutions for the Blackmagic Cameras which are all based around high capacity V-Lock batteries.

Alot of our customers like V-Locks due to the fact that they either already own some or like the fact that V-Locks can be used to power everything from lights to cameras and everything in between. It's this versatility which means V-Lock batteries are pretty much essential for anyone working in the field who either wants to shoot for long periods of time, has a lot of on board gear or needs to use additional equipment such as lighting where mains power is simply not an option.

If value for money is what you're looking for we'd recommend taking a look at Swit batteries here which are a great alternative to some of the more expensive brands such as IDX. These are ideal for anybody on a budget who requires all the advantages of using a V-Lock system without breaking the bank. We particularly like the fact that Swit produce a range of Dual/Quad channel chargers which feature built in XLR outputs and are capable of recognising the type of battery being charged. For more information visit the Swit website here.

Along with Swit many of you will be familiar with the IDX range which are a very popular (although more expensive) alternative. Check out the IDX website here to view the full range - they do a lot more than just batteries! For anybody looking at one of the 2.5K/4K cinema cameras we'd recommend taking a look at the IDX BCC-CP(A) (BCCCP-A) Blackmagic Cinema Power Kit. Admittedly the name is a bit long winded but the kit itself is an excellent bundle which along with the V-Lock adapter also includes a versatile cheese plate which is compatible with standard 15mm rods. We particularly like the fact that the V-Lock adapter has the power cable built into it which means there's no need to purchase an additional cable which can cost upwards of £30.00 (ex vat). The battery adapter also features an additional D-Tap outlet which is ideal for powering other accessories at the same time.

For anybody using a Blackmagic Pocket Camera it might be worth taking a look at the Wooden Camera WC V-Mount here. This also features a built in cable (although not the longest) and has a built in D-Tap outlet. Unlike the IDX solution just mentioned this doesn't include the cheeseplate which will be required if you want to mount your battery on a rig but we still think it's an excellent solution all the same.

Wooden Camera provide an excellent range of power solutions for the Blackmagic cameras and it's worth noting that if you're considering a Blackmagic Camera and you've already got V-Locks many of the batteries themselves feature a D-Tap out so there's no reason why you can't simply purchase the relevant cable depending on which camera you're looking at. With this in mind remember to give some consideration to which accessories you might want to use and ultimately provide power for. Most V-Lock adapters nowadays feature a D-Tap outlet but if your batteries don't then you'll be limited to just one which might be an issue.

The PAG PL96T - Who's in charge?

After discussing the various options with us our customer Mark chose to go with the PAG system which consisted of two PAGlink PL96T Batteries, the PAG Micro Charger (probably the smallest V-Lock charger we've ever seen), a PAG V-Mount battery plate and a custom D-Tap power cable. As somebody who travels often (Mark is currently away filming in Japan) portability and efficiency was of paramount importance to Mark and something which this PAG solution provides in spades.

The PAG PL96T batteries are also some of the most intelligent batteries we have come across and along with featuring LED displays which show run time/capacity these high capacity batteries also comply with United Nations Standards which means they're suitable for air transport in hand luggage - something which was also essential for Mark. Where these batteries really shine is when they come together (literally) using the PAGlink system. This allows these batteries to be piggy-backed onto each other which enables them to act as one larger battery, with the option to connect up to eight! The batteries communicate with each other to control charge/discharge and when you combine this with the fact that connected batteries can all be charged from one charger at the same time you really do have one of the best battery systems out there!



PAG Batteries - Well Stacked

Obviously all the equipment discussed just now is compatible with a lot more than just the Blackmagic Cameras but for anyone who's already gone or is considering going this route we hope some of the options discussed will come in useful. If you'd like to discuss power solutions or anything else related to video broadcast technologies check out our website here or give our sales team a call on 01274 713400.

NAB Highlights

 

 

For manufacturers it's the ultimate opportunity to showcase existing tech and unveil often revolutionary new products. For consumers it's the chance to check out the latest and greatest the industry has to offer. Unfortunately it's all over now until next year and chances are if you've returned from NAB recently you're still recovering from jetlag but judging by the amount of announcements this year (and the fact it's in Las Vegas!) we're sure jetlag is a small price to pay.

Whether or not you've been to NAB previously, everyone knows that what is undoubtedly the biggest broadcast show in the world is full of surprises. This year has been no different and so far we've had a whole host of exciting announcements from the likes of AJA, Blackmagic, Atomos and Teradek just to name a few.

 

 

Blackmagic Announce New Cameras, Film Scanner and More!

By now people are used to Blackmagic announcing a camera at NAB and it's understandable that expectations were high this year. Blackmagic didn't dissapoint and have announced not one but two new cameras in the form of the Blackmagic Studio Camera and the Blackmagic URSA. These latest additions complement Blackmagic's existing range of affordable cinema cameras and we have no doubts that there will be a long line of customers waiting to get their hands on one.

 

 

The Blackmagic Studio Camera & Blackmagic 4K URSA

 

The Blackmagic Studio Camera

The Blackmagic Studio Camera features the worlds largest viewfinder and builds on from the previous 2.5k and 4k Cinema Cameras. This latest addition is designed with live production in mind and along with it's massive 10" viewfinder features increased battery life, built in talkback, tally indicators, phantom powered XLR connections and professional optical fibre/SDI outputs. The camera includes a sunshade along with an MFT lens mount and is cable of recording in Ultra HD. What's more, the camera can also be controlled remotely via one of Blackmagic's ATEM switchers and has DaVinci Resolve colour correction built in! The camera is available in two versions - the HD version (£1275.00 ex vat) and the Ultra-HD version (£1895.00 ex vat).

  

As if one new camera wasn't enough Blackmagic have taken things a step further and launched a high end digital film camera in the form of their brand new URSA!

 

The Blackmagic URSA

Capable of recording in 4K and designed with the intention of simplifying productions this camera features a 10" fold out LCD monitor, 12G-SDI, dual RAW/PoRes recorders, liquid cooling and two touch screens for complete control. Sound guys will be pleased that Blackmagic have included volume meters and manual gain controls while readers will also be pleased to know that Blackmagic have futureproofed the camera by including a removable sensor/lens mount assembly! At the moment the URSA is available in two versions - the EF (£3785.00 ex vat) and the PL (£4095.00 ex vat) although both models aren't expected to ship until July 2014. Blackmagic are also due to release two more versions of the URSA - one aimed specifically at broadcast professionals which will feature a B4 lens mount, enhanced lens controls and a built in ND filter wheel and a second HDMI version which will feature a 4K input and the ability to connect any HDMI camera. Just like Blackmagics previous cameras these new ones also include DaVinci Resolve for free!

 

 

The Cintel Film Scanner - Not Just a Pretty Face

The Blackmagic Cintel Film Scanner

 

You might think we've heard enough about Blackmagic for now but that's where you'd be wrong. As a company who have announced so much this year it would be a shame not to mention the other goodies Blackmagic have brought to the table - one of which is the Cintel Film Scanner. Blackmagic have teamed up with Cintel to produce a real-time scanner capable of scanning 35mm and 16mm film up to 30fps in Ultra HD. This is great news for anyone who wants to unlock the beauty of old film such as 35mm which is natively 4K or those who still choose to use film today.

 

Designed to hang on a wall and with a 2000 foot capacity the Cintel Film Scanner also features Thunderbolt 2 technology meaning films can be scanned directly into colour-correction software and saved as a digital format quicker and easier than ever before, although with a pricetag of £18145.00 (ex vat) it isn't cheap!

 

It's certainly fair to say Blackmagic have been busy and if new cameras and the Cintel aren't your cup of tea then fear not because Blackmagic have also Launched a new version of their much loved Teranex in the form of the Teranex Express which features 12G-SDI and real time SD, HD and Ultra HD standards conversion which at £845.00 (ex vat) is an absolute bargain when you consider how much the original Teranex technology cost when it was developed for Lockheed Martin (About £60k for anyone wondering!)

 

 

New Streaming Wizardry from Teradek!

 

Wireless wizards Teradek never fail to dissappoint (unless you sell cables) and this year they've announced some great gadgets we can't wait to get our hands on.

 

New Bolt Transmitters/Receivers

 

Those of you familiar with the Bolt Pro will be pleased to know that Teradeck have announced brand new versions of their Bolt Pro transmitters and receivers in the form of the

 

300TX/RX, 600TX/RX and 2000TX/RX. These newest transmitters/receiver feature both HDMI and 3G-SDI connections and a redesigned chasis which runs coller than previous versions. The Bolt Pro 300  receivers are also completely silent and the 600/2000RX feature an LCD screen for monitoring your wireless link. 

 

 

Here at Planet PC we like the fact that the 600/2000TX can be augmented with higher gain antennas for increased stability  but were particularly impressed by the fact that the Bolt Pro 600/2000 receivers feature Teradek's GRAB technology which means they can be used as the world's first wireless capture cards. This technology enables users to monitor while using a computer to ingest at the same time with zero delay.

The T-Rax

Teradek's T-Rax

With a name like a dinosaur who wouldn't take notice of Terak's latest rack mount solution? Built like a tank and measuring 2RU the T-Rax is fully customisable and allows users to connect up to 8 hot-swappable cards consisting of various Teradek hardware. The system has also been future proofed to be compatible with H.265 technology and features a 2.8" display.

 

Serving a Purpose

Teradek Serv

Here at Planet we're big fans of anything which integrates well with existing technology so it was understandablle that we we're impressed with the Teradek Serv. This little black box plugs into the back of a camera and allows the user to transmit real-time video to up to 10 smartphones/tablets at the same time. Even better is the fact that the Serv works with Teradek's free TeraView iOS application which means it's possible to view up to 4 individual Serv/Cube streams on one device at the same time - ideal for multi-camera set-ups!

 

 

Atomos Launch New Monitoring/Recording Gadgets!



It's sometimes easy to forget that Atomos is a company which started life around only four years ago which is surprising when you consider how much many of us take products like the Ninja's or Samurai's for granted. What shouldn't be surprising is the fact that Atomos have impressed us yet again by announcing even more additions to their already outstanding range.

The Shogun - Built for 4K

Atomos Shogun







The Shogun sits alongside it's older brothers the Samurai and the Ninja and is an excellent addition for anybody using a 4K workflow. Featuring a 1920x1080 screen and a super-slim design the Shogun is certainly a sleek looking thing and has been designed to work with 4K cameras such as the Sony FS700 or the new Panasonic GH4. The Shogun is capable of recording in both RAW and Apple ProRes and features 12G-SDI along with 4K HDMI. The Shogun is essentially a deck and a recorder aimed at those working with higher resolutions and features a built in waveform/monitor assist tools to allow the user to perfectly balance shots.

Atomos Ninja Star

Light Enough for Flight!

This pocket sized gadget is designed to add existing functionality to consumer level MPEG camcorders and with a weight of just 100g and measuring only 3 inches the Ninja Star is the world's lightest ProRes recorder. The Ninja Star uses CFast cards and is a great solution for increasing the recording time of an action cam such as a GoPro or recording better footage from a DSLR.

 

 

 

 

More Storage Solutions from G-Tech!

 

Your Mac's Best Friend?

G-SPEED Studio and G-RAID Studio

Users of the newest Mac Pro will be interested to see that G-Tech have launched the G-SPEED Studio - a hardware RAID solution which not only looks the part but also features  Thunderbolt 2 technology which means it is lightning fast with transfer rates of up to 700MB/s. This latest offering from G-Tech features up to 24TB of storage and is configurable in RAID 0, 1, 5, 6 and 10. The system also features a second Thunderbolt 2 port for daisychaining. 



Foot-Pedal not included

 

 

The G-RAID Studio is a new two drive system which also features the latest Thunderbolt 2 technology and is configurable in RAID 0, 1 or JBOD. With two removable 7200RPM hard drives and a maximum capacity of 12TB this system is aimed squarely at serious media professionals and while the G-RAID Studio isn't as fast as it's bigger brother it's still pretty fast with transfer speeds of up to 360MB/s.

 

 

 

 

These highlights are just a few of our favourites from this year's NAB show and no doubt there will be many more to come throughout the course of the year. All the products discussed are on our website here so feel free to stop by and take a look if you get a minute. Alternatively give our sales team a call on 01274 713400.