Blackmagicdesign Blackmagic cameras Operation Manual

Operation Manual

Blackmagic Cameras

English

Mac OS X

Windows

June 2016

™

™

2

Welcome

Thank you for purchasing your Blackmagic Camera!

We have worked hard to produce four cameras that have been
designed from the ground up to fit any kind of workflow. Our
Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera is a Super 16 digital film
camera with 13 stops of dynamic range that is small enough to
take anywhere. Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera takes the
size and capability of the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera
even further. With an incredibly tiny chassis and a customizable
expansion port complete with a host of remote control options,
now you can capture footage from practically any angle and
tricky locations.

Our Cinema Camera records lossless compressed CinemaDNG
RAW files for pristine images, and the Production Camera 4K is
a Super 35 4K camera with a global shutter and 6G-SDI output.

Our cameras are designed to produce files that are "flat",
which means they preserve the wide dynamic range from the
sensor, as well as standard file formats that work with all video
software. This allows you to make creative decisions by using
the included DaVinci color correction software!

We think this means you get a cinema style shooting
experience where you capture and preserve more of the
image so you have as many creative options as possible.
We have also included large screens on our cameras for
easy focus and metadata entry. We hope you connect to
our cameras in creative ways and produce some amazing
looking images! We are extremely excited to see what
creative work you produce!

Grant Petty

CEO Blackmagic Design

Contents

3

Blackmagic Cameras

5 Getting Started

Attaching a Lens 5

Turning Your Camera On 5

7 Installing Media

Using an SD Card 7

Using an SSD 7

8 Recording

Recording Clips 8

10 Playback

Playing Back Clips 10

11 About SSDs and SD Cards

Choosing a Fast SSD 11

Choosing a Fast SD Card 13

Checking Disk Speed 16

17 Camera Connections

Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 17

Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera 18

Wiring Diagram for the Blackmagic Micro Cinema
Camera Expansion Cable 20

Blackmagic Cinema Camera and Production Camera 4K 21

22 Tally Light Indicators

Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera Tally Light 22

23 Menu Settings

Dashboard 23

Camera Settings 23

Audio Settings 26

Recording Settings 28

File Naming Convention 30

Display Settings 30

On Screen Meters 33

Adjusting Settings 34

Status Strip 36

37 Entering Metadata

What is the Slate? 37

38 Using DaVinci Resolve

Introducing DaVinci Resolve 38

Importing your Clips 38

Editing your Clips 39

Trimming Clips 40

Mapping Keyboard Shortcuts 40

Adding Transitions 41

Adding Titles 41

Adding Audio Tracks 42

Color Correcting your Clips 42

Using Scopes 43

Secondary Color Correction 44

Qualifying a Color 44

Adding a Power Window 45

Contents

4

Blackmagic Cameras

Tracking a Window 45

Using Plugins 46

Mastering your Edit 46

48 Camera Video Output

Monitoring using SDI 48

Waveform Monitoring using Thunderbolt 49

Using Blackmagic UltraScope 50

53 Blackmagic Camera Setup Software
54 Post Production Workflow

Working with Files from SSDs 54

Working with Files from SD Cards 54

Working with 3rd Party Sofware 55

Using Final Cut Pro X 55

Using Avid Media Composer 55

Using Adobe Premiere Pro CC 56

Using Autodesk Smoke 56

58 Attaching Accessories
60 Shimming the PL Mount
62 Replacing the Fan
63 Help
64 Warranty

5

SSD

SD CARD

SD CARD

Getting Started

5

Getting Started

Attaching a Lens

Getting started with your Blackmagic Camera is as simple as attaching a lens and turning the camera
on. To remove the protective dust cap from the EF lens mount, hold down the locking button and
rotate the cap counterclockwise until it is released. For the PL mount, rotate the PL locking ring

HDMI

12V

HDMI

12V

counterclockwise. We recommend always turning off your Blackmagic camera prior to attaching or
removing a lens.

To attach an EF or MFT mount lens:
Step 1. Align the dot on your lens with the dot on the camera mount. Many lenses have a visual

indicator, for example a blue, red or white dot.

Step 2. Twist the lens clockwise until it locks into place.

Step 3. To remove the lens, hold down the locking button, rotate the lens counterclockwise until

its dot or indicator reaches the 12 o’clock position, and gently remove.

Attaching and removing an MFT lens on Blackmagic Pocket
Cinema Camera and Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera.

To attach a PL mount lens:
Step 1. Open your camera's PL locking ring by rotating it counterclockwise until it stops.

Step 2. Align one of the lens' four flange notches with the locating pin on the camera mount.

Be sure to align the lens for easy viewing of the lens marks.

Step 3. Tighten the camera's PL locking ring by rotating it clockwise.

Step 4. To remove the lens, rotate the locking ring counterclockwise until it stops, then gently

remove the lens.

When no lens is attached to the camera, the glass filter covering the sensor is exposed to dust and
other debris so you'll want to keep the dust cap on whenever possible.

Attaching and removing an EF lens on Blackmagic Cinema
Camera and Blackmagic Produc tion Camera 4K.

Turning Your Camera On

To turn your camera on, you'll first need to supply power to your camera. Blackmagic Pocket Cinema
Camera and Micro Cinema Camera have removable, rechargeable batteries, while Blackmagic Cinema

SSD

SSD

Camera and Production Camera 4K have rechargeable batteries built in. All Blackmagic Cameras
can be powered simply by plugging the supplied power adapter into their power input. This also
recharges the battery, either built in or plugged in.

The Micro Cinema Camera powers up automatically when power is supplied via an AC adapter using
the expansion port. This means that if you have the camera installed in a remote location or mounted

Attaching and removing a PL lens on Blackmagic Cinema
Camera PL and Blackmagic Produc tion Camera 4K PL.

in an awkward or inconvenient position to access, you don't have to manually turn the camera on
because as long as it is connected to an external power supply, it will always stay powered on.

6

Getting Started

6

Inser ting the battery into Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera.

Inserting a Battery and Powering Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera

Your Pocket Cinema Camera uses an EN-EL20 battery. One is included with the camera, but if you
need additional batteries, they can be purchased from your Blackmagic Design reseller or from most
video or photography equipment stores.

Step 1. On the under side of the camera, push the door release towards the lens to access the

battery terminal.

Step 2. With the gold contacts facing into the terminal and the white arrow facing the lens, hook

the lip of the battery under the orange tab and insert the battery until you feel it press
into place. Push the orange tab to release the battery.

Step 3. Close the door to the battery terminal and slide the door release to the right to lock it.

Step 4. Press the power button on the bottom right of the back panel. The status strip will appear

along the top of the LCD.

Step 5. Press and hold the power button to switch off the camera.

Inserting a Battery and Powering Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera

Your Micro Cinema Camera uses an LP-E6 or LP-E6N battery. One is included with the camera but if
you need additional batteries, they can be purchased from your Blackmagic Design reseller or from
any video or photography equipment store.

Use the supplied power adapter to charge the internal
battery and power the camera.

Press the power button to turn the camera on.
Press and hold to turn the camera off.

Step 1. With the battery's contacts facing the bottom of the camera, gently press the battery

against the battery slot, then slide it down until you feel it click and lock into place. Press
the battery release button on the top panel to remove the battery.

Step 2. To switch on your camera, press the ‘power’ button located on the right panel of the

camera. To switch off, press and hold the 'power' button.

You are now ready to insert an SD card and start recording!

Using Built in Batteries

Blackmagic Cinema Camera and Blackmagic Production Camera 4K have internal batteries that
can be charged using the supplied power adapter. The camera can be charged and operated while
connected via external power and will switch between power sources without any interruption.

You can also charge the camera via a powered USB connection, however it takes longer to charge
so we recommend using the power adapter when possible.

Step 1. Press the power button below the touchscreen. The status strip will appear along the top

of the LCD.

7 Installing Media

Installing Media

Step 2. Press and hold the power button to switch off the camera.

You are now ready to insert an SSD and start recording!

Using an SD Card

If your camera uses an SD card for recording clips, you can insert an SDXC or SDHC card. To insert
an SD card into your camera:

Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera

On the underside of the camera, push the battery door release towards the lens. The SD card slot is
located next to the battery terminal. With the metal contacts on the SD card facing towards the lens,
insert the SD card until you feel it lock into place. Push on the SD card to release it.

Inser ting an SD card into the Blackmagic Pocket
Cinema Camera.

Inser ting an SSD into the Blackmagic Cinema Camera
and the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K.

After inserting the SD card and powering your camera, the status strip will display a moving dot while
the camera checks the SD card and then it will say 'ready'.

Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera

With the SD card's metal contacts facing away from the lens, point the SD card towards the SD card
slot and gently insert the card until you feel it lock into place. Push on the SD card to release it.
The front tally light on the Micro Cinema Camera will flash green three times while the camera checks
the SD card and will stay green when the card is ready.

The supplied SD card is for software installation only and not suitable for video recording. You'll find
a list of recommended SD cards in the 'about SSD and SD cards' section.

Using an SSD

If your camera uses an SSD to record clips, you can insert a 2.5" 9.5 mm SSD formatted in either
the HFS+ or exFAT file systems. To insert an SSD into Blackmagic Cinema Camera and Blackmagic
Production Camera 4K:

Step 1. Open the SSD door on the right hand side of the camera.

Step 2. With the gold SATA contacts facing towards the camera door, insert the SSD until you feel

it press into place. Close the SSD door.

Step 3. Power on the camera. The status strip will display a moving dot while the camera checks

the SSD and then it will say 'ready'

You'll find a list of recommended SSDs in the 'about SSDs and SD cards' section.

8

Recording

8

To record a clip, press the 'rec' button on the top of
Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera.

Recording

Recording Clips

Press the 'rec' button on your camera to begin recording immediately. Press 'rec' again to stop
recording.

Choosing the Recording Format

Blackmagic cameras record to several different formats, depending on which model you are using.

All Blackmagic cameras record lossless compressed CinemaDNG RAW, plus Apple ProRes codecs
including ProRes 422 HQ, ProRes 422, ProRes 422 LT and ProRes 422 Proxy. ProRes codecs let you
fit more video on your SSD or SD card. ProRes 422 HQ provides the highest quality video with the
lowest compression. Alternatively, ProRes 422 Proxy gives you far more recording time with greater
compression.

Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera also records RAW 3:1.

Blackmagic Cinema Camera can also record using the Avid DNxHD codec for more options when
you need high quality HD compressed video. You may decide to experiment to see which format
best suits your workflow.

To record a clip on Blackmagic Cinema Camera or Production
Camera 4K, press the 'rec' button on the front face.

or

on the transport control panel.

To select your desired video format:
Step 1. Press the 'menu' button to open the dashboard and select Settings.

Step 2. Select the 'recording' menu and use the selection arrows to set the desired recording format.

Step 3. Press the 'menu' button twice to exit.

Your camera is now ready to record in the video format you have selected. On Blackmagic cameras
with a built in LCD, the current recording format is shown on the LCD status strip.

9

Recording

9

Blackmagic Cameras Supported Video Formats

Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera

Blackmagic Pocket
Cinema Camera

1080p23.98 1080p23.98 2400 x 1350

1080p24 1080p24 1080p23.98 216 0 p23.98

HDMI

12V

1080p25 1080p25 1080p24 2160p24

1080p29.97 1080p29.97 1080p25 2160p25

1080p30 1080p30 1080p29.97 2160 p 2 9.97

Blackmagic Micro
Cinema Camera

1080p50 1080p30 2160p30

1080p59.94 1080i50 (output) 1080p23.98

1080p60 1080i59.94 (output) 1080p24

Blackmagic
Cinema Camera

12-bit 2.5K RAW

Blackmagic
Production
Camera 4K

4000 x 2160
12-bit 4K RAW

1080p25

1080p29.97

1080p30

Blackmagic Cinema Camera

Playback

10

10

Playback

Playing Back Clips

Once you have recorded your video, you can use the transport control buttons to play back your
video on the LCD.

Press the play button once for instant playback and you'll see your video on the LCD and on any
display connected to the HDMI or SDI output. Hold down the forward or reverse buttons to fast
forward or reverse through the clip. Playback will finish when the end of the current clip is reached.

The controls of your camera work just like a CD player, so pressing the forward button will skip to
the start of the next clip. Press the reverse button once to go to the start of the current clip or press
twice to skip back to the start of the previous clip.

On Blackmagic Cinema Camera and Production Camera 4K you can also connect to a Mac or Windows
PC via the Thunderbolt port and monitor your clips using Blackmagic UltraScope. You can check
exposure with the waveform scope, clipping on color channels using RGB parade, color balance using
the vectorscope, audio levels, phase, and more.

To immediately view your recorded clip on a Blackmagic
Camera simply press the 'play' button on the transport controls.

11 About SSDs and SD Cards

Intel 335 Series 240GB SSD

About SSDs and SD Cards

Choosing a Fast SSD

When working with high data rate video it's important to carefully check the SSD you would like to
use. This is because some SSDs can have a lower sustained write speed than the manufacturer’s
claimed speed, so even though a disk specification can claim an SSD is fast enough to handle video,
in reality the disk may not be fast enough for real time video recording.

Use Blackmagic Disk Speed Test to accurately measure whether your SSD will be able to handle
uncompressed video capture and playback. Blackmagic Disk Speed Test uses data to simulate
the storage of video so you get results similar to what you’ll see when capturing video to a disk.
During Blackmagic testing, we have found newer, larger models of SSD and larger capacity SSDs
are generally faster.

We have provided a table showing SSDs that have tested reliable for video recording and playback.
From a quick glance you can see which SSD is fast enough to handle a chosen format.

Please check the tech notes at the Blackmagic Design support center for the latest information.

SanDisk Extreme 480GB SSD

Kingston HyperX 240GB SSD

Brand SSD Name/Model Number Storage Supported Formats

4K RAW 2.5K RAW

ADATA XPG SX900. ASX900S3-256GM-C 256GB No Yes Yes

Angelbird AV Pro 500GB Ye s Yes Yes

AV Pro 250GB Ye s Yes Yes

AV Pro 480GB No Ye s Ye s

AV Pro 240GB No Yes Yes

Crucial M4 (firmware 009 only). CT512M4SSD2. 512GB No No Ye s

M4 (firmware 000F only). CT256M4SSD2. 256GB No No Ye s

Digistor

Intel 520 series. SSDSC2CW480A310. 480GB No Ye s Ye s

4K Professional Video Series.
DIG-PVD1000, pre-formatted exFat.

Professional Video Series.
DIG-PVD480S, pre-formatted exFat.

Professional Video Series.
DIG-PVD240S, pre-formatted exFat.

520 series. SSDSC2CW240A310. 240GB No Yes Yes

530 series. SSDSC2BW240A401. 240GB No Yes Yes

1TB Yes Yes Yes

480GB No Ye s Ye s

240GB No Yes Yes

ProRes and
DNxHD

12 About SSDs and SD Cards

Brand SSD Name/Model Number Storage Supported Formats

4K RAW 2.5K RAW

530 series. SSDSC2BW180A401. 180 GB No Yes Yes

335 series. SSDSC2CT240A4K5. 240GB No Yes Yes

Kingston HyperX Savage. SHSS37A/960G. 960GB Yes Yes Yes

HyperX Savage. SHSS37A/480G. 480GB Ye s Yes Yes

HyperX Savage. SHSS37A/240G. 240GB Yes Yes Yes

HyperX Savage. SHSS37A/120G. 120 GB Yes Yes Ye s

HyperX 3K. SH103S3/480G. 480GB No Ye s Ye s

HyperX 3K. SH103S3/240G. 240GB No Yes Yes

SSDNow KC300. SKC300S37A/480G. 480GB No Ye s Ye s

SSDNow KC300.SKC300S37A/240G. 240GB No Yes Yes

OCZ Agility 3. AGT3-25SAT3-240G. 240GB No No Ye s

OWC

Samsung 850 Pro. MZ-7KE2T0BW, spacer required 2TB Yes Yes Yes

SanDisk Extreme Pro. SDSSDXPS-240G-G25. 240GB Yes Yes Yes

PNY Prevail. SSD9SC480GCDA-PB. 480GB No Ye s Ye s

Mercury Extreme Pro 6G.
OWCSSD7P6G480.

Mercury Extreme Pro 6G.
OWCSSD7P6G240.

Mercury Extreme Pro 6G.
OWCSSD7P6G120.

850 Pro. MZ-7KE1T0BW, spacer required. 1TB Yes Yes Yes

850 Pro. MZ-7KE512BW, spacer required. 512GB Yes Yes Yes

850 Pro. MZ-7KE256BW, spacer required. 256GB Yes Yes Ye s

Extreme Pro. SDSSDXPS-480G-G25. 480GB Ye s Yes Yes

Extreme Pro. SDSSDXPS-960G-G25. 960GB Ye s Yes Yes

Extreme. SDSSDX-480G-G25. 480GB No Ye s Yes

Extreme. SDSSDX-240G-G25. 240GB No Yes Yes

Extreme. SDSSDX-120G-G25. 120 GB No No Yes

Prevail. SSD9SC240GCDA-PB. 240GB No Yes Yes

480GB No Ye s Ye s

240GB No Yes Yes

120GB No Yes Yes

ProRes and
DNxHD

13 About SSDs and SD Cards

Brand SSD Name/Model Number Storage Supported Formats

4K RAW 2.5K RAW

PNY XLR8. SSD9SC480GMDA-RB. 480GB No Ye s Yes

CL4100. SSD7S480GCL4. 480GB No No Yes

CL4100. SSD7S240GCL4. 240GB No No Yes

Transcend SSD370. TS1TSSD370. 1TB No Yes Yes

SSD370. TS512GSSD370. 512GB No Ye s Ye s

Transcend SSD370. TS256GSSD370. 256GB No Yes Yes

SSD720. TS256GSSD720. 256GB No Yes Yes

Wise Cinema CMS-0240 240GB Yes Yes Ye s

Important Notes About SSD Speed

If your SSD is dropping frames, try a different SSD or use a compressed HD recording format such as
ProRes or DNxHD for lower data rates. Check the Blackmagic Design website for the latest information.

ProRes and
DNxHD

Choosing a Fast SD Card

It's important to use SDHC and SDXC cards with Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera and Blackmagic
Micro Cinema Camera. These cards are rated for fast data speeds and support larger storage sizes.

We have provided a table showing SD cards that have tested reliable for video recording and playback.
From a quick glance you can see which SD card is fast enough to handle a chosen format.

Please check the tech notes at the Blackmagic Design support center for the latest information.

Brand SD Card Name/Type Storage Supported Formats

RAW ProRes

Delkin Devices Elite SDHC UHS-I. 32GB No Yes

Elite SDHC UHS-I. 16GB No Yes

SanDisk Extreme Pro. 95 MB/sec SDXC UHS-I 512GB Yes Yes

Extreme Pro. 95 MB/sec SDXC UHS-I 256GB Yes Ye s

Extreme Pro. 95 MB/sec SDXC UHS-I 128GB Yes Yes

Extreme Pro. 95 MB/sec SDXC UHS-I 64GB Ye s Ye s

14 About SSDs and SD Cards

Select the 'format disk' or 'format card' icon on the camera
dashboard to format your SSD or SD card.

Brand SD Card Name/Type Storage Supported Formats

RAW ProRes

Extreme Pro. 95 MB/sec SDHC UHS-I 32GB Ye s Ye s

Extreme Plus. 80 MB/sec SDXC UHS-I 128GB Yes Yes

Extreme Plus. 80 MB/sec SDXC UHS-I 64GB No Yes

Extreme Plus. 80 MB/sec SDHC UHS-I 32GB No Yes

Extreme Plus. 80 MB/sec SDHC UHS-I 16GB No Yes

Extreme Plus. 80 MB/sec SDHC UHS-I 8GB No Yes

Extreme. 45 MB/sec SDXC UHS-I 128GB No Yes

Extreme. 45 MB/sec SDXC UHS-I 64GB No Yes

Extreme. 45 MB/sec SDHC UHS-I 32GB No Yes

Extreme. 45 MB/sec SDHC UHS-I 16GB No Yes

Extreme. 45 MB/sec SDHC UHS-I 8GB No Ye s

Preparing Media for Recording

Choose from HFS+ or exFAT formats. Confirm your selection
by tapping the 'yes, format my disk /card' icon to continue,
or 'cancel' to cancel the format.

SD cards used by Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera and Micro Cinema Camera, and SSDs used by
Blackmagic Cinema Camera and Production Camera 4K must be formatted as either HFS+ or exFAT.
These disk formats allow long clips to be recorded as single files and can be formatted using the
'format disk' feature on the dashboard, or using the 'settings menu' on Blackmagic Micro Cinema
Camera. To see the 'settings menu' on Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera, plug in an HDMI monitor
into the HDMI port or plug in a composite video display unit using the composite video out connector
from the expansion cable.

You can also format SD cards and SSDs via a Mac or PC computer. SSDs can be formatted using an
SSD dock such as Blackmagic MultiDock.

HFS+ is also known as Mac OS Extended. It is the recommended format as it supports "journaling".
Data on journaled media is more recoverable and less likely to be corrupted. HFS+ is natively
supported by Mac OS X.

ExFAT is supported natively by Mac OS X and Windows without needing to purchase any additional
software. However, exFAT does not support journaling which means data is less protected against
the rare event your media card or SSD is corrupted.

15 About SSDs and SD Cards

Use 'disk utility' on Mac OS X to erase your SSD or SD card
in the Mac OS extended (journaled) or exFAT format.

To format your SSD or SD card using the camera settings:
Step 1. Press the 'menu' button to open the dashboard, or to open the settings menu on Blackmagic

Micro Cinema Camera.

Step 2. Select the 'format disk' or 'format card' icon by tapping on the touchscreen or using the

navigation and 'ok' buttons on the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera. On Blackmagic
Micro Cinema Camera, press the 'right' arrow button to navigate through the settings and
press the 'play' button to select 'setup'>'card'.

Step 3. Choose your format by selecting the HFS+ or exFAT icon.

Step 4. A warning will appear asking you to confirm the format. Select 'yes, format my disk/card'

to continue, or 'cancel' to cancel the format.

Step 5. A progress bar shows you the progress of the format. 'Complete' will appear when the

format is done. It is important not to remove cards or SSDs while they are formatting.

Step 6. Select the 'done' icon to return to the dashboard, or press the 'menu' button on

Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera to return to the main menu settings.

Preparing SSDs and SD Cards on a Mac OS X computer

Use the 'disk utility' application included with Mac OS X to format or initialize your SSD or SD card
in the HFS+ or exFAT formats. If your SSD or SD card already has files recorded on them, remember
to back up your media as all data will be lost when it is formatted.

Use the 'format' dialog box feature in Windows
to format your SSD or SD card in the exFAT format.

Step 1. Connect the SSD to your computer with an external dock, such as Blackmagic MultiDock,

or cable adapter and dismiss any message offering to use your SSD for time machine
backups. Plug an SD card into your computer's SD card slot or via an SD card reader.

Step 2. Go to 'applications/utilities' and launch 'disk utility'.

Step 3. Click on the disk icon of your SSD or SD card and then click the 'erase' tab.

Step 4. Set the format to 'Mac OS extended (journaled)' or "exFAT".

Step 5. Type a 'name' for the new volume and then click 'erase'. Your SSD or SD card will quickly

be formatted and made ready for use.

16 About SSDs and SD Cards

Use Disk Speed Test to find out the performance of your
media drives.

Preparing SSDs on a Windows computer

The 'format' dialog box can format an SSD or SD card in the exFAT format on a Windows PC. Remember
to back up anything important from your media as all data will be lost when it is formatted.

Step 1. Connect the SSD to your computer with an external dock, such as Blackmagic MultiDock, or

cable adapter. Plug an SD card into your computer's SD card slot or via an SD card reader.

Step 2. Open the 'start menu' or 'start screen' and choose 'computer'. Right-click on your SSD

or SD card.

Step 3. From the contextual menu, choose 'format'.

Step 4. Set the file system to 'exFAT' and the allocation unit size to 128 kilobytes.

Step 5. Type a volume label, select 'quick format' and click 'start'.

Step 6. Your SSD or SD card will quickly be formatted and made ready for use.

Checking Disk Speed

Blackmagic Disk Speed Test is a fun application that measures the read and write performance of
storage media, then displays the results using video formats.

If you have ever wondered whether your hard drive is suitable for recording ("write") or playback
(“read”) of a particular video format, you can use Disk Speed Test to find out. Test the performance
of your media drives with a single click of the 'start' button! Disk Speed Test will even show you how
many streams of video your storage is capable of handling.

Disk Speed Test interface.

Disk Speed Test is installed by the Desktop Video Software. It is also available as a free download
for Mac OS X from the Mac App Store.

17 Camera Connections

HDMI

12V

Camera Connections

Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera

LANC Remote Control

The remote port on your camera is used to remotely control record starting and stopping, iris
adjustments and manual focus adjustments when using a compatible lens.

The port is a 2.5 mm stereo jack using the standard LANC protocol.

Headphones

Monitor audio while recording or playing back clips by plugging your headphones into the 3.5mm
stereo headphones jack.

Audio In

The 3.5mm stereo audio connector accepts microphone or line level audio. It's important to select
the appropriate setting or your audio may sound too quiet or too loud. The camera automatically
switches to line level if the audio is too loud for a sustained period.

HDMI Out

The micro HDMI port outputs 10-bit uncompressed HD1080p video, even while recording. It can be used
to output video to routers, monitors, capture devices, broadcast switchers and other HDMI devices.

Power

Use the 0.7mm 12 – 20V power input for connecting your power supply and to charge the battery.

USB

Use the USB port to connect your Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera to your computer and update
the internal software. The USB port can be found inside the battery compartment.

18 Camera Connections

Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera

HDMI Out

The HDMI output supports 10-bit 4:2:2 1080p HD video with 2 channels of embedded audio. This
gives you the option to either send a clean video feed or insert overlays on the HDMI output from
the camera menu.

Expansion Port

The expansion port is a standard DB-HD15 connector which includes connections such as +12v power,
analog servo, BNC and RCA connectors. The DB-HD15 is actually quite an old fashioned connector
and it was chosen because its extremely easy to solder wires to it and the plugs are very common
so are easy to purchase. This means you don't have to use the included breakout cable as you can
make up your own custom cables simply by soldering the wires you need to the relevant pins on the
DB-HD15 plug. If you look closely at the pins you can see the pin numbers.

This makes it easy to look up the connector signal layout and connect the wires you need. You can
add a backshell to the DB-HD15 on custom cables or you can even put a little silicon compound on
the plug to keep it small when the camera is being used on a moving mount.

For more information about the expansion port and expansion cable, refer to the ‘Micro Cinema
Camera Expansion Port’ section on the following page.

The USB por t is located on the bottom of the Micro
Cinema Camera.

Analog Audio In

The 3.5mm stereo audio connector accepts both microphone and line level audio, selectable in the
camera menu. The microphone level audio is lower than the line level audio so if you are connecting
a microphone to the camera and have the line level selected, you will find that the levels will be
too low. You can also use the analog audio input for embedding timecode onto your video clip by
sending an SMPTE compliant LTC timecode in the left audio channel and selecting the timecode
option in the camera menu.

USB

Use the mini USB port to connect your Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera to your computer for
software updates. The USB port can be found on the bottom of the camera.

19 Camera Connections

Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera Expansion Port and Expansion Cable

There are two ways to access the expansion port’s functions. You can use the expansion cable that
comes with your Micro Cinema Camera, or solder your own custom connectors.

Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera has a standard DB-HD15 serial connector and can be used with
the included expansion cable for the following control options:

1. Power Input

The 12V power input connects via a DC jack and provides power to the Micro Cinema Camera,
as well as trickle charging any batteries attached. When mains power is supplied, the camera will
automatically turn on.

2. Reference Input

This allows multiple cameras to be genlocked to a blackburst or tri-level reference signal. Genlocking
cameras to an external reference signal helps to prevent timing errors which may result in the picture
jumping when switching between different cameras.

3. LANC

Connect wired LANC remote controllers to the 2.5mm jack for controlling functions like recording
start and stop, iris adjustment, and manual focus from a tripod arm when using compatible lenses.

1

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera Expansion Cable

4. Composite Video Out

Standard definition composite video output via an RCA connector. You can connect this output to
any low cost composite display device or even a wireless composite transmitter. The output can be
selected to be either NTSC or PAL standard from the camera's menu.

5 - 8. Analog Servo Ch1 - Ch4

The four analog servo ports are connected with the Futaba J connectors to a compatible receiver
unit. This is used to wirelessly control your camera. Each PWM analog input operates a single channel
that can drive a feature such as lens focus, iris and servo zooms. You can also connect a simple switch
so that you can quickly toggle the camera to start and stop recording. The camera will treat each
of the analog channel as a switch until it detects a PWM signal. Once a PWM signal is detected, it
will automatically latch on and respond to PWM signals. Power cycle the camera if you want to use
a switch to control the camera.

9. S.Bus Digital Servo

By connecting to a compatible S.Bus receiver using the Futaba J cable, you have 18 S.Bus remote
channels where features of the camera can be assigned to and remotely controlled. These features can
include focus, servo zoom, iris control and other such features. For more information about mapping
functions to S.Bus remote channels, see the ‘Remote Settings’ section of this manual.

20 Camera Connections

Wiring Diagram for the Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera Expansion Cable

When using Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera’s expansion port, you may only
want to access one or two functions. For example, you may want to use the
composite video output feature while simultaneously controlling the zoom
function. It’s easy to make a connector that will give you just these functions
without the clutter of additional, unused connectors.

P1

GROUND

GROUND

GROUND

5

15

10

4

14

9

3

13

8

2

12

7

1

11

6

GROUND

GROUND

GROUND

Use the following diagram when wiring the expansion cable included or use
it as an example of how you can wire up the connections on you own custom
cable correctly. The full range of available pins are listed under group P1, while
subsets used for particular functions, as well as their layout within the appropriate
connectors, are shown in groups P2 through P7.

PIN ASSIGNMENT

2

3

8

12

13

15

S. Bus

Analog Servo Ch1

Analog Servo Ch2

Analog Servo Ch3

Analog Servo Ch4

Composite Video Out

TIP

RING

1
2
3

1
2
3

1
2
3

1
2
3

1
2
3

P2

P3

P4

P5

P6

P7

1 Ground
2 S. Bus
3 Analog Servo Ch1
4 Ground
5 Reference Input

6 Power +12V in
7 Ground
8 Analog Servo Ch2
9 LANC Data
10 LANC Power

11 Ground
12 Analog Servo Ch3
13 Analog Servo Ch4
14 +5V 400mA Out
15 Composite Video Out

GROUND

10

GROUND

GROUND

5

9

6

Reference Input

LANC Data

LANC Power

Power +12V in

TIP

RING

TIP

RING

SLEEVE

PIN

SLEEVE

P8

P9

P10