BMPCC Alternative

[AlisterM]

Hi there everyone,

 

I'm obviously wanting to get the BMPCC but its rather specialist so super hard to find a reliable seller that doesn't tax so badly. I've found multiple used ones on amazon and the likes, and bhphoto did have a good price until I looked at the tax which took it from £746 to £962.

 

Are there any alternative micro 4/3rds cameras from more mainstream brands that will offer the same or better video performance. I want the BMPCC because of its flat colours that allow for beautiful colour correction in post and its prores and RAW formats. The camera doesn't need to be 4K as I'm using it for Film Production and value cinematics over resolution. My budget is mean to be £600 but I can go £200 pounds over. 

[geomi neun babo]

Have you tried looking on CVP if you live in the UK?

https://cvp.com/index.php?t=product/blackmagic_pocket_cinema_camera_mft&sourceRef=int%3Asuggest&userInput=pocket cine

[AlisterM]

7 minutes ago, geomi neun babo said:

Have you tried looking on CVP if you live in the UK?

https://cvp.com/index.php?t=product/blackmagic_pocket_cinema_camera_mft&sourceRef=int%3Asuggest&userInput=pocket cine

Yeah but the VAT takes it from  £688.89 to  £826.67 which is pretty shitty

[ALwin]

2 minutes ago, AlisterMultimedia said:

Yeah but the VAT takes it from  £688.89 to  £826.67 which is pretty shitty

I live in Switzerland, if I order from CVP I don't have to pay VAT.  You have any plans to visit Geneva anytime soon?

 

You're getting that amount of VAT due to it being a video camera.

[AlisterM]

Just now, ALwin said:

I live in Switzerland, if I order from CVP I don't have to pay VAT.  You have any plans to visit Geneva anytime soon?

I wish I could

[ShadowCaptain]

9 minutes ago, AlisterMultimedia said:

Yeah but the VAT takes it from  £688.89 to  £826.67 which is pretty shitty

You have to pay VAT on every camera.. its the law lol

 

check out sites like panamoz etc who do grey imports but i dont think they do that camera

 

The BMPCC is quite unique with its ability to shoot RAW and with a completely flat image profile

Something like the Panasonic G7 could be an option, I think it has a cine log profile to use for colour grading and is quite a cheap MFT camera - arguably a more feature packed camera than the BMPCC and also shoots 4k

But not much else will fit in that budget - you probably need more money for the rest of the equipment you need

[ALwin]

17 minutes ago, AlisterMultimedia said:

I wish I could

Well I could also order and post it, but:

1. I don't really know you
2. Paying me back for postage to Geneva and then back to the UK will end up costing the same price as the VAT or perhaps a bit more

[ALwin]

1 hour ago, ShadowCaptain said:

Something like the Panasonic G7 could be an option, I think it has a cine log profile to use for colour grading and is quite a cheap MFT camera - arguably a more feature packed camera than the BMPCC and also shoots 4k

The problem is that the G7, the GH4 and even the A6300 records internal 8-bit 4:2:0 even with LOG profiles.  While LOG profiles are easier for color grading, they don't have the same degree of latitude as 10-bit 4:2:2 that an external recorder like an Atomos can capture from the HDMI out.

[ShadowCaptain]

8 minutes ago, ALwin said:

The problem is that the G7, the GH4 and even the A6300 records internal 8-bit 4:2:0 even with LOG profiles.  While LOG profiles are easier for color grading, they don't have the same degree of latitude as 10-bit 4:2:2 that an external recorder like an Atomos can capture from the HDMI out.

Sure but 4:2:0 is not ungradable or anything, it really depends if OP NEEDS Raw or 4:2:2, does he have a 10bit monitor or anything?

Hard to say if OP needs that, and he can always use an external recorder, or save up for the BMPCC

Nothing in his budget does that

 

EDIT you can also downscale the internal recording to 10bit 4:4:4 1080p 

[AlisterM]

3 hours ago, ShadowCaptain said:

You have to pay VAT on every camera.. its the law lol

 

check out sites like panamoz etc who do grey imports but i dont think they do that camera

 

The BMPCC is quite unique with its ability to shoot RAW and with a completely flat image profile

Something like the Panasonic G7 could be an option, I think it has a cine log profile to use for colour grading and is quite a cheap MFT camera - arguably a more feature packed camera than the BMPCC and also shoots 4k

But not much else will fit in that budget - you probably need more money for the rest of the equipment you need

The rest of the equipment is already sorted  (i'm just upgrading camera)

[ShadowCaptain]

2 minutes ago, AlisterMultimedia said:

The rest of the equipment is already sorted  (i'm just upgrading camera)

what about lenses

[AlisterM]

Got three mft lenses which is why the camera has to be compatible 

 

Quote

what about lenses 

 

[ALwin]

7 minutes ago, AlisterMultimedia said:

Got three mft lenses which is why the camera has to be compatible 

 

 

The G7 has a mft mount, no?

[AlisterM]

3 minutes ago, ALwin said:

The G7 has a mft mount, no?

Yeah it does   I'm looking at it now, might be a sweet option. Thanks guys, I'll either work my ass off and pay that pointless VAT or i'll search up some comparison footage

[ALwin]

6 minutes ago, AlisterMultimedia said:

Yeah it does   I'm looking at it now, might be a sweet option. Thanks guys, I'll either work my ass off and pay that pointless VAT or i'll search up some comparison footage

Between the G7 and the BMPCC I personally would prefer the BMPCC.  But ProRes and Cinema Raw will eat up memory cards fast.

 

It's up to you to choose your own camera of course, but if your aim is filming and not something like tech review videos... BMPCC is more suitable.

[AlisterM]

2 minutes ago, ALwin said:

Between the G7 and the BMPCC I personally would prefer the BMPCC.  But ProRes and Cinema Raw will eat up memory cards fast.

 

It's up to you to choose your own camera of course, but if your aim is filming and not something like tech review videos... BMPCC is more suitable.

Film Production student so I don't really need any photography features

[ALwin]

2 minutes ago, AlisterMultimedia said:

Film Production student so I don't really need any photography features

Ok sell your soul, your organs, first born, etc. and get an ARRI.

 

[AlisterM]

8 hours ago, ALwin said:

Ok sell your soul, your organs, first born, etc. and get an ARRI.

 

I'll be using Alexa and Red epic cameras but just wanted one for personal projects. Luckily because it's my birthday soon; family gifted me the extra for VAT, should arrive in a couple days! 

[ShadowCaptain]

On 20/09/2016 at 2:45 PM, AlisterMultimedia said:

Yeah it does   I'm looking at it now, might be a sweet option. Thanks guys, I'll either work my ass off and pay that pointless VAT or i'll search up some comparison footage

Even if you import from abroad you will pay VAT

 

the only way to not pay it is to be a VAT registered business 

[ALwin]

1 hour ago, ShadowCaptain said:

Even if you import from abroad you will pay VAT

 

the only way to not pay it is to be a VAT registered business 

In some cases importing from abroad will cost you more:

• Shipping costs
• VAT (and even in cases where the place you order from, e.g. B&H, which do not apply VAT on your initial payment and delivery cost, the shipping company, e.g. DHL, UPS, etc., will apply the VAT when they send you a bill later and I've found that this can sometimes be more expensive).  For example, I've ordered some stuff from B&H and had them shipped to my home in Switzerland because the US prices are cheaper even after taking shipping costs and VAT into account, but still the bill I get from UPS for paying the VAT/Import taxes after delivery is higher than expected because they also add the processing fee/service charge as they pay the VAT/Import tax at the customs for you when it arrives and sends you the bill to pay them back for it later.

Sure the 150~GBP VAT on CVP looks high, but if you take into consideration other stuff it can be somewhat cheaper.  Unless of course there's a coincidence that you're traveling to Geneva for some event and you're already spending money for that trip, in which case someone like me can order from CVP and hand it over to you here and you pay me back (which is going to cost you about 688.89GBP for the product, about 20GBP for the shipping, and about 50GBP for the VAT that DHL will bill me later, totaling around 760GBP).