During a livestream on August 8, Blackmagic Design announced the Pocket Cinema Camera 6K, an upgrade over the PCC4K, which will remain available as part of the product line. The PCC6K introduces a higher-resolution 6K sensor (6,144 x 3,456), which is also physically larger, forcing a move up to the Super 35 format compared to the Four Thirds sensor found in the 4K version of the camera. That also means a new lens mount was necessary, and Blackmagic Design chose the Canon EF mount.
The Pocket Cinema Camera 4K was already one of our favorite cameras, earning a 9 out of 10 in our review and topping our list of the best video cameras. While it lacked some refinements, it did more than any other camera to bring down the costs of professional digital film production, making it an excellent tool for students and indie filmmakers at just $1,300. The PCC6K won’t be quite as cheap, but its $2,495 price is still very affordable compared to any other Super 35 cinema camera.
Interestingly, despite the larger sensor being used, Blackmagic officially rates the dynamic range of the PCC6K at 13 stops — only equal to the PCC4K. The larger sensor does mean filmmakers will be able to achieve a shallower depth of field with native EF-mount lenses, however, which can lead to a more cinematic look. And there is certainly no shortage of such lenses available from both Canon and third parties.
The 6K resolution looks to be available only in the new Blackmagic RAW format, although Apple ProRes is still available up to 4K. In a prior interview, Blackmagic Design told Digital Trends that Blackmagic RAW offered the highest quality to file size ratio of any file format, even at the highest compression levels, so it makes sense it would want to focus on it. Blackmagic RAW 6K is supported in the newest version of DaVinci Resolve Studio, which is included at no extra charge with the PCC6K.
One downside of moving to the larger sensor and Canon EF mount is that the PCC6K is noticeably longer than its 4K sibling — but it is still considerably smaller than traditional Super 35 cinema cameras, including Blackmagic’s own URSA Mini Pro. It otherwise looks nearly identical to the 4K model, with a carbon fiber/polycarbonate body shell, SD and CFast memory card slots, excellent 5-inch touchscreen, and (less excellent) Canon LP-E6 battery.
The Pocket Cinema Camera 6K is available now, although it may not yet be in stock at retailers. Interested customers can preview and download sample footage from Blackmagic Design.
