Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K price permanently reduced to $995

It’s been a busy old week for Blackmagic, which finishes it off with a permanent reduction of $300 on the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K.

Taking $300 off the price of a camera is something we’re used to seeing around Black Friday time, but less so out of the sale period. Even less so when the company behind it makes it a permanent reduction.

The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K has been $1295 since it was introduced in 2018. We liked it then; we like it now, even though it has obviously been superseded by its successors.

But it was always a lot of camera for the money, and it’s even more so now at a permanent price point of $995. To put it into context, if the price had kept up with inflation, a new Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K would now cost close to $1800. Look at it that way, and it’s half the price it should be.

The company highlights the ability to work across both digital films and live production with it. “Featuring a 4/3 image sensor with 4096 x 2160 resolution and an MFT lens mount, the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K allows customers to capture wide dynamic range, Hollywood-quality, digital film images. Plus, it’s the perfect studio camera with tally when combined with [the Blackmagic]  ATEM Mini,” it trills.

Here’s what you get for $995:

• Full-size 4/3-sized sensor with native 4096 x 2160 resolution sensor.
• Works as a studio camera when connected to ATEM Mini.
• Compatible with high-quality Micro Four Thirds lenses.
• 13 stops of dynamic range.
• Up to 25,600 ISO for good low-light performance.
• Multi-function grip for quick access to recording start/stop, ISO, shutter, aperture, white balance, power, and more.
• USB-C expansion port for recording directly to an external SSD or flash disk.
• Standard open file formats compatible with popular software.
• Features full-size HDMI output for monitoring with camera status graphic overlay.
• Professional mini XLR inputs with 48-volt phantom power.
• 3.5mm audio jack, headphone jack, and locking DC 12-volt power connection.
• Built-in 5” LCD touchscreen allows accurate focus when shooting 4K.
• LCD supports on-screen overlays including status, histogram, and focus peaking.
• Records 4K images at up to 60 fps and windowed HD at up to 120 fps.
• 3D LUTs can be applied for both monitoring and recording.
• Blackmagic OS as used in URSA Mini and URSA Broadcast cameras.
• Includes Blackmagic Generation 5 Color Science.
• Supports remote camera control via Bluetooth.
• Includes full DaVinci Resolve Studio for post-production.

That’s all pretty good. Once upon a time, we would have said that there is no way a six-year-old camera can be a good investment, but technology has stabilised a lot over the past decade. As we reported recently, the top rental camera in the US (at least as far as Lensrental data shows) is the four-year-old Canon EOS R5, and what was impressive in 2018 can still very much cut it in 2024.

It will be interesting to see what dipping under the $1000 psychological price point does for BPCC 4K sales over the coming year. The reduction is currently percolating the reseller network and should be available everywhere soon.