The pocket 4k which is already a pretty large camera to begin with then the pocket 6K came along which is bigger.

Most people use this camera to shoot corporate video, documentary-style video or if you are filmmaker content creator videographer or you are looking for a camera to shoot great image quality.

I mean it’s a camera that you can not complain about the design you will definitely fall in love with everything that this camera does.

So, what I really love about this camera is that this camera is made for those who want to shoot motion and as soon as you turn this camera on, you are not going to be lost in the menu because everything that you need to expose it is right in front of you.

Also, the RGB histogram allows you to see the tone of the image that you are capturing so you can balance your shots properly and all these tools combined give you better exposure and great skin tone.

Also, a great feature is a false color which allows you to access and expose correctly by seeing the value of your skin tone highlight and shadow to get better results.

So, if you want to sell your camera or you use something like Sony A7S III or Sony A7 IV and buy the Blackmagic pocket cinema camera 6k pro first the image you’re getting at the price and all the features you have in it and that’s why I’m making Blackmagic 6K Pro Review.

Pocket 6K has a few added features to make shooting a better experience with the same key specs compared to the original pocket 6K so filming with the 6k pro camera with 60 frames per second the external recordings it’s kind of like a DSLR camera on steroids.

The software, the menu system, the sensor, the image frame rates, the same 6k resolution up to 50 frames per second, all the frame rates and stuff are exactly and the same dynamic range are the same as the original Pocket 6K.

the durability of this camera is like it doesn’t feel as durable as the Sony cameras it gives a more natural type of look in the camera when you’re shooting handheld on a heavier camera.

I’ll compare the Blackmagic 6K pro review to the previous version along with the other popular market contenders I think this is more of an evolution of the original cinema camera.

so this means the same codec and resolution options same menu system same media slots. there’s definitely a heavier camera than the original pocket 6K but that’s because there is a lot more packed into this hardware related. The biggest feature probably is our internal nd system on this camera.

so the reason why a friend of mine bought this camera was simply because of the image quality. The internal nds, and the low price was the ultimate feature compared to the Canon C70 or the Red Komodo and the image quality is just so much better than the Sony Alpha A7 III.

when you’re considering a new camera first thing that you are looking at is how is it built and what it look like but this is a very strange camera.

So, every camera is a tool and every tool is meant to be used in a certain way and I want a camera that becomes sort of a physical extension of the creative process I was very impressed with the first pocket 6k when it came out in 2019.

So we all want to know what’s different between the previous 6k and the 6k pro. The original pocket 6k ND filters are a godsend you get three nd stops and give you more flexibility which is easier to deal with outdoor filming.

It means no more filters on the front of your lens that might produce a color cast. They also work as ir cut filters, eliminating ir pollution a long-standing problem with previous generation pocket cameras.

this is their highest-end camera created to make movies it does it creates movies automatically Blackmagic just done it and it couldn’t have come at a better time, Blackmagic announced a massive update to 6K Pro and might have just fixed all the problems.

So first, update to the 6K pro is fixing the calibration issue on the LCD screen.

But Blackmagic not just try to fix these issues, they also added a few new features to the previous models 6K, 4K, and the 6K Pro. So first, they updated the luminous histogram
to an RGB histogram, and they’re actually gonna have clipping indicators for the different color channels. And the second thing they added is false-color guides.

the most upgrade feature is the new electronic motor-driven six stop irn d filter system and the two quick select buttons for plus and minus nd control the internal ird’s are excellent and show little color shift.

It sounds great but Red Camera actually has this on the Red Komodo and really on all their Reds, and photographers love it.

Blackmagic didn’t stay only with this they improved the autofocus with active lens control. So, I mean, nobody really thinks that Blackmagic have really great autofocus anyway.

They also improve the focus peaking visibility and then they actually fixed the issue with importing LUTs in presets.

Disclosure: Some of the links on this site are affiliate links, meaning that if you click on one of the links and purchase an item, I may receive a commission. All opinions however are my own.

1. Performance

the 6k pro is a beefed-up version of the 6k it’s a little larger with the same design, same sensor, and ef mount as a 6K.

But Blackmagic has added many features for many photographers such as;

• built-in four position motor-driven nd system
• provides two four and six stops of ir and d filtration as well.

So, if you own the previous version it’s a worthy upgrade from the 4k or 6k, because of its new 1 500 nit 5-inch touchscreen that can tilt up and down through a fully articulating screen.

2. ND Filters

I had a lot of questions on the nd filters in particular as of course, they’re one of the main new features of the pocket 6k pro. This is the first time Blackmagic has introduced a motorized ND filter mechanism on one of their cameras and it’s the first time they put at 6K Pro.

you get are clear two stops, four stops, and six stops so not quite up to the 10 stops of nd where you can find with some other cameras but that is the same amount of levels as you get on their larger Ursa mini pro.

the 6k pro offers 2, 4, and 6 nd stops but falls short in comparison against the C70 which offers 8 and 10 stops, and the Sony FX6 which offers 2 to 7 stops of electronic variable nd.

the IR ND filters in the Blackmagic pocket 6k pro are designed to bring the best out of the sensor because they are made by Blackmagic.

these ND filters have an infrared cut built into them but in my test, it doesn’t seem to be quite strong enough to eliminate any color cast.

The best part of the 6K pro is its built-in nd filters feature I’m most excited about and in my opinion, this is the biggest upgrade. This makes it the only cinema to have this feature at such a low price of 2500.

But this is not a new camera it’s the same old 6K with desperately needed improvements that made it more filmmaker friendly.

this is the same price you paid for the first 6K that didn’t have any nd’s another competitor then the 6K pro option you have for a camera with built-in nds with the same form factor is the Canon C70, costing you the same as two 6k pro and an EVF on top moving on to power this was the other prediction that came.

3. Rolling Shutter

it has about a 20-millisecond rolling shutter and the rolling shutter is simply the way the sensor captures an image. It doesn’t activate all of the sensors at the same time but scans across it.

It slowly scans from the top of the video to the bottom, if something moves down it stays that way. That’s essentially what a rolling shutter will do to your footage.

4. Autofocus System

When it comes to the autofocus performance of the pocket 6k pro in their official specs just say autofocus is available when using compatible lenses there is no improvement in autofocus over the original pocket 6k and it does have autofocus. It’s just one shot, not continuous, and a simple contrast-based system.

Blackmagic 6K pro specs

• 6K capture to Raw and ProRes
• 2 mini xlr inputs with phantom power
• mini jack input headphone
• Bright 1500 cd/m² Tilting HDR LCD
• Dual XLR Inputs, Canon Active EF Mount
• Record 6K 6144 x 3456 up to 50 fps
• CFast 2.0 & SD/UHS-II Card Slots
• USB Type-C Recording
• 3D LUT Support
• Includes DaVinci Resolve Studio
• Storage and Recording
• Shoot Still Frames up to 21.2MP
• Dual Gain ISO for Exceptional Low Light Performance
• Shoot Incredible High Dynamic Range
• High Resolution Cinematic Digital Film Sensor

5. Blackmagic 6K pro battery

something else that you’ll find different on the bmpcc 6k pro is that the 6k pro use sony npf 570 batteries which is able to record 60 minutes of 6k raw 24 fps to a c fast 2 cards with 50
brightness. That’s up from 45 minutes from the lp e6 batteries that the previous version.

And you can actually use three batteries at the same time and giving this camera a bit more battery life. They are supposed to get longer it does have bigger sony batteries that can get over two hours. Also, you can record for 2 hours and 30 minutes in 6K raw with the screen brightness.

Those are the most popular affordable and compatible batteries out there offering an average of an hour of runtime.

• it’s 3 500 milliamps and 26 watt hour a very rare high capacity that’s hard to find in this battery size.

This is a big improvement if we look at the Blackmagic site and the spec for the batteries of each camera. Shooting with the same settings same media at the same brightness on the screen the larger mpf battery will only give you 55 minutes extra.

I was testing 6K pro for my paid and personal projects and while recording for about 15 minutes and the battery was still full something I was excited about. But consider that if you’re in really cold weather probably is not going to last as long.

the bigger battery will offset the increased power draw from these editions and the extra XLR port will allow you to capture multiple inputs.

those batteries are much more useful they are easy to find I’m really happy about the battery and the battery life.

the first pocket 6K came with a tiny canon lp e6 battery that lasted for 30 or 40 minutes. They also introduced a battery solution that had a dummy battery that took the place of the existing battery.

6. Camera Body

But BMPCC 6k pro has more features the reason for having a heavier body is because this camera weighs 1238 g and it is designed in an alloy of aluminum and stainless steel has a few new tricks up being built-in ND filters this feature, in my opinion, is worth upgrading from the pocket 4K or the previous Pocket 6k model.

the main plastic casing is also exactly the same as the original 6K but while the grip on the old 6K felt like cheap plasticky rubber. The Blackmagic 6K pro grip is actually much more grippy and even though it looks exactly the same. if you really put these two cameras side by side you start to notice the difference in size and shape.

So on the bottom of the camera, there are two 1/4-20s, with two points on the bottom built into the body and a couple of the other body changes that just makes it a more pro experience.

the biggest thing that I’d say about 6K Pro is that it definitely feels cheaper the plastic body it’s a cheaper grade plastic the buttons just feel cheap, the body is made out of plastic and it feels a little cheap considering the price but it’s not mean that as robust as look.

6K Pro Features

• super 35 sensor
• dynamic range of 13 stops
• an active EF mount
• dual native ISO, 400 and 3200
• swiveling touchscreen with 1500 nits of brightness
• built-in ND filters
• an optional viewfinder
• two mini XLR-inputs

7. 6K Pro Menu

Blackmagic really has one of the most intuitive easiest and just simplest menu systems on any camera the menu system on 6K Pro is so straightforward and insane because it strips out all the photo settings it didn’t change too much the record menu is quite the same.

• there are two new buttons, the plus and minus ND filter
• two- four and six-stop ND, iris button,
• the focus button high frame rate, punch in to check your focus,
• menu, and play which is nice because the other pocket cameras do not have this.

8. 6K Pro LCD Screen

6K Pro has a swivel screen coming from a DSLR user the screen comes in handy because you’re able to see exactly what you’re filming there’s like a side grip handle where it fits nicely in the hand.

the physical design of this camera is with some big changes to the design notably, the LCD screen rotates which is clutch for getting unique angles when you’re shooting handheld, and also the electronic viewfinder.

the screen is bright and features 1500 nits you can use it in daylight as long as it is not in the ray of the sun.

The Blackmagic display is actually 1,500 nits, so you get HDR daylight viewability on the camera itself I found the screen is really responsive. Something that Blackmagic cinema cameras haven’t done it before because all the displays on all the other cameras kind of suck to use outside, and you sort of having to use an external monitor.

it’s a full HD 5-inch screen with the standard resolution in all high-end external monitors of that size. This makes it the biggest monitor amongst all mirrorless cameras. It’s bigger and higher in resolution than the Sony FX3 and the A7S III and slightly lower than the Panasonic S1H.

• it’s a touch screen with full touch control over all camera menu settings with such a big and very responsive screen.

it does have a micro OLED display at 1280 by 960 resolution made of glass I see the benefit of having a viewfinder because it makes it easier to set focus to frame your shot dial in your settings.

the 6k pro is still the same size but it’s about two and a half times as bright and it tilts up and down. so while this is better than the previous version Pocket 6K I really would have a fully articulating display that could swing out and up.

Also, I need to mention that sony even learned that their little articulating screens were not very convenient so they fixed that with the Sony A7S III. And I don’t know maybe there’s a reason behind it but if it was able to fully rotate.

9. EVF

the most important feature about EVF is its detachable the EVFS tilts by 70 degrees a very a crucial feature for the usability of EVF in general it’s an OLED panel commonly used in higher quality evfs with a resolution of 1.23 million dots qualifying it as a mid-range level EVF
compared to other market standards.

10. Blackmagic 6K pro Native ISO

6K Pro has two signal paths that each iso can take there’s 100 to 1 000, and then there’s 1250 to 6400 the range between 1250 and 6400. Generally is better in low light and 100 to 1000 is generally going to be better for environments.

ISO 1250 looks significantly better than iso 1000 if but you’re looking at just the noise when you switch over to 1250 it gets significantly cleaner. So what I want to explain here is that each iso has a very different impact on your dynamic range if you are shooting outside during a very bright day.

6K Pro gives you two ISO systems in one camera with natives at 400 and 3200. This means that you can switch over from that higher system at 3200 and get cleaner footage without having to bring in a ton of lights.

11. Blackmagic 6K pro Sensor

the sensor on pocket 6K pro is the same as the Pocket 6K but with an updated version like five color science that came with Blackmagic Ursa Mini Pro 12K camera.

With the five color science generation, you get a new dynamic 12 bit gamma curve designed to capture more color data in the highlights and shadows for better image quality.

Pocket 6K Pro has a super 35 6k sensor with 13 stops of dynamic range the same as in the previous camera this sensor gives you the option to shoot 6K raw up to 50 fps and prores 4k up to 60 fps.

it’s the same sensor as the regular 6k model has but 6K pro has version five color science that the 12K camera uses.

BMPCC 6k pro sensor has the most pleasing skin tones and smooth shadow roll-off compared to Sony Alpha A7S III and the S1H.

• shoot up to 50 FPS at 6K or up to 120 FPS at 2.8K, now, at 2.8 K at 120 FPS.

common features between 6K and the 6K pro they both share the same 6k sensor which is by far my most favorite sensor of all mirrorless cameras. It has the most pleasing skin tones and smooth shadow roll-off compared to both Sony A7S III and the Panasonic S1H.

12. Image Quality

So, in terms of the quality images a simple camera that gives you image quality and allows things to come out very well in terms of color because it has 422 and 10 bits of the format

the image quality that comes out of this camera is by far the best I’ve seen for the price of this camera it has twelve bit six crore dual native ISO Gen5 color science.

There are really a lot of pixels in there looks really good image quality is pretty insane it looks basically as good if not better as the Canon R5 when I see videos of the 8k coming out of the EOS R5 this 6K looks really good.

looks like a really high-quality iPhone image it looks kind of pixely looks excellent and unsurprisingly. I mean it’s great it’s a better image than the 4K because it has a better sensor.

this is not a surprise this camera has a beautiful image, the sensor out of this thing is awesome a claim 13 stops at the dynamic range the image looks absolutely stunning the highlight roll-off is really pleasing.

the image quality is incredibly sharp I can’t really explain what feels different but there’s just something about how the image looks of the sensor that is a lot more pleasing to my eye the image you get out of this camera is amazing for its price and b-raw is a joy to work with in post-production.

the 6k footage is so brilliant that you can punch into more than 200 and still not notice any reduction in quality even on 4k monitors.

the image quality is better than most but in all fairness, it is not as good as the Canon R5.

It’s a great image than the 4k since you do have that better sensor the image is pretty similar to 6K overall. it’s insane the level of the image that you’re getting out of this $2500 camera this could easily cut right along with footage from the Blackmagic Ursa Mini Pro G2 and it would easily cut in with footage from the Arri Alexa Mini as well.

their color science is truly special combined with the resolution and sharpness just produces an amazing image quality, and because of black magic raw it is so easy to work in a post, you can match black magic with just about any camera.

Because of the price point and image quality workflow, they truly offer a remarkable image for what their camera costs there’s no camera in the market at this price point that will give you the type of image quality and workflow that the pocket offers.

13. 6K Pro Weight

so this camera weighs about 4.61 lb it is light, which makes it nice for traveling when it comes to different cinema cameras currently on the market.

The Blackmagic 6K Pro is actually significantly bigger about one pound heavier than the non-pro version Pocket 6K.

14. Blackmagic 6K Pro Price

what makes this version specifically, it costs around $500 more than the original 6K which still positions it way below its competition. And all of the buttons and features you’d come to expect on a Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera, all with the base price of $2,495.

it’s actually the most affordable super 35 camera currently available with a built-in nd system which is a huge feature for the camera to have at that price point.

I think for the price the Blackmagic 6K Pro is an incredibly compelling option for a huge range of shooters the pocket 6k and the Blackmagic pocket cinema camera 6k pro can produce some of the nicest imagery at the sub price point if you want this camera don’t hesitate to buy it.

it’s actually the most affordable super 35 camera currently available with a built-in nd system which is a huge feature for the camera to have at that price point.

I think for the price the Blackmagic 6K Pro is an incredibly compelling option for a huge range of shooters the pocket 6k and the Blackmagic pocket cinema camera 6k pro can produce some of the nicest imagery at the sub price point if you want this camera don’t hesitate to buy it.

15. Blackmagic 6k Pro Released Date

6K Pro was released on February 18th, 2021, with a Resolution of a 6144 by 3456, which is 6K, and it’s up to 50 frames per second and since then, it has been a game-changer for the industry.

Advantages

• uses Super 35 sensor allowing for shooting with a depth of field and anamorphic lenses
• 13-stops of dynamic range provide stunning low-noise images
• uses high-quality motorized IR ND filters to reduce the amount of light entering
• Dual Gain ISO of optimized to minimize grain or noise in images
• High base secondary ISO of 3200 perfect for shooting in low light environments
• high-speed USB-C expansion port for recording directly to an external media drive

Their color science is truly special and because of black magic raw, it is so easy to work in a post in fact you can match black magic with just about any camera. There are memory slots, which are CFast and an SD card, a Blackmagic 6K sensor, and much larger intakes of air, microphone, headphone, a full-size HDMI Type C for charging, as well as the Samsung T5 drives and two mini XLR ports.

In comparison with the BMPCC Pocket actually only had one, and the BMPCC 6K.

Disadvantages

• The sensor has more noise
• The screen is bad to record at night

There are some features that it doesn’t have compared to some cameras like Canon C70, Sony FX6, Canon EOS C200 but considering Blackmagic always has been at the bottom of good value but EVF is being useful in certain situations, though sort of an expensive addition.

the only issue I found out with the display is that it has a bluish tint, the 6k pro doesn’t have any form of image stabilization and it suffers from an unreliable and antiquated autofocus system.

Wrapping Up

Blackmagic is a company that loves indie filmmakers they’re one of the few companies out there that genuinely want to give its customers everything they possibly can at the lowest price point but that comes at the expense of quality control.

Blackmagic Design is calling this a pro version of the other 6k because they added more user-friendly things with it pro features like the internal and, the screen, and the bigger battery.

so I think the 6K pro is actually going to appeal more to people who either have never bought into the Blackmagic system before or people who have a 4K and are going all the way to the 6K pro.

Pocket 6K Pro comes to improve different aspects that are good, that make it a better camera.

6K Pro is a cheaper professional system camera but I would not recommend this camera if you’re just a beginner, you can take Canon EOS R6 it looks incredible the Sony A7S III is really good.

so one thing I’d like to see in the next generation is improved low-light and body stabilization if they add those two things this camera will be absolutely amazing.

Conclusion

In conclusion to this camera, it’s reliable and it has great quality more than you could ever expect for comparing it to a DSLR camera with all these new features added to the pocket 6k pro is this camera competitive enough in 2021 the short answer is absolute yes.

I guess you will love everything new that I just talked about the nds the screen the additional xlr all that kind of stuff I love the menu system still love that hasn’t changed from any of the Blackmagic cameras.

I don’t suggest buying the old 6k the lack of autofocus and image stabilization, the quality control issues of the blue tints found in both the screen and the nds throwing off. So I can’t tell you whether it’s good for you or not but I hope my analysis will help you make a decision.

if I had to pick between the 6K and the 6K pro I would go for the 6K Pro I think it’s a great camera price with a lot of added physical features.