A YouTube channel named OBP has published a very educational and straightforward comparison between two very different cameras: The Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K (BMCC6K) and the Sony BURANO. Although both cameras are defined as cinema cameras, and both of them produce stunning imagery, the price difference is huge (BURANO is tens of times more expensive). However, would you notice the difference in image quality?
BURANO vs. BMCC6K
The goal of the video was to find out if the BURANO is worth tens time of the cost of the Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K. Although the Sony BURANO belongs to the high-end elite CineAlta family of Sony’s acclaimed full-frame cinema camera, the BMCC6K was chosen to confront it as it has an outstanding cinematic image quality. The question asked is if you would be able to see a difference in image quality between these two cameras. Explore the slide below which demonstrates selected tests.
Discussion
First, it’s important to note that these cameras were designed for certain purposes. You can’t really compare the BMCC6K to the BURANO, and vice versa. The BURANO has many more features that the BMCC6K doesn’t (connectors, I/O, NDs, and more). Furthermore, the BURANO aimed at a different market. Nevertheless, imagery-wise, we can draw some comparisons. And Indeed, they share a similar image quality. The BMCC6K produces outstanding imagery, and, in some cases, you would never know which is which. However, the BURANO excels in highlights roll-off and creates some of the most beautiful highlights roll-off we’ve ever seen, The BURANO outputs much more cinematic imagery compared to the BMCC6K. Moreover, the BURANO has a lot better low-light performance than the BMCC6K, and we are all familiar with the poor low-light capabilities of the Blackmagic Cameras. As for the rolling shutter, both cameras fail. The BMCC6K is known for its slow readout speed and thus produces noticeable rolling shutter artifacts. The same goes for the Sony BURANO, and as we wrote before a high-end cinema camera like the BURANO should have a lot faster readout speed, since the rolling shutter artifacts can ruin the excellent imagery coming out of the BURANO.
Watch below the very straightforward and educational comparison made by OBP:
Product List
Here are the products mentioned in the article, and the links to purchase them from authorized dealers.
- Sony BURANO 8K Digital Motion Picture Camera
- Blackmagic Design Cinema Camera 6K
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What is that rolling-shutter test? You need to use a high-speed strobe and get some legitimate measurements. A vertical line? No.
The main difference between consumer and professional cameras seems to be how well the image holds up in post after being over or underexposed. That’s the difference between good enough and an expensive re-shoot for a big budget production. There has been parity in overall footage quality since the release of the BMCC 2.5K.
The BMCC 6K latitude results were unremarkable, the 12-bit RAW did no better than many consumer cameras. Only inexperienced people need concern themselves with poorly exposed shots; professional cinematographers know how to light and expose properly; and over- and underexposure tests are not the main difference between consumer and professional cameras.
Log and RAW have no highlight rolloff. What you are seeing in the video is the superior dynamic range of the Sony Burano, with around 12 stops vs the BMCC 6K’s poor 10 stops. 12-13 stops are the minimum required to be considered a cinema camera.
Look: you are wrong. You sound like someone who has never used Blackmagic. Blackmagic 6K gets 12 stops of DR, as you can see from this test by CineD:
https://www.cined.com/blackmagic-cinema-camera-6k-lab-test-rolling-shutter-dynamic-range-and-latitude/
The big difference in price between the two cameras is not due is the image.
Sony Burano has Phase AF, IBIS for native E-mount and PL, Internal ND, 8K, 16-bit OCON-LT, 2xSDI and 1xHDMI outputs, 2 XLR inputs 4-channel audio, timecode in/out, genlock in/out, Ethernet, external LCD screen. These are the reason for the price difference. Those who do not need them do not need the Burano. This is why this article is useless: we all know that by now the image quality has become fantastic even on low-cost cameras.
The BMCC 6K’s got 10 stops at ISO 3200, 11.5 at ISO 800. Unlike REDCODE RAW, X-OCN and ARRIRAW, it is not ISO invariant because it is not RAW at all. BMD cameras are seldom if ever used to shoot feature films and episodic TV because they are simply not preferred by cinematographers.
Sorry Jon, but from the source I quoted, the author, says word-for-word: at 400 ISO “A solid 12 stops above the noise floor can be identified, with a 13th and even a 14th stop visible”. “Also for ISO3200, about 12 stops are visible above the noise floor”.
If you have others informations please quote me what your sources are so that we can evaluate what you say.
Those are the Imatest results I’m citing. Those are facts, not the fantasy 14 stops that don’t exist except in the author’s wild imagination. Apparently you do not understand what dynamic range is. The BMCC is run-of-the-mill.
Jon, attach a link! Without a link to the results you’re talking about you have no credibility.
the thing about BMD cameras is they are built to break and if you ask someone from BMD about warranty, etc they will flat out tell you they price their stuff so you have to buy a new one when it breaks. The Sony will be a much more solid workhorse but it will be obsolete within two years. As someone who does color correction from both, the flesh tones from the Sony are superior and much easier to grade