One of the videographers I work with uses the Blackmagic Pocket 4k. He absolutely loves it. In all my time knowing him, I only ever heard him complain about two things with that camera: “It doesn’t have a flip-out screen” and “It eats batteries like candies”. Good news for him and you if you’re a BMPCC 4K/BMPCC 6K user.
Thanks to a new Kickstarter by Pod Tech, you can now mod your BMPCC 4K/6K to have a flip screen and a built-in v-mount battery mount. The Kickstarter has already raised almost $16,000 in backing, over twice and a half the $6,000 goal for this project. If you want to support the project as well, you have until January 15 to do so.
The BMPCC 4K/6K Mod Kit
As we mentioned, The Mod Kit adds a flip-screen and a v-mount battery mount, but it also adds a few other useful features. Firstly, It has two cold shoe mounting points behind the monitor. They will be accessible when the monitor is flipped out, allowing you to mount SSDs and wireless microphones easily on the camera. If you’re using small gear like the Rode Wireless Pro ($399), it should fit nicely without getting it your way.
Secondly, the V-mount battery doesn’t replace the built-in battery. This might sound like a flaw and not a feature, but it actually enables something very useful. Because there is always a second battery inside the BMPCC 4K/6K, you will be able to hot-swap your v-mount batteries, even during recording!
Because of the similarity of the BMPCC 4K and BMPCC 6K, there is only one version of the mod kit, and it supports both cameras.
Benefits of the BMPCC Mod Kit over a traditional camera rig
There is already an off-the-shelf solution for fixing all the BMPCC issues – Build a rig for it. In fact, if you are using the BMPCC 4K/6K, you most likely already have a rig. So why should you switch? Is there even a reason? Yes, there is a big one. Literally. The size. A traditionally rigged-out BMPCC 4K/6K is far larger than a modded one.
No need for a cage, rails, battery baseplate, or anything. Having everything built-in means the design becomes more compact. It should be simpler, too, as there are fewer setups, parts, and cables for you to manage.
Modding the camera
Unlike some other mod kits, You can’t send BPMCC 4K/6k to Pod Tech to have the kit installed. To install the mod, you will need to follow the instructions and install it yourself.
Pod Tech has yet to release the official installation tutorial for the kit. The product is still being developed, so Pod Tech avoids releasing manuals until the final version is ready. One way or another, photography mods can be simple enough for anyone to do as long as you follow the instructions carefully.
Will modding a BMPCC void your camera’s warranty?
We have reached out to Blackmagic before regarding camera modification. This is the response we got:
Any modification to a product has the possibility to invalidate part or the whole of the warranty, depending on what has been added, removed or modified.
The limited manufacturers warranty covers inherent defects in a product. Any modification changes the product from how it was manufactured and designed to function, and as such, it would have to be proved that the modification did not cause the unexpected behaviour.
Modifications may affect the reliability or life span of a product and that is not something Blackmagic Design will be responsible for. Any damage to a product while fitting or using a modification would also not be covered under warranty.
Blackmagic Design may require a modification to be removed before servicing a product, or may refuse to service an item should the modification increase the time or difficulty of servicing the product.
It may be possible for us to repair a modified item at a cost depending on the exact circumstances. We treat everything on a case by case basis and will evaluate each customers situation carefully to ensure we can offer them the best possible experience.
For the full terms of each individual product warranty, please refer to the warranty pages at the rear of each product manual.
In conclusion
If you don’t mind modding your camera, the BMPCC 4K/6K Mod Kit may be the best solution for a compact BMPCC 4K/6K rig. It not only solves the monitor and battery problems but also gives extra features like cold-shoe mounts and battery hot-swapping. It ends up being a welcome replacement, if not an upgrade, for the now discontinued Tilta BMPCC 4K/6K Display Modification kit, which, as you can see in the response above, Blackmagic did not really appreciate anyway.
Disclaimer: We only share crowdfunded projects we believe are legitimate. However, most of those projects are not in a delivery state. Make sure you look into the project and make an informed purchasing decision. While some projects may offer amazing rewards, others unfortunately may not deliver on their promises.
