Blackmagic has done something special with the tiny Pocket series. The Pocket 6K Pro is the latest and continues to push the feature set into even higher territory – still, that form factor is a bit unusual compared to traditional cinema cameras. Rigging up the camera is a common first step for many Pocket 6K Pro owners and there are a ton of options.
For filmmaker Jacob Voss he ran into a situation where he needed to get the Pocket 6K Pro up on an Easyrig. To do this you need some particular mounting points, like a top handle, to get it set up. Let’s look at his config.
At this point, custom cages are still not commonly available, so starting things off is a fairly basic CAMVATE cage with top handle.
It has enough mounting mounts, including multiple threads on the bottom plus an extra support on top. On the sides there is actually a rail that mounts the same way as a 15mm rod, allowing for expansion later if you need more height.
To mount the top handle Voss picked up a SmallRig NATO Rail for quick release. Then on top of the handle, he attached a quick release hook for the Easyrig to make the mounting a bit more seamless.
Image Credit: TILTA
For the base, some care was needed to make sure the Tilta MB-T12 Matte Box was seated correctly. It can mount with clamping or using rods.
Something to consider is that the Pocket 6K Pro’s EF mount has some give to it, so having the matte box along with a lens support will help prevent any unwanted movement from a follow focus. The problem is the Pro’s new height didn’t allow for lens supports and the matte box to fit correctly.
Solving for this required a SmallRig Baseplate with rod mounts – not a quick release as he needed the system to be lower profile. It provided enough distance. Then, Voss recommends going with 8” aluminum rods as they tend to have less flex than cheap carbon fiber options. Also, if you want to go cheaper or simpler get some longer rods that can extend far enough to support a rear-mounted battery.
Image Credit: Blackmagic Design
Battery mounting in Voss’s rig was designed around a more fixed position so that any changes to the front rods don’t require any more adjustments to the battery placement. He used a SmallRig Railblock with some micro rods attached to the baseplate.
I would agree that this is a fairly simple and effective rigging option to get your Pocket 6K Pro ready to shoot. It uses a lot of relatively affordable pieces to get everything functioning without so much complexity that could be a pain on set.
Do you have any recommendations for rigging up a Blackmagic Pocket camera?
[source: Jacob Voss]
Order Links:
- Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro (B&H, Amazon, Adorama)
- CAMVATE Basic Camera Cage Rig with Top Handle (Amazon, Adorama)
- SmallRig 1409 NATO Rail (B&H, Amazon, Adorama)
- SmallRig 1955 NATO Top Handle (B&H, Amazon, Adorama)
- Tilta MB-T12 Matte Box (B&H, Amazon, Adorama)
- SmallRig 1674 Camera Baseplate (B&H, Amazon, Adorama)
- SmallRig 1051 15mm Aluminum Rods (B&H, Amazon, Adorama)
- SmallRig 942 15mm Railblock (B&H, Amazon, Adorama)
- CAMVATE 15mm Micro Rods (B&H, Amazon, Adorama)
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate partner and participant in B&H and Adorama Affiliate programmes, we earn a small comission from each purchase made through the affiliate links listed above at no additional cost to you.
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