Black Magic 4k camera can now format SSD internally

[Ted Ramasola]

Ok, I don't own a BMCC camera so I can't verify this;

I've read somewhere that, while you can now format the SSD in-camera, you still can't delete individual files?

If this is correct, then isn't the ability to format in-camera rather moot?

My idea was. the reason to format in-camera is so you can use this in the field, so unless you can offload files in the field, you would not format in camera, but if you could off load in the field, then you might as well format it via your computer which you are offloading to.

Am I missing something?

[Noa Put]

Now that would be a little to much to ask, probably for the next firmware update as a part of their excellent service in providing free updates. :)
Just kidding but "formatting" means to me erasing the entire disc and if that would be the case then indeed it would be a quite useless feature as most would expect being able to select clips and delete them separately.

[Shaun Roemich]

Originally Posted by Ted Ramasola

O
My idea was. the reason to format in-camera is so you can use this in the field, so unless you can offload files in the field, you would not format in camera, but if you could off load in the field, then you might as well format it via your computer which you are offloading to.

Am I missing something?

Unless I'm mistaken, there is something specific to SSDs and the read/write cycles and fragmentation that a full format is strongly recommended to prepare the the media for recording.

I don't know about your workflow Ted but on recordable media, even after backing up/offloading media I try to keep the newest media on cards until I need to format the media for immediate use.

Old habits die hard perhaps.

Addendum: and I for one NEVER delete single files in the field. Ever. But, I do carry extra media for every shoot.

[Dylan Couper]

Originally Posted by Mattias Burling

(and dylan, I was very clear of it beeing my opinion, maybe you where joking or maybe not but the only post close to beeing trolling is yours)

Maybe you don't know what trolling means. :)

Allow me to fill in so you can see where the rest of us are coming from. Black magic isn't giving you new stuff for free, they are fixing ridiculous oversights that no reliable company would have made in the first place in order to make their camera usable an not lose sales. Caring about you the user is relative only to the massive complaints about their camera.

The only company I know of who ads features above and beyond for free on a regular basis is Red. Sony and canon do to a rarer degree but charge for it. Sony is actually great for firmware updates on certain lines (thinking of the ex line).

blackmagic sells and ships cameras that are incomplete and not fully functional, then gets around to adding what they promised in the first place just in time to announce the new got camera that doesn't exist and gut the value of their current camera.

And this is not my opinion, it's recent history.

[Shaun Roemich]

Mattias, before you think we're dogpiling you, please understand that between Dylan and I, we own or have used a VERY significant percentage of the BMD line. I can tell you with complete honesty that I have had at least some level of issue with every single piece of BMD gear I own/have owned and I've shot almost everything Dylan owns (except the Pocket Cinema).

He and I have been in the industry in excess of 15 years, in corporate, industrial, broadcast (in my case) and cinema (in Dylan's). He runs a very successful indie ciné rental shop and I mostly run my mouth off. We attend NAB every year together (at least for the past 5 years) and BMD is ALWAYS near the top of the list to see what is new. I have spent a couple of hours talking to the folks in their booth, both sales support AND engineering.

We're not making this stuff up.

Again, I do realize you are new to DVInfo and we welcome you but you may have noticed that DVInfo is different than most of the other boards in that we are real names and very TRUTH oriented. Which is why I stay on here even though I have essentially withdrawn from every other forum I used to frequent. Including BMD's own forum.

Oh and by the way, Dylan IS a Wrangler on here, which means he is a moderator, and is a personal friend of Chris Hurd, the very kind Texan who gives us this forum to talk about all things video.