About - Blackmagic Design, Inc.

Overall Feedback:

Black Magic Designs Inc. has ROCK SOLID products that work incredibly well and are built to withstand almost any environment!BUT!Be sure to read every detail and proof every small step you take. These products do not always come with clear or transparent details and/or instructions.One Example - The Atem M/E 2 Production switcher does not handle 30 or 60 FPS in any resolution.. If you get the HDMI to SDI converters for converting Macbook Pro HDMI out so that you can SDI into your new live switcher.. You may find that the converters from Blackmagic design only converts the signal from HDMI to SDI, they don't actually convert resolution or frame rates from one setting to another.. They list the converters as auto sensing, which they do, but only from the input source and not to the output source. Soo.. you can't connect your MacBook Pro's HDMI out with a Heavy Duty $395.00 converter to your $3,995.00 ATEM M/E 2 4k Switcher because the Macbook Pro only outputs 30fps.. (( Wish I had thought to ask that question... Oh wait! I had called and asked tech support that exact question.. hmm. ))Another Example - MIcro Studio Camera 4k has a mount for Micro Four Thirds Lenses. You can control that camera via the ATEM Switchers software.. But.. There are currently only four lenses on the market that actually have all the features of auto focus, aperture, and zoom integration. So.. I purchased the Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO LENS for $1400.00 and it doesn't have the zoom control I was expecting. oops.I don't want to imply that the Black Magic Designs Inc. lied to me.. I just find it very frustrating that the website and marketing materials are, in my opinion, designed to guide a reader into making assumptions that just simply aren't true and rather skillfully avoids important details that are crucial to making things work.For example.. The descriptions for the switcher states that "When you’re working with multiple cameras, it’s important to be able to see all of the video sources at the same time." This, in my opinion, must have been written by a really smart college grad and could easily lead the reader to assume that "These guys totally get it! How could you work with multiple cameras if couldn't see all of them at the same time?" So when you read further down the same page that you can "When working with the new Blackmagic Studio Camera, you get full control of your remote cameras right from the ATEM software!".. You might walk away with the feeling "but of course I can work with ALL of my multiple cameras through the atem switcher at the same time.. I have 20 inputs and I could therefore control 20 cameras! I already read and connected with the writer about how they understand multi camera use..." but that's actually the reader's assumption isn't it? Can you actually control 20 cameras or just just a few? Can you use the SDI Out cable that's connected to your switcher or do you need a second SDI cable for camera control? Do you know which ports on the switcher you would need to connect it to? DIN to SDI anyone?---Silly readers think that SDI control means that you use the Camera's SDI output for control. I'm sure that it will be okay when the customer finds that his cameras sitting 150' away will need a second run of SDI cables to use that feature.. I mean really.. Don't people just have a slush fund for random $1300.00 up/down converts and 1000's of feet of extra SDI cables?---Hmm.. Kinda makes you wonder how many other assumptions you could accidently carry from one paragraph to another. So when I put together a $30,000 system.. I found it really difficult and frustrating to have to read every manual on every product to ensure that every feature was in-fact actually attainable.Is Black Magic Designs Inc. a good Company? YesWill I use their Products? Yes I LOVE their productsAm I returning the Olympus lens or any other product? No 8-)Would I recommend them to others? Yes BUT you should go slow.. make no assumptions.. and double check every detail.. and a good slush fund would be helpful!