Tilta has given the first look at their upcoming camera cage solution for the Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 4K, featuring a customisable and modular design.
The cage is made from Aluminium Alloy 6061, and are ergonomically form fitting to the camera. The big highlight with the Tilta system is the vast amount of modularity for mounting the Samsung T5 SSD drive for external USB recording as well as a number of powering options to power the camera and accessories. The side handles also look to be quite useful when paired together with the upcoming Nucleus N motor.
Side Handles
Tilta has three side handle options. The MHC-1, MHC-2 & MHC-3.
From what we can see, the MHC-3 is a basic handle with no electronics. The MHC-1 houses an LP-E6 battery and features a finger wheel for controlling a motor like the Nucleus-N. The MHC-2 side handle adopts the larger Sony NP-F style battery, has a finger focus wheel and also adds a mounting slot for the Samsung T5 SSD. It also looks like the MHC-2 has an additional output port to power the camera and additional accessories.
More Power Options
Tilta also has two battery baseplate options, for a Sony F970 battery or a V-mount battery. The baseplates are designed to be mounted underneath the camera and provide extra long battery life while also powering other accessories. As a lightweight option, they also have a Sony NP-F battery plate which attaches via a single 1/4″ thread and has a DC output port for powering the camera.
If you are shooting outdoors, in bright conditions, you can add the Tilta Sunhood which also features a removable SSD holder. An extension is available for complete block out. In a nice touch, there is an access window so you can still use the touchscreen.
With a starting price of only USD $69 for the half cage and $99 for the full cage, the system is quite affordable. Add the top handle and you’re still at $178 USD. Pre-orders will open soon.
To see how it compares on price, here are a few other cage systems for the BMPCC 4K.
8Sinn BMPCC 4K cage – $279 USD without top handle
LockCircle System Cage – €299 Euro without top handle
Smallrig BMPCC 4K Cage – $99 without top handle, available for $69 on pre-order
Wooden Camera BMPCC 4K Unified Cage – $350 USD with top handle
While the price for the Tilta cage looks quite low comparatively, pricing for the additional accessories and modules are yet to be released so you could end up spending more than some of the other options.
Have you received your BMPCC 4K? are you using it without a cage or will you be kitting it for production use?
