Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera User Manual Blackmagic Zoom and Focus Demands

Blackmagic Zoom Demand and Blackmagic Focus Demand are optional accessories for controlling focus and zoom when using compatible servo EF lenses on the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro and 6K G2.

Each unit attaches to a tripod handle on your tripod or camera pedestal. This lets you control focus and zoom while simultaneously panning and tilting the camera using both hands. Additional buttons and controls let you refine the speed and sensitivity of the zoom control, set auto white balance, toggle frame guides and more.

Connecting and Attaching to your Camera

Attaching to Tripod Handles

Each unit attaches to a tripod handle via their mounting brackets. Attach each unit to the brackets via their rosette mounts:

To attach the demand units to their brackets, simply connect them together via their rosette mounts and secure them by tightening the fastening knob.

1. Place the zoom demand or focus demand against their bracket’s rosette mount.

2. Tighten their fastening knob so the demand units are firmly attached to their brackets.

Now that the units are attached to the brackets, you can attach the brackets to the tripod arms. One end of each bracket contains a ‘T’ shaped latch that hinges into a slot and is then tightened.

1. Loosen the latch by unscrewing the latch knob in a counterclockwise motion. This will release the ’T’ shaped latch.

2. With the latch open, place the bracket onto the tripod arm and clamp the bracket shut by closing the latch into its fastening slot. Rotate the bracket to your preferred position on the tripod arm.

3. Tighten the latch knob to secure the bracket to the tripod arm.

Connecting to Your Camera

Blackmagic Focus and Zoom Demands have two USB-C ports. This lets you use one unit individually, or both units together.

Each unit is supplied with a 1 meter long USB-C cable which is connected directly from your camera’s side USB-C port to the demand unit’s ‘cam’ port.

If you are using both demand units, daisy chain them together by connecting the first unit to the second unit via USB-C.

Daisy chaining allows for both units to be controlled using the side USB-C port on your camera. For example, connect a USB-C cable into your camera’s side USB-C port and connect the other end of the cable into the focus demand’s ‘cam’ port. With a second cable, plug the focus demand’s ‘loop’ port into the zoom demand’s ‘cam’ port.

The Blackmagic Focus and Zoom Demands let you control focus and zoom without moving your hands away from the handles

Using Blackmagic Focus Demand

1 Control Knob

Rotate the focus wheel clockwise to focus on subjects closer to the lens, or counterclockwise to focus on subjects further away. You can change the focus direction in the menu by setting it to either ‘normal’ or ‘reverse’.

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TIP If you are also using a Blackmagic Zoom Demand, press the quick zoom button to magnify the image as you focus using the focus demand.

2 Control Prongs

These three prongs expand the diameter of the control surface to let you make finer focus adjustments with the tip of a finger.

3 USB ports

Allows for connecting the focus demand to the camera and daisy chaining to the zoom demand. The ‘cam’ port is also used for updating the internal software via the Blackmagic Camera Setup utility.

Using Blackmagic Zoom Demand

The controls on the Zoom Demand are mappable through the Camera settings. To change the button functions, refer to the ‘setup settings’ chapter in the ‘settings’ section.

The following commands are set as default:

1 Zoom F1

This is the zoom function button 1. By default, it is mapped as a ‘record’ button.

2 Zoom F2

This is the zoom function button 2. On the other side of the controller is an identical button that performs the same function, allowing for left and right handed control. By default, it is set as a quick zoom function which instantaneously punches into the live image.

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NOTE The quick zoom feature is only visible on the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro and 6K G2’s LCD and will not be visible on the output video connected to a switcher or recorder.

3 Zoom F3

This is the zoom function button 3. The default action for this button is set to ‘Auto White Balance’.

4 Zoom F4

This is the zoom function button 4. The default action for this button is set to ‘Frame Guides’.

5 thumb Rocker

The zoom demand handle provides a thumb rocker control. Push the thumb rocker left to zoom out, and right to zoom in. The direction of the zoom can be reversed using the camera’s menu settings.

6 Speed Dial

Finely adjust the speed of the zoom by adjusting the speed dial at the top of the unit. You can map this dial to also control the headphone level, iris adjustment and even focus adjustment!

7 USB-C Ports

Allows for connecting the zoom demand to the camera and daisy chaining to the focus demand. The ‘cam’ port is also used for updating the internal software via the Blackmagic Camera Setup utility.