For those who frequently work with Blackmagic cameras, the bmCAM PrepMeister provides a comprehensive, free tool for production preparation. For almost every conceivable format configuration, you can calculate data rates and required storage space in advance, view available frame rates, visualize sensor crops, and—most recently—access an optics database that includes features such as vignetting warnings.
bmCAM PrepMeister by Laufbildkommission
bmCAM PrepMeister consists of a single HTML file—no installation, account, or internet connection is required. The locally saved file simply needs to be opened in a browser and runs completely offline (ideally on a desktop, laptop, or tablet), without sending any data anywhere. In the future, it will also be possible to install the tool as a PWA on a tablet or laptop for quick access.
Currently, all 12 non-broadcast BMD Cinema cameras are covered—from the Pocket 4K to the URSA Cine 17K 65—with a total of 143 recording modes. Custom configuration presets can be saved and reused repeatedly.
Data Rate Module Select the camera, choose the resolution mode, set the frame rate—and immediately see the data rates for every available codec. BRAW Constant Bitrate, BRAW Constant Quality (with the actual compression ranges per camera and mode), as well as ProRes in all available variants, including ProRes 4444 and XQ where supported.
You can display MB/s to check if your storage medium is fast enough, as well as GB/h and recording time per card size, so you know how much storage you need to bring to the shoot. For cameras with relevant firmware changes (such as the PCC4K, which received additional modes in later updates), there is a firmware toggle that switches the available modes and codec options.
Slow Motion / Time Lapse Module When the project frame rate and desired sensor frame rate are set, the tool shows what happens: speed factor, playback duration, recording time, shutter angle at 180 degrees, light loss, and storage costs per minute of screen time. The resolution section lists which modes are available at the selected frame rate, including the crop factor and a visual crop diagram. The time-lapse section works in reverse, indicating, for example, how long you need to record to achieve a desired clip duration at a given interval.
Sensor & Crop Module Here, you get a visual comparison of the camera sensor against Full Frame and Super 35 reference formats, with a human figure as a scale. This allows you to immediately estimate the resulting shot size across different modes, while also taking into account any adapters from the current configuration.
Included is a focal length equivalence table for all available modes, as well as a comparison function that overlays a second camera to see framing differences between A and B cams. A bidirectional lens lookup provides the FF equivalent for a physical focal length or helps find the right lens for a desired FF look.
Optics - Adapters, Lenses, Vignetting Since the last update, it is now also possible to specify the available lenses in the tool, which then calculates how the glass performs on the respective camera in each recording mode. Crop factors, full-frame equivalents, vignetting warnings—everything is calculated based on the actual setup. This is complemented by a searchable database of 1,430 lenses from 40 manufacturers in 253 series, 20 adapter presets, and a community system for exchanging lens data via .bmcam files.
bmCAM PrepMeister is an in-house development by Robert Niessner and is continuously being further developed and maintained. Feedback is highly welcome (e.g., directly in our forum), as errors are possible and can then be corrected.
