Shimming The Pl Mount - Blackmagicdesign Cinema Operation Manual

Shimming the PL Mount

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Removing and replacing the PL mount
Step 1.
Place your Blackmagic camera on a solid, clean
bench top and remove your lens or dust cap. The
glass filter covering the sensor will be exposed
for the duration of the shimming process, so it's
important to keep the filter as clean as possible.
Shimming the PL Mount
Shimming your PL mount lens
Blackmagic Shims are thin disks of varying thickness that let you make fine adjustments to the distance
between a PL lens and a PL model Blackmagic camera's sensor. This distance is commonly known as
the flange focal distance, or back focus, and can change slightly due to variables such as lens age and
the environmental conditions of your shoot. If you have a PL model Blackmagic camera, you can easily
adjust the back focus using shims.
Shims are placed between the PL mount and the camera body so the distance from your subject to the
sensor matches the focus marks on your lens. Blackmagic camera PL models are supplied with a 0.50mm
shim already installed. You can purchase shim sets of varying thickness from your local Blackmagic Design
reseller. Use shim thicknesses depending on your back focus requirements.
To shim the PL mount on your PL model Blackmagic camera you'll need a torque wrench able to accurately
set a maximum torque of 0.45Nm, with 2.0mm and 2.5mm hex key drivers.
Step 2.
Remove the six PL mount screws using the 2.5mm
hex key. You may need to occasionally rotate the
PL locking ring clockwise or counterclockwise to
access the screws.
Step 3.
Carefully lift the lens mount away from the camera
body. Keep the screws safely located close to the
lens mount.