Blackmagic Design demos Cinema Camera, UltraStudio 4K
Blackmagic Design announced a second model of the Blackmagic Cinema Camera that features passive Micro Four Thirds lens (MFT) mount, so customers now have an even greater choice of lens options when shooting. The new Blackmagic Cinema Camera MFT model supports any Micro Four Thirds with manual iris and focus, and is also easily adapted to other lens mounts such as PL via third party adapters. The ability to use third party adapters to allow other types of lens mount is due to the Micro Four Thirds lens mount being much closer to the image sensor and allowing space for adapters to other lens mounts.
Blackmagic Cinema Camera MFT is identical to the original Blackmagic Cinema Camera model, however does not include lens communication so manual lenses are used. The current model of Blackmagic Cinema Camera will be renamed Blackmagic Cinema Camera EF to let customers easily differentiate between the models.
Blackmagic Cinema Camera includes a super wide 13 stops of dynamic range, large 2.5K sensor, a built in SSD recorder that has the bandwidth to capture open standard CinemaDNG RAW, Apple ProRes and Avid DNxHD files, a built in capacitive touch screen for direct metadata entry, standard jack audio connections, built in high speed Thunderbolt connection, 3 Gb/s SDI output, a refrigerated sensor for low noise, and is fully compatible with an even wider range of extremely high quality Micro Four Thirds mount lenses, plus other lenses such as PL mount lenses via common third party adapters.
Blackmagic Cinema Camera MFT also includes a full copy of DaVinci Resolve for color correction and Blackmagic UltraScope software for waveform monitoring. This means the user can simply plug into Thunderbolt laptop and run UltraScope to get full waveform monitoring scopes on set!
One of the most important features of the camera is its super wide dynamic range of 13 stops, allowing feature film quality images. Commonly people focus on more pixels, however often this just creates a higher resolution, but “video” looking images that still suffer from highlight and black clipping that limits details. Blackmagic Cinema Camera’s wide dynamic range eliminates this problem and provides film quality with dramatically more detail retained in black and whites in the image. Once the shoot is complete, the included DaVinci Resolve color correction software can be used to adjust images and take advantage of this extra range in the images. The high quality Micro Four Thirds lens compatibility also helps create sharp and cinematic images that look incredible.
To eliminate the damage that low bit depth and high compression video storage creates, Blackmagic Cinema Camera includes a fast SSD recorder. The built in SSD recorder can record the full sensor detail in 12 bit Log RAW files in the open standard CinemaDNG format on fast solid state disks. These files can be read by all high end video software. The full 2.5K sensor data is stored in the files completely uncompressed because the SSD has the speed to store video data at the required rate. This high quality file can then be color corrected on DaVinci Resolve for the same high quality result currently only possible on cameras costing tens of thousands of dollars.
Blackmagic Cinema Camera has been designed as the perfect companion to Apple Final Cut Pro X and Avid Media Composer NLE software. Unlike other cameras, which require the use of custom video file formats that are not compatible with popular NLE software, often making the post production process a nightmare, the Blackmagic Cinema Camera includes absolutely no custom video file formats, and every file type included is open standard. It records into CinemaDNG format for RAW files, Apple ProRes and Avid DNxHD for HD resolution files compatible with Apple Final Cut Pro X and Avid Media Composer.
The built in large LCD display makes focusing easy, and allows playback of captured files. Blackmagic Cinema Camera includes a built in microphone, as well as external jack based mic/line level balanced audio connections. When playing back recorded clips, a speaker is built in, and there is an included headphone socket, as well as embedded audio on the SDI output and Thunderbolt connection. The SDI output includes all camera data such as timecode, transport control, shutter angle, color temperature setting and ASA information overlaid in attractive antialiased fonts.
For easy metadata entry, the built in LCD features fast and responsive capacitive touch screen technology. When the user taps the display with a finger, a data entry window called the “slate” appears. This lets the user enter shot information just like typing on a smart phone. This data is then stored in the files and can be accessed by NLE software when editing content later. Metadata is compatible with popular software such as Apple Final Cut Pro X and DaVinci Resolve. All camera settings can be changed on this touch LCD, such as frame rate, shutter angle, color temperature, dynamic range, focus assist settings and more.
Blackmagic Cinema Camera includes an innovative industrial design built from solid machined aluminum metal which results in an attractive but rugged design. All of the camera, recorder and display have been shrunk down into a lightweight design that is very portable.
“One of the most common customer requests since announcing the original model of the Blackmagic Cinema Camera is other lens mounts,” said Grant Petty, CEO, Blackmagic Design. “We felt that Micro Four Thirds was a fantastic option and so we designed a second model with this mount. Only Micro Four Thirds lets cinematographers use a wide range of creative lenses, but it also easily adapts to other lens mounts such as PL mount, so the range of exciting lens options is virtually unlimited!”
Blackmagic Design also announced UltraStudio 4K, an attractively designed rack mount capture and playback device based on Thunderbolt technology developed by Intel with collaboration from Apple. UltraStudio 4K features full resolution 4K support, dual stream 3D capture/playback, 10bit hardware architecture, dual link 3 Gb/s SDI, support for up to 1080p60 in SDI,component analog and HDMI connections which support full SD, HD, and 4K , for only US$1,295.
UltraStudio 4K is a single rack unit design with a wide range of rear connectors. The front panel is a machined aluminum design that features an integrated color LCD as well as fast to use video and audio input buttons. UltraStudio 4K is attractive so it’s perfect for desktop as well as rack mount use. The power supply is built in so no need for an external plug pack, and the rear panel includes virtually every type of video and audio connection that exists using standard connectors. UltraStudio 4K can take advantage of long Thunderbolt cables that can be up to 30 meters away from the host computer.
Thunderbolt technology enables UltraStudio 4K to offer high enough speed for true 4K playback which is 4 times the resolution of regular HD 1080 video. The product includes Dual Link 3 Gb/s SDI, HDMI and analog component/s-video/composite, as well as balanced analog and AES/EBU digital audio capture and playback. UltraStudio 4K is perfect for 3D workflow as it features both interleaved/side by side and dual stream capture and playback. Interleaved 3D allows the left and right eye to be interleaved as fields into a single video connection and file, so customers can edit using current editing software.
UltraStudio 4K includes the latest advanced video technologies available. The built in Dual Link 3 Gb/s SDI operates at 4 times the speed of a regular HD-SDI connection. UltraStudio 4K uses this speed for higher quality full color resolution 4:4:4 video as well as high video frame rates up to 1080p60. The built in Dual Link SDI connections allows dual stream 3D where capture and playback is done via two independent channels. The Dual Link 3 Gb/s SDI also allows a new video standard for handling 4:2:2 4K playback for monitoring and is fully compatible with the Blackmagic Design Mini Converter SDI to HDMI 4K and Mini Converter SDI Multiplex products. Dual Link 3 Gb/s SDI allows 4K using only 2 BNC cables, instead of the 4 BNC cables required in the past.
With SDI, HDMI and analog video capture and playback, combined with balanced analog and AES/EBU digital audio, UltraStudio 4K lets customers connect to all decks, cameras and monitors! UltraStudio 4K instantly switches between SD, HD, 2K and 4K, so is the ideal solution for all post production and broadcast users when working on design, editing, paint, color correction and effects tasks.
“We are excited to be able to design new types of products that are only made possible because of Thunderbolt technology. This new “break out box” based design is extremely attractive while supporting new high resolution 4K playback and almost every video and audio connection available!” said Grant Petty, CEO, Blackmagic Design. “UltraStudio 4K is the best way to get high resolution 4K, advanced 3D and 4:4:4 capture and playback, in a professional rack based design that everyone can afford.”