Blackmagic Design wows NAB Show with URSA Camera

Newly launched by Blackmagic Design is URSA, a professional full-sized camera featuring a ‘stealthy machined aluminium design’ that is highly durable and suitable for operation by large film crews. The URSA has also been designed to be divided into separate DOP, camera assistant and audio engineer workstation, allowing multiple crew to work around it at the same time.

The DOP station features a 10-inch fold-out on-set monitor and separate 5-inch screen for settings, camera status and scopes. The camera assist station features a separate LCD screen for camera settings, status and scopes and the audio station features audio meters, controls and audio connections.

URSA also includes an upgradable Super 35 4K image sensor with global shutter, 12G-SDI connections, XLR audio inputs with phantom power and dual Cfast-based RAW and ProRes recorders. User upgradable and initially available in 3 models (one including EF lens mount, and one with PL lens mount), the camera runs at 60 fps – although the body has the high speed processing and high capacity cooling to run beyond 100 fps.

Among other developments, Blackmagic Design has chosen NAB Show to introduce DaVinci 11 Resolve – incorporating more than 70 new editing features – and the live production-orientated Blackmagic Studio Camera. Features of the last-named product include: an active Micro Four Third lens mount that is compatible with a wide range of lenses and adapters; a bidirectional fibre optic connection; and availability in two versions: an HD model that operates up to 1080p60 and a 4K version that updates to Ultra HD 2160p60 with 12G-SDI.