Blackmagic readies product line for UHD needs; intros B4 lens mount for URSA Mini

Blackmagic Design has found plenty of success in the sports production marketplace and the introduction of a new B4 lens mount for the Ursa Mini camera could continue to drive that success even further. “What that means is now users with expensive glass from Canon or Fujinon can get all the advantages of the Ursa Mini’s dynamic range, built-in Apple ProRes recording, and professional audio connections for 279 Euros which is the lowest price of our product announcements but also has the biggest benefit to end users,” says Simon Westland, director of sales EMEA, Blackmagic Design.

The Blackmagic URSA Mini B4 Mount is designed to replace the existing PL lens mount on Blackmagic URSA Mini PL, turning it into a B4 camera for HD. To install the B4 mount, customers simply take the PL lens mount off where it is normally removed for shimming PL lenses and bolt on the B4 lens mount.

The Blackmagic URSA Mini B4 Mount is a true lens mount replacement that features precision glass optics specifically designed to match Blackmagic URSA Mini’s sensor with high definition broadcast B4 lenses. The B4 mount also features spherical aberration correction so customers can use their lenses wide open with no blooming effect. The Blackmagic URSA Mini B4 Mount can be used with both 4K and 4.6K PL models of URSA Mini.

The move to 4K is also squarely in Blackmagic’s sights and the company has brought 12 Gbps capabilities to its router and vision mixer lineup to help with handling 4K/60p signals. Three new Teranex Mini video converter models, allowing customers to convert from 12G-SDI to Quad SDI, from Quad SDI to 12G-SDI, and to distribute a single SDI source to eight SDI outputs were introduced at the show.

“We’ve moved very quickly to fill in any gaps that weren’t 12Gbps and 60p capable,” says Westland. “The irony is you drop below 60p for distribution.”

Blackmagic Design today announced

Blackmagic Design’s efforts to date lay the groundwork for 4K demand that will ultimately be driven by consumers.

“Once consumers have the capability to out produce the broadcasters in terms of quality there will be massive pressure as viewers won’t accept something that is below a technical level they can produce themselves,” he says. “If you can have the capability to shoot 4K of your kids on the beach it is not acceptable to have content delivered to the TV at a lower resolution.”