Blackmagic Design was showing its new 4K URSA camera, which was introduced at NAB. After NAB, Chris Chinnock wrote about it and posted a video http://tinyurl.com/pkyxsmq. The big news about URSA from CCW is that the camera has started to ship at a price point of $5,995 for the version that takes EF mount lenses and at $6,495 for the version that accepts PL mount lenses. Neither of these price points include the camera lens itself. The other difference between NAB and CCW was that Blackmagic was showing an operational unit and letting 346 try it out. At NAB, the company showed it non-operational and inside a Plexiglas box.
The URSA is a 4K camera that uses a Super-35 sensor and will record 12 Bit RAW format on its dual recorders. The unit will record 60Hz 4K content, unlike many 4K cameras that are limited to 30Hz 4K content. The recorders are hot-swappable, for non-stop recording of long scenes. URSA actually includes three displays – a 10” electronic view finder and two 5” touch screen displays, one on each side. These smaller displays allow control of camera functions by a cameraman or his assistant from either side of the camera.
Later this year a third version of the URSA camera will become available, called URSA Broadcast. This version will be targeted at Broadcast UHD applications, rather than digital cinema. It includes two features desired by broadcasters: a broadcast B4 lens mount, including B4 connections for lens control, and a built in ND filter wheel. Price has not been announced.
A fourth version of the system will also be available called URSA HDMI. This isn’t really a camera at all because it includes no sensor. It is really a video recorder for 346 who want to record the 4K HDMI output from other cameras, especially DSLR cameras. The unit will record in 4K ProRes format, including audio and timecode. Price and availability for this version has not been announced either.
Red Digital Cinema was not showing any new cameras at CCW. Instead, the company was showing its new Broadcast Module with 4K SDI output. In the past, content from Red cameras was recorded for later processing, to match the normal workflow of cinema production. The broadcast industry, on the other hand, wants live, full resolution output. This is needed, for example, at live 371 to be broadcast in UHD. While the Red camera outputs real-time 4K content, it can also record 6K resolution internally for later processing. Red cameras are all modular and the Broadcast Module can be used with both Epic Dragon and Scarlet Dragon cameras.
The Red broadcast module is available now at $6,950. – Matthew Brennesholtz
