Blackmagic URSA

The Blackmagic URSA is a digital movie camera developed and manufactured by Blackmagic Design, released on August 8, 2014. It is the first camera to be user-upgradeable for additional equipment manufactured by Blackmagic and other third-party makers.

History

At the NAB Show in April 2014, Blackmagic Design announced the URSA digital movie camera, which was the first movie camera to be user-upgradeable for additional equipment, alongside the Studio Camera, the television-oriented version of the Cinema Camera.^[3] In November, a firmware update maxed the frame rate to 80p and added a new 3:1 compression ratio for RAW files.^[4]

In April 2015, the URSA Mini was announced and all URSA models and variants received another update that upgraded the maximum frame rate for the windowed 1080p resolution to 150 fps and added support for Apple ProRes 444 XQ and updated the models with a second-generation sensor.^[5][6] A B4 lens mount was added to the Mini in September.^[7] The 4.6K version of the Mini was then released in March 2016, controversially without global shutter.^[8] In August, a public beta of the redesigned Camera Utility 4.0 for URSA Mini was released.^[9]

Design

Specifications and hardware

The camera can come in both 4K and 4.6K specifications, with max resolutions being 4608 x 2592 for the 4.6K spec and 4000 x 2160 for the 4K. All models and variants include DaVince Resolve. The camera comprises two displays; the main 10.1" flip-out TFT-LCD display that is controlled using physical buttons and a 5" LCD capacitive touchscreen that can show recording status and can be used to access features by another operator. The camera records lossless CinemaDNG RAW, RAW 3:1 and 4:1 and Apple ProRes.^[10]

Software

The URSA uses Camera Utility, the proprietary software developed by Blackmagic also in use for the Cinema Cameras. The software allows the user to add metadata about a single file, including - but not limited to: shot, take and scene numbers, as well as filenames. However, the system must be updated through a computer using USB instead of other technologies like firmware over the air.

Models and variants

The URSA is available in four different models: EF, PL, HDMI and Broadcast. The EF and PL mounts are interchangeable and can work with any compatible lenses. However, the HDMI model doesn't have a lens system at all and a separate camera must be connected to the camera via HDMI to record. It has a threaded camera mount to mount a camera onto the URSA.^[11] The Broadcast model uses an optimized sensor for broadcasting in Ultra HD, as well as a specialized B4 lens mount and a neutral-density filter wheel on the body.^[12]

URSA Mini

The Blackmagic URSA Mini is a variant of the URSA camera, released on March 17, 2016.^[8] It has a smaller form factor and loses some functionality and features over the URSA, losing the secondary 5" touchscreen, global shutter and other features. However, it does ship in 4K and 4.6K specifications, and ships in EF and PL mounts.

Accessories

Viewfinder

The Blackmagic URSA Viewfinder is a viewfinder made by Blackmagic Design. It comprises a 1080p OLED screen and can be focused and adjusted to both the left and right eye and only turns on by a proximity sensor dubbed the "Eye-sensor". The diopter is also user-adjustable.^[13] It screws onto the top of the URSA and URSA Mini or onto any mount compatible and connects via BNC-SDI connection and XLR, making it compatible with cameras that have these ports.^[14]

Studio Viewfinder

The Blackmagic URSA Studio Viewfinder^[15] is a viewfinder display made by Blackmagic that is exclusively for the URSA Mini. It comprises a 7" 1080p LCD screen, a menu button and three function buttons that can display various exposure, focus and framing guides and four knobs that bring up the menu and control the brightness, contrast and peaking sensitivity. It mounts on top of the Mini camera and is adjustable, has a removable sun hood and metal handles on the side.^[16]

References