In Part 1 of our lab test of the Blackmagic Design URSA Mini Pro 12K we looked at rolling shutter and dynamic range – in part 2 we now have a closer look how this camera performs in our over- and underexposure test. Also, we will check the highlight recovery options with BRAW in post. Interested? Read on …

If you have not read part 1 of our lab test of the URSA Mini Pro 12K, I suggest you have a look there as well in addition to this article. Camera settings for the latitude test were 12K, BMD Film, ISO800 and 5:1 compression ratio. Thank you pro media for the test camera by the way!

As mentioned earlier, we currently have a loaner RTX3090 GPU from NVIDIA (thank you!!) – as we always use a 2K timeline for the latitude test (to keep consistent with earlier tests) the RTX3090 has no issues whatsoever with the 12K files from the URSA Mini Pro – the GPU runs at 8% load with a memory usage of 10.8 GB. Really a joy to work with!

The Standard Studio Scene – Latitude of the URSA Mini Pro 12K

As you may have seen in recent articles, we now also test overexposure in our standard studio scene. Adjusting the studio lights, we set a base exposure of around 60% luma value (for BMD Film without grading) in the waveform for the face of our subject, in this case my dear colleague Jakub. Then we open up the iris of the lens (we used the ZEISS Compact Prime CP.2 Super Speed 50mm T1.5) until the skin starts to clip on the forehead.

From there we successively underexpose the scene by closing down the iris of the lens until T8.0, and then we adjust the shutter angle to lower values from 360° to 180°, 90°, 45°, 22.5° and 11.25°.

In post, using DaVinci Resolve 17 Studio we bring back the over- and underexposed files to our zero exposure level.

This so called latitude test really shows how well a camera retains colors and details when over- or underexposed, brought back to base exposure.

Highlight Recovery: In this special case with the URSA Mini Pro 12K, we deliberately started to partially clip the forehead already at T2.0, and then opened up the iris one stop further to T1.5 to check if the highlight recovery option in DaVinci Resolve can recover clipped color channels (available on all Blackmagic cameras if you shoot in BRAW).

4 stops overexposed and brought back to base exposure

As mentioned before, at T2.0 or 3 stops overexposure and brought back, Jakub’s skin starts to clip. Now pushing it one stop further, here is the image at 4 stops of overexposure (T1.5) – without highlight recovery. As can be seen, on Jakub’s forehead the skin massively clips. Also, the color patches on the Datacolor Spyderchecker have partially clipped:

Let’s have a closer look at the color patches and Jakub’s forehead by zooming in 200%. The two red arrows show the clipped areas:

Now, the million dollar question: can the “Highlight Recovery” option in the RAW tab in DaVinci Resolve recover details?

4 stops overexposed with “Highlight Recovery” – well, as can be seen in the image below, the algorithm which tries to reconstruct color channels is doing quite a good job – patches of the color checker are reconstructed and Jakub’s forehead has improved. However, the color accuracy suffers quite a bit – skin tones are yellow with no differentiation and patches are not accurately recovered – when compared to the base exposure scene, see below.

Have a look at the base exposure scene, especially how nuanced the color patches are (on the left side for the skin colors) and the tonality on Jakub’s forehead:

3 stops of overexposure, pushed back – without highlight recovery, at T2.0 Jakub’s forehead starts to clip at 3 stops of overexposure, also again the left side of the color checker shows partial clipping:

Using “Highlight Recovery” – on the 3 stops overexposed image we can see that all color channels are reconstructed properly now on the color checker as well as Jakub’s forehead:

Here you can see the power of highlight recovery – even thought the scene started to partially clip, all colors can be brought back with very good accuracy. But as demonstrated on the 4 stops overexposed scence, highlight recovery has its limits – which was to be expected.

Now you know why we do not count highlight recovery when measuring dynamic range – color accuracy suffers. HL recovery is more of a bonus feature that helps you to get away with a partially clipping scene. E.g. if you want to bring back a clipped sky, you can use that feature in conjunction with desaturating your highlights to avoid funky colors while still creating a nice highlight roll off. This is exactly what the RED KOMODO is doing with it’s in built highlight recovery feature. See our article here.

Now, reducing the exposure levels to 3 stops under we start to see quite some noise and a color shift towards pink in the scene:

At 4 stops underexposure and brought back the image becomes pinkish and heavy noise is present. Also, horizontal lines appear in the image. By the way, in case you ask, there is currently no option for “black shading” or “Sensor calibration” in the camera.

As the noise is very finely dispersed, noise reduction ( DaVinci Resolve) helps to save the image – but the horizontal line in the lower part becomes more obvious. I have no explanation for this darker part of the image below the horizontal line. It looks like a flicker phenomenon (under the 50Hz studio lights), shutter angle was at 45°. However, in the camera setup menu, “Flicker Free Shutter” was set to 50Hz – so there should not be an issue here. Also, I did a second set of shots 15mins later and this phenomenon was the same:

And finally, just for reference the 5 stops underexposed image, brought back. The first image below is without noise reduction, the second is with noise reduction. Resolve NR settings are in the third image below.

As you can see above, heavy temporal and spatial noise reduction was used in DaVinci Resolve, nevertheless the image cannot be saved as now also vertical stripes are appearing in addition to the more pronouced horizontal line in the lower part of the image. The limit clearly has been reached.

Summary

The URSA Mini Pro 12K is a very special camera. It’s monster 80 megapixel image combined with the high frame rates opens up new opportunities for reframing in post but there is very little compromise in the classical disciplines – dynamic range, rolling shutter as well as latitude: 7 stops of exposure latitude are available in our very demanding studio scene – a good result!

For comparison, in the same sensor class a Canon C300 Mark III is definitely better – showing almost 8 stops of exposure latitude – but this sensor “only” captures 8.8 megapixels (in 4K DCI).

Hence, as usual it’s all about picking the right tool for the job – but you cannot go wrong with the URSA Mini Pro 12K.

Have you used the URSA Mini Pro 12K yet? What are your experiences, and how are you using it? In the studio, in the field ….? Tell us in the comments section below.

The post URSA Mini Pro 12K Lab Test Part 2 – Latitude Results appeared first on CineD.

Blackmagic Camera 7.3 Update adds new monitoring options and improves autofocus on all three recent Pocket camera models – BMPCC 4K, 6K, and 6K Pro. The two older models from this pack – BMPCC 4K and 6K – get the new Blackmagic RAW Generation 5 color science with additional Q1 and Q3 recording options. The Pocket 6K gets 4K DCI recording in Blackmagic RAW. The update is available for download from the Blackmagic Design Support Center.

Roughly two months ago, Blackmagic Design released the new Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro. It improved many aspects of the BMPCC 6K when it comes to ergonomy (brighter tilting LCD screen, ND filters, optional EVF, larger batteries, etc.) while still keeping the same image quality as the original Pocket 6K.

Make sure to check Johnnie’s Pocket 6K pro review to know more about the camera. Today, Blackmagic Design released a new Camera 7.3 Update for the BMPCC line. Let’s take a look at what is new.

Blackmagic Camera 7.3 Update

The Blackmagic Camera 7.3 Update adds new features to all the “new pockets” – Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 4k, 6K, and 6K Pro. All three cameras will get the following new features:

• Upgrades the luminance histogram to RGB histogram
• Adds color channel clipping indicators
• Adds false color guide display
• Adds LCD screen calibration settings
• Improves autofocus and active lens control
• Improves focus peaking visibility
• Fixes an issue with importing LUT’s and Presets

Last year in July, when announcing the URSA Mini Pro 12K, Blackmagic Design also first announced the new update to Blackmagic RAW – The Generation 5 color science with the new film curve. The recently launched new Pocket 6K Pro already came with the new Gen 5 color science. The older Pocket Cinema Camera 4k and 6K are now getting the new Gen 5 color science along with few other updates:

• Adds support for Generation 5 color science.
• Adds 4K DCI Blackmagic RAW recording for Pocket Cinema Camera 6K.
• Adds support for LCD screen dimming for power conservation.
• Adds Q1 and Q3 Blackmagic RAW recording options.

It is also nice that Blackmagic Design brings the 4K BRAW option to the Pocket 6K. Previously, the camera was only able to record in ProRes in 4K. Last. but not least, with this new update Blackmagic Design fixes a bug that can cause image misalignment in the URSA Studio Viewfinder.

Additionally, Blackmagic Design recently released the full shipping version of the new Blackmagic RAW 2.0 including the developer SDK. The new version of BRAW added support for Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K as well as support for dual card recording.

Furthermore, the Blackmagic RAW 2.0 brings updates to Blackmagic Generation 5 Color Science, adds DaVinci Wide Gamut and DaVinci Intermediate gamma support. BRAW 2.0 also adds support for Nikon Z 6II and Z 7II Blackmagic RAW clips captured by Blackmagic Video Assist.

Price and availability

The Blackmagic Camera 7.3 Update is available for download right now free of charge directly from Blackmagic Design Support Center. The installer will add Blackmagic Camera Setup software to your system so you can update the software and manage your Blackmagic Camera.

It also installs Blackmagic RAW Player, Blackmagic RAW Speed Test, Blackmagic RAW SDK, and Blackmagic RAW plugins. For updating Blackmagic Cameras from Camera 4.0 or above it is advised to export your presets and LUT’s onto a card as they will be removed during this update.

Do you use cameras from Blackmagic Design for your productions? What do you think of the new Generation 5 color science? Let us know in the comments section underneath the article.

The post Blackmagic Camera 7.3 Update Released – New Features for BMPCC 4K, 6K & 6K Pro appeared first on CineD.

Blackmagic Design just released a new version of DaVinci Resolve 17.3.2. The new update includes support for Blackmagic RAW SDK 2.2, fixes numerous bugs and instability issues, and brings general performance and stability improvements.

Once again Blackmagic Design treats us with another new sub-version of the DaVinci Resolve 17. The new update 17.3.2 finally brings native support for ProRes RAW files. Uh, not really, unfortunately. That was just me dreaming :) Anyway, the new update does bring a few useful improvements and bug fixes, so let’s take a look at what is new.

DaVinci Resolve 17.3.2

The new version 17.3.2 basically brings one new feature and that is the support for Blackmagic RAW SDK 2.2. Released today as well, the latest version of Blackmagic RAW SDK brings support for Blackmagic RAW clips captured by Blackmagic Video Assist with the following cameras: FUJIFILM GFX100 and GFX100S, Panasonic LUMIX GH5S, BS1H, and BGH1. The Blackmagic RAW SDK 2.2 also brings performance and stability improvements for the Blackmagic RAW Adobe Premiere Pro plugin.

Other than that, the new Resolve 17.3.2 also brings improvements and bug fixes. Here is the full list:

• Addressed instability issues when using the color warper.
• Addressed incorrect HDR highlight when using DaVinci Wide Gamut.
• Addressed a naming issue for recorded clips in the Fairlight timeline.
• Addressed incorrect reloading of cached audio effects on linked tracks.
• Addressed missing EQ and other automation issues in Fairlight.
• Addressed incorrect Fairlight Spaceview display for specific AMD drivers.
• Addressed potential freezes after using Fusion tracker modifiers.
• Addressed a Fusion planar transform issue on small images.
• Addressed an issue with uploads for renders on Apple Silicon systems.
• Addressed an issue with the classic stabilizer on Apple Silicon systems.
• Addressed an issue with LUT generation on Apple Silicon systems.
• Addressed out of order frames when decoding certain XAVC clips.
• Addressed an issue with importing malformed CLF LUTs.
• General performance and stability improvements.

Price and availability

As always, the latest version of DaVinci Resolve is available now as a free download from the Blackmagic Support Center. The full Studio license of DaVinci Resolve 17.3.2 is also available on the same page, but an activation code has to be purchased in order to launch it. The full license for two computers currently costs $295, but with the purchase you also get a free Blackmagic Speed Editor (check our review here). The license also comes with all new Blackmagic Design cameras.

For those using DaVinci Resolve or DaVinci Resolve Studio on Windows, Blackmagic Design strongly recommends uninstalling previous versions prior to installing 17 Public Beta 5 and higher versions. Going forward, all Fairlight, grading, and editor keyboard firmware updates will be managed from the DaVinci Control Panels Setup utility.

When it comes to database, DaVinci Resolve 17.3.2 requires a database upgrade from Resolve 16.2.7 and previous versions. It is strongly recommended that you back up your existing database (both DiskDB and PostgreSQL) and then restore it for the upgrade before upgrading to this release. There is no database change from 17.0.

Do you use DaVinci Resolve for your post-production work? What do you think about the latest update? On a scale from 1 to 10, how much do you want Blackmagic Design to really adopt native support for ProRes RAW? Let us know in the comments section below.

The post DaVinci Resolve 17.3.2 Released – Blackmagic RAW SDK 2.2 and more appeared first on CineD.

Blackmagic Design has just announced Camera 7.7 update. It further improves the capabilities of the Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K’s sensor. A refined demosaic algorithm will now offer better color balance and enhanced sharpness. The update is now available as a free download.

First announced back in July 2020, the Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K really shocked the market with its super-high-resolution 80MP sensor. Even more surprisingly, the camera’s initial price point of $9,995 was dropped to $5,995 over the summer, thus making this tool even more appealing.

Moreover, my colleague Gunther also run the camera through our Lab Test procedures. You can find the results of the tests he conducted here.

The camera now receives a fine-tuned demosaic algorithm that should give an extra boost to its image quality. Let’s take a closer look.

Blackmagic Camera 7.7 update: what’s new

The Blackmagic Camera 7.7 update brings better color reproduction and improved sharpness to the Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K.

As a result, colors should now look even more balanced than before, while still retaining all the dynamic range that the camera can offer. This improvement is particularly useful for having natural-looking skin tones as a good starting point for building your look upon.

Since the demosaicing process has a direct impact on the sharpness of the image as well, you should also experience an enhancement of fine detail in shadow areas. Moreover, as the extremely high resolution 12K sensor is more likely to introduce moirè, the new update should also reduce this effect.

What’s demosaicing?

If you’re not familiar with the demosaicing process, let’s do a quick recap. A digital sensor is essentially colorblind. In fact, every pixel of the sensor only records the intensity of the light it receives, but knows nothing about its wavelength (or in other words, its color).

For this reason, a red, green or blue filter sits above each pixel, creating an RGB mosaic pattern over the sensor. For example, a red filter only lets red light passing through.

In this way, every pixel gains information about one of the three color channels (Red, Green or Blue). By interpolating this data with those of the pixels nearby, all three color channels become available for each pixel. This processed is called demosaicing and it has a direct impact on color balance and image detail.

When shooting RAW, the demosaicing process happens in the RAW development software on your computer. However, the Blackmagic RAW format works a little differently, since the processing power of the camera hardware is exploited to do part of the job, thus providing a faster playback in the video editing software.

Price and availability

The Blackmagic Camera 7.7 update is now available for free. You can download it form the dedicated Support Center on the Blackmagic Design website. If you are updating from Camera 4.0 or above, don’t forget to backup your presets and LUTs prior to installing!

Are you a Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K owner? Install the new update today and share your experience in the comments below!

The post Blackmagic Camera 7.7 Update – Improved Demosaic Algorithm for URSA Mini Pro 12K appeared first on CineD.

BRAW Toolbox is a new plug-in for Final Cut Pro that makes it possible to edit native BRAW footage without transcoding. It promises no more transcoding, no more waiting, and no more massive ProRes files. Let’s take a quick look at what it can do!

Apple and Blackmagic seem locked in a passive battle over their compressed raw codecs. Apple ProRes RAW isn’t supported in Blackmagic’s DaVinci Resolve, and BRAW isn’t supported in Apple’s FCP. Usually, a little competition is good for everyone, but in this case, it is just completely annoying for the editor.

Check out our article Blackmagic RAW and ProRes RAW, Compared to learn about some of the differences between the two codecs.

Thankfully, BRAW Toolbox from developer Chris Hocking at LateNite Films is changing all of that!

“As hardcore Final Cut Pro users, we got frustrated when clients would hand over SSDs with 2-4TB’s worth of BRAW footage, that we’d need to convert to ProRes to start editing with it in Final Cut Pro.”

From BRAWtoolbox.io

He continues,

“Now we can just import BRAW files directly into Final Cut Pro, with full RAW controls, and access to all the camera metadata.”

From BRAWtoolbox.io

This should come as very welcome news to FCP editors who are working with footage in Blackmagic’s native raw format. Up until now, BRAW footage couldn’t be imported into FCP without hours of transcoding. Other plugins, like Color Finale Transcoder, simplified the process of transcoding BRAW footage but now we have the next best thing to native support.

The plug-in was developed using two public APIs. Workflow Extensions for the user interface, and FxPlug4 as the render. According to the developer, the tool “is just a Filter in Apple Motion, and an Effect in Final Cut Pro, but instead of “processing” the source clip, we replace the clip contents with the processed BRAW clip.”

The extension allows you to prepare all of your footage, adjust clip settings, add LUTS, and copy and paste those settings between clips prior to importing. From there, you can still adjust all of the RAW settings, and even set keyframes for exposure and color corrections.

BRAW Toolbox gives you a full view of all of the BRAW Metadata inside Final Cut Pro’s inspector panel. You can set decoder quality options to match your system speed, and then force full-quality global settings before you export.

Additional BRAW Toolbox features

• Convert PROJECT to Resolve Friendly FCPXML
  • Convert a project/timeline into something you can easily import into DaVinci Resolve
• Convert PROJECT to Resolve Friendly FCPXML (via CP)
  • This works the same as above, but instead of prompting you for a filename, it’ll send the processed FCPXML directly to CommandPost for processing.
• Relink BRAW Clips within an EVENT
  • if you’ve moved BRAW clips to another folder/machine, you can use this Toolbox to easily adjust the file paths.
• Convert BRAW clips to MOVs within an EVENT
  • Allows you to convert BRAW Toolbox clips to MOVs within an Event.
• Add BRAW Toolbox to Proxy Clips within an EVENT
  • This Toolbox will add the BRAW Toolbox effect to any clips in the event that have an accompanying BRAW file.

Price and availability

BRAW Toolbox is available to purchase directly from the Mac App Store for $79.99; however, you can pick it up for an introductory discount of $39.99 before February 13, 2023. Visit the developer’s site for more information.

Featured image photo by Pixabay, altered by CineD.

What do you think about the lack of support for BRAW in FCP and the lack of support for ProRes RAW in Resolve? Would you use a product like this as a workaround? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

The post BRAW Toolbox – Blackmagic RAW in Final Cut Pro appeared first on CineD.

Good news for Blackmagic Design fans – prices for Blackmagic Cloud Store devices were just reduced. The Blackmagic Cloud Store Mini 8TB is now $2,355, the Cloud Store 20TB is now $7,595 and Cloud Store 80TB is now $22,995.

Shortly before last year’s NAB in April 2022, the Australian camera gear company Blackmagic Design first introduced its Blackmagic Cloud and Cloud Store devices. We met up with the company’s representatives at the NAB 2022 show floor and had all the cloud devices explained.

Blackmagic Cloud Store

‘Cloud Store’, the larger tower, is available in either 20TB, 80TB or in a whopping 320TB capacity. It shares the same enclosure as the (now legacy) Blackmagic eGPU. All three models sport four 10GBit/s Ethernet ports for distributing media to desktop workstations over the network. It also has an HDMI output for connecting a display to the unit to show a comprehensive dashboard of all vital information in one place.

The smaller Cloud Store Mini offers 8TB of storage and two 10GBit/s Ethernet ports, but the device’s functionality remains the same. There is also a tiny and affordable Cloud Pod, which has no internal storage, but can be hooked up to an external SSD and features one 10 GBit/s port.

Not even a year has passed since then and Blackmagic Design has announced a reduction in price on all of their Cloud Store devices (except the 320GB, which is always special order).

This is not the first time Blackmagic Design has significantly reduced the price of its gear. In August 2021, the company slashed the Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K camera price by a whopping 40% (from $9,999 to $5,999) after only a year on the market.

While it might be bitter for those who invest in gear shortly before a reduction in the price, I still think it is great that a company passes the savings in optimized production processes on to the customer and reduces the price of new products to make them more accessible

Price reduction

The new, lower prices of Blackmagic Cloud Store devices look like this:

• Mini 8TB is now $2,355 (originally $2,995 – $640 savings)
• 20TB is now $7,595 (originally $9,595 – $2,000 savings)
• 80TB is now $22,995 (originally $29,995 – $7,000 savings)

Were you considering getting one of the Blackmagic Cloud Store solutions for your work? What do you think of significant price reductions on existing gear? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section underneath the article.

The post Blackmagic Cloud Store 80TB, 20TB and Cloud Store Mini 8TB Price Drops – Up to $7,000 Savings appeared first on CineD.

Blackmagic Design recently released a firmware update for its full-frame Cinema Camera 6K: Blackmagic Camera 8.3.2. This firmware update improves the overall reliability. Also, Blackmagic RAW has been updated to version 3.4, adding support for the BCC6K and BRAW clips shot with the FUJIFILM GFX100 II. So, let’s take a closer look at it!

The Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K was introduced in September 2023 and features a new full-frame 6K image sensor, a Leica L-Mount instead of a Canon EF mount used on the previous BMPCC 6K/6K Pro, a 5″ touchscreen that can tilt, and now records onto CFexpress Type B memory cards instead of SD/CFast 2.0 cards. If you missed it, you can watch our first look video during IBC 2023 here.

The first full-frame cinema camera from Blackmagic Design will officially hit the retailers’ shelves and users worldwide by the end of this month. It sounds like a couple of cameras are already out in the field and in the hands of select camera shooters to give feedback to Blackmagic Design. Ahead of mass production and delivery, Blackmagic released a Camera 8.3.2 update that fixes some issues.

Blackmagic Camera 8.3.2 update – features

The Blackmagic Camera 8.3.2 update “improves the reliability of the image data during recording” for the Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K. We don’t have a lot of details about it, but it is recommended that all users update their camera when they receive it.

Also, this update includes Blackmagic RAW 3.4, which adds support for the BCC6K and the FUJIFILM GFX100 II Blackmagic RAW clips recorded externally.

Pricing and availability

The Blackmagic Camera 8.3.2 update is available to download now on Blackmagic Design’s website, free of charge.

Did you pre-order the Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K? Do you plan to upgrade your BMPCC 6K/6K Pro to this new full-frame version? Don’t hesitate to let us know in the comments below!

It’s been only a month since its previous update, and Blackmagic has just released Blackmagic Camera 1.2 adding new features like haptic feedback and LUT recording. This new update improves the user’s control while filming. So, let’s see what’s new here!

One thing that the guys at Blackmagic can be proud of is their continuous update philosophy. This is especially noticeable in DaVinci Resolve and now in their Blackmagic camera app. If we could divide software updates into two categories, the first one would be the update that focuses on fixing bugs and other small things (sometimes imperceptible for many users). The second one would be the update that expands the program by adding new features and functionalities. Blackmagic Camera 1.2 falls into this category. Let’s see what the company includes in this update.

Haptic feedback and more control

The first noticeable feature is the inclusion of haptic feedback when using the control dials, giving the user more precision when operating the app. If we want to use the phone as a serious shooting device, having complete control and reliability while filming are paramount features.
Monitoring has also been improved in different ways. For example, with this update, all the controls remain onscreen while zooming in. Furthermore, we can now activate zebras, false color, and focus peaking while shooting. These features ensure we have continuous control and can always be aware of critical aspects like correct focus and exposure.

Another added feature is the possibility of recording our clips with a baked LUT, which is particularly helpful when we have to deliver finished work or don’t have the time or the budget for color grading. In the audio department, we can now select the iPhone’s front, back, or bottom microphones, expanding our sound recording possibilities.

Looking at some of the new features, we can deduce Blackmagic’s vision is aligned with Apple’s: the new iPhone is designed to be a genuine filmmaking tool even in demanding scenarios. For example, Blackmagic Camera 1.2 offers distinct features like importing and exporting camera setting presets, speeding up our workflow when working with different devices, or in multi-cam shootings. Blackmagic has also included flicker-free presets of 50 and 60 Hz, meaning we can now match our phones to a specific region’s flicker rate. When shooting complex lighting setups and mixed lighting scenarios, such as events or documentaries, users will find this feature beneficial for achieving flicker-free images.

Finally, Blackmagic Camera 1.2 supports new languages (Chinese, Spanish, French, Japanese, Korean, and Portuguese.)

List of new features in Blackmagic Camera 1.2

• Control dials now offer haptic feedback and higher accuracy.
• Support for 6 additional languages, including Chinese, Japanese, and Spanish.
• Improved layouts for iPhones with display zoom enabled.
• Improved animations for player and slate views in all iPhone models.
• Improved animations for stealth mode in smaller iPhone models.
• Improved organization and grouping of camera settings.
• Support for selecting a specific onboard microphone.
• Support to maintain zebra, peaking, and false color during recording.
• Support for flipping the image for SLR lenses.
• Support for flicker-free shutter presets for 50 and 60 Hz settings.
• Support for recording clips with LUT and tagging color space.
• Ability to export and import camera settings presets.
• Improved grid controls with horizon detection.
• Selectable time-lapse duration in settings.
• Ability to drag clips between projects in the media panel.
• Support for iOS shortcut automation workflows.
• Multiple fixes for recording HUD.
• Apple Log to Rec.709 LUT is now included.
• Ability to turn off uploads when on data.
• General performance and stability improvements.

Price and availability

Blackmagic Camera 1.2 is now available for free download from the Apple store.

What do you think of this new update? Do you think it improves its overall performance in a practical way for your shootings? Let us know in the comments!

Blackmagic Design continues updating their Blackmagic Camera app, adding more functionalities and improving usability. The new Blackmagic Camera 1.2.1 update adds better ISO control and introduces flipping the image when using SLR lenses. Let’s take a look! 

Blackmagic is pursuing the definitive filmmaking app for the iPhone if we look at the pace at which they release new updates and the practicality of the new additions. On this occasion, the Blackmagic Camera 1.2.1 update introduces new features to expand our possibilities using the app.

The list of added features goes on

In Blackmagic Camera 1.2.1, ISO control has improved, and we can now access lower ISO numbers for better exposure when shooting in bright conditions like a sunny day. This feature is helpful because it took a lot of work with previous versions or other apps to control exposure, even with ND filters, without changing the shutter speed. Now, we have a more comprehensive range of ISO numbers in the lower range to help with this. 

Blackmagic has also improved the app’s LUT handling, so if we now import a duplicated LUT, it will give us the option to overwrite the LUT or save it as a copy. This feature is beneficial, for example, when adjusting a LUT with minor changes and comparing them without deleting the previous one. 

Another practical feature is the possibility of flipping images vertically or horizontally when using SLR lenses. By inverting the image, we can now see what we are shooting instead of imagining it or forcing our eyes or posture to do it.

The update also improves general stability and performance. It addresses issues like a change of preview quality when switching the phone’s orientation or a problem with audio sync when switching lenses during recording.

Price and availability

Blackmagic Camera 1.2.1 is now available for download from the Apple App Store for free.

What do you think about these new additions? Are you using Blackmagic Camera on your projects? Let us know in the comments section below!

Recently, the new Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K arrived at the CineD headquarters. Reason enough to run it through our standard lab test procedures. Curious to hear how this new, full-frame camera from Blackmagic Design fares? Then read on …

I have been a Blackmagic Design fan since the introduction of the original pocket cinema camera in 2013, and I still use it from time to time if I am after a certain look. For instance, using it with C-mount lenses can give me a nice vintage, very organic super 16 look. But this is another story.

I then added the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K to my arsenal, which is one of my two go-to cameras. The other one is the Panasonic LUMIX S1.

This brings me directly to the new Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K (BMCC6K), which now uses the same L-mount as my Panasonic LUMIX S1 and also comes with a full-frame sensor. Please have a look at the article looking into the specs by my colleague Jakub here, and a first look by my colleague Francesco here. So, I was really interested to see what this first full-frame camera from Blackmagic Design brings to the table.

BMCC6K – Rolling shutter

Using our 300Hz strobe light, which generates the sequence of black and white bars, we get 18.7ms (less is better) for 6K DCI (17:9):

This is not the best result for 2023. We have a lot of other full-frame consumer cameras that are better. The Nikon Z 9 (8K – 14.5ms), the Canon EOS R5 C (8K 15.5ms), and the Sony A1 (8K 16.6ms) just to name a few. And, of course, the leader of the pack, the Sony a7S III with 8.7ms in 16:9 4K. Full frame cameras that perform worse in the rolling shutter department are the Panasonic LUMIX S series cameras which are all around 22ms.

In 3:2 open gate mode, we get 25ms, and in 4K DCI crop mode, we get 15ms for the new BMCC6K.

BMCC6K – Dynamic Range

The BMCC6K has again a dual native ISO sensor, with ISO400 and 3200 as the “native” ISO. In Blackmagic RAW though (which is the only codec now available, as ProRes HQ is gone), ISO can be set in post. These two ISOs, however, represent a good balance between highlights and shadows.

Let’s have a look at the waveform of the 6K open gate, BRAW 3:1 at ISO400 (color science gen5):

A solid 12 stops above the noise floor can be identified, with a 13th and even a 14th stop visible.

IMATEST calculates 11.6 stops at a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 2, and 12.9 stops at SNR = 1 for ISO400. These are almost exactly the same results that we measured for the BMPCC6K and BMPCC6K Pro (they actually showed 0.2 stops better results at SNR = 2). Also, the noise levels look very similar (see our lab test article here).

Now, let’s have a look at the second native ISO circuit – ISO3200:

Also for ISO3200, about 12 stops are visible above the noise floor. However, the second native ISO is really very noisy. Let’s see what IMATEST calculates:

IMATEST calculates 10.2 stops at SNR = 2 and 11.5 stops at SNR = 1. This is similar to what we measured for the BMPCC6K and 6K Pro (lab test here).

Hence, you lose about 1.5 stops when switching to the higher ISO circuit, which is not exactly what I would expect from a dual native ISO sensor. All the other cameras that we tested so far typically showed less than half a stop difference in dynamic range when switching to the second native ISO value.

In addition, the normalized pixel noise reaches values of around 6 in the red channel (see the lowest of the 3 diagrams above), which is way higher than for the BMPCC6K and 6K Pro at ISO3200. I did some quick tests comparing the two cameras at home and actually found the noise nastier, and much more difficult to remove with the new full-frame BMCC6K. Quite surprising to be honest …

In the crop 4K modes, the same exact dynamic range results for the two ISO’s are obtained, which is to be expected – also for the higher frame rates that are possible in those modes.

BMCC6K – Latitude

Latitude is the capability of a camera to retain details and colors when over- or underexposed and pushed back to base exposure. Some time ago, we chose an arbitrary value of around 60% luma value (in the waveform) for our subjects’ forehead as the base exposure in our standard studio scene. This CineD base exposure should help our readers get a reference point for all the cameras tested, regardless of how they distribute the code values and which LOG mode is used.

Again, BRAW 3:1 open gate mode at ISO400 was used, but we only display 16:9 frames here.

As usual, we overexpose until the red channel is at the cusp of clipping on the forehead of our subject (my dear colleague Johnnie in this case), and then we push it back to base exposure in post. Here, typically some patches of the color checker on the left are clipped. Those can be brought back by using the “highlight recovery” option in the RAW camera tab of DaVinci Resolve 18.6.4 that we used here. However, we only test with “highlight recovery” turned “OFF”, as color accuracy suffers massively with reconstructed color channels (as we wrote in many earlier articles) – but it is a nice option to have to save parts of the image if they are partially clipped.

For Blackmagic color science generation 5 (due to the code value distribution at ISO400) that gives 3 stops of overexposure possibility:

From here forward, we close the iris of our ZEISS Compact Prime 85mm T1.5 (which we always use for full-frame cameras) to T2, T2.8, and so on until T8, and then we also double the shutter speed. These images are also normalized back to base exposure in post.

Now, let’s directly move to 5 stops of underexposure (from base), brought back. Here, quite suddenly, noise starts to kick in, which was almost absent even for the 4 stops under image that was brought back:

We are at 8 stops of exposure latitude (3 over to 5 under). That is almost the standard now for consumer full-frame cameras like the Sony A1, the Panasonic LUMIX SH1, S1, and S5 (not the S5II as this one only had 7 stops of latitude). Noise reduction helps to clean up the image, but a green tint stays in the shadows:

It is already at the cusp of being usable, but I will still count it as a valid result. Quite massive temporal and spatial noise reduction is needed:

Now, let’s move to 6 stops underexposure:

Now, the noise becomes massive, and horizontal stripes also start to appear. Plus, the nasty green tint in the shadows is much more pronounced. The horizontal stripes can be identified more easily when using noise reduction:

Hence, this is a clear “game over”, which leads us to the conclusion that 8 stops of exposure latitude are possible with the new BMCC6K. Compared to recent consumer cameras, this is 1 stop better than the Canon EOS R5 C or Panasonic LUMIX S5II, and it is similar to the Sony A1, Panasonic LUMIX S1H, S1 or S5, and also Nikon Z 9 as well as Canon EOS R3.

This result is a tad disappointing, as I did expect the 12-bit BRAW codec to have more potential to pull up shadow stops compared to the H.264 or H.265 codecs that are typically available for consumer cameras.

The leaders of the pack in the full frame segment are the RED V-Raptor with 9 stops and the ARRI Alexa Mini LF with 10 stops of exposure latitude. Our benchmark is the Super35 ARRI Alexa 35 with 12 stops.

Summary

The new Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K shows a solid performance in the lab test. In the rolling shutter department, it falls behind compared to most recent consumer full-frame cameras, whereas in the dynamic range department, it is on a similar level, at least for the lower native ISO. The higher native ISO is sort of a problem child; I would stay away from it if possible.

Latitude is also in the middle ground, nothing special, but better than some recent cameras like the Panasonic LUMIX S5II or the Canon EOS R5 C.

As a BMPCC6K or 6K Pro user, it is simple – lab test results for the new full-frame BMCC6K are sort of “copy & paste” from the APS-C sized BMPCC6K and 6K Pro. Hence, a bigger sensor, but everything else is similar.

Have you shot with the BMCC6K yet? What is your experience? Let us know in the comments below.

Blackmagic Design has just released their new Blackmagic Camera 8.6 Public Beta, adding support for cloud workflows on Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera and Cinema Camera 6K, webcam support, and other features. Let’s take a look at these! 

Blackmagic Design continues to improve their cameras by launching firmware updates that add new features and functionalities. The new Blackmagic Camera 8.6 Public Beta will add features to the following cameras:

• Pocket Cinema Camera 4k
• Pocket Cinema Camera 6K
• Pocket Cinema Camera 6K G2
• Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro
• Cinema Camera 6K

Cloud and webcam support 

Blackmagic Camera 8.6 Public Beta adds support for cloud workflows, allowing Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera and Cinema Camera 6K users to upload their clips from the camera’s new media pool to Blackmagic Cloud. Users will also be able to upload their clips to DaVinci Resolve projects directly.

Another significant improvement with this update is using the cameras as a webcam via the USB-C connection. With this new support, we can connect the camera to the computer and stream live video in full HD 1080p with any streaming software or platform. 

Other additions are the ability to update and manage your camera via Ethernet, secure login and password, support for REST APIs for remote camera control, etc. Below is the complete list of new features:

• Adds support for using the camera as a webcam or UVC device.
• Adds media pool file browser.
• Adds clip deletion support.
• Adds Blackmagic Cloud clip uploads.
• Adds direct uploads to DaVinci Resolve projects.
• Adds the ability to update and manage the camera via ethernet.
• Adds REST control API for remote control.
• Adds login and secure certificate support.
• Adds network time protocol support.
• Adds web media manager support.
• Adds file transfer protocol support.
• Adds SMB file-sharing support.
• Adds mobile phone tethering support for some models.
• Improves gyro metadata reliability.
• Improves USB-C drive detection reliability.

Price and availability 

The new Blackmagic Camera 8.6 Public Beta can be downloaded from Blackmagic Design’s website. The minimum system requirements for Mac OS users are macOS 13.0 Ventura or later or macOS 14.0 Sonoma or later. Windows users will need Windows 10 64-bit or later or Windows 11 64-bit or later. 

What do you think of this new update? Does it add any of the features you were waiting for? Let us know in the comments below!

Blackmagic Design has released the Blackmagic Camera 1.3 update, now supporting audio monitoring on connected earphones, rack focus control in-camera, and support for 48mm lenses on iPhone 14 and 15 Pro, among other improvements. 

Blackmagic Design released its Blackmagic Camera App less than one year ago. Since then, they have been updating it consistently, adding new functionalities and improving previous versions. Blackmagic Camera 1.3 follows this trend by adding valuable features and stability to the app.

Blackmagic Camera 1.3 overview 

The first useful feature that this update adds is the possibility to connect earphones for audio monitoring. We can use both wired or Bluetooth headphones to monitor audio while shooting. Continuing with the new features, the update adds rack focus controls in the camera, allowing us to change lens focus during a shot. We can now pull focus between three preset focus points. Blackmagic Camera 1.3 also supports 48mm lenses on iPhone 14 Pro and 15 Pro, giving us the chance to zoom steadily. 

The new version improves the monitoring experience with smooth animation when changing from landscape and portrait modes, as well as a quicker listing of projects in the media tab, less latency on HDMI, and the possibility to display clip name, reel, scene, and take details on an external HDMI monitor while recording.

Blackmagic Camera 1.3 feature list

• Support for audio monitoring on connected earphones.
• Support for rack focus controls in the camera.
• Support for 48mm lens on iPhone 14 Pro and 15 Pro.
• Smoother animations when switching between landscape and portrait.
• Faster project listing in the media tab.
• Reduced latency for HDMI video feeds.
• Name, reel, scene, and take now display over HDMI during recording.
• General performance and stability improvements.

Price and availability

Blackmagic Camera 1.3 can be downloaded for free from the Apple App Store here. 

What do you think about this update? Are any of these new features useful for your workflow? Let us know in the comments below!

Module 8 tuner, a unique optical tuner slotted between a PL lens and a mirrorless camera got a nice update: additional user-replaceable mounts. There is no need to buy new Module 8 tuners, get the mount kit, and assemble it onto an existing tuner. Two new mount kits are available: FUJIFILM X-Mount and Leica / Panasonic / SIGMA L-Mount. They join the existing Canon RF and Sony E-Mount. The latter two are also available as mount kits so a single Modul 8 tuner unit can now fit four different systems.

Module 8 tuner’s designers wanted to create a product that would help democratize the film industry. The concept behind the tuner is to enable specific rendering for various lenses and cameras, canceling the need for complete vintage sets.

Instead of starting another lens line, optical designer Mike Thomas and Oscar winner lens designer Iain Neal teamed up to mass-produce this unique solution. The Module 8 Tuner recreates famous lens’ looks and can be mounted onto various mirrorless cameras, supporting an endless variety of EF/PL lenses.

Module 8 “Tuning”

The Modul 8 Tuner is an optical lens adapter. Its unique optical formulas alter the incoming light, infusing it with unique distortions and aberrations designed to emulate specific looks. Tuners come in three flavors: The L1 tuner emulates the look of classic Super Baltar lenses. The L2 emulates the look coming from Canon K35 lenses and the L3 emulates Iain Neil’s signature look. The control ring provides variable control over the strength of the optical effects, with the selected aperture setting further influencing the final outcome.

Camera – Lens adapting options

Module 8 offers various adapter options. EF lenses can be adapted to Sony E-Mount and Canon RF cameras. Since EF lenses are fully electronic, these adapters include electronic coupling and aren’t too relevant for the new user-interchangeable mounts. PL mount adapters are fully mechanical and will easily enable additional mounts. The new addition of the L-Mount and X-Mount kits brings adapting options to a total of four mounts, covering most optional cameras (except Micro Four thirds).

User-interchangeable

If Module 8 had simply announced the two new Tuner adapters, one for X-Mount and another for L-Mount, we wouldn’t have complained. Although that seems like a commercially sound move, the company still went the extra mile, proving how serious they are regarding their goal to make cinematic looks accessible for all. Assembling the mount kit isn’t too complicated. It will require a clean indoor environment though.

Who is it for

The new Module 8 mount kits are for those who have the Module 9 PL Tuner but would like to migrate to another mount. The entire Modul 8 Tuner ecosystem can now cater to the needs of a significantly larger crowd. Recent FUJIFILM cameras such as the X-H2 and X-H2s offer incredible feature sets, Panasonic’s LUMIX S5II and S5IIX are also very potent motion capture tools, and the recent Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K also work with the L-Mount. These are some of the most accessible video cameras around; all are capable of excellent codecs and formats.

The addition of such a flexible tool to these already very flexible systems further expands the creative envelope achievable on this kind of budget. While $2500 isn’t cheap for an adapter, it’s considerably lower than the cost of an equivalent lens set capable of delivering these specific renderings. If you already have a Module 8 PL Tuner and want to try it on another system, it’s a no-brainer.

Price and availability

A Modul 8 Mount Kit for PL Tuner will cost you $100, be it an X, L, RF, or an E-Mount. It’s available for pre-order. The PL tuner will set you back $2,500 and is available for special order at B&H or MOMENT, where you’ll also find a $200 discount (as of publishing this article)

Do you use the Modul 8 Tuner?? Do you use either X- or L-Mount cameras and would you consider this unique tool now? Let us know in the comments.

DaVinci Resolve 19 introduces AI features, text-based timeline editing, the ability to create film looks, and more. Blackmagic Design’s all-in-one app adds new features in each of the panes for editing, color grading, effects, audio, and delivery. This year’s enhancements focus on using machine learning tools to accelerate common tasks for post-production professionals. They’ve also added multicam features for broadcasters.

Blackmagic Design is leveraging their integrated hardware and software business to streamline video production tasks. The headliner for this release is AI. Creatives will be pleased to see that Blackmagic Design’s implementation of AI is aimed at reducing the tedious, repetitive tasks.

Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve 19 adds text-based editing

Resolve created simple transcripts before, but now you can use those transcripts for editing. Users will be able to identify multiple speakers, replace text, and edit the timeline right in the transcription. This feature should prove useful to documentary filmmakers, along with anyone who works with voice-over and interviews.

Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve 19 adds AI features

IntelliTrack is the new AI tracking tool in Davinci Resolve 19. Blackmagic claims that it achieves “incredible tracking performance.” This claim stands out because Resolve has had a long-standing reputation for incredible tracking performance in color grading.

UltraNR reduces the video noise in your images. It uses AI to identify the areas that need to be cleaned up, while protecting other parts of the image from a loss of detail.

Resolve adds new tools for color grading

Color Slice and Film Look Creator appear in the Color page of DaVinci Resolve. Color slice provides a new dedicated skin vector with an emphasis on producing deep, rich, film-like images.

Film Look Creator enables you to create film looks that protect skin tones and allow you to manipulate parameters associated with shooting on film, like halation, bloom, and flicker.

Resolve offers a new tool called BG DeFocus. This effect allows you to simulate shallow depth of field in post-production.

New tools for Fusion and Fairlight

VFX and audio have not been left out of the updates. Fairlight audio receives AI enhancements for music remixing, dialogue separation, and automatic ducking. Blackmagic Design also introduced an industry-first AI-based panning/tracking tool. An object moving from one side of the screen to the other can be tracked with IntelliTrack and then the audio pan can match the object’s movement automatically.

Pricing and Availability

DaVinci Resolve 19 is in public beta now. The free version will continue to be offered, and the Studio version will remain at $295. For more information visit the blackmagicdesign.com

What do you think about AI in DaVinci Resolve 19? Is this something you are excited about using? Let us know in the comments below!

Richard Taylor has been covering NAB for many years. He keeps a close eye on the post-production space, especially on developments in Final Cut Pro. Our colleague Reuben had the chance to connect with him and hear his thoughts on everything NAB, from Apple’s approach to AI to a quick encounter with Grant Petty, CEO of Blackmagic Design.

Richard Taylor on Resolve’s text-based editing

In the interview with Richard Taylor from NAB 2024, he pointed out that DaVinci Resolve 18 had great transcription and auto-caption features. Blackmagic Design has incorporated true text-based editing, which allows you to select text in a transcription and delete it from your timeline. Documentary editors rejoice! These kinds of AI advancements will help creatives rather than replace them.

Hanging out with Grant Petty

Richard got an exclusive interview with Blackmagic Design’s CEO Grant Petty on the show floor. Watch the full interview below (Interview at 48:54).

Arctic Whiteness’ Final Cut Pro Library Manager becomes “Arctic”

Hedge has been making big moves in the post-production space. They are making a big effort to support teams that use Apple’s Final Cut Pro. Arctic is the new name for the app “Final Cut Pro Library Manager”. A small team developed this app to keep track of your Final Cut Pro libraries and all the associated assets. It is a unique tool but it has always had some significant shortcomings. Hedge has taken stewardship of the app and has already fixed significant bugs.

Thoughts about Apple and AI

Prior to the interview, he connected with the team behind LumaFusion. They are incorporating text-based editing into their app as well. He had an opportunity to get their thoughts as to why Apple hasn’t gone there yet with Final Cut Pro. It makes sense that Apple will try to do AI features with privacy in mind, so could it be that the next-gen of AI (or machine learning) optimized chips will unlock the necessary on-device technology to make this happen?

Follow Richard Taylor

To hear more from Richard Taylor, check out his YouTube channel RichardTaylorTV.

What trends are you noticing this year at NAB? Let us know in the comments below!

Blackmagic Design has released Blackmagic Camera 1.4, a new update for the app that adds new functionalities like support for Blackmagic Cloud organizations and support for recording off-speed video clips, among other features. Let’s take a look at them!

Last April, Blackmagic Design launched Blackmagic Camera App 1.3, adding new functionalities such as audio monitoring on connected earphones, rack focus control in-camera, etc. One month later, the company released a new update, making the app more robust and more complete with added-on features and fixes.

Blackmagic Camera 1.4 new features and fixes

• Support for Blackmagic Cloud organizations.
• Support for recording off-speed video clips.
• Support for enabling frame guide, safe area and other options on HDMI output.
• Support for 2.76:1 frame guide overlay.
• Swipe right to dim screen when recording.
• Ability to customize grid overlay opacity.
• Addressed issue where audio input source could automatically be reset to None in some cases.
• Addressed incorrect image preview when anamorphic de-squeeze option is enabled. 

Price and availability

You can download Blackmagic Camera 1.4 for free from the Apple App Store here. 

What do you think about this new update? Were you waiting for any of the new features? Let us know in the comments below!

Last month, we saw a significant discount on the (relatively new) Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K. That 40% discount shaved off over $1,000 from an amazing cinema camera, making it available for only $1,575. Well, if you missed out or perhaps were not interested in that deal, Blackmagic tempts us again with a bigger and better camera at an even greater discount. At a list price of $5,995, you can now purchase the URSA Mini Pro 4.6K G2 with an instant $3,000 off, making the final price $2,995 at B&H’s website.

One can most likely chalk up these recent Blackmagic discounts to generate some breathing room for their newer lines of cameras, recently announced at NAB 2024. To move new Pyxis and Ursa Cine 17k cameras, they want to clear the shelves of some of their older models, which is understandable. Whatever the reason, this is a great deal. Let’s take a look at the URSA Mini Pro 4.6k G2.

Flagship model – Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro

Released back in 2021, the URSA Mini Pro 4.6K G2 Digital Cinema Camera introduced an updated Super 35 sensor along with 15 stops of dynamic range, 4.6K up to 120 fps/ 1080p up to 300 fps, built-in ND filters, and an interchangeable lens mount. It records Blackmagic RAW or has Apple Prores support in 422 and 444. This and many other highlights make the URSA Mini Pro 4.6k G2 a powerhouse in the cinema camera community.

Here’s a quick rundown of some of the specs:

• Updated Super 35 4.6K image sensor
• 4608 x 2592 with 15 stops of dynamic range at 3200 ISO
• 4.6K images at up to 120 frames per second
• Windowed 4K DCI at up to 150 frames per second
• Windowed 1080 HD at 300 frames per second
• Blackmagic RAW images in both film and extended video modes
• Raw compression levels up to 12:1
• USB-C expansion port for recording to external drives

We wrote about the URSA Mini Pro 4.6k G2 when it was first announced and were very impressed with what the camera could do. Of course, we ran it through the lab tests as well and declared it a very good value! It was well worth the money back then and more than worth $3,000 off now!

Keeping in mind that this URSA Mini Pro purchase comes with DaVinci Resolve Studio (a $295 value) priced at $2,995, I really can’t recommend this camera enough. Although, I would suggest the Cinema Camera 6K for $1,575 if you can still swing that deal.

What do you think about this deal? Would you recommend the URSA Mini Pro 4.6K G2, or have you used it in the past? If you have a favorite cinema camera, I’d love to hear what it is.

Blackmagic Design has just released the Blackmagic Camera app for Android, which should make Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel phone users very happy. The app, released last September for iPhones, offers the advanced features of Blackmagic’s professional cameras to smartphones, offering a range of advanced controls and capabilities. So, let’s take a closer look at what is now available to Android users!

Last September, Blackmagic Design unveiled the Blackmagic Camera app for iPhones, bringing additional capabilities and extra flexibility when filming with an iPhone. Now available for Android users as well, the app includes features like frame rate, shutter angle, white balance, and ISO adjustments. Additionally, the app includes advanced monitoring tools such as focus peaking, zebra patterns, and false color, enhancing its functionality for mobile filmmakers.

Record directly or to Blackmagic Cloud

You have multiple options for managing your recordings with the Blackmagic Camera app. You can save recordings directly to your phone’s local storage and then export them to an external drive. Alternatively, you can log in to Blackmagic Cloud, select a DaVinci Resolve project before you start recording, and have each recording automatically uploaded and synced with all members of the project. Another option is to manually record to your phone and then upload selected clips to the cloud when you have a connection.

Easy navigation and settings

The HUD (Heads-Up Display) allows you to view and adjust key settings at a glance based on your smartphone’s capabilities. Here are just a few!

• Lens: Select front or rear, wide-angle or zoom.
• FPS (frames per second): Adjust the framerate from the preset 24fps to 60fps.
• Shutter speed: 1/24 – 1/8000 – suggested speeds on a speed dial or set it manually.
• Timecode: Display either the duration of recording (timecode turns red) or the time of day.
• ISO: 25 to 10666, based on the phone model and lens selected.
• White Balance/Tint: Set manually (2500°K to 10,000°K.), or use the Cloud, Shade, Fluorescent, Incandescent, or Daylight preset.
• Focus: Autofocus on or off, plus tap screen autofocus. Manual control from minimum focus distance (0.00) to maximum focus distance (9.50).
• Audio meters: VU or PPM – monitor levels of the internal microphone or external sources.
• Storage indicator: Remaining recording time on the phone’s internal memory in hours, minutes, and seconds. 
• Upload indicator: Displays the name of the clip, upload speed, percentage of the clip that is uploaded, and time remaining to complete.

Adjustments are simple, and most can be done by tapping the corresponding icon on the HUD. For instance, simply tap the ISO setting to control the exposure without the need to navigate any sub-menus. You can get the details for all the settings on the Blackmagic website here.

Price and availability

The Blackmagic Camera app for Android phones is available to download now for free here. Please note that the app is only compatible with select Android phones.

For more information, see Blackmagic Design’s website.

Are you an Android user who is excited about finally having access to this app? Let us know your experience with it in the comments below!

Blackmagic camera app for Android v1.1 adds support for HDMI monitoring, pull focus controls, 3D LUT for recording and monitoring, screen dimming while recording, and more. The app also officially supports more phone models, such as OnePlus 11 and 12, Xiaomi 13 and 14, Google Pixel 6 and 7, and Samsung Galaxy S21 and S22. The app is available now on Google Play store free of charge.

Last year in September, along with the newly announced iPhone 15 and 15 Pro smartphones, Blackmagic Design released a new, free camera app for iOS that introduced new options for these phones (and a few older iPhone models). We covered the initial announcement on the show floor at IBC 2024.

Since then, Blackmagic Design has updated the iOS camera app a few times, and finally, in June 2024, they also released an Android version (for only a few select smartphone models). Now, a new version of the Blackmagic camera app for Android has been released. Let’s take a quick look at what is new with version 1.1.

Blackmagic camera app for Android v1.1

The new version of the Blackmagic camera app for Android adds a few useful features. Firstly, it adds support for HDMI monitoring. This means you get a better view of the scene, which helps when checking focus, exposure, and composition of the shot, and even watch the recording with multiple monitors so everyone on set can view the footage.

This update also adds pull focus controls to the camera so you can change the focus of the lens during a continuous shot. This allows you to gradually pull focus between 3 preset focus points in the foreground or background.

There’s also support for syncing media directly to a Blackmagic Cloud Organizations account, which allows you to select between syncing media to your personal account or your company’s organization account.

In addition, you can now dim the screen while recording, apply noise reduction or sharpening to the recorded image, and use 3D LUTS while recording and monitoring.

The official list of new features in the Blackmagic Camera for Android 1.1 includes:

• HDMI monitoring.
• 3D LUTs for recording and monitoring.
• Pull focus transition controls.
• Blackmagic Cloud organizations.
• Login account within Blackmagic Cloud.
• Ability to dim screen while recording.
• Optional image noise reduction.
• Optional image sharpening.
• Audio level pop-up.
• Japanese translations.
• Ability to not generate a proxy while recording.
• Save clips to any location, including external storage.
• General performance and improvements.

Support for more phones

Thankfully, Blackmagic Design did not forget to add official support for additional phone models with this update. Initially, the app was only officially available for the latest Samsung Galaxy phones (S24 and S23) as well as Google Pixel 8. The new version 1.1 brings support for more phone manufacturers as well as some older generations:

• Samsung Galaxy: S21, S22, S23, S24 – all models
• Google Pixel: 6, 7, 8 – all models
• OnePlus: 11, 12 – all models
• Xiaomi: 13, 14 – all models

The full specs of the Blackmagic camera app can be found on the official product page.

We need true log on Android

Having played with the Blackmagic camera app on my Samsung Galaxy S23 for a few weeks, I have to admit there is some helpful stuff. Especially for people who use Blackmagic cameras, the interface is pretty much the same – you will be right at home using the camera app. It does unlock some new options that are not accessible with the camera app from Samsung. For instance, I can now record with new framerates, such as 25fps. All in all, it is amazing that we get this app free of charge for our phones.

What is missing, though—and that is not Blackmagic’s fault—is true log support like Apple added to the iPhone 15 Pro phones. Unfortunately, this is still not a thing on any Android smartphone. It would be nice to get an image that is not butchered by the massive amount of noise reduction and sharpening that every Android phone bakes in when recording videos. Maybe one day…

Do you use the Blackmagic camera app on your phone? Do you find it helpful even on an Android phone? What do you think of the new v1.1 update? Let us know in the comments section underneath the article.

The Blackmagic URSA Cine 17K camera with a large 65mm image sensor is available for pre-order now with shipments starting later in the year. The price will start at $29,995.

How much resolution do you want? Yes!

While some camera manufacturers keep postponing 8K camera models due to the industry’s slower adoption of the very high resolution and the massive data rates that come with it, other companies are moving in the other direction. Blackmagic Design already gave us the URSA Mini Pro 12K back in July 2020, followed by the URSA Cine 12K full-frame model announced at this year’s NAB show.

This year, BMD decided to go even further than 12K, and at the very same NAB show in 2024, they announced an even crazier URSA Cine 17K camera with a 65mm sensor. Well, today, Blackmagic Design announced the pricing and availability of that camera. Let’s take a short look at the details.

URSA Cine 17K -the company’s high-end model

The upcoming Blackmagic URSA Cine 17K is the company’s high-end flagship model. In the words of the company itself:

“We wanted to build a dream camera that has everything you would ever want in a high end digital film camera that could shoot for extremely large screens and immersive environments.”

Blackmagic Design on the URSA Cine 17K

The camera features a large 65mm image sensor with a physical size of 50,808×23,316mm (55.9mm diagonal) and a resolution of 17,520×8,040 pixels (a whopping 140MP in each frame). This results in a pixel pitch of 2.8 microns.

The camera body, with all the connections and physical buttons, seems identical to the URSA Cine 12K. It will come with an ARRI LPL or Hasselblad lens mount to accommodate lenses capable of producing an adequate image circle to cover its 65mm sensor.

Price and availability

Today’s big news is that the Blackmagic URSA Cine 17K is now available for pre-order, with shipments happening later in the year. Blackmagic Design calculated the price to be $29,995. The camera will be demonstrated at the Blackmagic Design IBC Stand 7.C49, so if you are attending the show, make sure to check it out.

Are you shooting 8K or above in your video productions? What do you think about the upcoming URSA Cine 17K? Let us know in the comments section underneath the article.