Canon recently announced the EOS R5 camera, which will shoot 8K 30fps 4K 120 fps. Sony fired back rumors of an A7S III, which will shoot4 4K 120fps and 1080 240 fps. Just when you think it's too much, Black Magic responds with the URSA Mini Pro 12K which we’re told will shoot 60fps at 12K 110fps at 8K, and 220 at 4K.
If that 12K footage is actually editable from a laptop the way they’ve promised, the new URSA Mini Pro will definitely change the conversation - Alex Schwindt
“Considering the 14 stops of dynamic range and the fact that this camera is designed to make 12-bit RAW workflows in 12K a reality, this camera checks all the boxes,” says Mark Hanna, a veteran filmmaker, former on-staff church video director and frequent contributor to Church Production. “While the high frame rate has a massive benefit for smooth slow motion, the high resolution has the advantage of being essentially giving you multiple cameras for the price of 1. The 12K Image is 12,288 x 6,480, so if you are delivering in 1920x1080, the ability to zoom in and pan in post is enormous. The 12K resolution results in almost 80 million pixels; by contrast, the standard 1080 results in just over 2 million -- meaning once recorded, the amount of cropping and panning you can do with the image is immense,” he adds.
Alex Schwindt, independent filmmaker says, “Blackmagic Design’s announcement of a cinema camera capable of shooting 12K footage is a complete bolt from the blue. If that 12K footage is actually editable from a laptop the way they’ve promised the new URSA Mini Pro will definitely change the conversation.”
So here’s what we do know about the Blackmagic Design URSA Mini Pro 12K. We’re told it will be available this month (July 2020) for a $9,995 US.
It features an advanced 12,288 x 6,480 12K Super 35 image sensor, 14 stops of dynamic range and high frame rate shooting at up to 60 frames per second in 12K at 80 megapixels per frame.
This new third-generation model supports new Blackmagic Generation 5 Color Science and higher Blackmagic RAW performance, all in the award-winning URSA Mini Pro camera body.
Oversampling from 12K gives customers 8K and 4K images with the subtle skin tones and extraordinary detail of high end still cameras. Customers can shoot at 60 fps in 12K, 110 fps in 8K and up to 220 fps in 4K Super 16. URSA Mini Pro 12K features an interchangeable PL mount, as well as built in ND filters, dual CFast and UHS-II SD card recorders, a SuperSpeed USB-C expansion port and more.
URSA Mini Pro 12K’s extreme resolution goes beyond traditional motion picture film. Customers get the benefits of shooting with film including incredible detail, wide dynamic range and rich, deep color found in feature films, episodic television and immersive, large format IMAX. The high definition around objects makes it ideal for working with green screen and VFX including compositing live action and CGI. Super sampling at 12K means customers not only get better color and resolution at 8K, but also a smoothness that comes from making aliasing invisible.
The Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K features an all new sensor with a native resolution of 12,288 x 6480, which is an incredible 80 megapixels per frame. The Super 35 sensor offers 14 stops of dynamic range and a native ISO of 800. The new 12K sensor has equal amounts of red, green and blue pixels and is optimized for images at multiple resolutions. Customers can shoot 12K at 60 fps or use in-sensor scaling to allow 8K or 4K RAW at up to 110 fps without cropping or changing their field of view. URSA Mini Pro’s interchangeable lens mount lets customers choose from the widest range of vintage and modern cinema lenses, so customers can capture every ounce of character and detail from their favorite optics.
The URSA Mini Pro 12K sensor and Blackmagic RAW were designed together to make 12-bit RAW workflows in 12K a reality. The efficient, next generation codec Blackmagic RAW lets customers shoot 12K and edit on a laptop, a capability that simply isn’t possible with other codecs according to the company announcement. The massive resolution of the sensor means you can reframe shots in post for delivery in 8K and 4K. It’s like a multi-camera shoot with only one camera. And works well with vertical and square video, too. The advanced sensor and Blackmagic RAW means that customers can work in any resolution in post production instantly, without rendering, while retaining the full sensor’s color accuracy.
Blackmagic RAW makes cinema quality 12-bit, 80 megapixel images at up to 60 frames a reality. Constant quality Q0 and Q5 options and new Q1 and Q3 lock the quality level, allowing compression to adapt, matching the detail of the scene. Constant bitrate encoding options 5:1, 8:1, 12:1 and the new 18:1 are designed to give customers the best possible images with predictable and consistent file size. Customers can record RAW to two cards simultaneously so customers can shoot 12K or 8K to either CFast or UHS-II cards, even at high frame rates. Blackmagic RAW stores camera metadata, lens data, white balance, digital slate information and custom LUTs to ensure consistency of image on set and through post production.
Shooting RAW in 12K preserves the deepest control of detail, exposure and color during post. Oversampling means customers get extremely sharp 8K without harsh edges. Best of all, Blackmagic RAW is designed to accelerate 12K for post production, making it as easy to work with as standard HD or Ultra HD files. It is highly optimized, multi‑threaded, works across multiple CPU cores and is also GPU accelerated to work with Apple Metal, CUDA and OpenCL. So customers can always work with their camera RAW files without having to make proxies.
Blackmagic Generation 5 Color Science features a new film curve designed to make full use of the massive amount of color data from the new URSA Mini Pro 12K sensor. This delivers even better color response for more pleasing skin tones, and better rendering of highly saturated colors such as neon signs and car tail lights in high contrast scenes. Generation 5 Color Science informs complex Blackmagic RAW image processing, with color and dynamic range data from the sensor preserved via metadata for use in post production. Compatible with all previously shot Blackmagic RAW files, Generation 5 Color Science lets customers take advantage of the new film curve even with their existing work.
URSA Mini Pro 12K is multiple cameras in one, shooting standard resolutions and frame rates in 4K, 8K and the detail of 12K. With 80 megapixels per frame at 60 fps in RAW customers can capture hi-res stills and motion shots in a single camera at the same time. Customers can shoot up to 60 fps in 12K 12,288 x 6480 17:9. For higher frame rates, customers can shoot 110 fps at 8192 x 4320, 140 fps at 8192 x 3408 and even window the sensor to Super 16 to capture 4K at 220 fps at 4096 x 2160 DCI. URSA Mini Pro 12K has flexible frame rate and resolution options, and captures with improved motion rendering which means that customers get smoother edges in 8K and 4K even at lower frame rates.
URSA Mini Pro 12K is also a high bandwidth recorder with three options for recording 12K, which contains almost 10 times the resolution of Ultra HD. Customers get dual built in CFast and UHS-II SD card recorders, and a SuperSpeed USB-C expansion port for recording to fast SATA and NVMe drives. With "Record RAW on 2 Cards" turned on, URSA Mini Pro 12K can record simultaneously across two cards up to an incredible 900MB/s to 2 CFast cards, or an impressive 500MB/s to 2 UHS-II SD cards. The SuperSpeed USB-C expansion port on the rear can record to USB-C flash storage up to 900MB/s as a third recording option so customers won’t be short of choices for capturing stunning 12K up to 60p or 8K up to 110p.
Different projects require different lenses which is why URSA Mini Pro features an interchangeable lens mount. Customers can quickly switch between PL, EF and F mount lenses on the URSA Mini Pro 12K, as well as B4 lenses on the URSA Mini Pro 4.6K G2. That means customers can work with high quality large PL cinema lenses, EF or F mount photographic lenses, and even B4 broadcast lenses, making URSA Mini Pro compatible with the widest possible range of professional lenses.
Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro features an innovative high-speed USB-C Expansion Port. The 4.6K G2 model features USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 which operates at up to 5 Gb/s, while the new 12K model has a USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 for a blistering 10 Gb/s. Customers can connect and power external flash disks and SSDs or on URSA Mini Pro 12K customers can connect the new URSA Mini Recorder for recording to fast NVMe SSD drives for longer recording times. NVMe SSD drives are ideal for shooting 12K in the highest constant quality 12‑bit Blackmagic RAW in the Q0 setting or for high frame rates. When shooting is complete, customers can simply move the external disk to their computer and start editing from the same disk, eliminating file copying.
URSA Mini Pro includes a full version of DaVinci Resolve Studio. Customers get the world’s most advanced solution that combines professional editing, color correction, audio post and visual effects all in one software tool. According to the company announcement, DaVinci Resolve is used to finish more Hollywood feature films than any other solution, so users will get the best possible post production tools to edit native video from their camera and retain every bit of quality. Whether users are working on major Hollywood feature films, episodic television, music videos, commercials or even the latest YouTube shoot, DaVinci Resolve Studio gives customers a lossless workflow for native editing, color correction, effects, audio and delivery.
The new Blackmagic URSA Mini Recorder lets customers record 12-bit Blackmagic RAW files onto fast 2.5 inch SSDs, including the latest U.2 NVMe Enterprise SSDs. SSDs such as the latest 7mm U.2 NVMe disks are super fast, delivering data transfer speeds of up to 900 MB/s. This blazing fast performance allows customers longer recording times for full resolution 4K, 8K and 12K 12-bit Blackmagic RAW files in the highest quality Q0 encoding. The unique design of the Blackmagic URSA Mini Recorder means it attaches directly to the back of their URSA Mini Pro between the camera and the battery. It’s controlled via the USB-C so customers don’t have to worry about manually starting or stopping the SSD recorder
"With Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K we have advanced imaging technology into a new generation where new styles of shooting will be possible", says Grant Petty, CEO, Blackmagic Design. "It’s not just the 12K sensor, but there is so many other innovations in this camera. From the Generation 5 Color Science, the in-sensor scaling, new symmetrical color pattern, full RGB quality and of course the 12K resolution, it's going to be exciting to see what DOPs do creatively with this technology!"
Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K Features
- 12,288 x 6480 12K Super 35 sensor.
- Use for feature films, VFX and high end TVC's.
- 14 stops of dynamic range and native 800 ISO.
- New Blackmagic RAW for real time 12K editing.
- Blackmagic RAW optimized for Metal, CUDA and OpenCL.
- Generation 5 Color Science with new film curve.
- Shoot up to 60 fps in 12K, 110 fps at 8K and 220 fps at 4K.
- Dual card CFast recording at up to 900MB/s.
- PL mount included, EF and F mounts available.
- SuperSpeed USB-C for recording to external disks.
- Includes DaVinci Resolve Studio for post production.
- Compatible with new Blackmagic URSA Mini Recorder.
