The Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K is a powerful cinema camera that offers exceptional image quality and impressive capabilities. It stands out for its ability to capture footage in stunning 12K resolution, making it one of the highest-resolution cinema cameras available in the market. Equipped with a Super 35 12K sensor, the URSA Mini Pro 12K delivers incredibly detailed images with enhanced dynamic range and color accuracy. This advanced sensor provides filmmakers with the flexibility and freedom to capture every detail of their subject matter, allowing for greater creative control in post-production. The camera features a flexible design, allowing for easy customization and adaptability. It includes a user-friendly interface, interchangeable lens mount, and a variety of control options.
Blackmagic’s 12K sensor does not have a typical RGB Bayer pattern color filter array. Instead, it’s an equal arrangement of RGBW—red, green, blue and clear (unfiltered-white). The W (clear) photosites add additional values of brightness and sensitivity to the RGB color-filtered photosites to get extended dynamic range and lower noise. You can find the patent online.
The URSA Mini Pro 12K records up to 80MP per frame in Blackmagic Raw and offers flexible recording options that include dual CFAST card capture and high-speed USB Type-C output. Now one thing that may be a limitation or may not, depending on your workflow, is that the URSA Mini Pro 12K only records in Blackmagic RAW as opposed to including ProRes recording like some its smaller siblings.
It includes a user-friendly interface, interchangeable lens mount, and a variety of control options. Filmmakers can choose between EF, PL, or F mounts to accommodate their lens preferences, providing versatility for a wide range of shooting scenarios. In terms of image quality, the URSA Mini Pro 12K offers an impressive 14 stops of dynamic range, allowing for detailed shadows and highlights.
URSA Mini Pro 12K price drop to $6K
URSA 12K Chockers. “Chockers” is Australian for “fully festooned.” Because the URSA 12K camera package will be shooting major shows, you will see many of them in full chockers mode, like this. And yes, the chockers things in this photo cost extra: Bright Tangerine accessories, Preston LR2W with MDR-4 and motors, Teradek BOLT 4K, and SIGMA 18-35 T2 Zoom.
This is irresistible. The Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K can now be had for US$5,995. That is a $4,000 drop from its original $9,999.
Blackmagic says, “This price reduction has been made possible by efficiencies in manufacturing combined with an improved supply of 12K sensors. With this new low price for Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K, a much wider range of customers will have access to feature film production.”
That has been a guiding business model of the Melbourne, Australia company—make great products eminently affordable so lots more people can buy them, thus enabling the lower cost.
I heard some skeptics mutter that price drops sometimes portend progression. But this thing is now so affordable, it doesn’t matter.
Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K camera body
In case you don’t have time to download the complete FDTimes URSA 12K Special Report, here’s a Cliff’s Notes review with some updates:
Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K is available now from Blackmagic Design resellers worldwide for US$5,995.
URSA 12K is a serious camera that shoots stellar Super35 images at an astonishing 79.6 Megapixels per frame (12,288 x 6480) up to 75 fps in 2.39:1 (2.4:1), among many other aspect ratios, frame rates and resolutions.
Blackmagic RAW (BRAW) 12-bit files can be nimbly edited and finished even on a laptop. DaVinci Resolve 17.3, also announced today, works up to 3 times faster on Macs with the M1 chip. You can play, edit and grade 4K and 8K projects faster, even work on a laptop.
URSA 12K weighs about 5.6 lb and is slightly larger than a large can of Fosters.
Three internal ND filters and one clear filter with IR compensation can be summoned up with the twist of the ND dial: Clear, 2, 4 or 6 stops.
The camera comes with a PL mount. You can swap it quickly and easily for an optional EF or F mount. The EF mount offers autofocus and auto/user controlled exposure. The PL mount provides /i metadata embedded recording.
The main display on the camera left door shows timecode, shutter, lens settings, battery, recording status and audio levels. The display is backlit and visible in dimly lit studios or direct sunlight. Open the display door to reveal a 4-inch LCD touchscreen monitor and dual CFast 2.0 and UHS-II SD media slots. If you’d like more recording time, connect a SATA or NVMe drive to the camera’s rear USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 port.
A BNC connector at the front camera right side provides HD-SDI (up to 3G). This is where you’ll plug in Blackmagic’s excellent 1920 x 1080 OLED URSA Viewfinder. It’s an essential optional extra and the $1495 price is a bargain compared to one out-of-focus shot. The camera’s rear BNC provides menu-selectable 4K SDI or HD-SDI (up to 12G) output.
So how does URSA Mini Pro 12K confound current credo with smaller pixels and more of them and great color science and gorgeous images?
Blackmagic’s 12K sensor does not have a typical RGB Bayer pattern color filter array. Instead, it’s an equal arrangement of RGBW—red, green, blue and clear (unfiltered-white). The W (clear) photosites add additional values of brightness and sensitivity to the RGB color-filtered photosites to get extended dynamic range and lower noise. You can find the patent online.
OK, I hear the chants of “Why do we need 12K?” Here’s why.
The 12K sensor scales from 12K to 8K or 4K without cropping or binning. Most of us who have shot commercials never encountered an art director lacking an irresistible urge to repo (reposition) and blow up (enlarge) things in post. Often, the only restriction was resolution: blow up too far and it looks like noisy gold balls. If you’re shooting in 12K and finishing for 4K, that art director will weep with joy at the almost limitless possibilities to mess with your masterpiece and zoom in on the product’s logo. Even better, you can grab individual frames in DaVinci Resolve (View>Stills>Grab Still) and then Export (Right Click on the thumbnail>Export with LUT).
Bob Caniglia, Blackmagic Design Director of Sales Operations, North America, explained the efficiencies of 12K: “On its own, 12K is obviously a huge number. In order to shoot 12K or 8K, you truly need to be able to use it. One of the challenges set out from the start of this project was to be able to have hardware over-sampling to make 8K files or 4K files from the 12K files, but to be able to do it without requiring a supercomputer.
“It was a combination of our managing the color science, having Blackmagic RAW, developing the sensor and having DaVinci Resolve Studio (included with the camera) on the back end to deal with the files. For example, this camera lets you shoot 12K plates for VFX. For 8K or 4K, the camera does in-camera hardware scaling. And, if you’re shooting vertical video, you get a 6K vertical format.”
The URSA 12K records in constant quality or constant bit rate.
Constant bit rates are 5:1, 8:1, 12:1 or 18:1. So, 12K 5:1 at 24 fps is close to 600 MB/s. 18:1 in 12K at 24 fps gets it down to 160 MB/s.
“Constant quality choices are Q0, Q1, Q3 and Q5. Image quality stays the same but the amount of compression varies depending what you are filming.
For example, if the scene involves an actor standing still in front of a white cyc, the image data can be compressed more because there is very little detail in the background and little movement. However, if you are filming an actor running in the street, the camera would demand less compression to get the same quality because there’s a lot more fine detail and motion. In Q0, the highest quality, data rates are from 289 to 1200 MB/s. The compression ratio ranges from about 5:1 to 12:1, depending on the scene. Q5 is constant quality with the most compression—from 96 to 413 MB/s.
It also supports Blackmagic's renowned Blackmagic RAW recording format, which efficiently preserves image quality while minimizing storage space requirements. Additionally, the camera includes built-in ND filters, allowing for precise exposure control even in challenging lighting conditions. This feature proves especially beneficial in outdoor or bright shooting environments, where the ability to quickly adjust exposure can significantly enhance the quality of the footage. The URSA Mini Pro 12K also offers high frame rate shooting capabilities, enabling filmmakers to capture slow-motion footage with stunning clarity. It supports up to 60 frames per second in full 12K resolution, further adding to its versatility and creative potential. Furthermore, the camera includes professional audio recording features, with built-in microphones and XLR inputs, allowing for high-quality sound capture. This ensures that filmmakers have complete control over the audio components of their projects, resulting in a more comprehensive and immersive viewing experience. Overall, the Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K is a powerhouse cinema camera that offers exceptional image quality and impressive capabilities. Its ability to capture footage in 12K resolution, along with its customizable design and flexible shooting options, make it an excellent choice for professional filmmakers looking to push the boundaries of their creative vision..
Reviews for "The Art of Black Magic: How the Ursa Mini Pro 12o Elevates Filmmaking to New Heights"
1. Jane Smith - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with the Blackmagic Ursa Mini Pro 120. Firstly, the camera's performance in low light conditions was extremely poor. I found it nearly impossible to capture clear and sharp images, even with the ISO cranked up to the highest setting. Secondly, the camera's battery life was abysmal. I constantly had to carry spare batteries with me during shoots, which was incredibly inconvenient. Overall, I do not recommend this camera for professional use.
2. John Doe - 1 star - The Blackmagic Ursa Mini Pro 120 was a complete waste of money for me. The camera's autofocus was slow and unreliable, often failing to capture the subject accurately. Moreover, the camera's menu system was extremely convoluted and difficult to navigate. It took me hours just to figure out how to change basic settings. Considering the high price of this camera, I expected much better performance and usability. I regret my purchase and would not recommend it to anyone.
3. Sarah Johnson - 2 stars - The Blackmagic Ursa Mini Pro 120 fell short of my expectations. The camera's build quality felt cheap and flimsy, especially considering its high price tag. I also encountered frequent issues with overheating during extended shooting sessions, which negatively affected the overall performance. Additionally, the camera's image quality was disappointing, with noticeable noise even at lower ISO settings. I was hoping for a reliable and professional-grade camera, but unfortunately, this was not it.
4. Michael Brown - 3 stars - While the Blackmagic Ursa Mini Pro 120 has some notable features, it did not meet my expectations. The camera's dynamic range was impressive, allowing for great highlights and shadows detail, but the image stabilization left a lot to be desired. The footage I captured often looked shaky and required additional editing to stabilize. Furthermore, the camera's weight and size made it cumbersome to use for long periods. Although it offered some decent features, I was ultimately underwhelmed with its overall performance and usability.
5. Emily Taylor - 2 stars - As a professional filmmaker, I was excited to try out the Blackmagic Ursa Mini Pro 120, but it left me disappointed. The camera's image quality was subpar, lacking the sharpness and clarity I expected from a camera in this price range. The autofocus system was incredibly slow and had difficulty tracking moving subjects, which made it challenging to capture action shots. Additionally, the camera's audio recording capability was mediocre at best, producing muffled and low-quality sound. Overall, I found the performance of this camera to be underwhelming and not worth the high price.