Blackmagic drops an URSA Cine 12K LF with 12K Full-Frame sensor – initial thoughts

As of today, the URSA Mini has taken a significant leap to full-frame glory, and while this is a huge step forward for the Ursa Mini series, it is not a surprise. When Blackmagic Design unveiled their 6K full-frame cinema camera last year, it was a no-brainer that their high-end lineup would follow suit. And here we are, the grand reveal of the Blackmagic Design URSA Cine 12K LF (starting at $14,995.00) just in time for NAB 2024.

Blackmagic Ursa Cine LF 12K full frame cinema camera

The new 12K camera from Blackmagic has a lot in common with the original Ursa, including many features that filmmakers want in a top-notch cinema camera. It has a new sensor and the latest technology, but keeps the spirit of Blackmagic’s ideal cinema camera. It looks like an updated Ursa and the images from it seem great. I’ll make a final judgment after I’ve tried it out personally. The camera has a USB-C viewfinder, which is an unusual choice, and I’m curious to see if they’ll make it work with more common connections like SDI in the future.

Blackmagic Design is making waves in the industry with its latest 12K camera, a successor to the original Ursa boasting innovative sensor technology. The standout feature is the addition of white pixels alongside the traditional RGB, enabling unique downsampling capabilities without cropping in RAW—a feat that remains distinctive to Blackmagic. With a design that appears slightly elongated, the camera maintains the beloved Ursa aesthetic with a fresh twist. A significant media module slots in seamlessly, hinting at the robust build that professionals love. Moreover, the camera’s data-intensive nature suggests it may handle even more information than its 12K Super 35 predecessors, due to a different aspect ratio, presenting various mounting options for filmmakers.

In a surprising move, Blackmagic has opted for PL, LPL, and locking EF lens mounts for its new camera, eschewing the anticipated mirrorless mount. This decision aligns with the camera’s positioning as a high-end cinema tool, intended for use with professional-grade PL mount lenses or perhaps EF lenses, rather than mirrorless options. The inclusion of a side screen, reminiscent of the original Ursa, raises questions about its practicality. Although it could benefit an assistant camera operator, the industry has evolved to rely on wireless control and separate monitors, leaving some to ponder the utility of this design choice in modern production environments.

Blackmagic’s latest offering boasts an impressive 220 frames per second, although it falls short of the 240 FPS framerate provided by its current 12K model in super 16 crop. Despite this, such performance in a cinema camera is commendable. This launch comes as Blackmagic prepares to introduce a 17K camera, which promises to provide a cost-effective solution for those seeking a 70mm film aesthetic. The question remains whether this new camera will shift industry preferences, as traditionally, major film and series productions have favored brands like ARRI and RED. With its unique capabilities and potentially attractive price point, Blackmagic’s new camera could become a more prominent choice for larger-scale projects.

Oh, another camera – a Blackmagic Ursa Cine 17K with a 65mm sensor

Blackmagic has dropped a (mini?) bombshell with the news of a sister 17K, 65mm sensor camera slated for release in autumn. This unprecedented resolution, akin to a 70mm film frame, positions the camera as a rival to high-end large format and IMAX cameras.

The pricing strategy for this cutting-edge camera is another curveball. In Blackmagic’s demonstration, they showed a proprietary media module, which hints at a high-cost setup (Whenever anyone goes with proprietary media system for their camera, you kind of immediately know that it’s going to be a kidney and a half) . This places the system in the same ballpark as a second-hand Alexa Mini, suggesting a significant step up in Blackmagic’s market signals a new chapter for the brand in terms of pricing and professional market engagement.

Blackmagic Ursa Cine LF 12K full frame cinema camera specs

Camera Features
Effective Sensor Size	35.64mm x 23.32mm (Large Format)
Lens Mount	PL mount. Interchangeable with URSA Cine lockable EF mount included.
Lens Control	Active EF and PL mount lens control with compatible lenses.
Dynamic Range	16 Stops
Shooting Resolutions	12,288 x 8040 (12K 3:2 open gate), 12,288 x 6480 (12K 16:9), 12,288 x 6912 (12K 17:9), 12,288 x 5112 (12K 2.4:1), 9648 x 8040 (12K 6:5), 9408 x 6264 (9K 3:2), 8688 x 4896 (9K 16:9), 9312 x 4896 (9K 17:9), 9312 x 3864 (9K 2.4:1), 7680 x 6408 (9K 6:5), 8192 x 5360 (8K 3:2 open gate), 8192 x 4608 (8K 16:9), 8192 x 4320 (8K 17:9), 8192 x 3408 (8K 2.4:1), 6432 x 5360 (8K 6:5), 4096 x 2680 (4K 3:2 open gate), 4096 x 2304 (4K 16:9), 4096 x 2160 (4K 17:9), 4096 x 1704 (4K 2.4:1), 3216 x 2680 (4K 6:5)
Frame Rates	Project frame rates of 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 50, 59.94 and 60 fps supported. Maximum sensor frame rate dependent on resolution selected.
High Speed Frame Rates	12K 3:2 open gate up to 80 fps, 12K 17:9 up to 100 fps, 12K 2.4:1 up to 120 fps, 9K 3:2 Super 35 up to 100 fps, 8K / 4K 3:2 open gate up to 144 fps, 8K / 4K 2.4:1 up to 224 fps
Built in ND Filters	Button activated ND filters with clear, 2-stop, 4-stop and 6-stop IR ND filters.
Focus	Focus button turns on peaking, auto focus available using compatible lenses.
Iris Control	Iris wheel and touchscreen slider for manual iris adjustment on electronically controllable lenses, iris button for instant auto iris settings on compatible lenses so no pixel is clipped in film mode. Scene average auto exposure in video mode.
Screens	2 x Monitoring Screens, 1 x Camera Status Screen
Monitoring Screen Dimensions	5 inch.
Monitoring Screen Resolution	1920px x 1080px
Monitoring Screen Brightness	1500 nits.
Monitoring Screen Type	LCD capacitive touchscreen
Metadata Support	Automatically populated lens data from i/Technology with compatible PL, LPL lenses and electronic EF lenses when using optional EF lens mount. Automatic recording of camera settings and slate data such as project, scene number, take and special notes.
Controls	Touchscreen menus on 5 inch screen. Push buttons for other controls. 7 assignable shortcut keys plus 6 assignable shortcut keys on URSA Cine EVF.
Timecode Clock	Highly accurate timecode clock. Less than 1 frame drift every 8 hours.
Connections
Total Video Outputs	2
SDI Rates	1.5G, 3G, 6G, 12G.
Analog Audio Inputs	2 x XLR analog switchable between mic, line and AES audio. Phantom power support.
Analog Audio Outputs	1 x 3.5mm headphone jack
Reference Inputs	Tri-Sync/Black Burst and Timecode.
Viewfinder	1 x Viewfinder USB-C with power, data, video and locking connector.
Accessories
1 x 7-pin Lemo ‘EXT’ for power out, serial communication, and run/stop.
1 x 3-pin Fischer ‘RS’ for power out and run/stop.
Computer Interface
2 x USB Type-C side expansion ports for camera accessories.
Software updates using rear side USB-C.
Ethernet	1 x 10Gb/s RJ‑45 connector supporting 10/100/1000/10G BASE-T for Web Media Management, Blackmagic Cloud uploads, camera control and streaming.
Audio
Microphone	Integrated stereo microphone.
Built in Speaker	1 x mono speaker.
Standards
SD Video Standards	None
HD Video Standards	1080p23.98, 1080p24, 1080p25, 1080p29.97, 1080p30, 1080p50, 1080p59.94, 1080p60, 1080i50, 1080i59.94, 1080i60
Ultra HD Video Standards	2160p23.98, 2160p24, 2160p25, 2160p29.97, 2160p30, 2160p50, 2160p59.94, 2160p60
SDI Compliance	SMPTE 292M, SMPTE 424 Level B, SMPTE 2081-1, SMPTE 2082-1
SDI Audio Sampling	48 kHz and 24 bit
Media
Media	1 x Blackmagic Media Module.
Media Format	Blackmagic
Supported Codecs
Codecs	Blackmagic RAW Constant Bitrate 3:1,, Blackmagic RAW Constant Bitrate 5:1,, Blackmagic RAW Constant Bitrate 8:1,, Blackmagic RAW Constant Bitrate 12:1,, Blackmagic RAW Constant Bitrate 18:1,, Blackmagic RAW Constant Quality Q0,, Blackmagic RAW Constant Quality Q1,, Blackmagic RAW Constant Quality Q3,, Blackmagic RAW Constant Quality Q5., H.264 Proxy in 1920 x 1080, 8-bit 4:2:0,
Control
External Control	Blackmagic URSA Cine EVF can trigger record plus camera functions assigned to the VF1, VF2, VF3, Zoom, Exp and Record buttons. External Camera Control supported using REST API over Ethernet, WiFi or serial communication via the 7-pin Lemo connector. Run / Stop supported via 3-pin Fischer and 7-pin Lemo connector. Blackmagic iPad control and Bluetooth control supported. Blackmagic Zoom Demand and Blackmagic Focus Demand for controlling camera and compatible lenses.
Streaming
Direct Streaming	Supports Secure Reliable Transport (SRT) and Real Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP) local live streaming using a Ethernet or WiFi, or global live streaming using an internet connection via Ethernet, WiFi or USB‑C cellular data.
Network Management
NTP	Network time protocol support allows you to sync the time on your camera, whenever connected to a network with any NTP server of your choice.
FTP	Download files from any drive attached to your camera using FTP.
Web Media Manager	Using a browser connected over Ethernet, web media manager allows you to access, browse, download and delete files from any drive connected to the camera.
SMB	File sharing using SMB
Storage Features
Storage Type	1 x Blackmagic Media Module 8TB
Storage Rates	Storage rates based on 24 frames per second.
12K – 12,288 x 8040	Blackmagic RAW 3:1 – 1,194 MB/s, Blackmagic RAW 8:1 – 448 MB/s, Blackmagic RAW 12:1 – 298 MB/s, Blackmagic RAW 18:1 – 199 MB/s, Blackmagic RAW Q0 – 298 to 1,432 MB/s, Blackmagic RAW Q1 – 179 to 716 MB/s, Blackmagic RAW Q3 – 119 to 298 MB/s, Blackmagic RAW Q5 – 90 to 224 MB/s,
9K – 9408 x 6264	Blackmagic RAW 3:1 – 713 MB/s, Blackmagic RAW 8:1 – 268 MB/s, Blackmagic RAW 12:1 – 178 MB/s, Blackmagic RAW 18:1 – 119 MB/s, Blackmagic RAW Q0 – 178 to 856 MB/s, Blackmagic RAW Q1 – 107 to 428 MB/s, Blackmagic RAW Q3 – 71 to 178 MB/s, Blackmagic RAW Q5 – 54 to 134 MB/s,
8K – 8192 x 5360	Blackmagic RAW 3:1 – 533 MB/s, Blackmagic RAW 5:1 – 320 MB/s, Blackmagic RAW 8:1 – 200 MB/s, Blackmagic RAW 12:1 – 133 MB/s, Blackmagic RAW Q0 – 133 to 319 MB/s, Blackmagic RAW Q1 – 80 to 200 MB/s, Blackmagic RAW Q3 – 53 to 133 MB/s, Blackmagic RAW Q5 – 40 to 100 MB/s,
4K – 4096 x 26896 x 2680	Blackmagic RAW 3:1 – 135 MB/s, Blackmagic RAW 4:1 – 101 MB/s, Blackmagic RAW 5:1 – 81 MB/s, Blackmagic RAW 6:1 – 68 MB/s, Blackmagic RAW Q0 – 34 to 81 MB/s, Blackmagic RAW Q1 – 20 to 50 MB/s, Blackmagic RAW Q3 – 13 to 34 MB/s, Blackmagic RAW Q5 – 10 to 25 MB/s,

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