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Published in Graphics

Blackmagic Design reveals a 12k camera

by on17 July 2020


Never mind the slow adoption of 8K

While the world is dragging its collective feet moving to 8k tellies, Blackmagic Design has built a 12k camera.

The Ursa Mini Pro 12K is the centerpiece of the company's third-generation Ursa Mini Pro is an 80-megapixel 12,288 x 6,480 sensor with 14 stops of dynamic range and a native ISO of 800.

Blackmagic says it spent almost four years developing the array, which features an equal number of red, green and blue pixels. At its native 12K, the sensor can capture footage at 60 frames per second. It can also record 8K and 4K footage at 110 and 220 frames per second.

The camera does have some use, although not for people wanting to make a blog about how to fry eggs. It allows filmmakers to capture the smoothest possible footage at resolutions people are consuming their content in currently. Oversampling footage gives filmmakers more flexibility when it comes time for post-production, and the Ursa Mini Pro 12K can capture 8K and 4K footage without cropping.

The camera comes with an interchangeable lens mount and dual UHS-II SD slots and encodes footage using Blackmagic own RAW codec, which the company claims will enable you to edit any 12K footage using a laptop. 

With a $9,995 price tag, the Ursa Mini Pro 12K is pricey but when compared to cinema cameras from the likes of Red and Canon, some of which can cost thousands more, it is damn fine value.

Last modified on 17 July 2020
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