Blackmagic Design introduced a new high performance 4.6K sensor for its URSA high end digital film cameras at NAB. The new Super 35 image sensor features high resolution of 4608 x 2592 at 120 frames per second and an extremely wide 15 stops of dynamic range for images.
This new sensor will be available this summer in two new models of the Blackmagic URSA camera. The Blackmagic URSA 4.6K EF model will be available for $6,995 and the Blackmagic URSA 4.6K PL will be available for $7,495. Both 4.6K models will start initial limited availability shipments in June and ramp up into full volume late July and into August.
Existing Blackmagic URSA customers can upgrade to the new 4.6K sensor for $1,995 for the EF lens mount and $2,495 for the PL lens mount. Customers will be able to replace the turret on their URSA cameras to upgrade to this new higher performance image sensor.
In addition, the current shipping 4K models of Blackmagic URSA EF and PL cameras will be reduced by $1,000. This means that the difference in price between the 4K and the 4.6K Blackmagic URSA cameras is the same price as the 4.6K sensor upgrade. This lets customers purchase a lower cost 4K camera initially and then upgrade later to the 4.6K image sensor without a price penalty. The new prices for the Blackmagic URSA 4K EF model will now be $4,995 and the Blackmagic URSA 4K PL will be $5,495.
Files are recorded as 12-bit lossless Cinema DNG RAW to preserve image data and quality for color correction and creative grading in applications like DaVinci Resolve. Broadcast quality files can also be saved in Apple ProRes with minimum storage requirements for postproduction.
“When we introduced URSA in 2014, our goal was to build a camera that had everything customers needed built right into the camera itself, but also future proofed their investment by giving them the ability to upgrade to higher resolution and higher frame rate sensors in the future,” said Grant Petty, CEO, Blackmagic Design.
Built to handle the ergonomics of large film crews as well as single person use, URSA has multiple accessories built in, including a 10 inch fold out on-set monitor, user upgradable Super 35 image sensor and internal dual RAW and ProRes recorders. Because the sensor and lens mount assembly can be changed, customers can upgrade the camera in the future as new sensors become available.
