GEAR BLACKMAGIC URSA CINE 12K LF
THE VERDICT
The Blackmagic Ursa Cine 12K LF won’t suit everyone. It demands thoughtful shooting, lots of storage and a familiarity with manual workflows. But in return, it offers cinematic imagery, incredible reframing potential and a Raw post pipeline that’s smoother than ever. For £15,395/$18,145, just add on your glass of choice and shoot away. However, if you want the bare body with no extras, Blackmagic is now offering that for just £7014/$7695, which makes it far more affordable. Unless you really do want all the bells and whistles, it might be better to save cash and go for the à la carte option, investing in just the accessories you need. If you want maximum image quality with minimum compromise, this is a very good camera. With internal ND filters, that interchangeable lens mount, a great EVF and dual monitors, B-Mount power and a tank-like build quality, it’s a winner.
More information blackmagicdesign.com
HOW IT RATES
Features: 9 12K at 120fps Raw internal but no ProRes Raw or IS Performance: 9 Incredible detail and frame rates Handling: 8 Very heavy, lots of monitors are useful Value for money: 8 A fully kitted-out 12K full-frame Raw camera at an affordable rate OVERALL RATING: 9/10 A 12K Raw cinema camera that’s built to last for decades Pros: 12K Raw, image quality, lens mount options Cons: Poor AF, no IBIS
This isn’t a perfect camera – and to be clear, it’s not made for casual users. File sizes in 12K are massive, even with BRAW compression. You will need a solid storage plan and fast computer to work efficiently with it. It’s not Netflix-approved yet, which might limit its usefulness for high- end streaming work. The autofocus is minimal, but this is a camera built for use with high-end manual focus cine glass. There’s no IBIS, either, since this is a manual filmmaker’s tool through and through. Rolling shutter is low but still present, so fast whip pans or strobe- heavy scenes need thinking about. But these are known trade-offs in cameras built for deliberate, cinema- style shooting. Storage selection To store footage, the plug-in media module has 8TB capacity and a direct connection to Blackmagic’s Cloud Store. Or use the optional Media Module CF which has dual CFexpress slots. There’s a USB-C 3.2 port that supports direct SSD recording – and we tried out 4TB Samsung drives too, which worked perfectly. Power comes from a B-Mount battery plate, but there are optional V-Mount and Gold Mount plates, as well as a Lemo input. The kit we used comes with a top-quality EVF and
“Rolling shutter is low but still present, so fast whip pans or strobe-heavy scenes need thinking about”
if you want to use Canon L-series or Sigma Art stills lenses, you can change to EF in minutes. The Ursa Cine 12K LF offers super- high resolution, full-frame flexibility with great colours and low noise and a modern, production-friendly design that’s ideal for cine crews. For budget- conscious owner-operators who work alone but want the amazing image quality, it might be worth hanging on for the Pyxis 12K. Either way, the 12K sensor is the star of the show.
carbon-fibre rig, to not only fix it but also use as a shoulder mount. Out of the box, the camera has a user-swappable PL mount, although Blackmagic includes both LPL and EF mounts in the package. This is more than just a nod to flexibility – it’s a forward-thinking approach to the realities of today’s lens ecosystems. The PL mount supports Cooke /i metadata, while the LPL option opens up access to Arri Signature Primes and other large format glass. Of course,
EASY RIDER In relatively low light conditions, the Blackmagic Raw files allow capture of low- noise footage
72
PRO MOVIEMAKER
Powered by FlippingBook