Blackmagic has unveiled what it says is the world’s lightest handheld Super 35 digital film camera. Designed to be comfortable enough for all-day handheld use, the URSA Mini comes in four models, with either a 4.6K or 4K sensor and EF or PL lens mounting.
Blackmagic says the URSA Mini is designed for use on a range of video projects, including feature films, television shows, commercials, documentaries and music videos. The company also claims that the camera's compact size makes it suitable for use on solo shoots or as part of a crew.
The camera features a 5-in (4.6-cm) fold-out touchscreen viewfinder that's designed to operate like an optical viewfinder. It has a color OLED display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 and glass-based optics. Also featured are dual RAW and Apple ProRes recorders and high-quality stereo microphones.
Multiple mounting points allow it to be easily fixed with different accessories such as lenses, rails and matte boxes, whilst the URSA Mini Shoulder Kit has a quick release mounting plate that allows it to quickly and easily change between handheld, shoulder-mounted or tripod-mounted. The URSA Viewfinder is said to allow for "pickup and run" shooting situations.
The 4.6K sensor model captures video at a resolution of 4608 x 2592 pixels, with up to 15 stops of dynamic range. Up to 30 frames per second can be captured using the global shutter mode, or up to 60 frames per second using the rolling shutter mode. Built-in sensor refrigeration aims to ensure maximum dynamic range, and images are saved using 12-bit lossless CinemaDNG RAW or ProRes.
Prices for the URSA Mini start at US$2,995 for the 4K EF model. It will be available from July.
Source: Blackmagic