Blackmagic Studio Cameras
Production - Cameras
The new Blackmagic Studio Cameras help a wide range of live production customers who need cameras with professional features that are also fast to set up on location. Blackmagic Studio Cameras feature a compact all-in-one design and large integrated 7" viewfinders, so they are very lightweight, making them much easier to transport and set up than traditional large studio cameras.
The cameras are available in two models. The Blackmagic Studio Camera 4K Plus (US$1,295) is designed as the perfect studio camera for Blackmagic Design’s ATEM Mini switcher line, featuring a 4K sensor up to 25,600 ISO, MFT lens mount, HDMI out, 7” LCD with sunshade, built-in color correction and Blackmagic RAW recording to USB disks. The Blackmagic Studio Camera 4K Pro (US$1,795) is designed for professional SDI or HDMI switchers and includes all the features in the Plus model, as well as 12G-SDI, professional XLR audio, brighter HDR LCD, five pin talkback and 10G Ethernet IP. The 10G Ethernet allows all video, tally, talkback and camera power via a single connection, so setup is quick, and it uses standard Category 6A copper Ethernet cable as an alternative to SMPTE fiber, so it's much lower cost.
Blackmagic Studio Cameras have the same features as large studio cameras, miniaturized into a single compact and portable design. Plus, with digital film camera dynamic range and color science, the cameras can handle extremely difficult lighting conditions while producing cinematic-looking images. The sensor features an ISO up to 25,600 so customers can create amazing images even in dimly lit venues.
While Blackmagic Studio Cameras are designed for live production, they’re not limited to use with a live switcher. They record Blackmagic RAW to USB disks, so they can be used in any situation where customers use a tripod. The large 7" high resolution screen transforms how customers work with the camera because it's big enough to make framing shots much easier. On-screen overlays show status and record parameters, histogram, focus peaking indicators, levels, frame guides and more. Customers can even apply 3D LUTs for monitoring shots with the desired color and look. The large bright display with side handles, touch screen and physical controls makes it easy to track shots while being comfortable to use for long periods of time.
Blackmagic Studio Cameras feature gain from -12dB (100 ISO) up to +36dB (25,600 ISO) so they’re optimized to reduce grain and noise in images, while maintaining the full dynamic range of the sensor. The gain can be set from the camera, or remotely from a switcher using the SDI or Ethernet remote camera control.
The amazing 4K sensor combined with Blackmagic Generation 5 Color Science gives customers the same imaging technology used in digital film cameras. The color corrector can even be controlled from the switcher. With 13 stops of dynamic range, the cameras have darker blacks and brighter whites, perfect for color correction. The sensor features a resolution of 4096 x 2160 which is great for both HD and Ultra HD work. Plus, all models support from 23.98 fps up to 60 fps.
With the popular MFT lens mount, Blackmagic Studio Cameras are compatible with a wide range of affordable photographic lenses. To eliminate the need to reach around to adjust the lens zoom and focus, the optional Focus Demand and Zoom Demand let customers adjust the lens from the tripod handles just like a large studio camera. Each Zoom and Focus Demand has two USB-C ports, so customers can daisy chain them then connect to the camera with a single USB connection. It creates the same feel as an expensive B4 broadcast lens.
Unlike consumer cameras, Blackmagic Studio Camera 4K Pro has SDI connections that include talkback, so the switcher operator can communicate with the cameras during live events. That means the director can talk to the camera operators to guide shot selection, eliminating the problem where all cameras could have the same shot at the same time. The talkback connector is built into the side of the camera and supports standard 5 pin XLR broadcast headsets.
Blackmagic Studio Camera 4K Pro supports connecting cameras via a single Ethernet cable. Traditional broadcast studio cameras use SMPTE fiber to communicate and power cameras, however SMPTE fiber is very expensive. Blackmagic Studio Camera 4K Pro has 10G Ethernet as an alternative to SMPTE fiber so it's much lower cost. The Ethernet includes all camera video, program return feeds, tally, talkback, camera control and power. The Blackmagic Studio Converter handles all video conversions at the switcher end plus adds power to the Ethernet cable. That means customers don't need to connect power to the camera.
Blackmagic Studio Cameras feature a high speed USB-C expansion port that allows customers to record to external disks or connect to a wide range of accessories. Plug in an external USB flash disk and the camera can record high quality 12-bit Blackmagic RAW files for later editing and color correction. That means customers can just move the disk to a computer to work, and customers don't need to waste time with file copying. Plus, the USB port will power any phone or disk that’s plugged in.
Some file formats, such as H.264, are highly compressed, adding noise and artifacts and causing sensor detail to be lost forever. Blackmagic RAW eliminates this problem, so customers get stunning images with incredible detail and rich color throughout the whole post production pipeline. Blackmagic RAW also saves camera settings as metadata so customers can change ISO, white balance and exposure later in DaVinci Resolve. Plus, the files are small and fast, so editing responsiveness is incredible.
Blackmagic Studio Cameras include built-in microphones so customers get sound included in the design, making setup much faster. Plus, the built-in microphones are shock and wind resistant, so customers get great sound even in tough conditions. There’s also a 3.5mm audio input for connecting video camera microphones as well as a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Because the most common location to place microphones is near the cameras, Blackmagic Studio Camera 4K Pro includes professional 2 channel balanced XLR inputs which support +24 dBu line level and have an ultra low noise microphone preamplifier with P48 phantom power alongside an equivalent input noise (E.I.N.) of -131 dBV(A). That's followed by two 117 dB high dynamic range analog to digital converters, so customers get the high end audio demanded by broadcasters and audio engineers. This means any microphone plugged into the XLR inputs will have a higher level of noise than the camera's audio.
