While there aren't too many Blackmagic URSA 4K cameras in the wild, we've got another set of beautiful test clips. Shot by Hook — who has been involved with Blackmagic test shoots before (and now works for the company) — this footage is the first we've seen from the EF version of the new URSA 4K Cinema Camera. While the previous footage was shot with old PL cinema glass, Hook used very new and sharp Canon EF glass throughout the video, and was able to come up with some spectacular results. Here are the technical details:
Edited and Graded in DaVinci Resolve 11
Mostly shot at 60fps Prores 422HQ in camera and conformed to 24fps.
LENSES: Sigma 18-35/1.8 Art, Sigma 50/1.4 Art, Canon 70-200/2.8L II IS
Hoya ProNDs and Tiffen VariND+Hoya IR Cut
Schneider Hollywood Blackmagic 1/4 and Tiffen Soft FX 1
MUSIC: "By Your Side" - used with permission from Alan Poettcker of "The Runaway Club"
The person operating the camera has a lot to do with what footage looks like, but everything we're seeing looks nice and crisp, with great colors. The sensors in the Blackmagic 4K and the URSA are the same, so footage will be very comparable, though fixed pattern noise should be improved on the new camera due to better hardware internally. As John Brawley mentioned though, black spots on the sun are still an issue, so hopefully it can be something that's worked out down the road, especially since this camera has so much powerful hardware under the hood.
What is obviously different about this footage from other Blackmagic cameras is the slow motion. It's something none of them have been capable of until now, and as a tool it's obviously very useful for plenty of situations. 60fps at 4K and 1080p, with possibly higher frame rates coming this year, are part of the reason this camera costs more, and is so much bigger and heavier than anything they've made so far (it's the size of an ALEXA).
The next part in the process is Blackmagic actually getting these out the door so people can start using them. Shipping has been one of their major issues with cameras, so hopefully the URSA doesn't follow in the same footsteps as other models and have significant shortages right out of the gate.
Source: A Couple Of Night Owls
