Blackmagic Design URSA Mini 4K first impressions from Daniel Peters2 min read
Reading Time: 2 minutesUK based shooter Daniel Peters is one of the lucky few to have received a Blackmagic URSA Mini 4K production model. He’s been a user of the original URSA, as well as RED and DSLRs. Newsshooter also received a production URSA Mini 4K for testing and I thought it would be a good idea compare notes with him.
In the audio interview above we discuss the following:
Design, size and weight of the body
Solid build of the camera
Image quality and latitude of the sensor
Low light performance
Built-in monitor
The interface
Low fan noise
Handheld shooting
High frame rate shooting and the crop it requires
XLR audio and in-built mic
SDI outputs and input + lack of HDMI
CFast 2.0 cards and readers
Battery life
Lack of ND filters
The URSA Mini 4K version is extremely competitively priced at $2995 US for the body and grip. The EVF and shoulderpad/handle set are optional extras but you can shoot without these just using the built-in display if your budget won’t stretch. Out of the box you need CFast 2.0 cards, a V-lock battery system and a lens before you can start recording. This will add a minimum of $1000 to the price but it still makes for a very competitive package.
Of course the quality of the final image will have a big bearing over the choice of a camera. I expected the URSA Mini 4K to have a near identical image to that of the original URSA and this is something that Daniel wanted to test out.
The weather in the UK has been pretty dull lately but this hasn’t stopped Daniel from heading outside with the URSA Mini 4K. The video at the top of this article was shot in Prores and demonstrates how the camera handles smooth gradients and slow motion. Daniel grades a lot of his own work and likes the URSA Mini image which he says has a “˜nice thickness’ to it.
Both 4K and 1080P HD at 120fps footage is included. It is worth noting that the 120fps HD uses a heavy crop of the sensor and not the full frame.
via: NewsShooter
Image Credit: Daniel Peters
