Features
- Super-35mm CMOS Sensor
- 4.6Kvideo 120fps
- 12 stops Dynamic Range
- 12G-SDI Output, Timecode and REF Input
- Ready-to-Edit ProRes 444 + 422 Recording
- Compressed & Uncompressed Raw Recording
- 2x CFast 2.0 Memory Card Slots
Ursa Mini G2 Intro
Credit : Zack Mayfield
Blackmagic Design URSA Mini 4K Camera Overview
The handheld-friendly Blackmagic Design URSA Mini 4K G2 Camera sports a global-shutter sensor built with a dynamic range of 12 stops and Super-35mm 4K. Its EF-mount is also capable of accommodating a myriad of popular lenses to ensure aesthetic possibilities.
Moreover, the unit comes with a side handle that is compatible with a rosette located on the side of the camera. This feature is used to control the start and stop function with the use of a LANC connection. This mini camcorder is also capable of producing cinematic images via recording raw sensor data onto CFast 2.0 memory cards in CinemaDNG format at 60 fps.
Design & Features
The URSA mini G2 has an ergonomic shape and apt size which allows this handheld camera to shoot in various environments for music videos, indie films, feature films, documentaries and commercials. It comes with an optional shoulder mount complete with a built-in plate with a quick-release feature.
This can turn the URSA Mini from being a handheld camcorder into a shoulder camera or tripod camera in seconds. Moreover, the camera has a body made of magnesium alloy that accounts to its being lightweight. There is also a side handle that comes with the package for better handling. The optional shoulder mount, on the other hand, can be used to extend the handle for documentary-style configuration.
This compact camera comes with a 4K Super-35mm sensor with a global shutter that prevents motion and flash banding, unlike rolling shutter sensors. The size of the sensor is capable of recreating shallow depth of field. It also has a 12-stop dynamic range wide-enough for allowing more data in working with color correction as well as retaining detail even with highlight and shadow image portions.
As for connections, this 4K camera has multiple. One is the 12G-SDI output that can accommodate up to 2160p60 with the use of a single BNC cable. It can also be switched to HD-SDI or 6G-SDI based on the shooting format. There are also 2 LANC inputs, phantomed-power audio, reference input, HD-SDI monitoring out and balanced XLR.
Moreover, located on the front right side is the HD-SDI monitoring output as well as the 4-pin XLR DC that can be connected to the on-set monitor or the optional viewfinder.
The Blackmagic Design URSA Mini G2 4K comes with 2 media card slots for CFast 2.0 SD cards. The display is a diagonal 5” LCD capacitive touchscreen with 1920 x 1080 resolution.
The 4K URSA Mini G2 provides compressed raw recording at a 3:1 compression ratio to save space while retaining post-production flexibility. It is also capable of recording UHD 3840 x 2160 and 1080p video with the use of ProRes files that are ready-to-edit within the 444 and 422 chroma subsampling variations for any workflow.
As for UHD footage, it can be recorded at a rate of 312.5 MB in ProRes 444 XQ and in at 1080pin ProRes 422 Proxy file at 5.6 MB data rate. The power can also be supplied using the 4-pin XLR jack situated at the back of the camera. Moreover, Gold-Mount and V-Mount batteries can also be used for power.
Other features of the URSA Mini 4K Camera include built-in microphones in high quality capable of professional audio features. Software is also included, the Da Vinci Resolve saved in a USB dongle that is compatible with both MAC and Windows. It is capable of handling 12-bit log RAW images from URSA Mini.
Pros and Cons
One of the pros of the URSA Mini 4K Camera from Blackmagic Design has an ergonomic shape that makes it comfortable to carry on the shoulder. It is also equipped with an excellent OLED viewfinder. Its Global Shutter feature is also a plus in this small and lightweight camcorder. Moreover, has a universal battery mount that can accommodate both V-Mount and Gold-Mount batteries.
As for the drawbacks of this model, the absence of ND filters is one of the few cons. It also has a Shuttle Angle feature so it is hard to make adjustments as opposed to having Shutter Speed. Moreover, the on/off menu is located behind the LCD screen.
Final Thoughts
Without a doubt, this is one of the best cameras you can get your hands on. We have used this in a production environment and have had great success with it. The best thing has been the versatility of it, its hard to believe you can get this amount of function and quality in such a small package. The videos included in this post covers all the finer details. If you can afford it, but this camera.
![Blackmagic Ursa Mini 4K — Test Shots [Part 2] UHD](https://epfilms.tv/wp-content/plugins/wp-youtube-lyte/lyteCache.php?origThumbUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FQGOxGnuHeFs%2F0.jpg)
Camera Features
Effective Sensor Size
25.34mm x 14.25mm (Super35)
Lens Mount
EF mount included. Interchangeable with optional PL, B4 and F lens mounts.
Lens Control
Electronic control via EF mount pins or 12pin broadcast connector for compatible lenses
Dynamic Range
15 Stops.
Shooting Resolutions
4608 x 2592, 4608 x 1920 (4.6K 2.40:1), 4096 x 2304 (4K 16:9),
4096 x 2160 (4K DCI),
3840 x 2160 (Ultra HD),
3072 x 2560 (3K Anamorphic),
2048 x 1152 (2K 16:9),
2048 x 1080 (2K DCI),
1920 x 1080
Frame Rates
Maximum sensor frame rate dependent on resolution and codec selected. Project frame rates of 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 50, 59.94 and 60 fps supported.
High Speed Frame Rates
Blackmagic RAW 8:1
4.6K Full – Up to 120 fps
UHD Windowed – Up to 150 fps
HD Windowed – Up to 300 fps
ProRes 422 HQ
4.6K Full – Up to 80 fps
UHD Windowed – Up to 120 fps
HD Windowed – Up to 240 fps
Built in ND Filters
Four position ND filter wheel with clear, 2-stop, 4-stop and 6-stop ND filters.
Focus
Focus button turns on peaking, auto focus available using compatible lenses.
Iris Control
Iris wheel and touchscreen slider for manual iris adjustment on electronically controllable lenses, iris button for instant auto iris settings on compatible lenses so no pixel is clipped in film mode. Scene average auto exposure in video mode.
Screen Dimensions
4 inch
Screen Type
LCD capacitive touchscreen.
Metadata Support
Automatically populated lens data from electronic EF, B4 and i/Technology compatible PL lenses. Automatic recording of camera settings and slate data such as project, scene number, take and special notes.
Controls
Touchscreen menus on 4 inch screen. Push buttons for other controls. 2 assignable shortcut keys.
Timecode Clock
Highly accurate timecode clock. Less than 1 frame drift every 8 hours.
Connections
Total Video Inputs
1 x SDI
Total Video Outputs
1 x SDI, 1 x SDI Monitoring.
SDI Rates
1.5G, 3G, 6G, 12G.
Analog Audio Inputs
2 x XLR analog switchable between mic, line and AES audio. Phantom power support.
Analog Audio Outputs
1 x 3.5mm headphone jack, supports iPhone microphone for talkback.
Reference Inputs
Tri-Sync/Black Burst/Timecode.
Remote Control
2 x 2.5mm LANC input for Rec Start/Stop, plus Iris and Focus control using compatible lenses.
Computer Interface
USB Type-C 3.1 Gen 1 for external drive recording and software updates.
Audio
Microphone
Integrated stereo microphone.
Built in Speaker
1 x mono speaker.
Standards
SD Video Standards
None.
HD Video Standards
1080p23.98, 1080p24, 1080p25, 1080p29.97, 1080p30, 1080p50, 1080p59.94, 1080p60, 1080i50, 1080i59.94, 1080i60
Ultra HD Video Standards
2160p23.98, 2160p24, 2160p25, 2160p29.97, 2160p30, 2160p50, 2160p59.94, 2160p60
SDI Compliance
SMPTE 292M, SMPTE 424 Level B, SMPTE 2081-1, SMPTE 2082-1
SDI Audio Sampling
48 kHz and 24 bit
Media
Media
2 x CFast 2.0 card slots, 2 x SD UHS-II card slots, 1 x USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 expansion port for external media for Blackmagic RAW and ProRes recording.
Media Format
Can format media to ExFAT (Windows/Mac) or HFS+ (Mac) file systems.
Supported Codecs
Codecs
Blackmagic RAW Constant Bitrate 3:1,
Blackmagic RAW Constant Bitrate 5:1,
Blackmagic RAW Constant Bitrate 8:1,
Blackmagic RAW Constant Bitrate 12:1,
Blackmagic RAW Constant Quality Q0,
Blackmagic RAW Constant Quality Q5,
Apple ProRes XQ QuickTime, Apple ProRes 444 QuickTime,
Apple ProRes 422 HQ QuickTime, Apple ProRes 422 QuickTime,
Apple ProRes 422 HQ QuickTime, Apple ProRes 422 LT QuickTime and Apple ProRes 422 Proxy QuickTime.
Control
External Control
Blackmagic SDI Control Protocol, iPad control, Bluetooth control, 2 x 2.5mm LANC for lens and record control.
Color Corrector
Color Corrector
DaVinci YRGB.
Talkback and Tally
Talkback
SDI Channels 15/16 and iPhone headset.
Live Tally Indicator
Tally on LCD, URSA Viewfinder and URSA Studio Viewfinder.
Storage Features
Storage Type
2 x CFast 2.0
2 x SD UHS-II cards
1 x high speed USB-C expansion port for external media.
Storage Rates
Storage rates based on 30 frames per second.
4608 x 2592
Blackmagic RAW 3:1 – 183 MB/s
Blackmagic RAW 5:1 – 110 MB/s
Blackmagic RAW 8:1 – 68 MB/s
Blackmagic RAW 12:1 – 46 MB/s
Blackmagic RAW Q0 – 110 to 274 MB/s *
Blackmagic RAW Q5 – 27 to 78 MB/s **
Apple ProRes XQ – 360 MB/s
Apple ProRes 444 – 238 MB/s
Apple ProRes HQ – 158 MB/s
Apple ProRes 422 – 106 MB/s
Apple ProRes LT – 73.5 MB/s
Apple ProRes Proxy – 32.3 MB/s
3840 x 2160
Blackmagic RAW 3:1 – 127 MB/s
Blackmagic RAW 5:1 – 76 MB/s
Blackmagic RAW 8:1 – 48 MB/s
Blackmagic RAW 12:1 – 32 MB/s
Blackmagic RAW Q0 – 76 to 191 MB/s *
Blackmagic RAW Q5 – 19 to 55 MB/s **
Apple ProRes XQ – 250 MB/s
Apple ProRes 444 – 165 MB/s
Apple ProRes HQ – 110 MB/s
Apple ProRes 422 – 73.6 MB/s
Apple ProRes LT – 51 MB/s
Apple ProRes Proxy – 22.4 MB/s
1920 x 1080
Blackmagic RAW 3:1 – 33 MB/s
Blackmagic RAW 5:1 – 20 MB/s
Blackmagic RAW 8:1 – 12 MB/s
Blackmagic RAW 12:1 – 8 MB/s
Blackmagic RAW Q0 – 20 to 49 MB/s *
Blackmagic RAW Q5 – 5 to 14 MB/s **
Apple ProRes XQ – 62.5 MB/s
Apple ProRes 444 – 41.25 MB/s
Apple ProRes HQ – 27.5 MB/s
Apple ProRes 422 – 18.4 MB/s
Apple ProRes LT – 12.75 MB/s
Apple ProRes Proxy – 5.6 MB/s
Recording Formats
Blackmagic RAW Q0, Q5, 3:1, 5:1, 8:1 and 12:1 at 4608 x 2592, 4608 x 1920, 4096 x 2304, 4096 x 2160, 3840 x 2160, 3072 x 2560, 2048 x 1152, 2048 x 1080 and 1920 x 1080 with film, extended video or video dynamic range.
ProRes at 4608 x 2592, 4608 x 1920, 4096 x 2304, 4096 x 2160, 3840 x 2160, 3072 x 2560, 2048 x 1152, 2048 x 1080 and 1920 x 1080 with film, extended video or video dynamic range.
* Constant Quality setting Q0 storage rates quoted are indicative only, based on a 2:1 – 5:1 compression range.
** Constant Quality setting Q5 storage rates quoted are indicative only, based on a 7:1 – 20:1 compression range.
Actual storage rates are entirely dependent on image subject matter.
Software
Software Included
URSA Mini Operating System
DaVinci Resolve Studio for Mac and Windows including activation key
Blackmagic Camera Setup
Blackmagic RAW Player
Blackmagic RAW QuickLook Plugin
Blackmagic RAW SDK
Operating Systems
Mac 10.14 Mojave,
Mac 10.15 Catalina or later.
Windows 8.1 and 10.
Power Requirements
Power Supply
1 x External 12V power supply. 12 pin Molex connector for rear battery plate.
External Power Input
1 x 4 pin XLR port for external power or battery use.
1 x 12 pin molex connector on rear battery plate.
Custom V-mount battery plate with D-tap +12V regulated output from camera.
Power
Rear camera mount compatible with industry standard V-mount or gold mount battery plates.
Accessories
Optional Accessories
URSA Mini Pro PL, EF, B4 and F Mounts
URSA Mini Pro Shim Kit
URSA Mini Shoulder Kit including top handle and extender arm
URSA Viewfinder
URSA Studio Viewfinder
URSA Mini SSD Recorder
URSA VLock Battery Plate
URSA Gold Battery Plate
URSA Mini Mic Mount
URSA Mini Top Handle
URSA Handgrip
Blackmagic Camera Fiber Converter
Physical Specifications
Environmental Specifications
Operating Temperature
0° to 40°C (32° to 104°F)
Storage Temperature
-20° to 45°C (-4° to 113°F)
Relative Humidity
0% to 90% non-condensing
What’s Included
Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 4.6K G2 body
Turret dust cap
EF lens mount
Power supply
SD card with software and manual
DaVinci Resolve Studio with activation key
Unboxing the Blackmagic Design URSA Mini 4K Camera
Video Credit: Austen Paul
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For far more detail on this camera I recommend you visit Blackmagicdesign as they have an excellent presentation on this wonderful camera.
