While the viewfinder may not come standard, a touchscreen monitor does, and it’s the most approachable user interface you can get on a camera. ND filters reduce light and allow you to maintain a slower shutter speed for smooth motion and/or a wider aperture for a shallow depth of field when shooting in bright settings. You can select 0, 2, 4, or 6 stops of density by turning a dial, meaning you never have to fuss with a screw-on lens filters. But the Ursa has a hardware edge, with 15 stops of advertised dynamic range compared to the Canon’s 13, higher frame rates, and a more versatile RAW format.Īlthough not new, a key feature of the Ursa - and many dedicated video cameras - is the built-in neutral density filter control. That can make cameras like Canon’s C200, at $6,500 with viewfinder and battery included, more affordable. A viewfinder, battery, and handle are all add-ons that can add hundreds or thousands to the price.
The result is not only a pro-level video camera that puts my aging-but-trusty Fujifilm X-T2 to shame, but the best value in the cinema world, period.īlackmagic hits a low price by selling you a bare-bones camera. The G2 refines the formula with small but important improvements to the electronics, without changing what already worked. After a few years of striking and bizarre designs, Blackmagic landed on a familiar shape that straddles the gap between cinema camera and ENG camcorder.
The original Ursa Mini Pro 4.6K was Blackmagic’s first camera that felt finished. Yet here, with the Ursa, it feels like a bargain. But as someone who shoots video on a hybrid mirrorless camera, I can see the value in moving up to the Ursa. I’m not sure what makes a Red or Arri, the cameras of choice in Hollywood, worth tens of thousands more. At a fiver under $6,000, I won’t be buying one anytime soon, but it’s a heck of a lot more affordable than similar cinema cameras from other manufacturers. From a technical standpoint, anyway.ĭespite my techno-lust, the Ursa remains out of my league - and yet, not outlandishly beyond my budget.
But once you’ve settled on your favorite, there’s nothing else in the way of living out your directorial dreams. You have to first decide which record button to press - there are, like, four of them. Well, OK, it takes a little more work than that. If you know how to use a DSLR, you can figure out the Ursa in minutes. Turn it on, point it at something, press record, and out comes a shot ready for the big screen.
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