BlackMagic - URSA Mini

[Jim Michael]

Originally Posted by Mike Watson

I briefly chuckled to myself when considering who was most likely to blow a deadline, Red or Blackmagic.

Me too. They sure give the competition plenty of lead time to develop competing products.

[Rakesh Malik]

Originally Posted by Wacharapong Chiowanich

The lack of a built-in ND for example, is a start.

It's amazing how many people turned internal NDs into a critical feature just because BMD designed a camera with good handheld ergonomics.

[Brian Drysdale]

Given that the URSA Mini is being marketed as a digital film camera or the Raven gets an cinema quality association, I guess it's hardly surprising that like film cameras, neither has internal ND filters.

[Rakesh Malik]

Originally Posted by Brian Drysdale

Given that the URSA Mini is being marketed as a digital film camera or the Raven gets an cinema quality association, I guess it's hardly surprising that like film cameras, neither has internal ND filters.

Now you're just being logical. :)

As another BMD forum member pointed out, people irrationally expect MORE features in less expensive products than in high-priced specialized products.

[Dylan Couper]

Originally Posted by Mike Watson

I briefly chuckled to myself when considering who was most likely to blow, Red or Blackmagic.

Hey, I fixed that for you. ;)

[Buba Kastorski]

Originally Posted by Dylan Couper

I remember the URSA Mini... from back in the olden days before the Red Raven. I still have it on pre-order... to cancel or not to cancel?

before you cancel take a look at the footage from that ugly duck that Jared just posted on FB, looks terrible,
my i6 shoots better slomo :)

[Mark Watson]

I was seriously considering the URSA Mini, but decided to go for the FS7. When price comparing the various set-ups, the Mini costs started to add up and narrow the gap with the FS7, so not much of a price advantage after all. Then reading about BMDs habit of late releases, and finally some people were saying BMD doesn't even service the gear they make put me off. I own one BMD item, the Hyperdeck Shuttle II. Apparently it isn't doing all the proper recording modes, as others say they are getting, but I am not. I have the proper software on it. When I bought the optional mounting plate, I removed the original back plate to put it on and found the PC board had signs of being repaired. There were some solder burn marks where the delicate mini SDI connectors are. Looked like I had been sold a refurbished unit as new. Contacted B&H Photo about it and they told me to take it up with BMD. So... that has put me off a bit as well. The URSA Mini looks like a cool camera, nice compact size, clean. But I've lost interest now and will wait until many are fielded and see what kind of feedback users report. I'd only be interested in the high frame rate capability. Good luck to you early buyers.

Mark

[Dylan Couper]

Mark, the FS7 vs Ursa mini is the most no-brainer of all no-brainers... The FS7 is the only pro video camera I'd actually spend my own, non company money on right now.
And of course... you can actually buy it. :)

[Dylan Couper]

Originally Posted by Buba Kastorski

before you cancel take a look at the footage from that ugly duck that Jared just posted on FB, looks terrible,
my i6 shoots better slomo :)

Fortunately, I'm not in the business of making images. :)

[Rakesh Malik]

Originally Posted by Dylan Couper

Mark, the FS7 vs Ursa mini is the most no-brainer of all no-brainers... The FS7 is the only pro video camera I'd actually spend my own, non company money on right now.
And of course... you can actually buy it. :)

It's not actually a no brainer, particularly once you account for actual tradeoffs between the two, one of which is the obvious availability issue. And if you have an interest in being able to capture raw, then the no-brainer part actually sways the other way, since you have to add a fair bit of hardware to the FS7 in order to enable raw capture on it.

[Mark Watson]

Not a no-brainer for me. The Ursa Mini is supposed to do high frame rates, so I'm at least interested in it for that. Interchangeable lenses, 4K, now you're talking. Don't know what kind of high speed it does. Shot a lot of 120fps 1280x720 on the FDR-AX100, and I've been happy with it, but of course, I want more... So the FS7 says it can do 180fps at 1920x1080. Here's the catch, when in high frame rate mode, you lose the auto functions. No auto exposure and no auto focus. AX100 lets you have those two things. The FS7 is a handful of camera to heft around. Put the extension unit on it with a battery pack and then an external 6" monitor and it gets more cumbersome. Add the metabones and some Canon L glass and... well you get the picture. I stuffed the camera and everything I'd want to shoot with the kit lens and my Canon 16-35mm and it weighs 33 pounds, not including the 9 pound tripod with FSB6 head. So it remains to be seen if the Ursa Mini can trump the FS7 in the area of high frame rate, but looks like it could remain more compact. I tend to like lots of discrete buttons, and the Ursa doesn't have too many. The FS7 could use a few more, but so far it's working okay for me. I don't do this professionally, so none of my purchase decisions are constrained by any kind of business, money-making model.

Mark

[Dylan Couper]

Given the choice between a camera that exists in real life, and a camera that exists on the internet that you can't even buy... That's my definition of a no brainer, sorry.

[Rakesh Malik]

If you absolutely NEED a 4K camera right now and don't have one, then yes. How many actually NEED 4K right now? Or even 14+ stops of dynamic range? Account for the people who are just using their cameras as marketing to get on set as camera dongles, and you're left with a relatively small percentage of camera buyers.

I did debate an fs7 instead of waiting for an Ursa Mini 4.6K, but in the end I decided that it would be worth the wait, mainly because of the color and dynamic range, plus the fact that it records raw internally with several compression options including lossless.

[Dylan Couper]

I'll make some popcorn and get comfy.

[Gabe Strong]

Originally Posted by Rakesh Malik

If you absolutely NEED a 4K camera right now and don't have one, then yes. How many actually NEED 4K right now? Or even 14+ stops of dynamic range? Account for the people who are just using their cameras as marketing to get on set as camera dongles, and you're left with a relatively small percentage of camera buyers.

I did debate an fs7 instead of waiting for an Ursa Mini 4.6K, but in the end I decided that it would be worth the wait, mainly because of the color and dynamic range, plus the fact that it records raw internally with several compression options including lossless.

That can easily become a never ending trap. Trust me, by the time
the Ursa Mini is actually released, rumors of the 'next big thing'
will be swirling. And I will debate buying a Ursa Mini but in the
end, will decide that the greater resolution, higher frame rates,
better dynamic range, plus the same recording options as the
URSA Mini but no loss in dynamic range or slower frame rates
when switching to global shutter, plus built in NDs, and not
'Touch screen' oriented ability of this new 'mega cam' means
that it will be worth the wait. And so the saga continues.....