We teamed up with our frequent tester,
New Jersey-based photographer and director
David Patiño, who owns Blackmagic’s Pocket
Cinema Camera, to put an EF mount URSA
through its paces.
IMAGE QUALITY
Patiño used the URSA to shoot 4K in ProRes
422 at several frame rates, including 80 fps,
indoors and outdoors, and only had good
things to say about the quality of the footage.
(After our test was done, Blackmagic released
a firmware upgrade that delivered the highest
quality ProRes format available, ProRes 4444.)
Color reproduction was consistent and
accurate, while the 12 stops of dynamic range
preserved plenty of details in his scenes.
Users of the Blackmagic Production Camera
should be familiar with the URSA’s cinematic
output, as it uses the same sensor.
Thanks to its global shutter, the URSA
won’t pick up rolling shutter artifacts that
might otherwise mar a DSLR or mirrorless
camera filming very fast motion—another plus.
Low-light performance was also good, though
it trails other cameras in this category—
particularly Canon’s Cinema EOS series. The
camera’s native ISO is 400, and while you can
push it higher, we stayed in this sweet spot for
best results.
DESIGN
The design of the URSA is a major selling
point. One highlight is the ability to
upgrade the camera’s sensor by removing
the front module (behind just four bolts),
which contains both the sensor and lens
mount. While the URSA’s current 4K sensor
is hardly antiquated, Blackmagic told us
they eventually plan to offer newer sensors
through their network of resellers and that
installing them would be simple enough
for an end-user to accomplish by
themselves. Just pop off the
front module, screw in a new
module and, bingo, you’re
future-proofed.
We also loved the
abundance of displays. First,
there’s a huge 10-inch, 1920
x 1200 display. It’s extremely
sharp and Patiño appreciated
the focus peaking and zebra
patterns that were so clearly
visible on the URSA without
having to resort to an external
monitor. The 10-inch display is
complemented by a pair of 5-inch
touch screens on either side of the camera.
They’re on hand to enable other operators to
monitor audio and pull focus or make quick
adjustments to camera settings.
WHAT WE LIKED
The URSA may look a bit intimidating on the
outside, but its on-screen menu is remarkably
straightforward. Patiño compared it favorably
to RED’s cinema cameras, which can be more
daunting to navigate. The versatile design
gives those stepping up from a DSLR, or even
Blackmagic’s own Pocket and Production
cameras, more of the features they’ll need to
shoot high-quality productions right out of
the box.
The URSA starts up quickly, taking a mere
five or six seconds to spring to life after a
battery swap. It’s durably constructed, too. In
fact, it feels like a tank.
WHAT WE DIDN’T LIKE
The most immediate issue an event
videographer is going to have with the URSA
is its size and weight. We said “tank,” and we
meant it. At 16 pounds sans lens, you won’t
need a gym membership to firm up those
biceps. Without a big stabilizing rig, you
won’t be doing much “running and gunning”
either. It’s unwieldy off of a tripod.
Also, the CFast 2.0 cards it takes are
still expensive. Those prices are falling, as
memory prices tend to do, but you can easily
tack on north of $1,000 to the URSA’s price
tag if you don’t already own them.
HOW IT COMPARES
If you have about $6,000 to spend on a video
camera that delivers 4K and a large image
sensor, you’ll have a few options, including
Sony’s NEX-FS700R and JVC’s new GY-
LS300. The URSA is less portable than either,
but offers more file format and frame rate
options with a much larger display—not to
mention more than one of them. The URSA
is an extremely versatile filmmaking tool
that’s also, all told, a tremendous value, even
discounting the hit you’ll take investing in
CFast 2.0 cards. If cinema-style videos are on
your radar, the URSA should definitely be top
of mind.
RANGEFINDERONLINE.COM 63
TOP: The URSA features a removable
front module containing both the image
sensor and lens mount. When new
sensors roll out, upgrades will be as
simple as replacing that module.
LEFT: The URSA will also be sold in an
HDMI mount that lets you use your
DSLR’s lens and sensor, turning the URSA
into a giant external recorder.