Ursa
- Thread starter bonobored
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David W. Jones
Veteran
I have grown to hate fold-out monitors!
I wish they would make them detachable so you could position them anywhere you wanted rather than stuck in one spot on a pivot.
I wish they would make them detachable so you could position them anywhere you wanted rather than stuck in one spot on a pivot.
Darren Levine
Veteran
zero interest from me, just too overthought and overweight
Grug
Veteran
I actually really like the multi-monitor design. Not having to rig out the camera all over the place to get a monitor for both the operator and the AC could really streamline things - all you really need to add is an EVF and mount. People keep complaining about the weight - but it's really no heavier than any other comparable-sized camera these days once you add dual monitors to them.
The Blackmagic 4K sensor does very little for me though look-wise. So they'll need to get back to their 800 ISO base and 13 stops of DR before I'll get properly interested in the camera.
The Blackmagic 4K sensor does very little for me though look-wise. So they'll need to get back to their 800 ISO base and 13 stops of DR before I'll get properly interested in the camera.
I'm with you there.
I've adapted so much to shooting at 800 ASA w/ that DR that there's nothing about the BMPC4k or Ursa that remotely appeal to me...4k is a minor consideration by comparison.
I'm so fond of the look of the simple BMPCC with it's dedicated Metabones SB that it will take something genuinely amazing to get my attention for a while.
I can produce with a pair of these combinations and Sigma 18-35's for a long time to come.
I'm pretty amazed that I'm producing the kind of work we are with cameras that are on sale for $500.
Sheldon Charron
Well-known member
I was at the LA even and here are my observations.
1) It's MUCH bigger and heavier than I imagined. I believe they said 23 pounds without lens. I can't recall for sure, but it looked and felt that heavy.
2) The screen is HUGE! That would be good, but it only flips out 90 degrees and only tilts 180 degrees and that's straight up and straight down to the floor. If you are shooting low cam, that's okay, but you cannot move it and cannot flip it around so the screen is flat against the camera and visible for sure by by a focus puller or someone else.
3) The screen is HUGE! It blocks the view of the camera operator and if using a shoulder mount, you have to close it so absolutely need a viewfinder which the camera does not include.
4) But wait! There is a second 5" LCD screen! It's located under the 10" LCD screen. Problem is, when the 10" screen is closed, it covers the LHS 5" LCD screen. It's fine if the op is using the 10" and a focus puller is running off the smaller 5", but if running off shoulder or any config that requires the big screen to be closed, you're hooped. Too bad you can't flip the big screen around fat, or the 5" screen isn't on the back to be used when it's closed.
5) But wait! There's a third 5" LCD screen, located on the RHS. So your focus puller can operate from that side. Okay, okay. You still need a viewfinder.
6) And this is a killer for me. Virtually all camera operations are through touch screens. So you cannot operate the camera while looking through the viewfinder. You have to remove your eye and use the big 10" screen, or turn the camera to one side or the other to use the little 5" screens. If you are running the camera on your shoulder (which means 10" display closed and a viewfinder), you need to actually remove the camera from your shoulder, drop it to your chest, turn it sideways right or left, mess with the screen menu, then put it back. EVERY TIME. REALLY??
7) There are no customizable buttons. See #6.
8) 60p only. No ETA on 120p and word was, don't count on it anytime soon after release or ever.
I could live with 60p for the price. The screens and touch screen menus kill it for me though. Forget run and gun. Unless you shoot from sticks ALL THE TIME, have fun...
1) It's MUCH bigger and heavier than I imagined. I believe they said 23 pounds without lens. I can't recall for sure, but it looked and felt that heavy.
2) The screen is HUGE! That would be good, but it only flips out 90 degrees and only tilts 180 degrees and that's straight up and straight down to the floor. If you are shooting low cam, that's okay, but you cannot move it and cannot flip it around so the screen is flat against the camera and visible for sure by by a focus puller or someone else.
3) The screen is HUGE! It blocks the view of the camera operator and if using a shoulder mount, you have to close it so absolutely need a viewfinder which the camera does not include.
4) But wait! There is a second 5" LCD screen! It's located under the 10" LCD screen. Problem is, when the 10" screen is closed, it covers the LHS 5" LCD screen. It's fine if the op is using the 10" and a focus puller is running off the smaller 5", but if running off shoulder or any config that requires the big screen to be closed, you're hooped. Too bad you can't flip the big screen around fat, or the 5" screen isn't on the back to be used when it's closed.
5) But wait! There's a third 5" LCD screen, located on the RHS. So your focus puller can operate from that side. Okay, okay. You still need a viewfinder.
6) And this is a killer for me. Virtually all camera operations are through touch screens. So you cannot operate the camera while looking through the viewfinder. You have to remove your eye and use the big 10" screen, or turn the camera to one side or the other to use the little 5" screens. If you are running the camera on your shoulder (which means 10" display closed and a viewfinder), you need to actually remove the camera from your shoulder, drop it to your chest, turn it sideways right or left, mess with the screen menu, then put it back. EVERY TIME. REALLY??
7) There are no customizable buttons. See #6.
8) 60p only. No ETA on 120p and word was, don't count on it anytime soon after release or ever.
I could live with 60p for the price. The screens and touch screen menus kill it for me though. Forget run and gun. Unless you shoot from sticks ALL THE TIME, have fun...
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Sheldon Charron
Well-known member
Guess I killed that thread huh? 
Personally, I'll judge the camera for what it is when it finally comes out.
Meanwhile here is some recent footage posted today.
http://nofilmschool.com/2014/08/first-blackmagic-ursa-footage-gorgeous/
Meanwhile here is some recent footage posted today.
http://nofilmschool.com/2014/08/first-blackmagic-ursa-footage-gorgeous/
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Guess I killed that thread huh?
Your criticisms are fair. The camera looks as if it's been designed by engineers with little input from operators, and little thought to real life operation. First alarm bells started to ring when I heard about the sound man being able to look at meters on the RHS screen and adjust levels on the camera......I can see most cameramen not being very happy about their camera being touched mid-shot, especially if they're on the tight end of the lens.....
Run&Gun
Veteran
Once your levels are set/zero'd out to the mixer, there should be no reason for the audio guy to touch it again, anyway.
But that's neither here nor there, because I saw it at NAB and my take is, it's a gimmick. Something to get/keep people talking and keep the company "relevant" on the camera front, at least in the eyes of their user demographic.
But that's neither here nor there, because I saw it at NAB and my take is, it's a gimmick. Something to get/keep people talking and keep the company "relevant" on the camera front, at least in the eyes of their user demographic.
Yes, but that's not the way they market it, not what they see the controls/meters for - look at https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/uk/products/blackmagicursa for example, for the super-idealised crew images! Mixer? What do you need one of those for when you've got knobs and meters on the right side of the camera!?
Yes, I agree. Part of me is quite impressed, because you do seem to get quite a lot for your money. But no eyepiece viewfinder!?! Have the designers ever tried to use a camera outdoors on a bright sunny day and rely on just a screen!? That's what I meant when I said it looks like it's been designed by engineers with little real operator input.
You detail oriented peeps gots ta get with da Black Magic. It's a viiibe. Flip that big ole screen around and you have major selfie potential between takes. I do find it funny that after not including any kind of audio metering at all, they produce one for the vision impaired and add..a waveform display. I can't tell you how many folks have been demanding the latter. Honestly..I can't tell you.
I do find it funny that after not including any kind of audio metering at all, they produce one for the vision impaired and add..a waveform display. I can't tell you how many folks have been demanding the latter. Honestly..I can't tell you.Robert Ruffo
Well-known member
Saw the demo footage - Looks like once again there is super-harsh highlight roll-off, again the over-sharpening effect from the absent OLPF (both visible in the water). It's just a BM4K in a bulky box with a free, awkward monitor. Big woop.