The eagerly awaited 4K Blackmagic Production Camera is now shipping, and is significantly cheaper than when first announced. The new price is $2,995, €2,279, £1,925 (down from $3,995)
In a dramatic turn of events, just days after full details of the Panasonic GH4 4K camera were released, Blackmagic has started shipping their 4K production camera, and have announced a major price drop. This means that for just $2,995 you'll be able to buy an Ultra HD camera (3840 x 2160) wtih a 35mm dedicated video sensor and with a global shutter.
Included in the price is a full version of Blackmagic's Resolve software for grading the raw footage. The camera also includes the ability to record ProRes with its on-board recorder.
The camera is not just aimed at digital cinematography, but at live production as well, and includes a 6K SDI output that will allow it to send 4K video in real time to Blackmagic's live production switchers.
Blackmagic CEO Grant Petty attributes the price drop to reduced production costs:
“The support from the creative community for the Blackmagic Cinema Camera and Production Camera 4K has been amazing,” said Grant Petty, CEO, Blackmagic Design. “As with all of our products, we work hard in production to reduce costs so we can pass along the savings, even to our first Blackmagic Production Camera 4K customers.”
In 2013, there was just one remotely affordable camera that could record 4K on-board without an external recorder, the Canon 1DC, and that was (and still is) the price of a small car. Now, one month into the new year, there are two 4K cameras that can record on-board. The Panasonic GH4 is compact (although not so much with its professional I/O base unit) and now the Blackmagic Production camera that with the included Resolve, global shutter, ability to record raw video and larger sensor - and ability to record to ProRes on board - is arguably the better deal if you don't need to take still pictures.
We will have a Blackmagic Production Camera in a few days and will bring you more news as soon as we get it.
Blackmagic Press Release in full after the break:
“The support from the creative community for the Blackmagic Cinema Camera and Production Camera 4K has been amazing,” said Grant Petty, CEO, Blackmagic Design. “As with all of our products, we work hard in production to reduce costs so we can pass along the savings, even to our first Blackmagic Production Camera 4K customers. The Blackmagic Production Camera 4K is a perfect companion for ATEM Production 4K switchers and we hope the new low price will help more customers to expand their Ultra HD live production set ups with even more camera angles!”
About Blackmagic Production Camera 4K
Blackmagic Production Camera 4K is a super high resolution 4K digital production camera for Ultra HD television production. Featuring a large Super 35 sensor, professional global shutter as well as EF and ZE compatible lens mount, the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K captures high quality ProRes™ files, giving customers a complete solution to shoot amazing high resolution music videos, episodic television productions, television commercials, sport and documentaries.
The Blackmagic Production Camera 4K has everything customers need right out of the box including a built in SSD recorder, rechargeable battery and a large 5” LCD touchscreen. In addition to focusing and monitoring shots, the touchscreen also lets customers enter metadata and change camera settings all on a single easy to use interface. Customers also get a full copy of DaVinci Resolve for amazing quality color grading and finishing for Mac OS X and Windows computers.
Key Features