Blackmagic Design is using IBC as its soapbox for a bevy of announcements, including an update of Davinci Resolve, PL mounts for the 2.5K Cinema and 4K Production cameras, and more.
If there's an industry tech show happening somewhere in the world, it's a safe bet that Blackmagic Design is announcing something big at it. IBC is no exception. The big bombshell unleashed by Blackmagic was undoubtedly its acquisition of powerful compositing application Eyeon Fusion (RedShark Editor-in-Chief David Shapton gave his analysis of the purchase which can be found HERE). But that wasn't the only news to filter out from the Blackmagic team.
Blackmagic released a scattershot of news items at IBC, headlined by the Eyeon Fusion purchase, but also touching on its wide line-up of other products. Here are two highlights, courtesy of Blackmagic:
DaVinci Resolve 11.1 Update: available now
New editing features include improved Final Cut Pro X integration, improved asymmetric trimming, a new Swap Edit command, the ability to trim gaps in the timeline, editable in/out points in the source viewer, graphical fade sliders for video opacity, action and title safe overlays, independent track heights, a full screen timeline option, the ability to add transitions to multiple clips at the same time and more. New color correction features include support for object tracking and stabilization of compound clips, second layer input support for OpenFX plugins, the ability to pick colors in the viewer for OFX plugins, and new group menu options to load, delete and rename groups. DaVinci Resolve 11.1 also includes support for visually lossless compressed DNG RAW clips, Panasonic Varicam vRAW and AVC-I, improved color decoding for Phantom CINE RAW files, new Phantom Cine Log gamma selection in the camera raw settings, VFX I/O LUTs for Gamma 2.2 and Gamma 2.4, and more. Linux customers also get OpenCL support for AMD GPUs. Finally, the new version adds support for Dolby Vision image processing.
Blackmagic Cinema Camera PL and Blackmagic Production Camera 4K PL: $2,295 and $2,995, respectively, available now
Two new cinema cameras, the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K PL and Blackmagic Cinema Camera PL now include PL mount models, for using professional cinema lenses or even vintage cinema lenses. This means cinematographers now have a professional PL mount digital film camera that’s so small, the camera body is only a little larger than the lens mount itself. Customers then get a design that can fit into the tightest locations while still allowing decades of classic professional film lenses to be used.
In addition to IBC news, Blackmagic also released an update that expands the usefulness of its 4K Production Camera. Ever since Blackmagic unified the code base for its camera line-up, the camera maker has been churning out the firmware updates, bringing long-promised functionality to its users. The camera that has benefited the most from the recent spate of updates is the 4K Production Camera, as it's received audio meters, histogram and a heads-up display in advance of the other cameras. Blackmagic continues beefing up the 4K Production Camera with 'Camera Update 1.9.5', which enables in-camera formatting.
After applying the free update, users will be able to prepare their SSDs for recording while in the field, without finding a nearby computer. The in-camera formatting process can prepare disks "optimized for high performance use," and in either ExFAT (compatible with Mac OSX and Windows) or in HFS+ (Mac only, but higher performance).
The update includes a brand new dashboard menu, for fast selection of common functions.
Expect these improvements to filter to other cameras in the coming weeks, and for Blackmagic to continue its efforts in making its existing cameras even better.
Camera update 1.9.5 can be found here. Check out the full list of Blackmagic Design Announcements at IBC 2014 on Page Two!
And don't miss the full press release for in-camera formatting of Blackmagic's 4K Production Camera on Page Three!
Effective immediately, Blackmagic Design has acquired eyeon Software, a leading developer of high end digital compositing, visual effects and motion graphics software for the feature film, commercial, television and broadcast industries, and it will be a wholly owned subsidiary of Blackmagic Design. eyeon will continue to develop new products, support its customers and expand its sales channels with the added strength of Blackmagic. eyeon's Fusion has been used by more than 1,000 Hollywood films and TV shows. With eyeon very much like with DaVinci Resolve, we now have another powerful software product that has decades of Hollywood and TV broadcast success behind it and can be used by anyone. In particular, we feel Fusion's node based way of working is an amazingly easy and clean way to create.
CEO of Blackmagic (Grant Petty) and the CEO of eyeon (Steve Roberts):
"We're really excited about the acquisition of eyeon," said Grant Petty, Blackmagic Design CEO. "Fusion compositing, 3D and motion graphics software has been used on some of Hollywood's biggest visual effects blockbusters. When used together with DaVinci Resolve for editing and grading, Fusion also gives customers the world's most advanced tools for 3D compositing, visual effects, motion graphics design and more!"
"Blackmagic Design is the most progressive company in professional post production today," said Steve Roberts, CEO and founder of eyeon. "With their focus on developing the best solutions and a global network of offices, Blackmagic gives customers the products and services they deserve. The acquisition of eyeon will provide greater development and support of Fusion and Generation, where customers will now have more dynamic, comprehensive, and faster solutions for their creative needs."
DaVinci Resolve 11.1 Update: available now
New editing features include improved Final Cut Pro X integration, improved asymmetric trimming, a new Swap Edit command, the ability to trim gaps in the timeline, editable in/out points in the source viewer, graphical fade sliders for video opacity, action and title safe overlays, independent track heights, a full screen timeline option, the ability to add transitions to multiple clips at the same time and more. New color correction features include support for object tracking and stabilization of compound clips, second layer input support for OpenFX plugins, the ability to pick colors in the viewer for OFX plugins, and new group menu options to load, delete and rename groups. DaVinci Resolve 11.1 also includes support for visually lossless compressed DNG RAW clips, Panasonic Varicam vRAW and AVC-I, improved color decoding for Phantom CINE RAW files, new Phantom Cine Log gamma selection in the camera raw settings, VFX I/O LUTs for Gamma 2.2 and Gamma 2.4, and more. Linux customers also get OpenCL support for AMD GPUs. Finally, the new version adds support for Dolby Vision image processing.
Two new cinema cameras, the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K PL and Blackmagic Cinema Camera PL now include PL mount models, for using professional cinema lenses or even vintage cinema lenses. This means cinematographers now have a professional PL mount digital film camera that's so small, the camera body is only a little larger than the lens mount itself. Customers then get a design that can fit into the tightest locations while still allowing decades of classic professional film lenses to be used.
Post production related monitoring and back-end announcements:
MultiView 16: $1,495, available November
This is a brand new product line for us. The new MultiView 16 lets you see up to 16 SDI inputs on a single display. It is the world's first native Ultra HD multi viewer that allows customers to use the new large screen Ultra HD televisions and Ultra HD monitors for displaying images at twice the resolution of an HD multi view. With full frame re-sync in each input, it supports the display of up to 16 mixed SD, HD and Ultra HD video sources all at the same time.
SmartView 4K: $1,995, available December
The world's first full resolution Ultra HD broadcast monitor with 12G-SDI inputs for compatibility with virtually all SD, HD and Ultra HD formats up to 2160p60. SmartView 4K is a professional Ultra HD broadcast monitor with a native resolution of 3840 x 2160, an amazingly bright LCD screen with a wide viewing angle and broadcast features, such as 3D LUTs, adjustable on screen markers, H/V delay, blue only and more. SmartView 4K features multi rate 12G-SDI inputs that automatically switch between SD, HD and Ultra HD formats up to 2160p60. With 12G-SDI, SmartView 4K has an incredible future proof design with unprecedented full resolution Ultra HD high frame rate support all built into the attractive thin rack mount design.
Smart Videohub 40x40: $2,995, available October
The newest Videohub model of our mixed format routers, Smart Videohub 40x40 includes our visual routing user interface and 6G-SDI technology allowing SD, HD and Ultra HD routing all on the same router at the same time.
DeckLink 4K Extreme 12G: $1,495, available October
A new dual Link 12G-SDI capture and playback card that includes an extremely fast 8 lane PCI Express Generation 2 connection to the computer allowing extremely high performance such as dual stream video capture and playback at resolutions up to 2160p60. Dual stream capture and playback at these resolutions allows dual stream 3D as well as simultaneous fill and key capture and playback even when operating in Ultra HD at 60 frames per second.
Mini Converters with 6G-SDI and Ultra HD: $295 and $345, available October
New Ultra HD compatible Mini Converters and Heavy Duty Mini Converter 4K models that feature 6G-SDI technology, allowing customers to use a single type of converter for all conversion needs in SD, HD and Ultra HD television formats. These new models replace the previous models for each conversion type and all standard models retail at $295 while the heavy duty models retail for $345.
New Blackmagic Videohub Software: free of charge, available for download now
A new software suite for the company's popular Videohub range of SDI routers that provides new client control and setup applications for easier and simpler router operation. The new Blackmagic Videohub 6.0 update includes 2 new software applications for both Mac OS X and Windows computers. The Blackmagic Videohub Control features a new user interface that includes elegantly designed buttons that allow users to customize and control their Videohub routing from their desktop. Blackmagic Videohub Control is perfect when customers are working on editing, color correction or other computer based workstations and want to change routing in their facility.
Blackmagic Design announces new disk formatting update for Blackmagic Production Camera 4K
Fremont, CA - September 6, 2014 - Blackmagic Design today announced the immediate availability of Camera 1.9.5 software which includes dashboard on screen menus and high performance disk formatting for the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K.
Camera 1.9.5 update is available now free of charge from the Blackmagic Design website.
The new disk formatting feature allows customers to format SSD’s in camera so they don’t need to use a computer to prepare disks for recording. This new disk formatting feature is unique because unlike computers that format disks for general storage use, the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K can format disks optimized for high performance video use. When formatting the camera confirms the brand of disk and other disks parameters and then formats for highest speed video data recording and playback for that specific type of disk.
This also means that as new disks are released in the future, new software can be released to take advantage of unique features of disks for maximum performance when recording high data rate RAW 4K images.
Customers also get the opportunity to choose between two disk formats, ExFAT and HFS+. The ExFAT is compatible with both Windows and Mac OS X so is a good choice when customers are working on Windows or working between Windows and Mac OS X platforms as both platforms natively will read the disk. When customers are working on Mac OS X exclusively, the HFS+ format is the native Mac OS format and this allows higher performance for Mac users as well as better error protection because HFS+ supports journaling.
Allowing easy selection of the format to erase the disk, the new Blackmagic Camera Update 1.9.5 also includes a new dashboard menu that allows actions on camera functions to be selected quickly. Customers can choose to format disks, enable focus peaking, go to the settings page and other camera operations on nice big easy to use buttons.
“We are very happy to release this software to allow formatting on the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K ,” said Grant Petty, CEO of Blackmagic Design. “Having this new formatting feature in the camera means customers get increased connivance as well as getting the most out of the SSD’s so they can record higher data rate but extremely high quality RAW formats easier then ever before!”
Blackmagic Production Camera 4K Key Features
Large high resolution 4K Super 35 mm sized sensor with superior handing of image detail.
Professional global shutter for smooth pans and image motion.
Wide 12 stops of dynamic range allows capture of increased details for feature film look.
Compatible with extremely high quality EF mount lenses.
Built in SSD recorder allows long duration recording onto solid state disks.
Open file formats compatible with popular NLE software, such as Apple ProRes and compressed CinemaDNG 12 bit RAW. No custom file formats.
Features all standard connections, including jack mic/line audio in, 6G-SDI output for monitoring with camera status graphic overlay, headphone mini jack, Thunderbolt, LANC remote control and standard DC 12 power connection.
Built in touch screen LCD for camera settings and metadata entry compatible with popular video editing software including Final Cut Pro X.
Supports Ultra HD and 1080HD resolution capture in 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97 and 30 fps.
Includes UltraScope software for live scopes via the built in Thunderbolt connection.
Includes DaVinci Resolve color grading software.
Camera 1.9.5 is available now for download from the Blackmagic Design web site free of charge for all Blackmagic Production Camera 4K customers.
Press Photography
Product photos of the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K, and all other Blackmagic Design products, are available at www.blackmagicdesign.com.
About Blackmagic Design
Blackmagic Design creates the world’s highest quality video editing products, digital film cameras, color correctors, video converters, video monitoring, routers, live production switchers, disk recorders, waveform monitors and real time film scanners for the feature film, post production and television broadcast industries. Blackmagic Design’s DeckLink capture cards launched a revolution in quality and affordability in post production, while the company’s Emmy™ award winning DaVinci color correction products have dominated the television and film industry since 1984. Blackmagic Design continues ground breaking innovations including 6G-SDI and 12G-SDI products and stereoscopic 3D and Ultra HD workflows. Founded by world leading post production editors and engineers, Blackmagic Design has offices in the USA, UK, Japan, Singapore and Australia. For more information, please go to www.blackmagicdesign.com.