Blackmagic RAW Immersive Format for New URSA Cine Camera

This upcoming camera will feature an impressive 8160 x 7200 resolution per eye, 16 stops of dynamic range, and will support 90fps stereoscopic 3D immersive cinema content.

Development and Specifications

The URSA Cine Immersive is likely based on the Blackmagic URSA Cine 17K platform, which requires at least 100 megapixels to create content for Apple Vision Pro. The new camera will exceed this requirement, offering more than double the necessary megapixels. Additionally, it features a custom lens system designed for Blackmagic URSA Cine’s large format image sensors, providing highly accurate positional data calibrated during manufacturing. Specific details regarding the focal length or T-stop of the lenses are not yet available.

New File Format: Blackmagic RAW Immersive

The camera will capture content in a Blackmagic RAW Immersive file format, an enhanced version of Blackmagic RAW. This new format simplifies the post-production workflow for immersive video by embedding immersive lens data, mapped and calibrated per eye, directly into the Blackmagic RAW file. This eliminates the need for multiple files to capture an immersive scene.

DaVinci Resolve for Immersive Video

Coinciding with the camera’s development, Blackmagic Design has also announced updates to DaVinci Resolve to support immersive video editing. The new version of DaVinci Resolve will be the world’s first immersive video editor, featuring an immersive video viewer that allows editors to pan, tilt, and roll clips on 2D monitors. Additionally, clips can be adjusted and monitored directly on the Apple Vision Pro for a comprehensive immersive editing experience.

Sensor Details and Availability

The URSA Cine 17K features a 65mm sensor with a horizontal size of 50.80mm and a vertical size of 23.32mm, offering 15,520 x 8,040 pixels. It is expected that the URSA Cine Immersive will use the same sensor. More details about the URSA Cine Immersive will be available as its release date approaches, anticipated later in 2024. Given its specialized nature, the camera is expected to be priced at a premium.

Blackmagic Design’s tease of the URSA Cine Immersive indicates significant advancements in the field of immersive video, with the camera and DaVinci Resolve updates set to enhance the creation and editing of high-resolution 3D content.