Blackmagic design

It was founded in 2001 by the CEO of Grant Petty in the Port Melbourne area of Melbourne , Australia . The name is translated from English as witchcraft . The proclaimed mission was to make tools for creativity accessible to everyone, since the equipment of competitors has a very high price despite the fact that the components for them are incomparably cheap. ^[3] Another goal of the company is to make IT products for video production convenient and, in turn, easy and convenient video recording for IT professionals. ^[four]

Grant Petty, before founding the company, worked in post-production and was surprised at the cost of the software . This was one of the reasons that in 2009, Da Vinci Systems , the company that received the Emmy Award for equipment for color correction and film restoration, became a part of the company. ^[5] One such color grading product is DaVinci Resolve , which is now sold for a fraction of the original price. ^[3] And comes with Blackmagic cameras for free. ^[6] Grant Petty put himself in the place of the buyer, he realized that it was inconvenient for users to switch between Windows and Macintosh , between separate programs for video editing, creating effects and color correction. Therefore, all this was decided to combine in DaVinci Resolve ^[4] .

In 2010, Echolab, a mixer manufacturer, was acquired. ^[7]

In 2011, Teranex, a manufacturer of video streaming equipment, was acquired. ^[eight]

In 2012, Cintel, a manufacturer of professional equipment for the post-production stage, was acquired. ^[9]

In 2014, Blackmagic Design announced the acquisition of eyeon Software, Inc., the creator of eyeon Fusion. ^[ten]

Blackmagic Cinema Camera

At the NAB Show 2012, the announcement of the Blackmagic Cinema Camera , equipped with a lens mount like Canon EF, took place . ^[11] The 2.5K image sensor forms an image of 1080p or 2K standards. The dynamic range is 13 exposure stages .

In September 2012, at the IBC 2012 exhibition, in response to numerous requests from users, a camera with a Micro 4: 3 mount (MFT) was announced. This step allowed the use of most lenses manufactured for Olympus and Panasonic equipment. In addition, due to the availability of cheap adapter rings on the market, this has made it possible to use other lenses, including the Canon FD mount . At IBC 2014, a version of the camera with the Arri PL mount was announced.

For recording uncompressed RAW DNG , Apple ProRes, or Avid DNxHD , 2.5-inch SSDs (Solid State Drives) are used . Camera control is carried out using buttons on the body and touch screen .

Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera

The Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera is a compact digital camera with a Micro 4: 3 bayonet mount (MFT) , with remote control via PWM and S.Bus and a Super 16 mm global shutter sensor. In remote mode, you can change the focus, aperture and zoom settings. Recording in RAW and ProRes is possible, the dynamic range is 13 steps. ^[12]

Blackmagic Production Camera 4K

At the NAB show 2013, Production Camera 4K was announced, the first Blackmagic Design camera to support 4K shooting. ^{[13] The} new full-size camera sensor allows you to shoot at 30 frames per second. This is the first camera in the world equipped with a video output with 6G-SDI interface . There is also a Super 35 mm sensor with a global shutter , which allows you to read the image immediately from the entire matrix, and not line by line to avoid the effect of a rolling shutter . ^{[14] [15] [16]}

Compared to the 2.5K Cinema Camera, some camera features are inferior. The basic sensitivity of ISO 400 versus ISO 800 is 2.5K Cinema Camera, while the amount of noise in the image with a maximum ISO value of 800 is greater than the first one at ISO 1600. ^{[17] [18] The} dynamic range of the Production Camera is 12 steps versus 13 stops Cinema Camera, in particular, experiences loss of detail in highlights. ^{[19] [20]}

The advantages of the camera are:

- low price for 4K;

- "film" image.

Cons of the camera:

1. When shooting bright light sources (solar disk, streetlights, car headlights), the effect of the "black sun" occurs in the frame, which can be partially removed in the DaVinci Resolve program.

2. The crop factor of the matrix is ​​1.7. When shooting with a lens with a focal length of 16 mm, the actual image size is obtained as if you were shooting with a 27 mm lens (16x1.7 = 27.2).

3. The internal battery does not last long, so an external power source is required for the camera.

4. When shooting on a sunny day, nothing is visible on the monitor screen. You have to cover yourself with a veil, as the first photographers did.

5. The camera is very hot.

Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera

Together with Production Camera 4K, a very compact Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera was announced, which has a 12.48mm x 7.02mm Super-16 matrix with a crop factor of 2.88x, which is about 36% of the size of the Micro 4: 3 matrix, with dynamic range of 13 steps and writes to the SD-card video with a resolution of 1080p RAW or ProRes . The camera is equipped with Micro 4: 3 mount (MFT) and has a price of less than $ 1,000. ^[21] Available frame rates: 23.976p, 24p, 25p, 29.97p, and 30p. There is a built-in stereo microphone and a 3.5 mm audio input. There is no photo shooting mode in the camera, but interval shooting is available. The small size of the matrix, and in turn the great importance of the crop factor, makes it difficult to shoot general plans and makes the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera practically unsuitable for use on a quadrocopter. ^[22] Also in the second quarter of 2018, Blackmagic introduced the updated Pocket Cinema Camera 4K system video camera. It retained the support for interchangeable MFT lenses, a relatively large matrix of the Micro Four Thirds (4/3) format, and its main innovation compared to the previous generation was support for recording in 4K resolution (4096 × 2160 at 60 frames / s). Among the features of the device can support video recording in HDR, a dynamic range of 13 steps and ISO up to 25,600. Filmmakers will appreciate the ability to shoot in a format without loss of quality CinemaDNG RAW 12 bit 4096 × 2160 with HDR support (270 MB / s at 30 frames / c) - however, there are also less demanding on capacity formats with loss of quality CinemaDNG RAW 3: 1 (128 MB / s), CinemaDNG RAW 4: 1 (96 MB / s). Recording in the resolution of 3840 × 2160 can be done in the format of Apple ProRes 10 bits. Pocket Cinema Camera 4K can record both on internal SD / UHS-II and CFast 2.0 cards, and through the USB-C port - on an external drive, which can then be connected to a workstation for color correction and editing. Available - 5-inch touchscreen LCD (1920 × 1080), support for 3D LUT-tables, four built-in microphones, Mini XLR audio input with phantom power, Bluetooth control, HDMI output for viewing video directly on the set Camera body made made of composite material based on carbon fiber and polycarbonate, due to which it is characterized by increased strength and shock protection. On the handle are buttons and switches grouped for convenient access to functions, with which you can quickly change the settings for power, start and stop recording, ISO, shutter, aperture and white balance and save a static image. The battery life of a single Canon LP-E6 battery ($ 35) is approximately 60 minutes. According to Blackmagic, its new Pocket Cinema Camera 4K allows you to get a video sequence that will be superior in quality to material shot on a DSLR and even on more expensive digital movie cameras. The device will enter the market this year - a more specific date is not called. The cost will be $ 1350. In the meantime, the price of the previous model was reduced to $ 1000.

Blackmagic Studio Camera

Blackmagic Studio Camera is an ultra-compact broadcast camera with an electronic viewfinder with a diagonal of 10.1 inches for working live.

Specifications:

• Effective matrix size: 12.48 mm × 7.02 mm
• Resolution and frame rate: HD 720p50 (59.94 / 60), HD 720p50 (59.94 / 60), HD 1080i50 (59.94 / 60)
• Display: 10.1 inch, 1920 × 1200, TFT-LCD
• Magnesium Alloy Case
• Four-hour battery
• SDI bidirectional communication
• Phantom Power Microphone Connectors
• Fiber optic interface. ^[23]

Blackmagic Micro Studio Camera 4K

The Blackmagic Micro Studio Camera 4K is a compact studio camera designed specifically for multi-camera live production. Providing work with HD and Ultra HD formats, it has a Micro 4: 3 bayonet mount (MFT) and allows you to control yourself from a video mixer through an SDI interface. It also has a built-in color correction tool, support for two-way communication and status indication, an output for controlling the panoramic head and B4 lenses, integrated microphones and a backup battery. ^[24]

Specifications:

• MFT mount
• Stereo microphone
• 3.5 mm audio input
• Compatible with Canon batteries
• Magnesium alloy body and mount

Blackmagic URSA

At the NAB Show 2014, the announcement of the Blackmagic URSA camera, ^{[25] the} world's first 4K digital movie camera with the possibility of modernization by the user, took place.

Blackmagic URSA Mini

The URSA Mini camera is a smaller version of the Blackmagic URSA with an ultra-wide dynamic range of 15 steps and a sensor with a global Super 35 mm shutter (1.4x crop factor ) that can shoot video up to 4.6K, which allows you to masturbate the video at the editing stage and display it in 4K . Due to its relatively light weight, it is convenient for manual shooting for a long time. The camera supports up to 60 frames / s, has a 5-inch high-brightness flip-up viewfinder, and a dual slot for recording in RAW and ProRes . ^[26]

There are four models in the line, which are equipped with a 4.6K or 4K sensor and an EF or PL mount. ^[27]

DaVinci Resolve is often used by colorists for color grading commercial clips ( Coldplay - Princess Of China ft. Rihanna ^[28] ) or commercials ( Go Daddy - Super Bowl Body Paint). ^[29]

List of movies created using DaVinci Resolve

The Fusion package is software used for overlaying visual effects , broadcast graphics, and 3D animation . Used for drawing , rotoscoping , chromakey , captioning and animation . Popular with Hollywood studios when creating blockbusters . Creating effects based on nodes (flow graphs ), as in Davinci Resolve, you can reduce working time, since there are no many layers or tracks, and it is faster and easier to add combined special effects. ^[32] Fusion was used to create the Martian , Ant-Man , Avengers: Age of Ultron , Thor , Terminator Genesis , Gravity , Malificent . ^[33]

List of movies created using Fusion Studio

Live Switchers

The ATEM series switchers are designed for multi-camera live broadcasts , such as concerts, sporting events, theater productions, conferences. Support work with 4K cameras, have up to 20 SDI inputs. ^[35]

Models:

• ATEM 2 M / E Broadcast Studio 4K
• ATEM 2 M / E Production Studio 4K
• ATEM 1 M / E Production Studio 4K
• ATEM Production Studio 4K
• ATEM 2 M / E Broadcast Panel
• ATEM 1 M / E Broadcast Panel

Disk Recorders

HyperDeck Studio recorders are designed to work with SSDs . Designed for recording video stream without compression or in compressed formats ProRes and DNxHD . They have controls used in VCRs : backlit buttons, a scroll knob, and an RS-422 port for external control. The LCD screen displays the timecode, information about the video format, frame rate and sound signal level. ^[36]

Models:

• HyperDeck Studio
• HyperDeck Studio Pro
• HyperDeck Studio 12G

Recording and Playback

Video capture and video playback devices are used to conduct live broadcasts, speed up video editing, and copy material. DeckLink boards allow you to record live images, video from a camera or deck directly into editing applications. If DaVinci Resolve is used on the set, using the Resolve Live function you can real-time color-adjust the material coming from the camera.

Models:

• UltraStudio 4K Extreme
• UltraStudio 4K
• UltraStudio Express
• UltraStudio Pro
• DeckLink 4K Extreme 12G
• DeckLink 4K Pro
• DeckLink Studio 4K
• DeckLink Mini Recorder
• DeckLink Quad 2
• Intensity Pro 4K
• Intensity Shuttle

Cintel Scanner

The Blackmagic Cintel Film Scanner is used to scan negative and positive film. Thanks to digital servos and a diffuse light source, the scanner allows real-time scanning of 35 mm and 16 mm film with a productivity of up to 30 frames / s in Ultra HD mode. The absence of vibrations and the built-in cleaning rollers allow you to carefully scan the film. ^[37]

Specifications:

• Film formats: 35 mm (2/3/4 perforations / frame), Super 35 (2/3/4 perforations / frame). 16 mm Super 16
• Negative Resolution: 4096 x 3072
• Effective Resolution: 3840 x 2880 - Super 35, 3390 x 2864 - Standard 35, 3390 x 2465 - Anamorphic 35, 1903 x 1143 - Super 16, 1581 x 1154 - Standard 16
• Scan Speed: 1-30 frames / s
• Rewind: 1-100 frames / s (35 mm), 1-200 frames / s (16 mm)
• Acceleration: 5-30 frames / s
• Maximum film length: 610 m ^[38]

Broadcast Converters

Teranex Mini - converters with 12G-SDI interface and support for all varieties of SD, HD and Ultra HD up to 2160p60. The models in this line are equipped with a built-in AC power supply, professional analog XLR and digital AES / EBU audio connectors, as well as an Ethernet port for remote monitoring and PoE support. A removable front panel with a color display and controls allows you to monitor video and change settings. Converters can be combined into one SDI configuration with sound consoles, effect processors, compressors, limiters. ^[39]

Video Monitoring

The Blackmagic SmartView 4K broadcast Ultra HD monitor with 12G-SDI interface has a bright display and wide viewing angles, supports 3D LUT tables, has the ability to delay horizontal / vertical, only blue output, customizable frames. SmartView 4K allows you to work with all types of SD, HD and Ultra HD in resolutions up to 2160p60. Thanks to the inputs for connecting DC and AC sources, the monitor can be used in the studio and on the set. ^[40]

Models:

• Blackmagic SmartView 4K
• Blackmagic SmartView HD

Sound Monitoring

Blackmagic Audio Monitor, occupying one place in the rack, has a double subwoofer, speakers with an ultra-wide frequency range and a powerful class A / B amplifier. The solution is equipped with a modern 6G-SDI interface, balanced XLR connectors for analog and digital AES / EBU sound, as well as inputs for connecting Hi-Fi class appliances. ^[41]

Testing Equipment

Blackmagic SmartScope Duo 4K and Blackmagic SmartView Duo have the same design. But at the same time, SmartScope Duo 4K allows you to display the waveform, vectoroscope, RGB and YUV displays, a histogram and phase of the sound, as well as the level of audio channels. Each control tool is independent, making it possible to use any combination of indicators and images. ^[42]

Models:

• Blackmagic SmartScope Duo 4K
• Blackmagic SmartView HD
• Blackmagic SmartView Duo

Emmy Award

Due to the high quality of image processing, the DaVinci system received an Emmy Award for its contribution to the development of the television industry.

Blackmagic cameras are often used when shooting dynamic blockbuster scenes in case of limited space and a high probability of camera damage. Relatively small dimensions, light weight and low price are more attractive than Arri and Red cameras. And shooting modes and material quality are often higher than that of SLR and mirrorless cameras and GoPro .

• Official site Blackmagic Design
  
• The RedShark interview with Grant Petty, CEO of Blackmagic
  
• NAB 2013 - Marco Solorio interviews Grant Petty of Blackmagic Design
  
• Arri movie cameras
• Panavision movie cameras
• Red movie cameras
• Canon Cinema Camcorders
• Dalsa Origin movie cameras
• GoPro Action Cameras

Videos

• Unofficial Blackmagic YouTube channel

• Blackmagic Design Japan YouTube channel

• Telegram channel