Blackmagic Design announced Friday that it will make the optical fiber connection on its Blackmagic Studio Camera models a user installed option allowing the company to reduce the retail price of the camera. The HD model will reduce in price by $300 and the Ultra HD model will reduce in price by $500.
Based on user feedback, many customers are not using the optical fiber connection and had asked if a model without this premium and costly option could be released. With the optical fiber now excluded from the camera, the camera can be sold for a lower price. This suits the many customers who simply want to use the camera via its regular BNC SDI connections. The SDI connections on the Blackmagic Studio Cameras feature cutting edge technology and are 12G-SDI for up to 2160p60 on the Ultra HD model.
When a customer decides they want to add optical fiber, they simply purchase any SMPTE standard optical fiber SFP module and plug it into the camera. This then allows extremely long cable lengths which means that cameras can get close to the action and be located as far away from the switcher as required.
The HD Blackmagic Studio Camera model is now $1,695 and the Ultra HD Blackmagic Studio Camera 4K model is now $2,495. Both models are available now, from Blackmagic Design resellers worldwide.
About Blackmagic Studio Camera
Blackmagic Studio Camera is one of the most advanced broadcast cameras for live production because it includes features specifically targeted at the requirements of live production, such as large viewfinder, talkback, tally, user installed optical fiber and a super strong metal design.
Inside the incredibly tough and lightweight magnesium alloy body, the Blackmagic Studio Camera features a very large 10” viewfinder, long duration 4 hour battery, talkback, tally indicators, phantom powered microphone connections and built in SDI connections. The Blackmagic Studio Camera includes a massive 10 inch screen that allows incredible creativity when framing and accurately focussing. The viewfinder’s LCD is extremely bright and has a very wide viewing angle so it is perfect for use even in direct sunlight.
The Blackmagic Studio Camera features an active Micro Four Thirds lens mount that is compatible with an incredibly wide range of lenses and adapters. This allows customers to use high quality photo lenses for smaller setups or fixed camera use.
The Blackmagic Studio Camera supports the tally SDI standard used on the ATEM range of live production switchers and tally lights illuminate automatically with a light on the front for talent, and a light above the viewfinder for the operator, making it easy for the cast and crew to see which cameras are on air. To allow independent operation when there is no power available at the camera location, the Blackmagic Studio Camera also includes a massive 4 hour battery that means the camera has enough power for use on long live productions as well as setup time before the event starts.
Blackmagic Studio Camera Key Features
- High resolution 1920×1080 sensor in HD model and Ultra HD sized sensor in 4K model.
- Built in large 10 inch super bright wide viewing angle LCD viewfinder with sun shade.
- Optical SMPTE compatible SFP optical fiber socket allowing user installed optical fiber.
- 3G-SDI on HD model for up to 1080p60 and 12G-SDI on 4K model for up to 2160p60.
- Compatible with high quality Micro Four Thirds lenses. Compatible with other mounts via common third party adapters such as B4 broadcast lens mount.
- Built in, two way digital quality talkback using high quality affordable general aviation headsets.
- Includes front and rear tally indicators using tally over SDI protocol.
- Features all standard connections, including dual XLR balanced mic/line audio in with switchable phantom power, headphone and microphone jack for talkback, LANC remote control and standard 4 pin XLR broadcast standard DC 12V power connection.
- On screen menus for all camera settings.
- Supports 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 30 and up to 60 fps in HD model, up to 60 fps in 4K model.
- Compatible with ATEM range of live production switchers.
Availability and Price
Blackmagic Studio Camera HD is available now for US$1,695 and the Blackmagic Studio Camera 4K is available now for US$2,495 from Blackmagic Design resellers worldwide.
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