While the highlights of Blackmagic Design’s unveilings at IBC 2023 might have been mostly focused on their new Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K and their surprise announcement of their Blackmagic Camera iPhone app, the company also included a couple of other notable releases.
One of these releases, which didn’t get as much fanfare, could be quite the game changer for the video broadcast side of film and video production.
Blackmagic’s new Micro Studio Camera 4K G2 is a notable upgrade of their original Micro Studio Camera 4K. This G2 promises to stay true to the camera’s “micro” offering while powering up its “cinematic” broadcast capabilities.
Let’s take a look at this new Blackmagic Studio Camera 4K G2 and explore if it might be right for you and your studio setups.
Introducing the Blackmagic Micro Studio Camera 4K G2
Designed as an ultracompact solution for those looking to install a camera anywhere in a studio or on location, the Blackmagic Micro Studio Camera 4K G2 is made to be a do-everything live production camera that can broadcast quality footage in the smallest and tightest of DIY studios or out in the field when needed.
“Our customers loved the original Blackmagic Micro Studio Camera 4K and have been asking us for an updated version. We’re excited to bring this camera back better than ever! It’s the same incredibly compact design from the original model, upgraded with new 12G-SDI and 4K HDMI connections, an amazing 4K sensor for cinematic images in live production and Blackmagic RAW recording. We think customers are going to love being able to create even more compelling content from more camera angles than ever before and in digital film quality!” — Grant Petty, Blackmagic Design CEO.
With the G2 upgrade in particular, there’s not too much report in terms of major upgrades to its compact form factor with its built-in color corrector, program return, talkback, and tally indicators as the original Micro Studio Camera 4K was quite popular for a reason.
Instead, the biggest updates have to do with the upgraded film sensor.
A New 4K Digital Film Sensor
With a new 4K digital film sensor, the Blackmagic Micro Studio Camera 4K G2 will now see 13 stops of dynamic range and a dual native ISO up to 25,600 which should really unlock some new and impressive low light performance capabilities for a studio camera.
Similar to its predecessor, the Blackmagic Micro Studio Camera 4K G2 retains its 4K support at 3840 x 2160p60 which it can output as 10-bit 4:2:2 video and can be remotely controlled from an ATEM switcher using SDI control protocol.
The G2 can also accept native MFT lenses or can also be adapted to a wide range of other modern and vintage lenses.
On top of that, the new G2 will also add 12G-SDI for operation at up to 2160p60 and a new USB-C expansion port for recording Blackmagic RAW directly to external disks as well as network control via Ethernet adapters. All significant improvements for those looking to build out their own studios regardless of their set and crew sizes.
At its core, the new Blackmagic Micro Studio Camera 4K G2 is perhaps closer to a high-end studio camera than most might think with its 4K sensor and compact and rugged body design. This is quite impressive considering the G2 is set to retail at under $1,000 at launch.
Price and Availability
As mentioned above, Blackmagic Design’s more filmmaking-focused and mixed-use production cameras might get the majority of the fanfare here, but to see the brand doubling down on this Micro Studio Camera 4K with a G2 update should be encouraging for anyone who works in any type of broadcast production. The Micro Studio Camera 4K G2 should instantly be one of the best and most affordable studio camera options on the market.
Here are the specs and purchase options for the Blackmagic Micro Studio Camera 4K G2 which should be shipping here soon.
- Active Micro Four Thirds Lens Mount
- UHD 4K Resolutions up to 3840 x 2160p60
- 12G-SDI Video Input/Output, HDMI Output
- 13-Stop Dynamic Range, Compact Design
- Camera Control via SDI, HDMI, or USB
- Program and Talkback over SDI, Tally
- USB-C Expansion Port, 3.5mm Audio In
- Built-In Color Corrector
- Canon LP-E6 Battery Slot
Blackmagic Design Micro Studio Camera 4K G2
Install a camera anywhere in your studio or on location with the ultracompact Blackmagic Design Micro Studio Camera 4K G2. This tiny UHD 4K studio camera is designed for live productions and has been updated to feature the same image sensor found in Blackmagic’s Studio Camera 4K Plus G2, which supports 3840 x 2160p60.
Author: Jourdan Aldredge
This article comes from No Film School and can be read on the original site.
