As we covered when first announced at WWDC 2024, Blackmagic Design’s URSA Cine Immersive camera is set to be the world’s first camera system designed to specifically record immersive video to display on Apple’s Vision Pro.
Apple Immersive Video is a truly remarkable 180-degree media format that leverages ultra-high-resolution immersive video and spatial audio to place viewers of the content in the center of whatever action you record for them.
However, since being announced back in June of this year, we’ve been waiting for more details from Blackmagic Design as to what the price and eventual release date for the URSA Cine would be—plus what these Apple Immersive Video workflows might actually look like.
That day is finally here. Let’s catch you up on what you need to know about the Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive camera and its price, availability, and specs.
The Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive Camera
Featuring a fixed, custom lens system pre-installed on the body, which is designed specifically to capture Apple Immersive Video for Apple Vision Pro, the Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive camera is set to feature a sensor that delivers 8160 x 7200 resolution per eye with pixel level synchronization.
The camera will also feature an incredible 16 stops of dynamic range so cinematographers can shoot 90fps 3D immersive cinema content in a single file. The custom lens system is also designed for URSA Cine’s large format image sensor with extremely accurate positional data that are read and stored at the time of manufacturing, which means that the immersive lens projection data — which is calibrated and stored on the device — can travel through post-production in the Blackmagic RAW file itself.
What’s more, there will be a new Blackmagic RAW Immersive file format that has been designed to make it simple and easy to work with immersive video within the whole post-production workflow and includes support for Blackmagic global media sync. Blackmagic RAW files store camera metadata, lens data, white balance, digital slate information, and custom LUTs to ensure consistency of image on set and through post-production.
An End-to-End Workflow for Apple Immersive Video
Along with the unveiling of the full specs for the URSA Cine Immersive, Blackmagic has also announced that a new version of DaVinci Resolve Studio is set to release in Q1 next year which will include powerful new features to help filmmakers edit, color grade, and produce Apple Immersive Video shot on the URSA Cine Immersive camera for Apple Vision Pro.
“We are excited to begin accepting pre-orders for the new Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive camera and preview a true end-to-end workflow for Apple Immersive Video with DaVinci Resolve. We are looking forward to working closely with filmmakers and production companies on the Blackmagic production workflow for Apple Immersive Video before releasing the camera to a wider audience later in 2025. We can’t wait to see the amazing action, drama, concerts, sports and other incredible experiences our customers will capture in this powerful new format pioneered by Apple.” — Grant Petty, Blackmagic Design CEO.
Key features are set to include a new immersive video viewer, which will let editors pan, tilt, and roll clips for viewing on 2D monitors or on Apple Vision Pro. On top of that, transitions rendered by Apple Vision Pro will also be able to be bypassed using FCP XML metadata, giving editors clean master files. And, to complete the workflow, export presets will also enable quick output into a package that can be viewed directly on Apple Vision Pro.
Price and Availability
The Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive is now available to pre-order directly from Blackmagic for $29,995. Blackmagic reports that deliveries will start in late Q1 2025. The URSA Cine Immersive will be available from Blackmagic Design resellers later next year.
Here are the full specs and features for the Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive:
- Dual custom lenses for shooting Apple Immersive Video for Apple Vision Pro.
- Dual 8160 x 7200 (58.7 Megapixel) sensors for stereoscopic 3D immersive image capture.
- Massive 16 stops of dynamic range.
- Lightweight, robust camera body with industry-standard connections.
- Generation 5 Color Science with new film curve.
- Each sensor supports 90 fps at 8K captured to a single Blackmagic RAW file.
- Includes high-performance Blackmagic Media Module 8TB for recording.
- High-speed Wi-Fi, 10G Ethernet, or mobile data for network connections.
- Includes DaVinci Resolve Studio for post-production.
Author: Jourdan Aldredge
This article comes from No Film School and can be read on the original site.
