Blackmagic Design, the renowned innovators in the digital film industry, have just announced the launch of their groundbreaking Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K, setting a new standard for high-end digital film cameras. This remarkable device boasts a full-frame 6K sensor, an impressive 13 stops of dynamic range, an L-Mount lens mount, and dual native ISO capabilities up to an astonishing 25,600. Designed to deliver exceptional performance in low-light conditions and equipped with CFexpress card support, the Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K is a game-changer for filmmakers and content creators. This remarkable piece of technology is available now from Blackmagic Design resellers worldwide, with a price tag of US$2,595.
The debut of the Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K is currently underway at the Blackmagic Design IBC 2023 booth, located at #7.C49.
A High-End Cinematic Marvel
The Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K represents the pinnacle of digital film cameras, offering precise skin tones and vibrant, organic colors. Featuring a generous full-frame 24 x 36mm 6K sensor with wide dynamic range, an adaptable L-Mount for lenses, and a specially designed optical low pass filter, this camera excels in producing unparalleled image quality.
What sets this camera apart is its capability to record both deep bit depth Blackmagic RAW and H.264 proxies simultaneously, making it an ideal choice for cloud-based workflows and mobile applications. No other camera on the market offers this level of technological innovation, image quality, and portability.
Unmatched Sensor Performance
The Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K boasts a vast full-frame sensor with a native resolution of 6048 x 4032, nearly three times larger than a Super 35 sensor. This allows users to capture images with a shallow depth of field and work with anamorphic lenses without cropping, providing an authentic cinematic appearance.
The camera’s 13 stops of dynamic range, combined with dual native ISO up to 25,600, ensure exceptional low-noise image quality under various lighting conditions. It supports shooting at up to 36 fps at full sensor resolution or 120 fps in a windowed mode.
Versatility in Cinematic Formats
The large full-frame sensor in the Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K provides versatility in film formats and aspect ratios, allowing for unique open gate 3:2 images that can be reframed during post-production. Additionally, users can shoot in true 6:5 anamorphic without cropping, resulting in higher-resolution widescreen cinematic images. The camera also enables the use of the classic Super 35-sized window on the sensor for instant close-up shots that seamlessly integrate with open gate footage, empowering creators to produce distinctive cinematic content in unmatched quality.
L-Mount Lens Compatibility
The Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K features an L-Mount, a sophisticated lens mount that accommodates full-frame sensors while maintaining compatibility with a wide range of new and vintage lenses. The L-Mount’s large diameter of 51.6mm works seamlessly with the latest full-frame lenses from renowned manufacturers such as Leica, Panasonic, and Sigma. With a short flange distance of only 20mm, users can easily attach adapters for various lens mounts without compromising image quality. The L-Mount offers a unified lens mount that caters to virtually any lens, providing unlimited creative options.
Highly Adaptable Recording Options
This camera can shoot in all standard resolutions and frame rates, ranging from HD to DCI 4K and even 6K. Still photography enthusiasts will appreciate the ability to capture stills at 24.6 megapixels. The Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K supports recording at up to 36 fps at 6048 x 4032 (3:2 open gate), 60 fps at 6048 x 2520 (2.4:1), and 60 fps at 4096 x 2160 (4K DCI). For higher frame rates, users can window the sensor and shoot at up to 100 fps at 2112 x 1184 (Super 16) or even work in true anamorphic 6:5 at higher resolutions, such as 4.8K at 24 fps (4838 x 4032). Additionally, the camera enables shooting at 120 fps in 1080HD.
Efficient Media Handling
The Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K comes equipped with a built-in CFexpress card recorder and a USB-C expansion port for direct recording to external flash media disks or an SSD. CFexpress media is known for its durability and speed, making it perfect for recording full-resolution, 12-bit Blackmagic RAW files. With the capacity to capture over an hour of full-resolution 6K images on a single 256GB CFexpress card, users can focus on their creative process without constant media management interruptions.
Intuitive Touchscreen Display and Optional Viewfinder
A large, bright 5-inch HDR touchscreen simplifies shot framing and accurate focusing, even in challenging conditions. On-screen overlays provide valuable information, including status and record parameters, histograms, focus peaking indicators, levels, frame guides, and more. Users can quickly apply 3D LUTs to monitor shots with their desired color and look. The tiltable LCD monitor offers flexibility, tilting up to 180 degrees flat and down to 47 degrees, ensuring easy shot monitoring from various angles. Featuring a remarkable 1500 nits of brightness, the HDR display ensures visibility even in bright sunlight.
For outdoor and handheld shooting, the Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K supports an optional viewfinder that delivers accuracy and ease of use. The integrated high-quality 1280 x 960 color OLED display includes a built-in proximity sensor and a 4-element glass diopter for precise focusing adjustments, with a wide focus adjustment range from -4 to +4. The viewfinder seamlessly mounts on top of the camera with a single screw.
Extended Battery Life and Charging Options
The camera uses high-capacity NP-F570 batteries and features a secure locking DC power connector to prevent power loss during shoots. Additionally, the included AC plug pack can power the camera or charge the battery when the camera is not in use. The USB-C expansion port can also trickle charge the battery, allowing users to utilize portable battery packs, mobile phone chargers, or laptops. An optional battery grip is available to extend the camera’s power, ensuring users can continue shooting throughout the day.
Grant Petty, CEO of Blackmagic Design, shared his thoughts on the new release: “With the new Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K, we wanted to create the most portable camera possible for high-end, large format cinematography. That’s why we took the Pocket Cinema Camera platform but completely re-engineered the electronics inside around a full frame sensor and L-Mount. This means our customers get amazing large format images in an extremely portable design that also works with the accessories they already own. The L-Mount also opens up some amazing creative options like using the latest Leica lenses or using vintage lenses customers already own in an entirely new way. This is a true high-end cinema camera designed for high-end work, and we think it gives our customers a whole new way to tell their stories!”
Key Features of the Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K
- Full-frame 6K 6048 x 4032 sensor.
- Versatile open gate 3:2, full-height 6:5 anamorphic, and Super 35 formats.
- L-Mount compatibility for a wide range of photography and cinema lenses.
- Record full resolution up to 36 fps or 120 fps in windowed mode.
- High-speed CFexpress card recording.
- Adjustable HDR 1500 nit LCD screen.
- Optional Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera Pro EVF.
- Larger NP-F570 battery and optional Blackmagic Pocket Camera Battery Pro Grip.
Availability and Pricing
The Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K is now available for purchase at a price of US$2,595, excluding local duties and taxes, from Blackmagic Design resellers worldwide.
