Blackmagic Design are well-known for their fantastic low-budget cameras that act as an excellent alternative to considerably more expensive rivals from companies like ARRI and RED, all without compromising on video quality and production performance. One of the Blackmagic’s most enticing offerings that adheres to this sentiment is without a doubt the URSA Mini Pro – a 4.6K-capable workhorse whose expansive yet complete design aims to provide video shooters with a seamless filming experience, regardless of the shooting situation.
So, if you’re a filmmaker interested in using the Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro for your one-man-band/guerilla filmmaking applications, then you might be interested in the following setup suggested by filmmaker Brendan Sweeney of Hurlbut Visuals that seems to be the perfect solution for all URSA Mini Pro shooters who are constantly in demand for quick setup times for fast-paced production practices.
Surprisingly, the suggested combo consists of only three main components that act as accessories to the URSA Mini Pro. The first piece of gear is the side handle/grip that is included with the camera. This attaches to the right side of the unit via the rosette mount.
Having this single handle allows you to confidently hold the camera with your right hand, leaving the left one free to either support the weight of the unit or to dial in any settings you need to change on the fly.
The next piece of gear used for the setup is the lens, the type of which will depend on your needs. The folks at Hurlbut Visuals, however, prefer to use the Rokinon Xeen 85mm T1.5 lens for most of their coverage – a relatively affordable piece of cinema-grade glass that incorporates cinema-style focus and iris gears providing a high degree of precision and consistent focus.
Finally, the last accessory needed to complete this basic setup is a Blueshape Granite V-Mount battery to power on the camera and its corresponding accessories. Designed to be used in professional video applications, Granite batteries are not only robust but also extremely powerful. You can get those in different capacities ranging from 90Wh to 270Wh.
Furthermore, the textured finish of each unit is easy to grab and is resistant to blemishes from drops and impacts. Both the interior and exterior have been tested to survive multiple vertical drops from up to 6 feet onto hard surfaces. Additionally, Granite Two batteries are the first generation that provide a Wi-Fi communication feature allowing for remote, real-time status monitoring via a free iOS/Android mobile app.
URSA Mini Pro 4.6K Digital Cinema Camera Highlights
- 4.6K Super-35mm CMOS Sensor
- 4608 x 2592 Video up to 60p
- CinemaDNG and ProRes 444 & 422 Recording
- Full Set of External Controls
- 2/4/6-Stop ND Filter Wheel
- Dual CFast 2.0 and SD Memory Card Slots
- 12G-SDI Output, Timecode and REF Input
- 2 XLR Audio Inputs with Phantom Power
- Interchangeable Lens Mounts
- Magnesium Alloy Body
As you can see, this setup is a relatively simple configuration and is not indicative of the full expansion capabilities of the URSA Mini Pro. That being said, it’s perfect for shooters who need a relatively light-weight rig for quick coverage of a subject, or for handheld shots.
While this configuration may not be suitable for all shooting scenarios, it’s designed to give one-man-band shooters an easy way to capture their footage while keeping a low profile.
[source: Hurlbut Visuals]
B&H Order Links:
BLUESHAPE GRANITE TWO High Capacity 90Wh V-Mount Battery
Blackmagic Design URSA Mini Pro 4.6K
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