It wouldn’t be hyperbole to call the new Blackmagic URSA Cine 17K one of the most anticipated cameras of the past decade. However, it also might not be accurate, as Blackmagic also has early reviews of the URSA Cine Immersive camera coming out here now, too.
Regardless of which camera you’re more intrigued by, it’s easy to see why the URSA Cine line is getting quite a bit of attention and fanfare from those lucky enough to get their hands on them early. To get a full breakdown of what the URSA Cine 17K has to offer to actual, working filmmakers and DPs, we chatted with Tyler Edwards about his first impressions.
Here’s everything you need to know about working with the URSA Cine 17K and why you absolutely shouldn’t be afraid of this 17K behemoth.
NFS: First off, tell us a bit about your filmmaking history. What got you into cinematography?
Tyler Edwards: I got into filmmaking as a hobby in high school. We did a short film for a class project, and that really kicked off my interest in filmmaking. In college and through my first job out of college, filmmaking was just a hobby for me, but I was obsessed with filmmaking. I would watch every Philip Bloom, FilmRiot, Indie Mogul, and other videos on YouTube, trying to learn anything I could. In 2015, I started taking on small corporate jobs on the side and realized there was real potential to do this for a living.
NFS: What cameras have you used in the past? What have you looked for in a cinema camera traditionally?
TE: I’ve used pretty much every Blackmagic, RED DSMC2/DSMC3 camera, Sony FX line, and Canon EOS Cinema. Traditionally, a camera with wide dynamic range was the primary feature I looked for in a cinema camera. Beyond that, it was—and still is—about finding the camera with the features and specifications needed for a specific job.
NFS: Tell us a bit about your first impressions of the URSA Cine 17K?
TE: Blackmagic Design knocked it out of the park with this camera. The sensor is really special. The wider format gives spherical lenses a unique look. You get that compression from a 50mm lens, but a wider FOV, closer to 38mm. That math might be off. It really makes the image feel larger than life. I was really impressed by both the highlight rolloff and lowlight performance. There’s so much more to say about the camera, and I made a first impressions video on my YouTube channel.
NFS: Can you share some insights into your current (or ideal) rig for the URSA Cine 17K?
TE: The configuration I had was perfect for my needs. I used the Blackmagic Design shoulder mount for the base of the camera and Wooden Camera’s Elite system for pretty much the rest. Their top handle, top plate, 15mm rod attachment, and battery wedge plate really make rigging the camera perfect for my needs. Additionally, Blackmagic Design’s EVF is an absolute must for this camera. I really love that EVF. To power the camera, I ran the V-Mount plate and Core SWX Helix Max dual-voltage batteries.
NFS: If a friend were looking at renting or purchasing the URSA Cine 17K for a shoot, what advice would you give them?
TE: Don’t let 17K scare you. Blackmagic RAW compression is great, but if 17K isn’t needed, you can capture in 8K [or even 4K] without cropping in on the sensor. That is the beauty of this RGBW sensor. Also, the camera is power hungry, so be sure to have enough batteries for the day and the correct batteries if you want high frame rate recording. That said, I used the V-mount plate, and for project framerate recording (for me, 24p), normal V-mounts work great for that.
NFS: What would you love to see in the next cinema camera that Blackmagic might create?
TE: If you had asked me before NAB 2025, I would have said, “I’d love to see that URSA Cine 12K LF sensor in a Pyxis body,” but then they did that. So, I guess now my answer would be the same, but with the 17K sensor in there.
