Blackmagic Design announces Blackmagic Camera Update 6.9

Blackmagic Design announced a new software update for its popular Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K and 6K models including powerful studio camera features. Customers can connect to an ATEM Mini switcher and get control of the camera parameters, lens, and tally light. ATEM Mini can control up to 4 cameras via the HDMI video connection and ensure all cameras are perfectly matched for a professional live studio workflow. Blackmagic Camera Update 6.9 is available for download from the Blackmagic Design web site.

Video and control is via the HDMI connection, which is available as soon as customers plug the cameras in. The record light becomes a tally light so customers can see which camera is on air. The ATEM Software Control camera page has a camera control unit (CCU) style interface for adjusting and matching their cameras.

The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K model features a 4/3 image sensor with 4096 x 2160 resolution and an MFT lens mount. Featuring a larger 6144 x 3456 Super 35 sensor and EF lens mount, the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K model lets customers use larger EF photographic lenses to create cinematic images with shallower depth of field, allowing creative defocussed backgrounds and bokeh effects.

Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Cameras have 13 stops of dynamic range. The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera features dual gain ISO up to 25,600, which means both the 4K and 6K models are optimized to minimize grain or noise in images while maintaining the full dynamic range of the sensor.

“This is a very exciting software update because it allows the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Cameras to become even more useful as they can now be used for both digital film production or live production for streaming,” said Grant Petty, CEO, Blackmagic Design. “We’ve seen a lot of customers use the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Cameras with ATEM Mini for live streaming because of their fantastic images, great low light capability and very creative looks when using 3D LUTS. Now customers will get new studio camera remote control plus a powerful built-in DaVinci color corrector, so there’s even more creative options for live production!”