Blackmagic Design has released the Blackmagic Camera 10.0 firmware update for the Blackmagic Design URSA Broadcast G2, Blackmagic Design PYXIS 6K and Blackmagic Design PYXIS 12K cameras. The headline new features are up to 10 minutes of prerecording and 4 channel audio recording.
Prerecording
With the Blackmagic Camera 10.0 update, you can choose a prerecord duration between 5 seconds up to an amazing 10 minutes. With prerecord enabled, the camera will be continuously recording to the media card. Then, when you hit record, the cached media is automatically added to the start of the clip. This new feature is ideal for documentary or news gathering work where you don’t want to miss an important moment. It also saves storge space as you only keep the footage you need, rather than having clips that last hours.
4-channel audio
The Blackmagic Camera 10.0 update also delivers 4-channel audio recording. This means that you can record two additional audio channels as well as the two originally available. It’s a great feature to have for interviews, live events or documentaries. You can have separate mics for your talent but still have the option to record ambient sound or scratch audio tracks. In addition, as your audio is captured in-camera, you can be sure that it’s all perfectly synced with the video.
Other improvements
The Blackmagic Camera 10.0 update has more improvements for the URSA Broadcast G2, PYXIS 6K and PYXIS 12K cameras. It adds support for mono headphone monitoring and adds a 0% option for frame guide opacity settings. It also adds new Camera Control REST API commands. Many users will be delighted to see that you can now switch off proxy recording on the cameras if you want to.
Also, the URSA Broadcast G2 now has improved Blackmagic Cloud functionality and improved B4 lens compatibility.
What we think
Blackmagic Design has given owners of its URSA Broadcast G2, PYXIS 6K and PYXIS 12K cameras an early Christmas present with this update. The option for up to 10 minutes of prerecording is going to be so useful for anyone who films news, live events, or documentaries. It’s going to impact on your camera’s battery life. However, that’s a small price to pay for knowing you will never miss a once-in-a-lifetime moment again.
Additionally, the option for 4 channel audio recording is a great new feature. It’s good to see that Blackmagic Design is continuing to develop new features that weren’t imagined when the cameras first launched. If you own an URSA Broadcast G2, PYXIS 6K and PYXIS 12K, you should update your camera’s firmware as soon as you can.
Pricing and availability
The Blackmagic Camera 10.0 update is available to download from the Blackmagic Design website now free of charge.
