The best Blackmagic cameras are used in production studios around the world but at prices far lower than traditional big-name cameras. Blackmagic Design’s key to success is offering an easy entry point into the studio and broadcast-quality video cameras at unfathomably reasonable prices.
They also offer all the hardware to accompany the camera kit including switchers, disk recorders and storage, converters, and much more, so users really can create an entire Blackmagic system for their home office or professional studio.
There is a range of different cameras, some befitting on-location quick shooting documentaries, and others that work best as standalone broadcast studio cameras with front tallies and professional video and audio connections. Either way, there’s something for everyone whether beginner or seasoned broadcaster. They are not just among the best cinema cameras, but also the best filmmaking cameras for video all round.
Blackmagic's latest release is the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K G2, an updated version of its base-level 6K camera that costs less than $2,000/£2000. That's less than competing hybrid mirrorless cameras – though we can't imagine what kind of pocket this hefty camera could fit into!
So whether you need a portable but powerful cinema camera, or a permanent setup for multi-cam live streaming or professional video productions, we’ve rounded up the best Blackmagic cameras you can buy right now at a range of price points. The best part is, almost all the cameras listed here either work with your existing lens collections or have interchangeable lens mounts which really helps keep costs down whilst maintaining high-end image quality and shallow depth of field when required.
The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K G2 is extraordinary value for money. There are plenty of mirrorless cameras that cost more than this and do a lot less from a filmmaker’s point of view.
But it’s not really an appropriate comparison. With no in-camera stabilization, no continuous AF, and support only for Canon EF lenses, this is not a mirrorless alternative. This is a big, ponderous camera that’s going to be at its best in planned productions and on shoots where you’ve got time to get everything right. And while it can be used as-is, straight from the box, it really needs to be rigged up with extra gear – especially a better screen – to deliver its best work.
Read our full Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K G2 review for more details
The most detailed video capture you can get in the Blackmagic professional camera range, the Ursa Mini Pro 12K shoots a magnificent 80 megapixels per frame in 60fps raw format, enabling both stills and raw video capture in one camera. A USB-C 3.1 generation 2 connection offers external recording at a huge 10Gb/s to external NVMe SSD drives, perfect when capturing 12K uncropped raw video.
A fold-out 4-inch touchscreen keeps things simple when monitoring and playing back, reducing the requirement for an external monitor. That makes it a sophisticated camera capable of capturing feature film quality results in a relatively slimline design with an astonishingly low price tag, considering what cinema film cameras can, and do, cost.
Read our full Blackmagic Ursa Mini Pro 12k review for more details
Blackmagic has given it's Pocket Cinema 6K range a reshuffle and replaced the old, lower-powered base-level Pocket Cinema 6K model with a new and improved Pocket Cinema 6K G2. This has many of the features of the Pro model, but we'd still recommend the 6K Pro for its built-in ND filters and brighter screen.
The appeal of this camera is the ability to capture 12-bit Blackmagic raw and 10-bit ProRes video which is perfect for editing and color grading. A Canon EF mount opens up a huge treasure trove of lenses from the Canon cupboard from high-quality primes to cinema lenses and more so that users can achieve a real cinematic feel. Reasonably priced and with a huge spec in terms of video, the Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro can capture up to 6K 50p which outperforms many other video-capturing cameras in its price range.
Read our full Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro review for more details
If you're an MFT user, maybe already using a Panasonic Lumix G or Olympus system, the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema 4K gives you cine camera controls at a price far lower than any compatible MFT body. It was launched back in 2018, but it's still a popular choice among filmmakers who need ProRes and Raw recording. The Micro Four Thirds sensor means there are a huge number of Olympus, Panasonic, and third-party lenses available both brand new and secondhand. It can shoot up to 4K 60p with no crop factor and has 13 stops of dynamic range.
With a Canon LP-E6 battery, you could argue it's a bit of a mix-match of a camera and although it only has 60 minutes of battery life you can plug it into the mains for continuous recording. It features one SDXC card slow and one CFast 2.0 slot which supports 4K Raw. The one downside to the camera is it doesn't have a flip-out screen but if you're a serious filmmaker you'd probably want to invest in one of the best on-camera monitors anyway.
Read our full Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K review for more details
Probably one of the most accessible Blackmagic studio cameras is the Studio Camera 4K Plus. Similar to the 4K Pro it’s essentially the same camera but simplifies connectivity by utilizing an HDMI-focused I/O which is designed for a smooth workflow with the Atem Mini camera switcher.
It operates easily with simple controls that anyone with limited or no broadcast experience can pick up. Since it’s so compact it travels well on location but is equally adept in a home studio or office and has a front tally for those that have multi cam setups. Easily the cheapest Blackmagic camera, this is one for beginners and those new to broadcast video that want to get started without breaking the bank.
The Ursa Broadcast G2 is an impressively versatile broadcast camera with multiple memory card ports, options to record to external disks, has H.264, H.265, Blackmagic Raw, and ProRes recording file formats, and allows for interchangeable lens mounts so users can use the kit they already own.
Low light shooting is easier thanks to the -12dB to +36dB ISO range (ISO 100 - 25600 equivalent). It has the same Blackmagic Generation 5 color science as the much more expensive Ursa Mini Pro 12K and features a 12-bit gamma curve designed to save detail in the highlights and shadows which, when edited in raw format can bring about broadcast level tonal quality.
Sitting at the upper end of Blackmagic’s ever-affordable price range the Ursa Mini Pro 4.6K G2 is actually the same price as the Ursa Mini Pro 12K. It captures a maximum of 4.6K resolution but the magic comes in the frame rate options. A mighty 15 stops of dynamic range can be captured at 120fps or drop down to 2K and this jumps up to 300 fps for insane slow motion.
The lens mount can be changed to PL, F, and B4 depending on which lens ranges users prefer and built-in ND filters help to manage light input without affecting settings. The usual CFast and SD card slots are available plus USB-C external disk recording is also possible. HD-SDI monitoring and XLR audio are some of the premium options you’re getting with the Ursa Mini Pro 4.6K G2.
How we test cameras
Why you can trust Digital Camera World Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out how we test.
We test cinema cameras both in real-world shooting scenarios and in carefully controlled lab conditions. Our lab tests measure resolution, dynamic range, and signal-to-noise ratio. Resolution is measured using ISO resolution charts, dynamic range is measured using DxO Analyzer test equipment and DxO Analyzer is also used for noise analysis across the camera's ISO range. We use these real-world testing and lab results to inform our comments in buying guides. For compact cameras, we judge real-world handling and photographic results alone.
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