In the ever-evolving world of digital cinematography, Blackmagic Design has once again pushed the envelope with its latest marvel: the URSA Cine 17K 65. This cutting-edge camera boasts a staggering 17K resolution paired with a 65mm sensor, promising filmmakers an unprecedented level of detail and depth. To demonstrate its capabilities, Blackmagic recently unveiled two projects—”Iceland” and “The Ranch”—shot entirely with this new camera.

Experience the Footage Firsthand

Curious about how 17K footage handles in your own post pipeline? Blackmagic Design has made the complete 17K camera original RAW files for “Iceland” and “The Ranch” available for download on their official URSA Cine gallery. These aren’t just teaser trailers or compressed clips. This is the real deal—full-resolution, uncompressed RAW files, plus downloadable behind-the-scenes videos, allowing you to poke, prod, and pixel-peep to your heart’s content.

You’ll also find full 4K, 8K, and 17K resolution downloads for both films, with various format options for evaluating footage in your preferred workflow. For post-production artists, colorists, VFX supervisors, and anyone who wants to know how this footage behaves under grading and finishing conditions, this is a rare chance to evaluate the URSA Cine 17K 65’s performance directly on your own systems.

Additionally, Blackmagic provides clips showing how “Iceland” and “The Ranch” were made—giving technical insight into the camera’s on-set behavior. This includes drone setups, lighting rigs, lens choices, and handling—important data if you’re wondering whether this camera could slot into your own production workflow without requiring a second mortgage.

The availability of RAW files means that artists can test everything from dynamic range and color fidelity to compression handling and grading flexibility. Whether you’re a DIT on set or a finishing artist in post, these assets allow hands-on exploration—ideal before considering integrating this technology into high-stakes projects.

Iceland and The Ranch: Two Cinematic Test Cases

Florent Piovesan’s “Iceland” leaned on the 65mm sensor’s vast dynamic range to render the island’s massive vistas in full 2.2:1 open gate, without the compromise usually needed on smaller sensors. Piovesan used Tokina Vista Cine primes for their clean, natural look. He emphasized that 17K resolution allowed multiple framing options from a single take in post—a significant flexibility boost.

Meanwhile, Dylan Rucker’s “The Ranch” was a love letter to the American West, with fast-paced action sequences and open landscapes shot on 24mm lenses—yet with the field of view equivalent to 14mm in full frame, but minus the distortion. Rucker made the most of the camera’s compact form, deploying it on drones and car rigs to capture kinetic scenes involving cowboys and horses.

Technical Rundown and Post Pipeline Compatibility

The URSA Cine 17K 65 features a large format 65mm RGBW sensor delivering 16 stops of dynamic range. It supports PL, LPL, and Hasselblad lens mounts, 8TB internal storage, and high-speed networking for Blackmagic Cloud sync. The associated software suite—including DaVinci Resolve 19.1.4 and Fusion Studio 19.1.4—has been updated to support URSA Cine 12K LF, ensuring streamlined 17K/8K RAW workflows.

Proceed with Caution (and Curiosity)

As always, bleeding edge resolution comes with bleeding edge demands. Before integrating 17K into your production workflow, test and validate—stability and usability matter as much as pixels, especially in post. The provided RAW footage is a perfect opportunity to do just that.

Download the Clips here: https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/blackmagicursacine/gallery

The post Blackmagic’s URSA Cine 17K 65: The Camera That’s More ‘K’ Than Your Keyboard first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

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ARRI has unveiled the ALEXA 265, a compact 65mm cinema camera that redefines portability and functionality in large-format filmmaking. Building on the ALEXA 65, the new model is a third the size and weight of its predecessor, making 65mm shooting feasible in previously impossible scenarios, such as drone operations and tight locations.

The ALEXA 265 features a completely redesigned 65mm sensor that delivers a 15-stop dynamic range, an improvement over the ALEXA 65’s 14 stops, and doubles sensitivity from 3200 to 6400 EI. This allows for richer blacks, increased contrast, and reduced noise. Despite its 6.5K resolution and large pixel pitch, the camera is remarkably compact—just four millimeters longer and 11 millimeters wider than the ALEXA 35. Its 3.3 kg weight is a drastic reduction from the 10.5 kg of the ALEXA 65.

Compact Design, Advanced Features

The ALEXA 265 incorporates ARRI’s latest cooling and energy management technologies. This not only enhances its efficiency but also ensures it can be rigged with ALEXA 35 accessories, expanding mounting options. The new design opens up unprecedented possibilities for 65mm cinematography, especially in high-mobility scenarios.

ARRI retains its proven LogC4 workflow and REVEAL Color Science, both introduced with the ALEXA 35. The camera records ARRIRAW internally to Codex Compact Drives, with file sizes reduced by up to 40% using Codex High Density Encoding (HDE). These files are compatible with existing ARRI tools, such as card readers and drive docks. Updated SDKs ensure third-party software support for seamless post-production.

New Filter Cassette System

A unique feature is the integrated filter cassette system, allowing users to insert specialized filters housed in protective cassettes directly in front of the sensor. At launch, ARRI will offer FSND filters in densities from ND0 to ND2.7, with additional creative options in development. Each filter includes an encrypted chip to communicate metadata to the camera, streamlining on-set and post-production workflows.

Improved LED Calibration

Optimized for virtual production, the ALEXA 265’s enhanced LED calibration ensures accurate colors when working in LED volumes. Combined with the nuanced color rendering capabilities of REVEAL Color Science, the camera achieves precise reproduction of challenging hues, such as pastels, and natural skin tones. The facial imprefections of the On-Camera talent will have to be fixed in Makeup or post, sorry.

Availability

The ALEXA 265 will be available for productions starting in early 2025. For pricing and detailed specifications, visit ARRI’s official site.

The post ARRI Introduces ALEXA 265: Compact Evolution in 65mm Cinema first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.