Blackmagic Design’s new Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K is the company’s first with a full-frame sensor. Its 6,048 x 4,032 pixels of native resolution is almost three times the resolution of Super 35, says Blackmagic, which is positioning the $2,595 device as a “large format cinema camera image quality in a portable, lightweight body.” The Cinema 6K abandons the Canon EF mount for L-Mount coupling and greater lens options, and 13 stops of dynamic range with dual native ISO up to 25,600 delivers low noise images in conditions from bright sunlight to “almost no light at all,” according to the company.

Customers can shoot up to 36 fps at full sensor resolution or 120 fps windowed, and the versatile unit also has a built-in slot for recording to CFexpress cards, the latest in high-speed memory.

“While it may look a lot like other models in Blackmagic’s Pocket Cinema Camera lineup,” the Cinema 6K represents “a dramatic new direction” for the company, writes PetaPixel.

The large full frame sensor “lets customers work in a variety of film formats and aspect ratios without sacrificing quality,” Blackmagic notes in a press release, detailing how “using the full area of the sensor gives customers a unique open gate 3:2 image which also lets customers reframe their shots in post production.”

The large sensor also allows for work in true 6:5 anamorphic without cropping, creating widescreen images that are more detailed and higher resolution than previously possible, the company adds, explain that “customers can even use the classic Super 35 sized window on the sensor to create an instant ‘close up’ version of their shot that fits seamlessly with open gate footage.”

Newsshooter offers detailed charts of the specs, highlighting frame rates ranging from 6,048 x 4,032 (open gate 3:2) at a max of 36 fps to 1,920 x 1,080 (1080 HD 16:9) at up to 120 fps. Blackmagic has posted test footage.

“The camera can also shoot 24.6-megapixel still frames in Blackmagic RAW with the simple press of a dedicated stills button,” PetaPixel points out.

Blackmagic announcements timed to IBC 2023 in Amsterdam (September 15-18) also include two new lower-priced cameras, the Blackmagic Micro Studio Camera 4K G2 ($995) and the Blackmagic Studio Camera 4K Plus G2 ($1,345). Software updates include DaVinci Resolve 18.6 (in free and Studio versions) with cloud sync and workflow support. ProVideo Coalition discusses the keywords editing feature in depth.

A free Blackmagic Camera app for the iPhone adds the same camera operating controls used by professionals, including cloud storage and editing support. 9to5 Mac talks about “the possibility of recording a 16:9 video horizontally while holding the phone vertically,” and says “there are also options to add metadata to make post-production easier.”

“Blackmagic Camera is a truly revolutionary workflow for creating feature film quality content using an iPhone,” Blackmagic Design CEO Grant Petty tells PetaPixel, adding that he thinks the cloud features can potentially “change traditional news and post-production workflows.”