One of the drawbacks of shooting with the BlackMagic Design URSA, URSA Mini 4K/4.6K cameras are the requirement to use CFast cards as recording media. I guess you can use an external 4K recorder, but that's not going to allow you to record Full RAW. Even cheap 256GB CFast cards capable of handling the URSA will run about $600 dollars/each (seen here).
In the video below, i'm showing you the Atoch C2S Adapter that allows you to record to SSD Drives instead of expensive CFast cards. With this setup, you'll still be able to record in any format the URSA offers, including full uncompressed 4K RAW at 60p.
Yes I know, it's an additional accessory you need to mount to your camera, but can literally save you thousands of dollars in storage costs. It may not be a full replacement for every situation, but when you're just working handheld or on sticks, it's the most inexpensive way to capture high quality footage from the data hungry BlackMagic Design URSA Cameras.
If you're the type to shoot mainly in low quality ProRes, lower framerates, or just 1080 then almost any SSD drive will work. But in order to capture the highest quality from the URSA 4K RAW 60fps, then you'll want to choose a decent SSD Drive. Recommended is the Sandisk Extreme Pro drives or the Samsung Pro SSD drives.
With about 960GB of storage (2 480GB SSD Drives), you're looking at around 2.5 Hours of 4K ProRes HQ at 24p. Every so often I may switch to 4K 60p, or 1080 120fps, but I seem to have enough footage for a decent project. The quality coming off the " target="_blank">BlackMagic Design URSA Mini 4.6K is so nice, I don't even mind shooting in ProRes LT if I need more than 2.5 hours. But even if I had to buy more storage, i'm literally saving thousands of dollars using the Atoch C2S Adapter and recording to SSD over CFast.
Atoch C2S - Cfast to SSD Drive Adapter Ursa / Ursa Mini Cameras
hamid
Would it be possible to use this adapter for the canon eos 1dx mark ii?
Karl Munck-Westh
@Greg, That is a super idea, how did he responds? Will there be a new version with a vlock mount ? it could be really cool to use with PAG batteries as well, a much better and smooth solution. httpss://www.paguk.com
Cheesycam
Post author@Daniel - Exactly what lens are you trying to use it on?
Daniel
Hello, This might be a bit offtopic but I would like to know where to buy the (clamp)ring you have on the front of your lens. I look for a option voor 80mm front to put on filters. I did see your DIY video of it but like to buy one that looks more professional or is this one 3D printed?
Thank you
Apostolos
Thanks for your insight. I had my eye on the new 4.6 mini-Ursa and then the FS5 came out, so I've been contemplating between the two. This thing would save you quite a bit with the mini-Ursa.
Cheesycam
Post author@Cprops - I purchased a plain ol' v-mount battery plate on ebay for $8 dollars. Then soldered them to the URSA connector cabel that came with the camera. Basically take all the black wires and put them together, and all the red wires and put those together.
Cprops
Wow great find. And as you said, it makes the Mini-Ursa 4.6k way more affordable.
@CheesyCam Quick question - what V-mount battery setup are you running in the video?
Cheesycam
Post author@Apostolos - Well the Sony FS5 uses a more compressed codec, even more compressed than a Sony A7sII. There were lots of initial complaints about this footage. They did add some firmware updates, but still not as good as all the ProRes and RAW options that come standard in the Ursa Mini 4.6K.
You can upgrade a Sony FS5 to have RAW (soon), but you'll need an external recorder that can support the capture. Mostly the Sony FS5 is an 8bit camera, where as the URSA offers 8bit, 10bit, and 12bit capture without any external recording device. I'm go on a limb and say the URSA Mini 4.6K may even have better dynamic range than the Sony FS5. But maybe not as good in low light situations.
When you bring URSA 4.6K footage into post, you can do some amazing things that the Sony FS5 footage would just degrade quickly from. (Note: i'm always referencing the 4.6K URSA Mini as this has a totally new sensor and is not the same as 4K URSA Mini.)
-Also the Follow Focus on the rig is a SHAPE Pro Dual Follow Focus System (here).
If you're interested in quality of footage, try downloading some of the URSA Mini 4.6K files (bottom of page), and then see if you can download some FS5 files from someone. Try messing with each one to see which is better for you. Again this doesn't really boil down to the ergonomics of using each camera, that's really only a testament to the footage. The Sony FS5 is probably an easier camera to run around with.
Apostolos
Oh, no, I would not do weddings with the mini-Ursa, I've got Lumix G7s for that, and the quality is simply amazing for weddings. I'm looking for a camera that would do better than the compressed footage of the G7, for documentary and other types of work. When you say the 4.6 min Ursa is better than the FS5, in what way? Better dynamic range, better colors. what? Also, which FF did you have on that rig?
Cheesycam
Post author@Apostolos - If you're thinking about the 4K and not the 4.6K, then I would say go for the Sony FS5. The URSA 4.6K has far better quality than the Sony FS5 (though I haven't seen it's RAW yet).
But I think you do a lot of running and gunning (i.e weddings) so the Sony FS5 is probably a better camera for that type of stuff. You can certainly run handheld with a trimmed down URSA, but physical size, weight, and data consumption may not be a good wedding type camera when you compare it to the FS5.
Apostolos
Wow, excellent find. Two questions. a) I'm tryihng to decide between the Mini-Ursa 4k and the FS5? What's your opinion? b) I see you have two FF on the rig with two hard stops? Which ones are you using? Is one for zoom and one for focusing?
Cheesycam
Post author@Greg Greenhaw - That could be cool, but I would not want it there all the time. Especially when you have to fly this camera on a gimbal its better to have no battery mounted or cbox to the canera. That would be better mounted over the gimbal handle to reduce length and weight. I like that it is flexible but too bad the whole system isn't smaller. They do sell smaller SSD drives, but that wouldn't keep the costs as cheap as typical SSD drives right now.
Greg Greenhaw
I reached out to the cbox guy about building a way to sandwich the box between the battery and the camera. Pretty lame he didn't do it initially. Basically you have a male battery plate on one side and female on the other with a 17v to 12v regulator inside. This way there would be no wires or additional rigging.