Blackmagic URSA Broadcast G2 Camera

Fabulous value camera especially as I had b4 broadcast lenses sitting on a shelf for years...A 3 grand camera has brought 30K of lenses back to life!Also using a 12G 7" Video Assist as backup recorder / viewfinder - Magic!

A News Photographer Dream Camera

PositivesThe B4 mount makes it great for a run and gun, breaking news environment, but the ability to easily change the lens mount makes it legendary. Using the EF mount for live shots and feature stories is a game changer because you can utilize the full Super 35mm censor. Also, the option to use cinema glass on a broadcast camera is an unfair advantage. Colors out of this Broadcast G2 are outstanding and the image quality is crisp. Controlling this camera is easy. I love how this camera gives you more fine control over settings like gain and white balance. This is much better than choosing from 3 presets.NegativesMonitoring audio is a problem. The audio meter in the LCD screen is not accurate. This camera records audio at a significantly lower level than ... MorePositivesThe B4 mount makes it great for a run and gun, breaking news environment, but the ability to easily change the lens mount makes it legendary. Using the EF mount for live shots and feature stories is a game changer because you can utilize the full Super 35mm censor. Also, the option to use cinema glass on a broadcast camera is an unfair advantage. Colors out of this Broadcast G2 are outstanding and the image quality is crisp. Controlling this camera is easy. I love how this camera gives you more fine control over settings like gain and white balance. This is much better than choosing from 3 presets.NegativesMonitoring audio is a problem. The audio meter in the LCD screen is not accurate. This camera records audio at a significantly lower level than what it shows on its meter. Use the display on the outside of the LCD for accurate readings. The screen is not that good. The image appears darker than what it really is. Using an external monitor will fix this. This camera drains batteries very quickly. Be prepared to buy bigger V-Mount batteries. Older HD lenses show a lot of lens fringing. For the best image quality, invest in getting a good HD B4 lens. This rolling shutter is bad.Overall Thoughts:I bought this camera to shoot broadcast news and it’s a true dual threat camera. The colors and image quality sets this camera apart. You shouldn’t have too, but you need good accessories to get the most out of the Broadcast G2. Getting the Blackmagic ENG kit will make life much easier for you. If you pair the camera with a good monitor and great lens, you will have an extraordinary camera.

Best Camera Ever

Sure, we all seek the 'perfect camera', and we all know there is no such thing. But after shooting with DSLR, mirrorless and Canon Cinema cameras for the past 10 years, I can say that the URSA Broadcast G2 is the perfect camera for me. I shoot small docs, but also plug into our church's Blackmagic system on Sundays to live stream services. This camera really does have 2 (or even 3) personalities - moving seamlessly from my documentary field work to a camera that slips into the livestream environment quickly. It's bulky, but if you avoid the temptation to Frankenstein this thing and keep it to camera, battery, grip, handle, lens and small mic, you can shoot for long periods of time without fatigue. I have the shoulder attachment and bought a v-lock for my tripod, but ... MoreSure, we all seek the 'perfect camera', and we all know there is no such thing. But after shooting with DSLR, mirrorless and Canon Cinema cameras for the past 10 years, I can say that the URSA Broadcast G2 is the perfect camera for me. I shoot small docs, but also plug into our church's Blackmagic system on Sundays to live stream services. This camera really does have 2 (or even 3) personalities - moving seamlessly from my documentary field work to a camera that slips into the livestream environment quickly. It's bulky, but if you avoid the temptation to Frankenstein this thing and keep it to camera, battery, grip, handle, lens and small mic, you can shoot for long periods of time without fatigue. I have the shoulder attachment and bought a v-lock for my tripod, but find I don't use it due to the extra weight.The picture quality is outstanding. Using Buttery Luts, this camera produces incredible quality quickly. The dual ISO works. I find at 3200 (18db) I need a touch of noise reduction in the shadows, but working in Blackmagic RAW and Davinci, this is an easy fix.I use T5 USB drives and get 1 hour on a 1TB in Blackmagic RAW, 3:1, or 1.5 hours in 5:1.The audio preamps are the best. User interface is the best. Build quality, top notch. I'm a Blackmagic convert and there's no looking back.

Crispy video

I love this camera. Love the in-screen menu for quick access. I'm a news photographer and the buttons for shutter, filters etc are in similar locations so I was quick to adapt to locating settings. I have the b4 mount lens attached and it's simple to switch to the EF mount when shooting video in higher resolution. Overall I love it. I would love to see every news photographer with these.

Have 3 of them - Great Cameras

We own the Ursa 4.6 gen 1 and the number one complaint was how the low light was a big issue. We use this in an A/V environment and we can not always light it perfectly (heck, we can sometimes not even light at all!).With this new chip, low light is a significant leap forward. We are filming in a dark ballroom and we can get a very nice image.My one concern is that we had 3 of the 4.6k fail for different reasons (circuitry failing internally). From SDI out failing, headphone jack, to a camera onsite not turning on. Hopefully, this camera design is built better than the previous models. So far our 3 have not had any issues.

Like it. Don't love it....yet

I've been shooting news, video production, and documentaries for over thirty five years. I've shot with them all. This camera has some features that puts it up there with the best. And, some that leave you wondering why would someone design a broadcast/ENG camera like that. First, way too many buttons and wheels. In a run and gun world, that's just something to break and replace. The audio ports are on the top of the camera. Why? The power switch is also on top. I've turned the thing out twice by mistake. The low light is bad. But raising the gain is not too bad. Not a lot of noise in the blacks. I do love the video quality for a 4K broadcast camera under $20,000. This is a great start camera. I'm going to hold onto my Panasonic P2 for a while. I shoot sports and ... MoreI've been shooting news, video production, and documentaries for over thirty five years. I've shot with them all. This camera has some features that puts it up there with the best. And, some that leave you wondering why would someone design a broadcast/ENG camera like that. First, way too many buttons and wheels. In a run and gun world, that's just something to break and replace. The audio ports are on the top of the camera. Why? The power switch is also on top. I've turned the thing out twice by mistake. The low light is bad. But raising the gain is not too bad. Not a lot of noise in the blacks. I do love the video quality for a 4K broadcast camera under $20,000. This is a great start camera. I'm going to hold onto my Panasonic P2 for a while. I shoot sports and it's has a better build quality for covering college games. Last thing...the audio is just horrible. I'm running a Sennheiser shotgun into the right XLR and I have to gain it up in post. Ending on a good note...the picture is awesome. For a shooter that's the thing that matters most to me.

Love this camera

Using the proper mounting plate on a tripod this thing is instant off and on between tripod and shoulder. The images with b-raw are well, b-raw, magnificent. Use with opt evf and tilta nano follow focus. It's just a sweet camera to use.Noted down sides:Autofocus in loud and slow. I rarely use it but still notable.V-mount battery position precludes the use of timecode in per the position of the USB out on the V-mount battery.Iris wheel is tucked way up against the back of the screen and a pain to get to. Hoping in time I'll get used to the position when using camera on shoulder.

NOT as good as listed

The low light they are so proud of! They do not tel you that is with the 6k sensor and ef lens. If you use it with the b4 broadcast lens, hint this is listed as a broadcast camera, the upscale glass loosed 1.5 stops of light. So great with light, but still not great in low light as listed.The features are great and easy to use. It only has 2 channels of audio, but as I understand an update is coming that will make it 4. That will be a game changer and is very much needed. For this to be listed as a broadcast camera and have no chroma, pedestal and other adjustments like Sony and Panasonic does not put it into that area. It is a great camera for the price, but not what they list it as. Also by the time you get the camera, viewfinder, media, acc. and the lens you ... MoreThe low light they are so proud of! They do not tel you that is with the 6k sensor and ef lens. If you use it with the b4 broadcast lens, hint this is listed as a broadcast camera, the upscale glass loosed 1.5 stops of light. So great with light, but still not great in low light as listed.The features are great and easy to use. It only has 2 channels of audio, but as I understand an update is coming that will make it 4. That will be a game changer and is very much needed. For this to be listed as a broadcast camera and have no chroma, pedestal and other adjustments like Sony and Panasonic does not put it into that area. It is a great camera for the price, but not what they list it as. Also by the time you get the camera, viewfinder, media, acc. and the lens you are in for about $10,000 a unit.

Really happy with my purchase

There are plenty of reviews around the web on the Broadcast G2 so I won't talk much about it other than to say it's fantastic.The lens deserves its own callout though. It's fantastic! The zoom rocker works so well that you don't even notice it. If you want to go nice and slow you can do so without accidentally pressing it too far and zooming in quickly. If you want to go full bore you can and go end-to-end in ~2 seconds.The servo focus ring works well (I never use the mechanical focus ring). It's tuned well enough that I seem to hit my focus every time without overshooting.One oddity of the lens though (which is not documented). Macro mode is what gives the camera body full control over focus. When not in macro mode you can press the one-touch auto focus but ... MoreThere are plenty of reviews around the web on the Broadcast G2 so I won't talk much about it other than to say it's fantastic.The lens deserves its own callout though. It's fantastic! The zoom rocker works so well that you don't even notice it. If you want to go nice and slow you can do so without accidentally pressing it too far and zooming in quickly. If you want to go full bore you can and go end-to-end in ~2 seconds.The servo focus ring works well (I never use the mechanical focus ring). It's tuned well enough that I seem to hit my focus every time without overshooting.One oddity of the lens though (which is not documented). Macro mode is what gives the camera body full control over focus. When not in macro mode you can press the one-touch auto focus but the lens will immediately revert to the mechanical ring's position after auto focusing is complete. Despite its name, macro mode will still focus all the way to infinity so I just always keep my lens on macro mode.I've not noticed any obvious chromatic aberration when all the way at tele but I've also not tried to look for it either.

Specs are INCORRECT but in a good way!

The lens is actually 1.9 continuous! Not 1.9 to 2.8 which is actually a really good thing! I’m not sure why B&H has it listed that way but I was shocked when I used the full zoom capability and the f stop stayed right at 1.9! Love this camera!