What Does 17K Really Look Like? Blackmagic Shares Raw URSA Cine 17K 65 Footage

For many of us, it can be an abstract assignment to decide which camera to use for a project based solely on reading its specs and features online. The best way to judge a camera (or a lens, for that matter) is to actually shoot with it.

However, sadly, that’s not always available for all of us all of the time. So we are left trying to do our research online and basing our decisions on reviews and insights from others. If you’ve been in this boat with the Blackmagic URSA Cine 17K 65, then we have some helpful inspiration to share.

Blackmagic has put out an insightful article going over the use of the URSA Cine 17K 65 on a cinematic and beautiful short film, which also shares the raw footage for you to review—check it out below.

‘To Fly or to Float’: Blackmagic URSA Cine 17K 65 Short Film

Shot by British cinematographer Ben Saffer and directed by Charlotte Peters, this 1970s period short film “To Fly or Float” was shot on the URSA Cine 17K 65 paired with Cooke Panchro 65/i spherical lenses and provides a nice look at this camera and lens combo’s cinematic capabilities.

“The look we were going for was really layered with interesting contrast ratios. There's almost always something bright in the shot that anchors the shadows, which I think really helps. Because this film is period set in the 1970s, we wanted a format that helped with finding layers of depth all the time. We wanted a camera and lens setup that carried the emotional closeness of handheld 16mm, but translated into the sculptural space of the 65mm format – something that felt like being inside the moment, rather than looking at it.”

The short film in question is a great place to start to look at the capabilities, but if you go to this page on Blackmagic’s website, the company has laid out individual scenes with downloadable raw footage clips with corresponding quotes about how they were shot.

It’s a fun exercise and a look into the intentions and thoughts of a cinematographer and how the camera and lens were part of the decisions.

Blackmagic URSA Cine 17K 65

If you’re curious about the URSA Cine 17K 65, the camera really is one of the biggest and boldest swings from Blackmagic Design in quite some time as it offers a large-format 65mm RGBW sensor with 17,520 x 8040 resolution and numerous improvements over the URSA Cine 12K.

Plus, with interchangeable lens mounts, built-in OLPF, 8TB storage, built-in live streaming, Generation 5 color science, and integration with the Blackmagic Cloud and the Blackmagic cinema ecosystem, it really is a high-end cinematic camera that aims to do it all.

If you’d like to check it out, here are the full specs and purchase options.

• 17K 65mm RGBW 17,520 x 8040 CMOS Sensor
• PL (Included), LPL, EF & HC Lens Options
• 16-Stop Dynamic Range
• Includes 8TB Media Module
• 5" Foldout HDR Touchscreen
• LEMO/Fisher for Power/Remote Control
• 12G-SDI Output, XLR Audio Inputs, USB-C
• Ethernet/Wi-Fi/Optional Mobile Streaming
• Optional B-Mount Battery Plate
• Carbon Fiber & Magnesium Alloy Body

Blackmagic Design URSA Cine 17K 65

Get ready for big and bold cinema with the Blackmagic Design URSA Cine 17K 65 digital cinema camera. This 17K cinema camera provides a brand-new large-format 65mm RGBW sensor with 17,520 x 8040 resolution and numerous improvements over the URSA Cine 12K.