Blackmagic Studio Camera User Manual Getting Started

This section of the manual provides the basics on how to get started with your Blackmagic Studio Camera.

Getting started is quick and easy! All you need to do is attach a lens, plug in power and turn your camera on. You will immediately see the image on the built in touchscreen and can start using your camera straight away!

Attaching a Lens

Blackmagic Studio Camera 4K Plus and 4K Pro models use micro four thirds lenses, while Blackmagic Studio Camera 6K Pro uses EF lenses. Attaching a lens to your camera is the same process for all models. To remove the dustcap from the lens mount, hold down the locking button and rotate the cap counterclockwise until it is released. We recommend always turning off your Blackmagic camera prior to attaching or removing a lens.

Press the lens release button and rotate the dust cap counterclockwise until it is released from the mount

To attach a lens:

1. Align the dot on your lens with the dot on the camera mount. Many lenses have a corresponding indicator which may be a colored dot or similar marker.

2. Gently push the lens’s mount flat against the camera’s lens mount and rotate the lens clockwise until it locks into place.

Place the rear of the lens against the mount and rotate clockwise until it locks into place

To remove the lens, hold down the lens release button and rotate the lens counterclockwise until its indicator reaches the 12 o’clock position. The lens will now be released and you can gently remove it from the mount.

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NOTE It’s important to mention that when no lens is attached to the camera, the lens mount is exposed to dust and other debris so you should keep the dust cap on whenever possible.

Plugging in Power

All Blackmagic Studio Cameras have 12V locking power connectors. After plugging in the connector, secure it to the camera by tightening the locking ring.

If your studio camera has a 4 pin XLR power connector, you can plug in broadcast style power supplies like the URSA 12V power adapter. When both power connectors are being used, the 4 pin XLR input provides redundancy with the small locking connector providing primary power.

On Blackmagic Studio Camera 4K Pro and 6K Pro models, both power inputs can be connected for redundancy.

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TIP Blackmagic Studio Cameras have power inputs that are rated for a voltage range of 12-18V so you can use standard 14V batteries or 14V block batteries. Connect these batteries to your camera using either the small barrel connector or the large 4-pin XLR input.

Turning Your Camera On

Switch the power button to the ‘ON’ position. The live camera image will appear on the touchscreen and buttons will illuminate. To turn the camera off, set the switch to the ‘OFF’ position.

Set the power switch to ‘ON’ to turn on your camera

Setting the Frame Rate and Resolution

With a lens attached and the camera turned on, the next step is to set the video format for the HDMI or SDI output. This is the video standard and frame rate you will be sending to destination equipment such as an ATEM switcher, a monitor, or HyperDeck disk recorder.

To set the frame rate:

1. Tap the frames per second icon marked FPS in the LCD status display. This will open the frame rate settings using the touchscreen head up display.

2. Tap the arrows or drag the slider to set the frame rate.

3. Tap outside the setting to confirm and close the head up display.

To set the output standard:

1. Tap the menu settings icon at the top right corner of the touchscreen. This opens all menu settings for your camera.

2. Tap the ‘monitor’ menu tab.

3. Tap on the right arrow to select page 5 of the monitor settings and select the HDMI or SDI output.

4. Set the output standard by tapping 2160p for Ultra HD, or 1080p for HD. On Pro models you can also select 1080i for the SDI output if you have set a frame rate of 50p, 59.94p or 60p.

If you are connected to an ATEM switcher via HDMI, your camera’s HDMI connector will automatically detect if the standard should be 1080p and set it accordingly.

The monitor settings let you set the video standard for the SDI or HDMI output

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NOTE When recording Blackmagic RAW to a USB-C flash disk connected to Studio Camera 4K Plus or 4K Pro G2 the recording standard is always Ultra HD. This means you can still record a full resolution Ultra HD master even if you are sending your switcher an HD feed.

On Blackmagic Studio Camera 6K Pro you can choose to record in Ultra HD, 5.3K or 6K resolutions. For more information refer to the ‘record settings’ section.

Connecting to an ATEM switcher

Connecting to an ATEM switcher lets you switch multiple studio cameras in your live production and control them using the switcher or ATEM Software Control. Tally signals are sent back to your camera so your camera’s tally light illuminates when it is switched on air.

Connecting via HDMI

Plug your Blackmagic Studio Camera’s HDMI output into the corresponding HDMI input on the ATEM switcher, such as ATEM Mini Pro ISO. We recommend matching your cameras with their corresponding input number. For example, camera 1 to input 1 and camera 2 to input 2.

When connected via HDMI, all tally and camera control data is sent back to your camera using the same HDMI cable.

Connecting via SDI

Plug your Blackmagic Studio Camera’s SDI output into the corresponding SDI input on the ATEM switcher, for example ATEM SDI Pro ISO.

When connected via SDI, the tally and camera control data is sent back to your camera using a separate SDI program return feed.

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NOTE On ATEM Television Studio HD and ATEM Television Studio HD Pro model switchers that have both HDMI and SDI inputs, the first SDI input is actually input 5, so you may need to set your studio camera ID to 5 for tally to work when input 5 is selected on the switcher. More information on changing the ATEM camera ID is provided later in this section.

Connecting the Program Return Feed

The program return feed lets you monitor the program output from your switcher on your studio camera’s LCD. The program output also contains tally, talkback, camera control data, plus timecode and reference genlock signals.

To connect the program return feed, connect any of the ATEM switcher’s SDI outputs to your studio camera’s SDI input. If there is not enough program outputs, you can use any of the auxiliary outputs. Some ATEM switchers have extra program outputs to help ensure you have enough outputs for multiple cameras. On ATEM switchers such as ATEM Constellation 8K, program return can be set to any of the switcher’s outputs.

Connect the switcher’s SDI output to your camera’s SDI input

You can also use a Blackmagic Mini Converter SDI Distribution to feed the program output to more cameras.

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NOTE All outputs carry camera control data except for the multiview and any down converted outputs.

Connecting a Talkback Headset

Plug a broadcast headset into the 5 pin XLR talkback connector on Blackmagic Studio Camera 4K Pro, 4K Pro G2 and 6K Pro. Consumer headsets that are commonly used on smartphones can also be used via the 3.5mm headset connector.

Connecting talkback lets you communicate with the switcher operator. Talkback audio is embedded into channels 15 and 16 of the SDI signal.

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TIP The plus model does not have talkback, but you can listen to your camera audio by plugging a headset into the 3.5mm headphone socket.

You can use common 3.5mm TRRS phone headsets that have a built in microphone via the 3.5mm jack, or use a 5 pin XLR talkback headset on Blackmagic Studio Camera 4K Pro and 6K Pro models

Setting the ATEM Camera ID

The ATEM camera ID is a setting in your camera’s menu settings that determines which SDI input your studio camera is connected to on the ATEM switcher. When the camera ID corresponds to the switcher’s input number, your camera will detect tally data for that input and the tally light will work correctly on your camera.

When connected to an ATEM switcher via HDMI, you don’t need to worry about setting the camera ID as the switcher can detect the input each camera is connected to and assign tally data accordingly.

For more information on changing the ATEM camera ID, refer to the ‘menu settings’ section.

Change the ATEM camera ID using your studio camera’s ‘setup’ settings

Checking your Setup

Now that everything is plugged in and ATEM Camera IDs are correct, you can check that your program return and tally are working.

Testing Program Return

On studio cameras that have a program return feed connected, press and hold the program button marked PGM on your camera, then switch color bars to the program output on your ATEM switcher. If you see color bars on your camera, you know the program output is working properly with your camera.

You can also lock the program view on the screen by double pressing the button. Press again to return to your camera’s live image.

Press and hold the program button marked PGM to monitor the switcher’s program output

Testing Tally

All studio camera models have a built in tally light so you can check that tally is working. To do this, switch camera 1 to the program output. The tally light on your studio camera should now illuminate. If not, double check your ATEM camera ID is set to the corresponding input on the switcher.

Your camera is now successfully connected to the ATEM switcher.

When your studio camera is switched to the program output, the tally light will illuminate

Recording Blackmagic RAW to USB

Finally, if you want to record to Blackmagic RAW on your camera, all you need to do is plug a USB-C flash disk formatted to Mac OS Extended or exFAT into your camera’s USB connector and tap the record button on the touchscreen! Press again to stop recording.

When recording, the record button illuminates red

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TIP When connected to ATEM Mini or ATEM SDI Extreme and Pro model switchers, you can simultaneously trigger record in all cameras from ATEM Software Control. For more information, refer to the ATEM Mini or ATEM SDI manual.

That’s all there is to getting started! Keep reading this manual for more comprehensive information about all the controls and settings on your Blackmagic Studio Camera.