Blackmagic View Assist 4K records 4K ProRes to SD card for just $895

[Andrew Reid]

Blackmagic Design have announced an affordable 4K recorder and 7″ monitor. Unlike the existing solutions on the market, the View Assist 4K records to UHS-2 SD cards and costs under $1k.

Read the full blog post

[Mattias Burling]

That sounds like a very capable and future proof monitor and/or recorder.

[AaronChicago]

Nice. The updated Ursa OS is also a welcomed addition. Heads Up display on the monitor for switching settings instantly. That's the one feature that's always bugged me a little bit about the BM cams.

[Dustin]

Question for all: is the d5300 capable of outputting all its frame rates to an external recorder? Interested in the cheaper BM View Assist Or is it only capable of 30p output?

[sanveer]

12 minutes ago, Andrew Reid said:

Blackmagic Design have announced an affordable 4K recorder and 7″ monitor. Unlike the existing solutions on the market, the View Assist 4K records to UHS-2 SD cards and costs under $1k.

Read the full blog post

I knew this was coming. The only question was when. Also, I wonder if they solved the issue with the interlaced and progressive feed, that exists with the Full HD Video Assist. 

[WyattMaurer]

I hope LUTs are available at some point :/

[Rich]

This looks like the real deal. Just pick your compatible camera, record, and send Pro Res to your editor....nice

[OliKMIA]

Very nice but hopefully the next generation of camera will introduce some sort of internal 10 bits recording capabilities as well. I don't really enjoy having an extra monitor and cable mess around. It defeats the portability purpose for me.

[Cinegain]

Seems like a perfect thing, finally a decent sub $1k 4K recorder/monitor, it's one of the things I wanted to see... though, the Shogun, Odyssey Q7+ and PIX-E5 have a plethora of features. What they need to understand is... a monitor is also supposed to allow the operator to monitor what's going on, that includes histogram, RGB and luminance parade, waveforms, vectorscope, false color, zebras, zoom levels, peaking, crops, LUT & anamorphic support and all that good schtuff. I'm afraid that as a monitor it isn't particularly more interesting than the existing Video Assist. But hey, can't complain too much. Still sounds like a win.

[ikola]

+ audio recorder with XLR ! Pretty freakin' cool for 825e ! But yeah, does it have anamorphic desqueeze, LUT reader, false color, zebras and can it run Crysis or boot on Resolve 12 ?

[AaronChicago]

Here's what I think is happening. Blackmagic is definitely working on a new camera, but instead of announcing now and hoping to ship later this year, they'll announce at NAB 2017 and ship immediately.

[sudopera]

9 minutes ago, AaronChicago said:

Here's what I think is happening. Blackmagic is definitely working on a new camera, but instead of announcing now and hoping to ship later this year, they'll announce at NAB 2017 and ship immediately.

Maybe IBC show in Amsterdam in september

[jpb]

28 minutes ago, ikola said:

Very nice but hopefully the next generation of camera will introduce some sort of internal 10 bits recording capabilities as well. I don't really enjoy having an extra monitor and cable mess around. It defeats the portability purpose for me.

mirrorless w/Internal 10 bits recording capabilities ? not for a while ! too much heat and battery consumption.
At that price this BMD 10bit recorder/monitor really opens up the doors to a color finesse world
for  mirrorless cameras. 

For over the shoulder use, switch off the screen, click the box as a recorder
 to your belt, where you will also attach a cine-belt style battery, a transmitter (if needed)
and a tiny permanent DC/DC camera battery charger.
(ask Zacuttto to design a quick release hdmi cable/accessory for your camera

 

[benymypony]

I'm curious to know how the LX100 is supported by BM View Assist.

[Emanuel]

1 hour ago, Cinegain said:

Seems like a perfect thing, finally a decent sub $1k 4K recorder/monitor, it's one of the things I wanted to see... though, the Shogun, Odyssey Q7+ and PIX-E5 have a plethora of features. What they need to understand is... a monitor is also supposed to allow the operator to monitor what's going on, that includes histogram, RGB and luminance parade, waveforms, vectorscope, false color, zebras, zoom levels, peaking, crops, LUT & anamorphic support and all that good schtuff. I'm afraid that as a monitor it isn't particularly more interesting than the existing Video Assist. But hey, can't complain too much. Still sounds like a win.

True. But, this will put pressure in the market for under $1K price category to these devices, such as those ones you've mentioned.

[Damphousse]

2 hours ago, Andrew Reid said:

In a shocking development there are NO new cameras from Blackmagic at NAB this year!

Thank goodness.  They need to focus on the cameras they have announced already.

[zerocool22]

Only if It had 2X desqueeze, then I would be all over it. Now I would just buy a used atomos assassin or pix-e5

[silvertonesx24]

I have a 1st gen BMVA and will not buy into the hype with them.

As a dedicated run-and-gun recorder, this may be OK, but as a monitor, this thing is straight awful. It badly needs user-customizable color settings because it just looks horrid and is unusable in a professional cinematography setting. It also eats power like you wouldn't believe making it tough to use even as a wireless directors monitor.

[TheRenaissanceMan]

Or waveforms...or false color...or vector scopes...

To compete at this price point, BM needs to step up their monitoring features. Otherwise, it's exactly what I hoped they'd make. The audio inputs are particularly exciting for me, both to augment the poor audio of BM cams and for making Let's Plays without having to sync the commentary later.

Anyone know if they're still using a TN panel in this? Or have they stepped up to IPS for this one?

[GlueFactoryBJJ]

Anyone know what the battery life is supposed to be like?  The long recording times don't mean much in the field if you go through batteries like crazy.  Then again, maybe we can get an adapter cable for one of those super high capacity USB batteries that will output 12v (Amazon has at least one that is 30,000+ mah).

I hope their implementation of the focus peaking is good.  Focus peaking in camera is better than not having FP, but external on larger screens is often better.