Blackmagic Design URSA Cine 12K takes on the little Sony Burano. Which is the better value for your money?

The Blackmagic Design URSA Cine 12K has one feature no other current cinema camera has: a 12K resolution.

However, most productions don’t even want 8K workflows (even if you gave it to them for free), let alone 12K workflows. 12K does have some benefits for sure, and we’ll be going over them later in this article.

The question is, if 12K is ahead of its time, then does the Sony Burano offer the better value proposition today, given Sony’s stranglehold on broadcast and television work?

Let’s pit both these cameras head to head in terms of specifications and see which one offers the better value for filmmakers in the middle tier.

Who are these cinema cameras for, anyway?

In their own words:

Introducing the World’s Most Advanced Digital Film Camera!

Blackmagic Design

The Burano… takes VENICE’s superior image quality and usability but re-imagines it for solo and small team productions…. in many ways it’s our most technically advanced. Expect uncompromising image quality wherever you are, whatever the size of your crew.

Sony

The URSA Cine 12K is an aspirational camera for those who might want to experiment or push the boundaries. 12K can be very useful in a few situations:

1. Visual Effects work, where the 12K plates can offer lots of possibilities
2. High-quality stills from video, large enough for posters and magazines
3. Higher resolution in crop modes. The resolution you get in Super 35mm is 9K
4. The ability to zoom into the image more for a 4K finish
5. You get at least a third of a stop of DR (at the bottom end) when you go down from 12K for 8K.

I would not say these are non-negligible considerations. The older 12K URSA was a disaster in the market, but the new URSA Cine 12K offers a few important upgrades that can change the outcome this time around.

On the other hand, the Sony Burano is no slouch in certain matters. It is the first camera with a PL mount to have IBIS (in-body image stabilization).

The target markets overlap but also have enough differences. That’s what we’re here to find out. What are the differences, and how much do they matter?

Treat this as a fun comparison with currently available information. There will only be one winner. Let’s go.

The differences in sensor tech

We’ll start with the price and sensor sizes:

Camera	Price (body only)*	Sensor Size	Color Filter
URSA Cine 12K	$14,995	35.64 x 23.32mm	RGBW
Sony Burano	$25,000	35.9 x 24.0 mm	Bayer

Both cameras are full frame cameras. The sensor sizes don’t differ, but the color filter tech does.

What is the RGBW color filter array?

The RGBW color filter array, compared to the traditional Bayer array, features a new pixel layout that includes white pixels (The “W” in RGBW). The inclusion of White filters allow the photodiode to respond to all colors of light.

These white pixels are also more sensitive to light and can increase the sensor’s sensitivity by 1.7 times more than the typical bayer color filter. In theory it preserves the original colors without distortion and enhances the camera’s brightness.

Without getting our hands on both cameras it’s impossible to know for sure how this translates into the real world. On paper, though, the Blackmagic Design URSA Cine 12K does have 16 stops of dynamic range.

Let’s get to comparing resolution, frame rates and low light performance.

Comparison of resolution, dynamic range and rolling shutter

Here’s how the camera sensors compare:

Camera	Resolution	Rolling Shutter	Dynamic Range	Dual Native ISO
URSA Cine 12K	12,288 x 8040	12ms in 12K	16	Not mentioned
Sony Burano	8632 x 4856	3ms in 8.6K	16	800 | 3200

The native ISO for the Burano is ISO 800 and 3200. The URSA Cine 12K doesn’t have an official ISO spec listed on their website, and I would consider this a red flag.

The dynamic range is similar on paper. The sensor of the Sony Venice is tried and tested, and has a beautiful look on its own. Even though Blackmagic Design’s color science is good to look at, this new RGBW sensor isn’t tested in the real world. One doesn’t know whether it will be plagued with the issues typically common with Blackmagic Design sensors.

The other major issue is Rolling Shutter performance. This is where the price difference starts to make sense. The sensor of the Sony Venice has an insane rolling shutter performance. To compare, the Arri Alexa LF is about 7ms.

The rolling shutter performance improves as the resolution drops, but then you’re in windowed mode and not taking advantage of the full sensor.

Clearly the Sony Burano is ahead in this department.

What about frame rates?

Max Frame Rate	URSA Cine 12K	Crop Factor^	Sony Burano	Crop Factor
12K	80 fps (120 fps @ 2.40:1)	1.0	N/A
9K/8.6K	100 fps	1.3	30 fps	1.0
8K	144 fps (224 fps @ 2.40:1)	1.5	N/A	N/A
6K	N/A	N/A	60 fps	1.07
5.8K	N/A	N/A	60 fps	1.5
4K	Information not provided	3.0	120 fps	2.1

It’s quite clear. The Blackmagic Design URSA Cine 12K wipes the floor with the Burano when it comes to frame rates.

When you go to lower resolutions, the Sony Burano does offer 6K in full frame, but that’s small consolation.

The important distinction here is the added reach of a 12K sensor. E.g., if you’re filming wildlife with a 600mm lens, this is how it translates in practical situations:

Camera	Focal length in 8K	Focal length in 12K
URSA Cine 12K	900mm	600mm
Sony Burano	600mm	N/A

On paper, the URSA Cine 12K has the upper hand for wildlife and sports filmmakers. But, the question is: Will the camera body and ergonomics be good enough for the job? We’ll see.

What about image quality?

I haven’t tested both cameras (I’ve tested the Sony Venice), so we’ll make do with the official videos for both cameras.

First, the URSA Cine 12K:

Now, the Burano:

The URSA Cine 12K shows typical safe Blackmagic Design footage, and the skin tones and colors don’t look like a high-end cinema camera. This is especially true when you compare it to the footage from the Burano. The skin tones, highlight detail and overall detail (this last one is not easy to judge from the videos provided) is just clearly better.

It is important to test the cameras to know for sure about image quality. However, if I were to shoot a movie, I’d pick the Sony Burano based on these videos. The Venice sensor is in a different league, with better low light performance and details.

Now let’s look at the other features of each camera.

Lens mounts

Here are the available lens mounts:

Camera	Lens mounts
URSA Cine 12K	Arri LPL, Arri PL, Canon EF
Sony Burano	Arri PL, Sony E

The URSA Cine 12K has better options, unless you need autofocus. More on that below.

What you get externally

Camera	Video Ports
URSA Cine 12K	2x 12G-SDI
Sony Burano	1x 12G-SDI | 1x 3G-SDI | HDMI Type A

It would be odd for anyone to be recording externally with these cameras in greater than 4K resolution. For monitoring options, even though the Burano has HDMI, I’d say it’s a wash in this price bracket.

ND Filters and Autofocus

A look at the various filters and features these cameras have:

Camera	Filters	Autofocus*
URSA Cine 12K	IR ND filter: 0.6, 1.2, 1.8 (2, 4, 6)	Yes
Sony Burano	Electronic ND filter: 0.6 to 2.1 (2 to 7)	Contrast and Phase Detection

Here the Burano pulls ahead big time. Not only does it have a bigger range of ND filter (and a continuous range at that), the autofocus must be a world first in this price bracket. In Sony’s own words:

Our onboard AI processing unit recognises not only eye position but also accurately senses human torso and head positions. Subject Recognition AF automatically draws a frame around people’s faces when they are detected. Human pose estimation technology recognises body and head position, so you can even track a subject facing away from the camera or wearing a mask.

Sony

I’ve played around with the Burano last year and the autofocus is definitely functional. One wouldn’t (and shouldn’t) completely rely on autofocus for critical tasks yet, but it is one of the USPs of this camera, especially for broadcast, sports and wildlife work.

Audio

Let’s have a look at their audio specs:

Camera	Connection	Specs	Sync
URSA Cine 12K	2x XLR	24-bit 48 kHz	Timecode
Sony Burano	2x XLR	24-bit 48 kHz	Genlock

The Sony Burano has Genlock. The URSA Cine 12K doesn’t. As far as preamps are concerned, going by experience, I’d depend on the Sony’s over Blackmagic Design’s. However, I’ll ignore preamps because I haven’t tested it yet.

Ergonomics and Monitoring

I’m not sure about the weather-sealing abilities of both bodies. They’re both composite material with no water or dust proofing.

The Burano does have a fan internally that is sealed from external elements.

Here are the weight and size details:

Camera	Weight (Body Only)	Volume (In cubic inches)
URSA Cine 12K	3.96 kg	396
Sony Burano	2.4 kg	279

The Blackmagic Design URSA Cine 12K is larger and heavier by a considerable margin. You’ll need a bigger drone and gimbal.

If anybody’s into serious aerial cinematography, I doubt the size will be a deterrent considering the 12K resolution!

Now let’s look at the main interfaces these cameras have:

Port	URSA Cine 12K	Sony Burano
Touchscreen	5″ LCD, 1500 nits	3.5″ LCD
EVF	Blackmagic URSA Cine EVF ($1,695) via USB-C	Viewfinder Loupe provided
Wi-Fi and Ethernet	10G Ethernet, Wi-Fi	1G Ethernet, Wi-Fi (ac)
Control	7-pin LEMO and 3-pin Fischer	2.5 mm, 3-pole sub-mini type
USB	2x USB-C	1x USB-C

This isn’t an extensive list, though both cameras cover all the important features well. You could use cheaper EVFs with the URSA Cine 12K, or a better EVF via SDI for the Burano.

I’d give a slight edge here to the URSA Cine 12K, for its larger LCD that is better in low light (The Burano LCD is not great, I’ve seen it) and better Ethernet.

Codecs, Media and Batteries

Codecs are one of the great differentiating factors. Here are the codecs you can record to:

Camera	Internal RAW	Bit depth	Max. RAW Data Rate 24p	Max. RAW Data Rate in 8K 24p
URSA Cine 12K	BRAW	12-bit	1,194 MB/s	533 MB/s**
Sony Burano	X-OCN LT*	16-bit	195 MB/s	195 MB/s

What is X-OCN LT?

X-OCN stands for Extended Tonal Range – Original Camera Negative. It is Sony’s original compressed RAW format, Constant Bit Rate, designed for 16-bit RAW.

It comes in three variants, XT, ST (good enough for features) and LT. According to Sony, the X-OCN LT codec is made for the following projects:

• Indie features
• Episodic television
• Commercials
• Documentaries
• Live Events

Even though there is a caveat, and nothing stops you from using the Burano on a feature film, the intention is pretty clear. This is how Sony differentiates the Burano from the Venice. I kind of think it’s a low blow.

Let’s look at the other codec options available:

Camera	Internal Proxy	Other Codecs
URSA Cine 12K	H.264 1080p, 8-bit 4:2:0	None
Sony Burano	XAVC	10-bit XAVC H/I HQ/SQ

Going by codecs alone, I’d say the Blackmagic Design URSA Cine 12K definitely has better RAW and compression options, though the Burano has XAVC-H and XAVC-I for those who don’t want RAW. It’s strange that option doesn’t exist with the URSA Cine 12K. It’s BRAW or nothing.

Also, the X-OCN format is supported by more software than BRAW.

What about the price of media cards?

Camera	Media Type	Price	Capacity	Price per GB	Price for 4 hours of 8K**
URSA Cine 12K	Blackmagic Media Module (M.2)	$1,695	8 TB	$0.20	$563
Sony Burano	CFexpress Type B VPG400 only	$370	512 GB*	$0.72	$1,975

The price of the Blackmagic Media Module is insanely low, and I hope it works perfectly in the field. The module does have heatsinks and seems to be designed well, though this is something we’ll only know after a year or two of real-world use.

What about batteries and power?

Camera	Mount	Power Draw (Body only)
URSA Cine 12K	B-Mount	Not revealed
Sony Burano	V-mount	50W-66W

We can’t calculate battery life without knowing the power draw. However, I think the URSA Cine 12K will be a more power hungry camera for sure. Blackmagic Design cameras have always been power hungry.

Also, B-mount batteries are bound to be more expensive, while V-mount batteries are cheap.

Camera	Battery cost*	Watt hours	Cost of 4 batteries
URSA Cine 12K	$489	98	$1,956
Sony Burano	$225	98	$900

Both cameras have DC input, but the Burano does not have any power outputs. The URSA Cine 12K has one 7-pin Lemo, one 3-pin Fischer and the B-Mount battery plate has a 2-pin Lemo +12V regulated output from camera.

Even though B-mount batteries are more expensive, I expect the prices to drop year-on-year, and the external power output options are really useful.

Which is cheaper to own?

Let’s add up the costs:

Item	URSA Cine 12K	Sony Burano
Body	$14,995	$25,000
Media	$5,288	$17,014
Blackmagic Design Media Dock	$1,995	$50*
Batteries	$1,956	$900
Total Cost	$24,234	$42,964

The cost is about 1.77 times more for the Burano, but is it enough value?

Let’s recap:

Feature	Winner
Sensor, color and low light	Sony Burano
Dynamic Range	Sony Burano
ISO Range	Sony Burano
Rolling Shutter	Sony Burano
Built-in ND filters	Sony Burano
Frame Rates	URSA Cine 12K
Autofocus	Sony Burano
Stabilization	Sony Burano
Codecs	Sony Burano
Genlock/Timecode	Sony Burano
SDI/HDMI ports	Tie
Lenses and Mounts	URSA Cine 12K
Media	Sony Burano
Ergonomics	Tie
Weather Sealing	Tie
Batteries	Tie
Power Outputs	URSA Cine 12K

Now we’ll let the cameras present their case for themselves:

Camera	Major Pros	Major Cons
URSA Cine 12K	12K, HFR, multiple lens mounts, power outputs, additional lens mounts in the kit, Davinci Resolve Studio, 1500 nits LCD, more compression rates	Weight and size, Media ingest options, low light performance (estimated)
Sony Burano	Dynamic Range, worldwide service, repairs, availability and support, Smaller media and file sizes, more codecs, IBIS, Autofocus, Genlock	Price, no X-OCN ST, frame rates

I think I’ve made my decision.

Verdict

I’d pick the following two cameras in this way:

Project	Camera	Major Reasons
Feature films	Sony Burano	The Venice colors and dynamic range and the lower data rates are more than enough for feature films.
Documentaries	Sony Burano	Better codecs and broadcast features make this a no-brainer.
Music Videos	URSA Cine 12K	High Frame rates. Cheaper post production at lower compression settings.
Wildlife	Tie	12K gives you more telephoto throw, but 8K isn’t bad either, and the Burano has IBIS and AF. I don’t think either camera is made for tough environments.

On the whole, the Sony Burano wins. Yes, the cost is about twice more, but any professional can do more projects with this camera and earn a lot more over a 3-5 year period.

And 12K? It’s not something most normal projects require. I don’t think the higher resolution balances a poorer dynamic range (based on the early videos), low light ability and highlight roll-off.

What do you think?