Blackmagic Forum

The new URSA Mini Pro 12K could be an excellent camera for blue chip natural history production (based on the look, resolution and frame rates).

The one essential function it is missing for this specific application is "Prerecord", or the ability to trigger after an event has occurred. Is there any chance that this feature could be added as a firmware update or is the camera hardware such that it would never be possible?

Thanks for the input!

-Tom

Any input on this question???

I agree Tom. I love the 240 fps on the Ursa G2 for my nature work but am actually looking at changing cameras so I can get prerecord. Atomos offers it on some monitors, but only up to 60 fps and for behavioral shots I often use 240. One day maybe ...

No it’s not possible ever.

It has to be designed with this feature in mind.

JB

Thanks John; Oh well - in the meantime I will stand with my eyes sharp and finger on the trigger. For those that might be birders ... I found a nesting pair of Sora Rails, unusual to see at all, and while I cannot see the nest (and will not try and find it) I can stand and watch for their very brief appearances. Given that my 240 fps clips are 42 sec at the longest that means I have 2-4 sec of filming time - if I am on target. (I did manage a mating shot last evening).Hence the desire for prerecord. Without my Red-dot gunsight mount I would have little chance of finding them with a long lens. Cheers

I have long wished for it as well.

It’s just one of those features that they have to design for. Let’s hope enough people ask for it.

JB

So, let me join. It's one of the few things I miss from our Red cameras.
Another one is starting a speed ramp by an external trigger signal. Both not really (Red) rocket science these days. AFAIK, not covered by their patents either.

I agree, that would be a extremely helpful feature, that opens up a lot more creative possibilities. Id very like to see this feature also in other BM Cameras, like the Pocket 4K.

John Brawley wrote:No it’s not possible ever.

It has to be designed with this feature in mind.

JB

Why is it not possible John?

I could imagine, that the camera would start recording in video chunks, and discards them after some time. When hit record it would keep the existing and join them?

Mathisxy wrote:I agree, that would be a extremely helpful feature, that opens up a lot more creative possibilities. Id very like to see this feature also in other BM Cameras, like the Pocket 4K.

John Brawley wrote:No it’s not possible ever.

It has to be designed with this feature in mind.

JB

Why is it not possible John?

I could imagine, that the camera would start recording in video chunks, and discards them after some time. When hit record it would keep the existing and join them?

Usually that feature use a cache memory where store a prerecording, if you write and delete on support you create fragmentations on support and reduce its writing performance.
It’s the reasons be cause pro cameras not allow you to delete clips but only to format support.
Camera with prerecording feature should have additional cache in camera to store datas of xx seconds.
Blackmagic Design do some great gift to us like giro stabilisation revealing the presence of gyro in camera, but hardware was built in camera from its born.


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Mathisxy wrote:Usually that feature use a cache memory where store a prerecording, if you write and delete on support you create fragmentations on support and reduce its writing performance.

I see, too bad. I guess there is no easy workaround for that...

Basically as I understand it they'd have to install extra processing overhead and memory for that which adds directly to the cost per unit.

Some people like this feature of course, but many people do not need it.

I would assume if enough people ask for it they would start to add it as a feature.

JB

It might be possible over firmware but without an internal cache it would require the camera to continuously record to the ssd/card which would considerably shorten it’s lifespan.

Good Luck

As a cinematographer who is currently shooting a nature doc and wildlife, it's a huge problem that there isn't a Pre or Post-roll option available. I sure hope they're working on putting this feature into future cameras, because I actually might need to work with a different camera system in order to get this footage. Just letting a 120fps or 240fps clip roll for several minutes is an incredible waste of card space, and then also a huge chance of missing the most important part of the shot.

BM Please if you're working on high fps options for the future, consider that the 12K resolution for the Ursa could be the most perfect camera/tool for this job, but without a pre-post roll record option, us Nature cinematographers are kinda screwed, and will most likely (Unfortunately) need to switch to a Canon or Sony system that has this feature available.

Just thinking: Wouldnt it be possible to format the Memory Device with 3 partitions, one big and two small ones. Then it would prerecord to the first small partition. When its full it starts prerecording to the second small partition. When it is nearly full again it formats the first small partition and prerecords again there. When you press the record button it starts recording to the big partition and after you finished recording it takes some time to move the prerecorded video(s) on the small partition(s) as a seperate video to the big partition. Then in post you can combine the prerecorded video and the main video and there is no fragmentation.

I'm asking that feature in the BM Video Assist since a while also.
I was 'may be' planning on going with an ursa 12k. But if that's like my monitor, and they don't take clients wishes... Then it's quiet bad. And I can't afford it.

Just to now that Ninja V from Atomos got this option (cheap monitor).
I understand that in the URSA you'd like it with a big codec. But even getting the ability to pre-roll / pre-rec even in a lightweight format could already be a BIG bonus.

Here's the topic : viewtopic.php?f=2&t=135719

Well +1 person who even don't own this cam.

Having a prerecord function would be a huge help. I'd pay more $ for that camera for sure. Canon is doing it.

Also, not being able to delete clips on my Ursa 12K is pretty annoying and it bums me out.

Not being able to delete clips in the camera is a good thing!
From those high-end cameras I know none does it.

devinpickering wrote:Having a prerecord function would be a huge help. I'd pay more $ for that camera for sure. Canon is doing it.

Also, not being able to delete clips on my Ursa 12K is pretty annoying and it bums me out.

With new firmware beta 8.6 for pockets series they release a new media browser with delete options, may pockets is the testing ground for all cameras update, 12k included .


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Yes on pre-roll would be nice, as doing much wildlife myself.

Another alternative, at least for me, could be to utilize faster and larger drives. Maybe duel CFexpress 2 type B... or Thunderbolt 4 output. (duel 4TB CFexpress from Angelbird are about $3600... how much more might pre-roll cost?)

and by the way - delete in camera is called formatting

Jeffrey D Mathias wrote:and by the way - delete in camera is called formatting

I like that one