Blackmagic URSA Cine 17K 65 Debuts on Australian Series "Treasure & Dirt"
Director of Photography Edward Goldner discusses the use of the new Blackmagic URSA Cine 17K 65 camera on the Australian crime series Treasure & Dirt. The production utilized 65mm sensor technology and Q3 compression to manage high-contrast, rugged desert filming conditions.
Key Takeaways
- Used two URSA Cine 17K 65 cameras for primary capture, shooting 17K open gate at a 2.39:1 aspect ratio.
- Adopted Q3 compression to maintain data efficiency, resulting in file sizes significantly lower than typical ultra-high-resolution expectations.
- Operated at a baseline 1600 ISO to maximize highlight retention in bright desert environments while maintaining minimal noise in shadows.
- Leveraged the Blackmagic Gen 5 Film to Extended Video LUT with minor adjustments to highlight roll-off and black levels.
Why It Matters
The successful field deployment of a 17K 65mm sensor in extreme environmental conditions signals a shift in high-end television production toward accessible large-format glass and ultra-high-resolution workflows. By proving that 17K RAW files can be managed efficiently via optimized compression and standard post-production pipelines, Blackmagic is challenging the technical and financial barriers traditionally associated with IMAX-level acquisition. This pressure forces established cinema camera manufacturers to accelerate their own large-format roadmaps to maintain market share in premium streaming originals. Watch for whether this efficiency leads to 17K becoming a baseline for localized high-budget series seeking global distribution.
Additional Context
The URSA Cine 17K 65 represents a significant move by Blackmagic Design to enter the high-end cinema tier alongside manufacturers like ARRI and Sony. Pricing for the camera begins at approximately $29,995 for the full kit or $21,995 for the body-only version, as of April 2025 updates. This aggressive pricing brings 65mm digital cinema technology to a price point roughly 10% of several established high-end competitors. In a major validation for the platform, Blackmagic announced in June 2025 that the URSA Cine 17K 65 has been added to the Netflix Approved Camera List, meeting the streamer's strict requirements for dynamic range, resolution, and codec performance.
Technically, the camera features an RGBW 17520 x 8040 sensor with 16 stops of dynamic range and 8TB of internal high-speed storage, designed for integration with Blackmagic Cloud and DaVinci Resolve. Beyond its cinematic applications, Blackmagic is also positioning the URSA Cine architecture for high-end live production. Per TV Technology (July 2026), the company recently introduced 100G versions of its Cine platform to support 2110 IP video workflows, illustrating a strategy to unify high-end narrative acquisition with premium live broadcast infrastructures. This multi-pronged approach allows production houses to amortize hardware costs across diverse project types, from streaming drama series to high-resolution sports coverage.
Read full article at fdtimes.com
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