Blackmagic Design URSA Cine 17K 65 – Now Netflix Approved

Blackmagic Design’s flagship digital film camera has received a significant industry endorsement, with the company announcing that the URSA Cine 17K 65 has been added to Netflix’s coveted Approved Camera List. Netflix has released comprehensive production guidelines for the camera, detailing optimal capture settings and technical specifications for creating content for its streaming platform. We have covered the Blackmagic URSA 17K 65camera extensively here and here.

The streaming platform’s official “Cameras and Image Capture: Requirements and Best Practices” document outlines the stringent technical specifications required for camera approval, encompassing dynamic range capabilities, resolution standards, codec compatibility, and seamless workflow integration. These requirements ensure content meets Netflix’s exacting standards for original programming.

Under Netflix’s production guidelines, approved cameras must capture a minimum of 90% of a program’s final total runtime, making inclusion on this list essential for filmmakers seeking to create content for the platform. The URSA Cine 17K 65 joins a group of professional cinema cameras deemed suitable for Netflix’s high-quality streaming content.

We took a close look at the document, and here are the highlights of what you can find in it:

Key capture settings for Netflix 4K originals

The streaming giant recommends shooting in Blackmagic RAW format with Film gamma curve as the preferred dynamic range setting. The camera offers extensive resolution flexibility, supporting 17K, 12K, 8K, and 4K capture modes across various aspect ratios, including 2.2:1 Open Gate, 2:1, 3:2, 16:9, 17:9, 2.4:1, and 6:5 formats.

For codec selection, Netflix approves both Constant Bitrate options (3:1, 8:1, 12:1, 18:1) and Constant Quality settings (Q0, Q1, Q3, Q5). Notably, the camera automatically records 1920×1080 HD H.264 proxy files alongside all Blackmagic RAW footage, streamlining post-production workflows.

High-speed performance capabilities

The URSA Cine 17K 65 demonstrates impressive high-speed recording capabilities when paired with 8TB or 16TB Media Modules. Maximum frame rates vary by resolution: 60fps at 17K 2.2:1 Open Gate, 90fps at 12K 2.4:1, 100fps at 8K 2.2:1 Open Gate, and up to 170fps at 8K 2.4:1.

Dynamic range characteristics

Technical documentation reveals distinct dynamic range behaviors across different recording formats. When shooting in 17K and 12K modes, the camera utilizes the full sensor capabilities. However, 8K and 4K formats employ sensor hardware scaling, which runs the sensor twice as fast while maintaining the field of view without cropping. This approach shifts the dynamic range distribution by approximately one stop, providing more shadow detail but reducing highlight headroom by one stop compared to higher resolution modes. We will, of course, test the camera in our lab when getting it from Blackmagic Design to verify Netflix’s findings.

Storage and media management

The camera’s recording ecosystem centers around Blackmagic Media Modules, available in 8TB and 16TB capacities. These modules support high-speed 10G Ethernet connectivity for direct file access and transfer. Alternative storage comes via the Media Module CF, accommodating CFexpress Type B cards with data rates up to 1.19 GB/s for top-tier cards and 840 MB/s for standard certified media.

Post-Production integration

Blackmagic RAW files integrate with extensive third-party software support, including Adobe Premiere Pro, Avid Media Composer, Autodesk Flame, FilmLight Baselight, and The Foundry Nuke Studio. The RAW SDK enables direct decoding into various color spaces, including ARRI LogC3 and LogC4, facilitating mixed-camera workflows.

Embedded workflow features

The camera stores 3D LUT monitoring choices within Blackmagic RAW file metadata, ensuring consistent color reference throughout post-production. When “Apply LUT in File” is enabled, the selected LUT automatically applies during post-production viewing, maintaining original creative intent.

Current software requirements

Camera operation requires Camera 9.5.3 software, updated via the Blackmagic Camera Setup utility. Media management utilizes Cloud Store 1.6.1 for Blackmagic Media Dock configuration and updates.

This comprehensive production guide positions the URSA Cine 17K 65 as a technically sophisticated tool for Netflix content creation, emphasizing the camera’s flexibility across resolution formats while highlighting workflow optimization strategies essential for high-end streaming production.

Summerize

This latest approval reinforces Blackmagic Design’s growing presence in Netflix’s ecosystem. The company already maintains other cameras on the approved list, like the URSA Mini Pro 4.6K G2 and the URSA Mini Pro 12K OLPF. This demonstrates the manufacturer’s consistent ability to meet the streaming service’s technical demands. For independent filmmakers and production companies, this approval opens new pathways to Netflix content creation, potentially expanding access to the platform’s extensive global audience through more affordable professional cinema technology.

Do you follow Blackmagic Design’s recent announcement? What do you think about the URSA Cine 17K 65 camera? Is this a tool that, if you could, you would like to experiment with? Please share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.