16K VR videos with Blackmagic URSA immersive camera - First Look
Blackmagic Design has unveiled the new URSA Cine Immersive Camera — a high-end cinematic solution capable of capturing stereoscopic 3D in 8K per eye. This camera marks a significant leap in the professional VR180 filmmaking landscape.
First Look: Testing URSA Cine Immersive Footage on Apple Vision Pro
We’ve been testing new Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive footage shot in 16K for Apple Vision Pro, featured in this FXGuide article. Our goal: stream it seamlessly in the upcoming DeoVR app for AVP.
We uploaded the file to the DeoVR FFMPEG transcoding server for initial streaming tests.
🚧 What Worked
- The video stream is encoded in MV-HEVC, which is fully decodable.
- Using the latest FFmpeg builds, we successfully converted the footage to Side-by-Side (SBS) format for immersive playback.
❌ What Didn’t
- The audio stream is encoded in a 51-channel ‘apac’ codec, which is currently undecodable in FFmpeg.
- The MP4 container includes Apple-specific extensions, likely requiring additional decoding support or tooling.
For now, we’ve extracted a mono video-only stream to test playback: Test Clip (AIVU, No Audio)
We're actively exploring support for immersive audio formats and encourage others to share their findings. We're building DeoVR to support the future of high-fidelity immersive media, and community feedback is key to that mission.
Note from Dev Team:
The main challenge is Apple’s lack of public documentation for internal formats. Much of the development process is based on trial and error. We can read AIVU files (minus audio), but we cannot create them - yet. However, Apple does offer a tool that helps with AIVU workflows: Immersive Video Utility
Hands-On Specs & Info
We had the chance to attend the official launch event for the Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive Camera. Beyond the initial specs, Blackmagic shared deeper insights into how the system works, particularly its storage, data handling, and post-production workflow.
Storage and Data Transfer
The camera is built around proprietary removable media, which includes four 2TB SSDs for a total of 8TB of onboard storage. Blackmagic also announced a 16TB version using four 4TB SSDs, though this expanded capacity will be offered as a separate upgrade and is not yet available at launch.
For offloading footage, the camera includes a 10Gb Ethernet port, allowing for fast, wired transfers. Additionally, Blackmagic introduced a dedicated MediaDock, featuring four 10Gb Ethernet ports. According to a company rep, using multiple NICs (network interface cards) in a workstation allows users to transfer footage faster through parallel connections.
Post-Production Workflow in DaVinci Resolve
A private beta version of DaVinci Resolve was demonstrated at the event, tailored specifically for this camera's immersive footage pipeline. Currently, Resolve allows for exporting one eye at a time (left or right), meaning creators need to render each lens stream separately. However, support for dual-eye export in a single file is on the roadmap. For the AVP, you can export both lenses in a single file using the MV-HEVC codec.
An upcoming update to Resolve is also expected to support live preview for Apple Vision Pro (AVP). While direct streaming from the camera to the AVP isn’t available yet, Blackmagic confirmed that feature is also planned for the future.
Additional Technical Details
- The camera uses a B-mount battery system, and a battery plate is expected to be included in the box by default.
- Other features include advanced metadata capture, custom color science, and full synchronization between stereo pairs.
Interview: Blackmagic Design team
Live from SXSW in Texas, we interview the Blackmagic Design team about the groundbreaking launch of the Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive, the first commercial camera system built specifically for capturing Apple Immersive Video.
To support the new camera, an update to Blackmagic’s DaVinci Resolve Studio will introduce features tailored to Apple Immersive Video. These include an Immersive Video Viewer for editing on 2D monitors or directly with the Vision Pro, seamless metadata-driven transitions, and export presets for streamlined delivery of Vision Pro-ready files. These tools will simplify the workflow for filmmakers creating content in this format.
Key Highlights:
- 16K@90FPS recording. On devices like Meta Quest, where 16K isn’t directly supported, footage can be downscaled to 8K@60FPS, providing superior visuals compared to native 8K. We are exploring whether AVP users can enjoy 12K playback.
- Shipped with 8TB hot-swappable storage cards capable of 2 hours 16K @ 90FPS recording.
- Worldwide pre-orders are expected to be fulfilled mid/late-summer 2025.
- Super-quiet cooling system, no overheating issues, and fast response times make this camera perfect.
- Two sensors, two 200º FOV fish-eye lenses exporting in 180º. Potentially we can keep native fish-eye playback in DeoVR, preserving the original full 200º FOV. The lenses undergo advanced calibration specific to each camera unit, syncing offsets with DaVinci Resolve.
- Directors can preview their scene in real-time (likely mono) via Apple Vision Pro. We’re also exploring DeoVR integration on both Quests and AV.
Curious about the camera’s interface? Check out our quick menu tour on DeoVR.
Because it shares the same sensors as the URSA Cine 12K, you can watch a 24fps mono preview in DeoVR:
Just enter the ID (e.g., “a66ntt”) in the DeoVR app search to watch.
Keep checking back for more information and content made with this state-of-the-art camera.
