Blackmagic Design

UltraStudio — Professional Capture & Playback

Thunderbolt 3 capture and playback solutions for professional video editing, colour grading, visual effects, live streaming and broadcast monitoring. From the portable bus-powered HD Mini to the flagship 4K Extreme 3 with PCIe connectivity and real-time H.265 encoding.

3Models

4K DCIMax Res.

12-bitRGB HDR

Which UltraStudio do I need?

Feature	HD Mini	4K Mini	4K Extreme 3
Max resolution	1080p60	4K DCI 60p	4K DCI 60p
SDI connection	3G-SDI	12G-SDI	12G-SDI
HDMI	HDMI in/out	HDMI 2.0 in/out	HDMI 2.0 in/out
Bus powered	✓ No adapter	AC power + 45W charge	AC power
HDR capture	10-bit only	12-bit HDR	12-bit HDR
H.265 encoder	✗	✗	✓ Hardware
PCIe connection	✗	✗	✓
SD card reader	✗	✓	✓
Front panel display	✗	Small LCD	5-inch colour LCD
Best for	Portable HD editing	4K portable production	Studio/server 4K

✓ Thunderbolt 3 interface ✓ Windows, Mac & Linux ✓ DaVinci Resolve included ✓ SDI, HDMI & Analogue ✓ 10-bit & 12-bit capture ✓ ProRes & Uncompressed

BDLKULSDMINHD

Blackmagic UltraStudio HD Mini

Portable Thunderbolt 3 capture and playback solution up to 1080p60 in 10-bit YUV. 3G-SDI, HDMI and analogue connections. Bus-powered from Thunderbolt — no power adapter needed. Compatible with DaVinci Resolve, Adobe Premiere, Final Cut Pro and Avid.

Thunderbolt 3 3G-SDI HDMI 1080p60 Bus Powered No Power Adapter

BDLKULSDMINI4K

Blackmagic UltraStudio 4K Mini

Portable Thunderbolt 3 capture and playback supporting 4K DCI at 60fps in 10-bit and 12-bit HDR. 12G-SDI, HDMI 2.0 and analogue connections. Built-in SD card reader. 45W laptop charging via Thunderbolt. Includes DaVinci Resolve.

Thunderbolt 3 12G-SDI HDMI 2.0 4K DCI 60p 12-bit HDR SD Card Reader DaVinci Resolve

BDLKULSR4KEXTR/3

Blackmagic UltraStudio 4K Extreme 3

The world's most advanced Thunderbolt 3 and PCIe capture and playback solution. 40Gb/s Thunderbolt 3, 12G-SDI, HDMI 2.0 and the widest range of analogue connections. Real-time H.265 encoder. 4K DCI at 60fps, 12-bit RGB, dual 3D SDI outputs. 5-inch front panel display.

Thunderbolt 3 PCIe 12G-SDI HDMI 2.0 4K DCI 60p H.265 Encoder 12-bit RGB 5" Display

Compatible Video Software

DaVinci Resolve

Full integration. DaVinci Resolve is included free with all UltraStudio models.

Adobe Premiere Pro

Full support via Mercury Playback Engine with UltraStudio hardware.

Final Cut Pro

Direct support on Mac for capture, monitoring and playback.

Avid Media Composer

UltraStudio is Avid-qualified for professional post production workflows.

OBS Studio

Use UltraStudio as a capture source for live streaming in OBS.

Wirecast & Livestream

Directly supported for professional live production and streaming.

Video Editing & Post Production

Capture broadcast SDI or HDMI sources directly into DaVinci Resolve, Premiere Pro or Avid in 10-bit or 12-bit uncompressed for professional edit workflows.

Colour Grading

UltraStudio drives HDR broadcast reference monitors and projectors via SDI for accurate colour grading in DaVinci Resolve.

Live Production & Broadcast

Capture and playback broadcast formats for live production, news, sports graphics and broadcast contribution workflows.

Visual Effects & VFX

Capture high-quality footage and monitor VFX compositions in realtime on SDI or HDMI reference monitors via UltraStudio.

Archive & Digitisation

Connect legacy broadcast tape decks via analogue, SDI or HDMI for professional archive digitisation to ProRes or uncompressed.

Streaming & Live Graphics

Playout broadcast graphics, lower thirds and live content via SDI into switchers and broadcast infrastructure during live events.

UltraStudio — Frequently Asked Questions

All UltraStudio models require a computer with a Thunderbolt 3 port — available on modern Mac computers and many Windows laptops and desktops. The UltraStudio 4K Extreme 3 also supports PCIe connection. You then install Blackmagic's Desktop Video drivers (free download) and your chosen video software. DaVinci Resolve is included free with all UltraStudio models.

The HD Mini captures and plays back up to 1080p60 using 3G-SDI and HDMI connections — perfect for HD workflows and fully bus-powered from Thunderbolt (no power adapter needed). The 4K Mini adds 12G-SDI and HDMI 2.0 for 4K DCI capture up to 60fps, 12-bit HDR recording, a built-in SD card reader and 45W laptop charging via Thunderbolt. If you need 4K capture or 12-bit HDR, choose the 4K Mini.

Yes — all UltraStudio models support Windows 10 and 11 in addition to macOS. The UltraStudio 4K Extreme 3 also supports Linux. Simply install Blackmagic Desktop Video drivers for your OS, connect via Thunderbolt 3 (or PCIe on the Extreme 3) and use with any compatible video software.

UltraStudio supports Apple ProRes (all variants), DNxHD and DNxHR, uncompressed 10-bit YUV, uncompressed 12-bit RGB 4:4:4, DPX, and a wide range of camera-native codecs including XDCAM, AVCHD, Canon XF and more. The 4K Extreme 3 also supports H.265 via its built-in hardware encoder.

Yes — UltraStudio can be used as a capture source for live streaming software such as OBS Studio, Wirecast, vMix and Livestream Producer. This lets you ingest professional SDI or HDMI camera feeds and stream them live. For standalone streaming without a computer, the Blackmagic Streaming Encoder 4K is the better choice.

Buy Blackmagic UltraStudio — UK

Available available on nuuo.co.uk. Call +44 (0)116 2787812 for specification advice and pricing.

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