Blackmagic UltraStudio 4K Extreme 3
The most advanced Thunderbolt 3 and PCIe capture and playback solution. 40Gb/s Thunderbolt 3, 12G-SDI, HDMI 2.0, real-time H.265 encoding, 12-bit RGB, dual 3D SDI and 5-inch front panel display.
- 40Gb/s Thunderbolt 3 with full PCIe expansion — connects via Thunderbolt 3 to any compatible Mac or PC and also exposes a PCIe slot for additional cards such as SSD RAID or audio cards
- 12G-SDI, HDMI 2.0 and the widest analogue connection set — every professional signal format accommodated in one device, including component, composite, reference and RS-422 deck control
- Real-time H.265 hardware encoding — encode captured content to H.265 in real time without using the host CPU, freeing processing resources for DaVinci Resolve and NLE applications
- 4K DCI at 60fps in 12-bit RGB — the highest colour precision available, capturing and outputting at 12-bit RGB (not YUV) for maximum quality in cinema and high-end broadcast workflows
- Dual 3D SDI outputs — provide left-eye and right-eye SDI outputs simultaneously for 3D stereoscopic broadcast and production monitoring without additional hardware
- 5-inch front panel display — monitor input and output signal status, format information and device configuration on a dedicated display without system software access
What is the UltraStudio 4K Extreme 3?
The UltraStudio 4K Extreme 3 is Blackmagic's flagship Thunderbolt 3 capture and playback device — the highest specification and most comprehensive connection set in the UltraStudio range. It is designed for high-end post-production facilities, feature film finishing, major broadcast installations and any workflow that demands maximum signal quality, format flexibility and processing capability.
The dual Thunderbolt 3 and PCIe connectivity is unique in the UltraStudio range. Thunderbolt 3 provides 40Gb/s bandwidth to a connected computer — the maximum available from that interface. The PCIe expansion slot accepts a standard PCIe x4 card directly inside the 4K Extreme 3 chassis, allowing the addition of high-speed SSD RAID cards, audio cards or other PCIe hardware to the system without an external PCIe chassis.
12-bit RGB capture and output
Where most capture devices use YUV colour encoding (which subsamples the colour information), the 4K Extreme 3 captures and outputs in 12-bit RGB — maintaining the full three-channel colour information at 12-bit depth. This is the highest-quality representation of any video signal and is the correct choice for workflows where colour accuracy is non-negotiable.
Built-in H.265 hardware encoder
The 4K Extreme 3 includes a real-time H.265 (HEVC) hardware encoder that operates independently of the host computer's CPU and GPU. Captured 4K content can be simultaneously encoded to H.265 without placing any load on the main processor — keeping DaVinci Resolve performance unaffected while generating delivery-ready H.265 files in real time during ingest.
Dual 3D SDI for stereoscopic production
The dual 3D SDI outputs provide simultaneous left-eye and right-eye SDI feeds for 3D stereoscopic broadcast monitoring and production. With 3D content remaining a requirement in certain high-end cinema and sports broadcasting contexts, the 4K Extreme 3 is one of very few capture devices that handles stereo 3D monitoring natively.
RS-422 deck control
RS-422 serial deck control enables frame-accurate control of professional broadcast tape decks (DigiBeta, HDCAM, Digital Betacam, D5) for high-quality tape ingest and playout with timecode-accurate cue and capture.
| Host Connection | |
| Thunderbolt 3 | 40Gb/s — dual Thunderbolt 3 ports |
| PCIe | PCIe x4 expansion slot (inside chassis) |
| Video Connections | |
| SDI | 12G-SDI in/out, dual 3D SDI outputs (BNC) |
| HDMI | HDMI 2.0 input and output |
| Analogue | Component, composite, reference, S-Video |
| Capture | |
| Max Resolution | 4096x2160 (4K DCI) at 60fps |
| Colour Depth | 12-bit RGB (and YUV options) |
| H.265 Encoder | Real-time hardware H.265 — no CPU load |
| Additional | |
| Front Panel Display | 5-inch — signal status and configuration |
| 3D Stereoscopic | Dual 3D SDI outputs |
| Deck Control | RS-422 serial |
| Audio | |
| Audio | AES/EBU, analogue in/out (XLR), embedded SDI/HDMI |
| Software | |
| Compatibility | DaVinci Resolve Studio, Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, Avid |
| Product Information | |
| SKU / Model | BDLKULSR4KEXTR/3 |
| Warranty | 1-year Blackmagic Design warranty |
| Pricing | Price on Application — contact us for a quote |
Specifications correct at time of publication. Contact us to confirm before specification.
The UltraStudio 4K Extreme 3 is for the highest-end post-production, feature film finishing and major broadcast facilities where maximum quality and connection flexibility are non-negotiable.
Feature Film and Cinema Post-Production
12-bit RGB capture and output at 4K DCI 60fps for high-end feature film finishing and digital intermediate workflows in DaVinci Resolve Studio.
High-End HDR Colour Grading
12-bit RGB HDR output to a reference monitor for the most accurate HDR grading decisions available from a Thunderbolt 3 device — used in facilities delivering HDR10 and Dolby Vision content.
Broadcast Master Playout
High-quality 12G-SDI and HDMI 2.0 playout from a DaVinci Resolve or Premiere Pro system to broadcast monitors and downstream recording systems at a broadcast facility.
High-Quality Tape Ingest
RS-422 deck control for frame-accurate ingest from DigiBeta, HDCAM, Digital Betacam and D5 broadcast tape decks — the most comprehensive deck control available in a Thunderbolt device.
3D Stereoscopic Production
Dual 3D SDI outputs for stereoscopic 3D broadcast monitoring and post-production — one of the only Thunderbolt 3 devices that handles 3D monitoring natively.
Broadcast Facility Infrastructure
Deployed in major broadcast post-production facilities as the primary Thunderbolt capture and playback interface for grade suites, conform suites and QC positions.
What is the PCIe expansion slot for?
The 4K Extreme 3 includes a PCIe x4 slot inside its chassis, accepting any standard half-length PCIe card. This is typically used for high-speed SSD RAID cards (enabling direct capture to fast NVMe RAID), professional audio cards (for high-channel-count audio I/O), or other PCIe peripherals — eliminating the need for a separate PCIe expansion chassis.
What is the difference between 12-bit RGB and 10-bit YUV?
YUV encoding subsamples the colour channels (typically 4:2:2) to reduce bandwidth, keeping full luminance resolution but reducing colour resolution. RGB maintains equal full resolution in all three colour channels. 12-bit RGB captures four times the colour steps per channel compared to 10-bit YUV, with no colour subsampling — the highest quality representation of any video signal.
Does it work with Windows PCs as well as Macs?
Yes. The UltraStudio 4K Extreme 3 works with any computer (Mac or Windows) with Thunderbolt 3 ports running the Blackmagic Desktop Video driver, available free from Blackmagic Design.
Is there a difference in the 12G-SDI connection compared to the 4K Mini?
Both provide 12G-SDI. The 4K Extreme 3 additionally provides dual 3D SDI outputs (left-eye and right-eye simultaneously for stereoscopic 3D), which the 4K Mini does not have.
The UltraStudio 4K Extreme 3 is compatible with all major professional applications via the Blackmagic Desktop Video driver. DaVinci Resolve Studio is recommended and available separately.
NLE and Post-ProductionContact us to confirm compatibility with a specific platform or version not listed above.