Blackmagic Design Announces Video Assist 2.2 Firmware Upgrade to Blackmagic Video Assist 4K

Blackmagic Design today announced Video Assist 2.2, a major new update for Blackmagic Video Assist 4K customers that dramatically improves DNxHD and DNxHR support, adds false color monitoring, expanded focus options and new screen rotation features. The Video Assist 2.2 update will be available for download from the Blackmagic Design website next week, free of charge for all Blackmagic Video Assist 4K customers.

The new Video Assist 2.2 update lets customers save DNxHD and DNxHR files in MXF containers which improves compatibility with Avid systems running on Windows and removes dependencies on the .mov file format. In addition, customers can now choose between DNxHD 220, 145 and 45 bit rates, or between DNxHR HQ, SQ and LB formats when recording.

 

The Video Assist 2.2 update also adds false color monitoring exposure tools to the Blackmagic Video Assist 4K. False color exposure tools make it easier to properly set exposure in different parts of the image by highlighting specific color ranges of luminance with a solid color overlay. For example, green indicates neutral grey, while pink tones are good references for skin, which is typically one stop over neutral grey. Using false color helps camera operators keep exposure consistent from shot to shot.

In addition, Video Assist 2.2 update also expands the options for focus assist so customers can now choose whether they want to see red, green, blue, black, white or traditional focus peaking indicators. This makes it easier for customers to accurately adjust focus in a wider range of scenes and under a variety of different lighting conditions. Customers will now also have the ability to manually control the screen orientation and turn off the auto rotate feature which makes it easier for customers to use Blackmagic Video Assist 4K with handheld gimbals and other equipment designed to move the camera and rig simultaneously.

“Customers love the new Blackmagic Video Assist 4K and it has become an indispensable part of every filmmakers toolkit,” said Grant Petty, CEO, Blackmagic Design. “This new update is exciting because it gives customers more recording and file compatibility options than ever before, along with some incredible new monitoring tools that will help filmmakers properly expose their shots and focus them more quickly than ever before so they can shoot with confidence!

Availability and Price

Blackmagic Video Assist 2.2 update will be available next week as a free download from the Blackmagic Design website.

About Blackmagic Video Assist 4K

Introduced at NAB this year, the Blackmagic Video Assist 4K is a portable all in one monitor and video recorder that can be used to add professional recording and monitoring to any SDI or HDMI camera. It features a bright, high resolution 7 inch screen for checking focus and framing, two high speed UHS-II recorders that work with the latest high performance SD cards for non-stop HD and Ultra HD recording, two extremely high quality XLR microphone inputs for professional audio recording, a built in speaker and more.

Blackmagic Video Assist 4K is perfect for customers that need better monitoring and higher quality recording. Older cameras often feature custom and hard to use file or tape formats, while lower cost consumer cameras often have poor quality file formats and small screens, limiting their professional use. Blackmagic Video Assist 4K solves this problem because it works with every type of camera from DSLRs to older tape based camcorders, and even the latest digital film cameras.