Alexa mini vs ursa mini pro

[polaroid22]

Heey,

Geoff Boyle just launched his 2018 camera comparison. I am looking to match my ursa mini pro more closely to the Alexa. What I notice straight away is that the Alexa has more contrast and more saturation. I figured the Alexa would be less sharp, but that does not seem the case either (on the small monitor I am looking right now). The skintones on the Alexa are way better. I am looking into building a Lut for my ump that matches the Alexa more closely. The alexa has a more buttery creamy look but still sharp. So at first I though ok I will test some diffusion filters, but that would also impact the sharpness. What are your thoughts filter wise matching the alexa look? (hopefully will the colour science 4 match the alexa more closely, but I think there still needs to be some kind of filter on the ump to match the image more closely, not sure if it can be done)

Alexa mini
https://vimeo.com/280683552

Ursa mini pro
https://vimeo.com/280691524

Kind regards

[Ryanite]

I'm viewing this all on a poor LCD TV atm but to me,
Alexa holds better highlights on the skin, Ursa is sharper but without the added contrast that the Alexa has which I believe is making the Alexa seem sharper. Add some contrast and I'd think the ursa would look sharper but also too sharp. If a decent OLPF ever came out for the ursa I believe that'd be the key to making these cameras extremely close, even more so than they already are. I think for the time being you'd be fine with testing some diffusion and then adding a touch more contrast much like the Alexa has to better match them.

Alexa has more of a green shift and the ursa more magenta but you'd easily be able to shift that (shifting contrast may even shift the white balance that way), it's quite the testament to how good black magic is at colour and building that into an affordable camera and even workstation.

Both images look great, I can't wait to see what colour science 4 has in store for both the pocket 4k and Ursa mini pro.

Is the difference in shot size the difference in crop factor? Wish they'd test the same shot size not camera distance.

[polaroid22]

Thanks, I don't think there is a difference in the crop factor between the alexa mini and ump or is there?

[Samuel H]

Very nice test. I see the Alexa still has 1.5 stops more DR than the UMP (one stop in the highlights and half a stop in the shadows).

[GeranSimpson]

Yes they appear very close out of the box, however... I've recently been fortunate to work on coloring a film shot on Alexa, which also has some scenes shot on RED and I color my own Blackmagic footage. They all look very close..but start grading them and Alexa really stands out FAR above the rest. Coloring different looks on Alexa is like dropping a round peg in a round hole, it just fits right in, slides right down...and do the same with RED and Blackmagic, and that peg is like, oval, kind of eventually fits, but man you really have to shove it in there.

[Frank Glencairn]

Heey,

.. but I think there still needs to be some kind of filter on the ump to match the image more closely, not sure if it can be done)

I always use an Ultra Contrast 2 on the Ursa, when I have to match it to an Alexa/Amira - helps a bit with skin tones, and highlights.

[david evans]

I always use an Ultra Contrast 2 on the Ursa, when I have to match it to an Alexa/Amira - helps a bit with skin tones, and highlights.

That's interesting. I've always wondered what a tiffen LC 2 might do to the Ursa image, but the ultra contrast might be even better because of the added "opening" of the highlights.

Have you tried the LC Frank? I'd like to try the UC2 but I don't think they do those in circular shape do they?

[polaroid22]

What about the tiffen black satin 1? (I already got the black pro mists, but when lights hit the lens the images gets too hazey)

[keithlango]

Yes they appear very close out of the box, however... I've recently been fortunate to work on coloring a film shot on Alexa, which also has some scenes shot on RED and I color my own Blackmagic footage. They all look very close..but start grading them and Alexa really stands out FAR above the rest. Coloring different looks on Alexa is like dropping a round peg in a round hole, it just fits right in, slides right down...and do the same with RED and Blackmagic, and that peg is like, oval, kind of eventually fits, but man you really have to shove it in there.

Having shot and graded all three of these systems I have found this to be my experience as well. The Alexa footy is just friendlier to work with. Not that the other systems are garbage - they're all very good systems - but one is clearly friendlier to work with.

[Bino]

That's interesting. I've always wondered what a tiffen LC 2 might do to the Ursa image, but the ultra contrast might be even better because of the added "opening" of the highlights.

Have you tried the LC Frank? I'd like to try the UC2 but I don't think they do those in circular shape do they?

https://www.amazon.com/Tiffen-49UC2-...001U3ZVG4?th=1