Blackmagic Design has announced the launch of the Blackmagic Camera for Android, introducing digital film features and controls to Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel phones, enhancing their capability for television and film production.
The Blackmagic Camera app, built on the same OS as Blackmagic’s digital film cameras, provides professional tools for Android users. It supports Blackmagic Cloud for collaboration with editors and colorists globally.
The app transforms smartphones into digital film cameras, allowing adjustments to frame rate, shutter angle, white balance, and ISO with a tap, and supports recording in formats up to 8K.
The app features an intuitive interface for instant settings adjustments and includes a heads-up display (HUD) with status indicators, histogram, and focus peaking.
Users can autofocus by tapping the screen, shoot in 16:9 or vertical formats, and easily access advanced settings like monitoring and audio controls.
It also includes a built-in chat for seamless communication among Blackmagic Cloud project members, enabling direct messaging with editors, assistants, colorists, and VFX artists.
Users manage media effortlessly through the media tab, browsing, scrubbing, and reviewing clips. They can link to the DCIM folder, upload to Blackmagic Cloud, and sync directly into DaVinci Resolve projects.
With a free Blackmagic ID, users can organize project libraries, invite collaborators, and seamlessly sync media, including proxies and high-resolution originals, across global project teams.
Features of Blackmagic Camera for Android
- Compatibility: Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel phones
- Aspect Ratios: 16:9 and vertical (stealth mode available)
- Video Formats: H.264 and H.265 with auto proxy generation
- Controls: Frame rate, shutter speed, exposure, white balance, tint, color space
- Features: Focus assist, zebra, frame guides, histogram
- Recording Options: Time of day/run time, timecode
- Audio: VU or PPM meters
- Media Management: Thumbnail view, scrubber, file details
- Integration: Blackmagic Cloud, DaVinci Resolve
- Sharing: Record to phone, share via Blackmagic Cloud with automatic sync
Availability
Blackmagic Camera for Android (Pixel or Samsung Galaxy phones) is available for free on Google Play.
Regarding the launch, Grant Petty, CEO of Blackmagic Design, stated:
The Blackmagic Camera app for iPhone has been incredibly popular since its launch last year. We are thrilled to now offer Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel users the same digital film shooting controls as our professional cameras. Additionally, the Blackmagic Cloud workflow enables recording to Blackmagic Cloud Storage with automatic syncing to DaVinci Resolve. It’s truly exciting to provide even more customers with the ability to get their footage to newsrooms or post-production studios in just seconds.