SOLVED: How to shoot 120FPS on Ursa Mini 4k?

Hi everyone,

I've recently acquired a second-hand Ursa Mini 4k EF. Alongside that, I have the Ursa SSD recorder instead of CFast cards. My current firmware is up to 4.9, which I gather is the most up to date for this particular camera. I have been trying to setup my camera for 120FPS recording, but to no avail. I have selected Windowed sensor mode, chosen Prores 422 and set to HD 1920x1080. Unfortunately, the highest FPS I can select is still 60! I have tried selecting pretty much every combination of Codec and Quality, but I'm still stuck at 60FPS. The 120FPS option just won't appear. Could my SSD be the issue? It's a Kingston 960GB - it's just an SSD that I previously had and doesn't appear to be on the 'approved list'. It works perfectly well recording everything else, including RAW files, but could this be the cause of the 120FPS option not appearing?

EDIT: Solved! Thanks for the tips. I had to set the OFF-SPEED setting to 120FPS.

EDIT: My first answer below is incorrect:

Incorrect:
The Ursa Mini 4k has no 120 fps option - it tops out at 60fps.
For that you need the Ursa Mini 4.6k - that is another sensor.

Correct answer:
Activate the window mode in the recording options, then you can select a framerate up to 120fps.
The sensor supports up to 120fps in a cropped window.

The Ursa Broadcast, tops out at 60fps, even though it has a short sensor readout time. As Robert mentions, the Ursa 4.6 sensor (UM 4.6 and UMPro) and the new Pocket 4K have a 120fps capability. But I think if you go to HD Window mode on the Ver2 of the 4K GS shutter sensor, used in the Min 4K, yiu can shoot 120fps also, but this is going to be HD resolution.

A few years back, you had to get a Varicam to get 120fps, or a specially built camera.
Cheers

The Ursa Mini 4k has no 120 fps option - it tops out at 60fps.
For that you need the Ursa Mini 4.6k - that is another sensor.

Really? It seems that there are a lot of posts saying that it is possible, eg: viewtopic.php?t=53078

Additionally, in the manual (page 38) it very clearly says it's possible to shoot at 120FPS:

The Ursa Mini 4k has no 120 fps option - it tops out at 60fps.
For that you need the Ursa Mini 4.6k - that is another sensor.

Really? It seems that there are a lot of posts saying that it is possible, eg: viewtopic.php?t=53078

Additionally, in the manual (page 38) it very clearly says it's possible to shoot at 120FPS:

make sure you turn window mode on and offspeed frame rate to 120. That's if the 4K can shoot 120fps

Ursa Mini 4K definitely can shoot 120FPS - I've been using it on my for almost 2 years. Make sure you're using your OFF-SPEED FRAMERATE. You should set your project framerate to whatever your non-slow motion framerate is (24, 25, 30, 60 - doesn't matter) and your off-speed framerate to whatever you want your clip framerate to be. The camera will then show both of those, e.g. 120/24 being 120 off-speed and 24 project.

Make sure you're using your OFF-SPEED FRAMERATE.

Ah, now THAT sounds like it could be my problem. I'll check that out as soon as I get to work tomorrow and let you know. Thanks for the tip!

Page 38 of the official manual says yes.

Sorry, my bad. I just had a look on the tech specs on the website and there it nowhere suggests that the sensor supports higher FPS than 60.
You are of course correct that it is possible as stated in the manual when activating the windowed mode.

You are of course correct that it is possible as stated in the manual when activating the windowed mode.

My issue was that I had already activated windowed mode but it still wasn't showing. I think it's the off speed setting they the above posts mentioned rather than the normal frame rate that could be the ticket. I'll update soon!

Yes, Chris nailed this one, you need to set HD Window mode, and then select 120fps as an off speed setting.
Cheers

Hi all,

Many thanks for your tips - I have just confirmed that it was the Off-Speed setting that needed changing - to be honest, I didn't really know what that was beforehand so I had left it alone. That's now set at 120FPS, so now it's time to experiement! Cheers!

Everyone stealing my answer lol. I feel like one of those kids who knows the answer but never raise their hand because they’re scared they might be wrong.

No Chris, you figured this one out, remembering the off speed setting and switching to HD window mode. Which got the rest of us “laggers” to help the OP work it out.
Cheers

Don’t forget that sound might be out of sync if you intend to play it as 120 fps.

No, you normally will not get any audio when recording off speed, at least this is what the AF100 does. If it does record some audio, it will be at the project frame rate, so out of sync. This works for background sounds that you can loop for the length of the video clip playback.
Cheers

In my experience, sound is recorded for the whole time, but it only plays for the time that fits the project rate.
It is usable, but not fully synced.

The Ursa Mini 4k has no 120 fps option - it tops out at 60fps.
For that you need the Ursa Mini 4.6k - that is another sensor.

Really? It seems that there are a lot of posts saying that it is possible, eg: viewtopic.php?t=53078

Additionally, in the manual (page 38) it very clearly says it's possible to shoot at 120FPS:

make sure you turn window mode on and offspeed frame rate to 120. That's if the 4K can shoot 120fps

can you guys please link me to a table like this for the Ursa mini pro 4.6k? I thought the camera can shoot 120fps at 4.6k but apparently it can't or at least not the way it stands right now on my cam. I can only do 30fps in pro res 444 4.6k

That is correct, shooting anything g faster than 60fps on the Ursa Mini, requires going to a window mode (HD or 2K window).
Cheers

can you guys please link me to a table like this for the Ursa mini pro 4.6k? I thought the camera can shoot 120fps at 4.6k but apparently it can't or at least not the way it stands right now on my cam. I can only do 30fps in pro res 444 4.6k

The first ursa mini pro can’t shoot 120fos at 4.6k but the ursa mini pro G2 can. And at 4K it can shoot 150fps, but these options are in BRaw.