Pyxis 12K

A few EU resellers are listing the camera as "shipping in May" or "1-3 weeks delivery" now. I didnt track those resellers previously, so take this with a grain of salt as they may just be trying to generate pre-orders, but perhaps Blackmagic is ahead of schedule for once? Perhaps wishful thinking here, but I remember the Pocket Pro shipped quicker than expected as well, which was a similar case of a MKII version of a camera in a similar body.

Sweetwater in the US says May as well.

Band H’s site now says “beginning of June.” So that’s coming up soon, and I have one on preorder, but not quite soon enough for a project I have to shoot this month. Just wondering if anyone thinks getting one of the first to roll off the production line could be problematic or since Pyxis body is already in production means less potential issues?

Given the Pyxis 6K has already proven many of the features shared with the Pyxis 12K, it would seem the chances of getting a reliable Pyxis 12K released are very good. In the past we’ve often been told a camera may be ready in July only to find it takes months longer. This possible earlier release may bode well for the internal testing of the Pyxis 12K.

I can’t guarantee all copies will be flawless, but the chances of having difficulties should be very low whatever date BMD chooses to release the camera. I’m sure there are beta testers out there who cannot comment about their findings to date. And no beta tester can verify all the possible technology combinations that can potentially arise once released to the public.

My annual largest project occurs after mid-June; if I didn’t have financial constraints, I’d have put in a preorder already. Sadly I’ll not be able to use the Pyxis 12K this time until I have a new Super35 zoom which should occur a year later. That’s a long walk before I can share the excitement of finally taking this leap of faith that will have a magnitude of impact on my work.

It’s important to be brave and explore new horizons that appear for those who can take advantage of new possibilities. But only you can decide when you dive into the deep.

Given the Pyxis 6K has already proven many of the features shared with the Pyxis 12K, it would seem the chances of getting a reliable Pyxis 12K released are very good. In the past we’ve often been told a camera may be ready in July only to find it takes months longer. This possible earlier release may bode well for the internal testing of the Pyxis 12K.

I can’t guarantee all copies will be flawless, but the chances of having difficulties should be very low whatever date BMD chooses to release the camera. I’m sure there are beta testers out there who cannot comment about their findings to date. And no beta tester can verify all the possible technology combinations that can potentially arise once released to the public.

My annual largest project occurs after mid-June; if I didn’t have financial constraints, I’d have put in a preorder already. Sadly I’ll not be able to use the Pyxis 12K this time until I have a new Super35 zoom which should occur a year later. That’s a long walk before I can share the excitement of finally taking this leap of faith that will have a magnitude of impact on my work.

It’s important to be brave and explore new horizons that appear for those who can take advantage of new possibilities. But only you can decide when you dive into the deep.

it stinks a bit, because I'm going to be heading up a 3-part Documentary with the Pyxis 6k as A and B Cams and I KNOW the 12k will be released right in the middle of the project timeline, haha. It would be awesome to have that ready, but it should still be fun. (We are using a Pictor 20-55mm Zoom and SLR Magic APO Microprimes.)

it stinks a bit, because I'm going to be heading up a 3-part Documentary with the Pyxis 6k as A and B Cams and I KNOW the 12k will be released right in the middle of the project timeline, haha...)

It must be tempting though, say to use the Pyxis 12k for A camera for part 3 of the project. If part 3 was quite distinct in terms of the setting and light, it could work. But it might still be jarring to the viewer as they might sense something has changed.

There’s no shortage of successful projects that mix media from several decades ago with changing standards over the decades. But the viewer understands those kind of changes. If your project wants to have the viewer see the footage as if it all occurred at the same time, I expect they’ll notice a difference in the 4K deliverables due to increased details and wider dynamic range.

I wouldn’t recommend changing your A camera mid-project unless part 3 is intended to be ‘different’ aesthetically than 1 and 2.

I'd love the PYXIS 12K as a B-Cam for sure with the URSA Cine 12K. However, I'm still holding out hope that a PYXIS Pro 12K becomes a reality with internal ND. Also, would love a return to the V, Gold, and B battery mount options. Maybe a fully articulating 4" LCD with an exterior status display.

I'm drooling at the idea of it.

I'm so curious to compare the PYXIS 12K against the URSA Cine 12K. I have a few friends with pre-orders, so will definitely pit them against one another. Had one of those friends try to argue that the PYXIS 12K was a better value than the URSA Cine 12K. But he couldn't convince me. Sure you spend less on batteries, and overall less on body, but the internal ND and all the other features are easily enough to justify the worth of the URSA Cine. Either way, I'd love to put them against one another to see how they fair.

Generally newer cameras have newer tech and Blackmagic is no exception. Lets hope the Pyxis 12k follow the Pyxis 6k, Ursa Mini 4k and UMP 4.6k G2 in producing a better IQ or noise handling than earlier iteration of the same sensor on a different body.

... Lets hope the Pyxis 12k follow the Pyxis 6k, Ursa Mini 4k and UMP 4.6k G2 in producing a better IQ or noise handling than earlier iteration of the same sensor on a different body.

I’m not expecting that the image pipeline on the Pyxis 12K will produce an improved image over the URSA Cine 12K, but time will tell if the newer 2025 camera contains a pleasant surprise. Anything is possible for 2026 and beyond. Maybe each will take turns leapfrogging each other.

I’m very happy about both cameras and capabilities in terms of getting the best results possible out of their different bodies and internals.

... Lets hope the Pyxis 12k follow the Pyxis 6k, Ursa Mini 4k and UMP 4.6k G2 in producing a better IQ or noise handling than earlier iteration of the same sensor on a different body.

I’m not expecting that the image pipeline on the Pyxis 12K will produce an improved image over the URSA Cine 12K, but time will tell if the newer 2025 camera contains a pleasant surprise. Anything is possible for 2026 and beyond. Maybe each will take turns leapfrogging each other.

I’m very happy about both cameras and capabilities in terms of getting the best results possible out of their different bodies and internals.

Some people think the Pyxis 12k is basically a Pyxis 6k with a the Cine 12k sensor, that is simply wrong. The Pyxis 12k has new more efficient electronics and processing power than the Pyxis 6k. One has to remember the Cine 12k has more features requiring extra processing demands. We don't know at this stage what the IQ is going to be apart from the readout speed or if there is adjustment to the 12k LF sensor they put in the Pyxis but there likely to be because the electronics are going to be different. We can only hope if there are any IQ issues they found on the Cine 12k they can improve on in the new camera.

If BMD is considering a future hardware revision to the current Pyxis 12K, please let it be announced (or preferably be available) by NAB 2026. I selfishly ask for this consideration as I believe the camera I purchase in about a year will likely be my last camera given by the time a 2026 Pyxis camera will be thought of as obsolete, I’ll probably be pushing up daisies in a local cemetery. That’s life.

My original UM4.6K with CinemaDNG and 12bit ProRes 444 recording is still a solid performer at all my shoots and it’s over 9 years old now so I may retire it in 2026. I’ll be a happy camper if I’m still shooting the Pyxis 2026 in 2036!

After you gone on gardening leave BMD should name a new camera after you for being their most prolific forum poster

Thanks for the kind thought. I this community and the BMD team’s dedication to us.

Looks like Camvate is releasing a Pyxis sideplate at a much lower costs than many competitors: https://camvate.com/products/camvate-side-plate-for-blackmagic-pyxis-6k-camera-red-rosette-3816

Looks very similar to the 8sinn plate I was previously considering except for the missing nato rail and the truly unnecessary inclusion of an allen key. But even so 60 bucks difference is quite considerable nonetheless.

That’s one strange rosette. I wonder if that will function as intended given a side handle is a mechanical stress point that requires a strong connection.

What do you consider strange about it?

The teeth on the rosette do not form a full circle so it would seem its grip strength may be compromised.

The cutout on the 8sinn plate is actually even narrower - I don't think that should be an issue. What I like about this plate, in case you do manage to wear out the teeth on the rosette its exchangeable rather than having to dispose the whole plate like with the 8sinn one.

Good to know, Paul; thanks.

Ended up picking up two of the Lexar 4TB Professional GOLD CFexpress 4.0 Type B Memory Cards because they are 30% off and you can get 8tb for $1600!! which I thought seemed liked a pretty screaming deal...

I'm still in the return window, anyone have any idea of if these should work or I should be returning for any reason?

Hey Chris thanks for posting this. I'm interested to know about the cards as well. We chatted on Reddit about the Pyxis. However even at this discount pricing, it makes the BMD 8TB drive for the Ursa LF look a like a great deal at the same price/storage.

Anyone have opinions about this cage? I like that it accepts 15mm rods in such a small form factor, has a rosette, side screen protector/hood, etc. There is a larger kit that has a rear plate as well, but not sure I need it right now.

https://www.xlcsdesigns.com/products/fu ... r-pyxis-6k

These are the batteries I was thinking of.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/ ... i_ion.html

Ended up picking up two of the Lexar 4TB Professional GOLD CFexpress 4.0 Type B Memory Cards because they are 30% off and you can get 8tb for $1600!! which I thought seemed liked a pretty screaming deal...

I'm still in the return window, anyone have any idea of if these should work or I should be returning for any reason?

No one has a Pyxis 12K to test yet, but Blackmagic published a list of recommended CFexpress Cards for the Ursa Cine 12k which uses the same codec and thus similar datarates:https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/uk/support/faq/59051

The 4TB version of the card you mentioned is not on any of their lists, although lower capacity versions up to 2TB are recommended for recording to a single card 12K 3:2 (Open Gate) Blackmagic RAW 8:1 up to 45 fps. Their smallest cards at 128GB and 256GB are even rated for the highest quality setting of 3:1 up to 24 fps.

Maybe you could connect them to your computer and use the Blackmagic Speed Test tool to check? Although the read and write speeds might be limited by your card reader depending on what you are using.

Here is an update I received from my dealer this morning regarding timing:

there are no units expected to be delivered in the month of May in Europe. The demo units have not arrived either

Thought I'd share that with the forum here. Looks like look those shipping dates at some of retailers were not correct.

Thanks for the update, Paul. I believe BMD’s expectations at NAB2025 were shipping in July which likely means shipping to their dealers which would imply customers receiving cameras in the July-August timeframe. The first release could be intentionally small as BMD waits for customer feedback to ensure there are no ‘serious’ problems reported with the camera and firmware. I expect full production release would begin in September.

I know it’s a long wait, but that would still be quicker than some new camera releases. At least the Pyxis 6K is available and that may have been revelatory helping ease the release of the Pyxis 12K. There could also be further work being done so that the full release includes new or improved performance over the previously published features. That could be a ‘good’ delay in the big picture that might ease the pain of the unexpected tariff hit. Forever the optimist, eh?

I’d suspect that there is some important testing that needs to happen with implementation of the 12K sensor in the PYXIS body. I also believe Blackmagic said the internals are different. And thus, it’s not a simple matter of changing sensor and instantly having a shipping unit ready.

Rollout will likely be small at first because of this. The thermals of the camera may need to be tested to ensure it can handle the heat generated from the sensor’s higher resolution.

The URSA Cine 12K gets quite hot. It does have more power draw needs. However, I’m sure that the sensor needs ample power as well outside of the many screens of the URSA Cine body. Thus my thought is that the PYXIS thermals need to be adjusted for the different sensor.

Let’s see how Blackmagic does hitting the July announced date. The Tariffs may be another burden that hasn’t been accounted for yet. I suspect any June dates put out by resellers is overly optimistic. Purchasers should expect July like Blackmagic initially said.


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I’d suspect that there is some important testing that needs to happen with implementation of the 12K sensor in the PYXIS body. I also believe Blackmagic said the internals are different. And thus, it’s not a simple matter of changing sensor and instantly having a shipping unit ready.

Rollout will likely be small at first because of this. The thermals of the camera may need to be tested to ensure it can handle the heat generated from the sensor’s higher resolution.

The URSA Cine 12K gets quite hot. It does have more power draw needs. However, I’m sure that the sensor needs ample power as well outside of the many screens of the URSA Cine body. Thus my thought is that the PYXIS thermals need to be adjusted for the different sensor.

Let’s see how Blackmagic does hitting the July announced date. The Tariffs may be another burden that hasn’t been accounted for yet. I suspect any June dates put out by resellers is overly optimistic. Purchasers should expect July like Blackmagic initially said.


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the good thing, is that the Pyxis (6k) body is really strong and feels very durable. So whatever adjustments they are making for the 12k sensor, the body feels robust enough to support it, IMO.

Adam I would even go a step further as to say that the Pyxis body was very likely already designed with the 12K sensor in mind. Which is why the body seems comparatively chunky for a 6K sensor compared to the 6kFF.

@Tim wouldn't this kind of testing occur prior to the announcement of a product? Something as basic as power draw would have to be considered in an early design stage already. And in terms of thermal management - the camera seems to have roughly half the processing power judging by frame rates and readout speeds compared the Cine 12K and one screen less in a similar designed body, so should be more manageable than the Ursa?

I think a lot of what is reasonably going on right now (and could cause a delay) is that Blackmagic might be exchanging certain parts in order to avoid additional tariffs. The Pyxis 6K shipping at the moment almost certainly does not contain the same parts it did when it shipped at launch - they are continuously changing parts to respond to all kinds of supply issues. Blackmagic addresses those "manufacturing improvements" frequently in their firmware and might be what caused the issues with CFexpress cards recently.

On an EVEN MORE IN THE FUTURE note...people are already talking about/hoping for a Pyxis 12k g2 or Ursa Mini Pro 12k LF

Do you guys think there is any likelihood of either of these coming to fruition?

We pre-ordered the Pyxis 12k and it would be a bit frustrating for that to happen...of course I know there is a precedent/history of this happening, and we can't wait forever for a camera that may or may not happen...

On an EVEN MORE IN THE FUTURE note...people are already talking about/hoping for a Pyxis 12k g2 or Ursa Mini Pro 12k LF

Do you guys think there is any likelihood of either of these coming to fruition?

We pre-ordered the Pyxis 12k and it would be a bit frustrating for that to happen...of course I know there is a precedent/history of this happening, and we can't wait forever for a camera that may or may not happen...

Nope. I don't think we will, in all honesty. I think an Ursa Mini 12k LF won't happen. And we can only get so much hardware shoved into the Pyxis.
So my hope would be a URSA Cine 12k LF Lite, or something that just strips the side monitor and allows more mounting options. But even then, engineers/BMD would just say, "turn the screen off, ya dummy."

I would also ad, that they have invested a lot of component add-ons for the Pyxis body for their broadcast line. So I think the next round of cameras will be a refresh of the Ursa Mini Broadcast G2.

I think we already have the URSA Mini 12K LF or URSA Mini Cine 12K LF and it is called Pyxis 12K LF.