SHENZHEN, CHINA—If you’re going to be taking video from the sky, DJI thinks it makes sense to have a camera that is specifically designed for that type of filming. The drone and aerial imaging manufacturer has announced the Zenmuse X7 Super 35 digital film camera meant for professional aerial cinematography. The camera is designed to work with DJI’s Inspire 2 drone and features interchangeable lenses and a new DJI Cinema Color System for post-production.
The Zenmuse X7 is equipped with a Super 35 video sensor featuring 14 stops of dynamic range for use in low-light conditions. It low-noise image capture enhances grading flexibility and enables a shallow cinematic depth of field. The camera is capable of shooting 6K CinemaDNG RAW or 5.2K Apple ProRes at up to 30fps, as well as 3.9K CinemaDNG RAW or 2.7K ProRes at up to 59.94fps.
DJI has developed a dedicated aerial mount system, the DJI D-Mount, for the Zenmuse X7 that features an ultra-short flange focal distance to carry prime lenses optimally. Available lenses include focal lengths of 16mm, 24mm, 35mm and 50mm, with each lens having a maximum aperture of F/2.8 and are crafted out of carbon fiber. The 16mm lens has a built-in ND 4 filter, while the 24mm, 35mm and 50mm lenses have a mechanical shutter.
Also part of the camera is DJI’s new DJI Cinema Color System. DCCS features a new D-Log Curve and D-Gamut RGB color space to give more flexibility and color options during post-production. The D-Log expands the dynamic range, while the D-Gamut preserves more color information. There is an EI mode that mimics a film camera to capture more information while balancing the dynamic range and noise with different log curves.
The DJI Inspire 2 drone can have a flight time of up to 23 minutes when using the Zenmuse X7.
DJI will start shipping the Zenmuse X7 in November. The camera with all four lenses will be available for $4,299. The camera alone is priced at $2,699, while the 16mm, 24mm and 35mm lenses will be offered for $1,299 each and the 50mm will be available for $1,199.
