Blackmagic Updates its Video Assist and Video Assist 4K

Improving one of the more important features found on the Video Assist 4K

November 3, 2017

Blackmagic Design has updated their Video Assist 4K LCD monitor/recorder. This time they have improved the color reading Vectorscope by adding the much needed 2x and 4x zoom capability within the scope. Blackmagic also updated general performance and stability to both the Video Assist and the Video Assist 4K as well. Now, the Vectorscope along with the other useful exposure tools like Waveform, RGB Parade, and full-screen Histogram are only available with the 7″ LCD screen Video Assist 4K and not in the smaller 5″ LCD screen Video Assist.

2X and 4X Vectorscope Zoom

I have used Blackmagic Design’s Video Assist 4K nearly every day on almost every shoot I face. Once Blackmagic Design added full-screen exposure tools I started to keep the Video Assist 4K nearly permanently attached to whatever camera I am operating, usually the URSA Mini Pro, if it makes sense for the shoot.

If there was one change I wanted it was with the Vectorscope. Until this firmware update, the Vectorscope on the Blackmagic Video Assist 4K was a little too small to accurately use the tool. The 2x and 4x will be a much-appreciated improvement for my workflow because I tended to ignore the Vectorscope because it was hard to read.

About the Blackmagic Design Video Assist 4K

The Monitor/Recorder features a 7″ 1920 x 1200 display and provides 6G-SDI and HDMI inputs for recording the video from your camera of choice. The Video Assist 4K can record up to UHD 4K at 30p 10-bit 4:2:2 footage onto UHS-II SDHC/XC memory cards. The Video Assist 4K can record footage with either Apple ProRes and Avid DNx codecs. The Video Assist 4K has a useful touchscreen interface allowing you to adjust settings and features quickly. The Monitor/Recorder also has dual battery slots on the rear that power the monitor using Canon LP-E6 type batteries, but I tend to power mine from a P-Tap.