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Blackmagic

URSA Mini Pro 12K

12K Super 35 cinema camera with interchangeable PL mount and BRAW recording.

$9,995

Released Jul 2020

vs

Sony

FX3

Compact full-frame cinema line camera with S-Cinetone and pro video ergonomics.

$3,899

Released Feb 2021

FX3 is 7 months newer.

Wins

6categories

URSA Mini Pro 12K

WildlifeVideo & Hybrid

Wins

6categories

FX3

Video & HybridPortrait

3 categories tied

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TL;DR — Key differences

URSA Mini Pro 12K wins 2 categories·FX3 wins 3 categories
  • BFX3 has lower AF low-light limit (-6 EV vs 0 EV)
  • BFX3 has higher AF points / zones (627 vs 0)
  • BFX3 has higher AF frame coverage (94 % vs 0 %)
  • AURSA Mini Pro 12K has higher Resolution (80 MP vs 12.1 MP)
  • AURSA Mini Pro 12K has higher Burst (electronic) (30 fps vs 10 fps)

Key specs at a glance

URSA Mini Pro 12KFX3
Resolution80 MP12.1 MP
SensorAPS-CFull Frame
ISO max51,200102,400
Burst30 fps10 fps
4K120 fps120 fps
IBIS8-stop5.5-stop
Weight520 g715 g
Battery520 shots580 shots

Size and weight, to scale

URSA Mini Pro 12K

138 × 98 × 88 mm

520 g (1.15 lb / 18.34 oz)

FX3

130 × 78 × 85 mm

715 g (1.58 lb / 25.22 oz)

URSA Mini Pro 12K is 8mm wider, 20mm taller, and 4mm thicker than FX3.

URSA Mini Pro 12K is 195 g lighter than FX3.

Depth (front-to-back): 88mm URSA Mini Pro 12K · 85mm FX3

Sensor size, to scale

URSA Mini Pro 12K

23.5 × 15.6 mm · APS-C

367 mm² area

FX3

35.6 × 23.8 mm · Full Frame

847 mm² area

2.3× larger sensor area = shallower depth of field and better low-light performance.

Lens ecosystem

Native lens selection

URSA Mini Pro 12K: mount data unavailable

FX3

✓ more lenses

Sony E

350+

native lenses available

80 first-party270 third-party

Counts include current first-party and major third-party native autofocus lenses.

Use-case scoring

Which one for what?

Algorithmic scores from verified specs · 10 = best in class

Use caseURSA Mini Pro 12KFX3
Portrait
7.5Good✓ wins
6.5Good
Sports & Action
7.5Good✓ wins
4.0Fair
Video & Hybrid
9.5Excellent✓ wins
8.0Excellent
Landscape
7.0Good✓ wins
5.5Fair
Travel
7.0Good✓ wins
6.0Good
Wildlife
10.0Excellent✓ wins
5.5Fair
Vlogging
7.0Good✓ wins
5.5Fair

Why pick one over the other

Reasons to choose

URSA Mini Pro 12K

  • Dimensions (W×H×D mm)

    Adds 138, 98, 88

  • Resolution

    80 MP vs 12.1 MP — higher is better

  • Burst (electronic)

    30 fps vs 10 fps — higher is better

  • Subject recognition

    Adds Bird, Vehicle

  • Pre-Capture / Pre-Release

    Only URSA Mini Pro 12K supports it

  • Card types

    Adds CFexpress Type B

  • RAW buffer depth

    200 frames vs 120 frames — higher is better

  • Codecs

    Adds ProRes

Reasons to choose

FX3

  • AF low-light limit

    -6 EV vs 0 EV — lower is better

  • AF points / zones

    627 vs 0 — higher is better

  • AF frame coverage

    94 % vs 0 % — higher is better

  • Dimensions (W×H×D mm)

    Adds 129.7, 77.8, 84.5

  • Codecs

    Adds XAVC HS, XAVC S, XAVC S-I

  • AA filter

    Only FX3 supports it

  • ISO max (native)

    102,400 vs 51,200 — higher is better

  • Card types

    Adds CFexpress Type A

Both cameras share

  • Eye AFBoth support eye af
  • Animal / bird AFBoth support animal / bird af
  • 4K max frame rateBoth 120 fps
  • Max video bit rateBoth 600 Mbps
  • Internal RAW videoBoth support internal raw video
  • In-body stabilizationBoth support in-body stabilization

Pros & cons at a glance

Editorially curated highlights and trade-offs.

URSA Mini Pro 12K

Pros

  • 12K BRAW
  • Pro cinema workflow
  • Interchangeable mount

Cons

  • Very expensive
  • Huge files
  • Not handheld friendly

FX3

Pros

  • Cinema form factor
  • S-Log3 / S-Cinetone
  • Compact for gimbals
  • Full-frame sensor

Cons

  • No EVF
  • Still photo ergonomics limited
  • Single card slot

Full specifications

= category winner

URSA Mini Pro 12K
FX3
Resolution
80 MP6.6× more
12.1 MP
Sensor type
APS-C CMOS
Full Frame Exmor R CMOS
Sensor size
23.5 × 15.6 mm
35.6 × 23.8 mm
AA filter
No
Yes
URSA Mini Pro 12K
FX3
AF system
Manual focus (cinema)
Fast Hybrid AF (phase-detection / contrast-detection)
AF points / zones
0
627
AF frame coverage
0 %
94 %
AF low-light limit
0 EV
-6 EV
Eye AF
Yes
Yes
Animal / bird AF
Yes
Yes
Subject recognition
Human, Animal, Bird, Vehicle
Human, Animal
URSA Mini Pro 12K
FX3
Burst (mechanical)
12 fps+20%
10 fps
Burst (electronic)
30 fps3× more
10 fps
Pre-Capture / Pre-Release
Yes
No
RAW buffer depth
200 frames+67%
120 frames
URSA Mini Pro 12K
FX3
Max resolution
8K / 6K
4K UHD / DCI 4K
4K max frame rate
120 fps
120 fps
Max video bit rate
600 Mbps
600 Mbps
Internal RAW video
Yes
Yes
Log profile
Log profile supported
S-Log3 / HLG / S-Cinetone
Codecs
H.265, H.264, ProRes
XAVC HS, XAVC S, XAVC S-I, H.265, H.264
URSA Mini Pro 12K
FX3
Weight
520 g−195 g less
715 g
Dimensions (W×H×D mm)
138 × 98 × 88 mm
129.7 × 77.8 × 84.5 mm
Weather sealing
Yes
Yes

Frequently asked

Quick answers generated from verified specs.

Which is better for wildlife, URSA Mini Pro 12K or FX3?

URSA Mini Pro 12K scores 10.0/10 versus 5.5/10 for FX3 — 30fps burst captures fleeting moments.

What's the resolution difference between the URSA Mini Pro 12K and FX3?

URSA Mini Pro 12K is 80 MP and FX3 is 12.1 MP, so the URSA Mini Pro 12K captures more detail for cropping and large prints.

Do the URSA Mini Pro 12K and FX3 have in-body image stabilization?

URSA Mini Pro 12K has 8-stop in-body image stabilization, while fX3 has 5.5-stop in-body image stabilization.

Which shoots faster bursts — the URSA Mini Pro 12K or the FX3?

URSA Mini Pro 12K reaches 30 fps electronic. FX3 reaches 10 fps electronic.

What's the weight difference between the URSA Mini Pro 12K and FX3?

URSA Mini Pro 12K weighs 520 g and FX3 weighs 715 g, so the URSA Mini Pro 12K is 195 g lighter.

Do the URSA Mini Pro 12K and FX3 record 4K video?

URSA Mini Pro 12K: 8K / 6K (max), 4K up to 120p. FX3: 4K up to 120p.

Are the URSA Mini Pro 12K and FX3 weather sealed?

URSA Mini Pro 12K: Yes. FX3: Yes.

Which has better battery life?

Rated battery life is 520 shots (CIPA) for the URSA Mini Pro 12K and 580 shots for the FX3, giving the FX3 the edge.

How much does each cost?

URSA Mini Pro 12K launched at $9,995 and FX3 at $3,899. The FX3 is $6,096 less.

Specs sourced from manufacturer data. Use-case scores algorithmically derived. Last reviewed May 2026.