The pro filmmaking world is getting a shake-up this morning as DJI announces the DJI Zenmuse X7. This is the first Super 35 digital film camera optimised for professional aerial cinematography, offering superior image quality, an interchangeable lens system, and a new DJI Cinema Colour System designed specifically for post-production.
It’s designed to work in tandem with the DJI Inspire 2, offering filmmakers a comprehensive all-in-one system for aerial shooting. The Zenmuse X7 and Inspire 2 combo can achieve a maximum flight time of 23 minutes, and its gimbal system weighs just 631 grams when paired with the 16mm lens (more on lenses below).
Let’s dive into these features in more detail…
DJI Zenmuse X7: Super 35 Sensor
Offering 14 stops of dynamic range, the Super 35 sensor on the Zenmuse X7 should be a boon in low-light situations, capturing a great deal of detail in highlights and shadows with relatively little noise, while also allowing for cinematic shallow depth of field.
It’s the highest resolution ever for an integrated drone camera, able to shoot 6K CinemaDNG RAW or 5.2K ProRes at up to 30fps, as well as 3.9K CinemaDNG RAW or 2.7K ProRes at up to 59.94fps.
DJI Zenmuse X7: DL-mount lenses
The DJI Dl-mount is a dedicated aerial lens mount system, with an ultra-short flange focal distance to optimise it for prime lenses. Currently available are a 16mm, 24mm, 35mm and 50mm, all of which carry a maximum aperture of f/2.8. The 16mm as a built-in ND 4 filter, while the others feature a mechanical shutter, and all are constructed from carbon fibre.
DJI Zenmuse X7: Cinema Colour System
The DJI Cinema Colour System (DCCS) makes its debut on the Zenmuse X7, featuring a new D-Log Curve, which further extends the dynamic range, and D-Gamut RGB colour space, which preserves maximum colour information for quick and easy processing. The system is designed to give the user maximum flexibility during the edit.
There’s also a new EI Mode, which mimics a film camera in order to capture as much information as possible while balancing the dynamic range and noise with different log curves.
DJI Zenmuse X7: Price and availability
Camera-only, the Zenmuse X7 will set you back £2,699. The 16mm, 24mm and 35mm lenses all carry a price tag of £1,299, while the 50mm costs £1,199. Alternatively you can get the whole bundle – camera and all four lenses – for £4,299. It’ll start shipping in early November 2017.
See more at DJI’s website.
