Blackmagic Design Video Assist 5" 12G HDR – Recording Monitor

Product Overview

The Blackmagic Design Video Assist 5" 12G-SDI HDR is a portable on-camera recording monitor that adds professional monitoring and high-quality recording to almost any SDI or HDMI camera. Its bright 5" HDR touchscreen handles outdoor and HDR work, with 12G-SDI and HDMI 2.0 supporting all HD, Ultra HD, 2K, and DCI 4K formats up to 2160p60, recorded to a high-speed UHS-II SD card or external drive.

Product Description

The Video Assist 5" 12G HDR records from SDI and HDMI cameras in formats up to 2160p60, including native Blackmagic RAW from supported cameras, with files compatible with HyperDeck disk recorders so it can also serve as a field recorder or clip player. A single high-speed UHS-II SD slot records to SDHC/XC cards, and you can also record to an external drive or configure the unit over the USB-C (3.1 Gen 1) port. The bright HDR touchscreen gives a clear view in sunlight and for HDR digital film.

Monitoring tools include four built-in scopes (waveform, parade, vectorscope, histogram), enhanced focus-assist and focus peaking, frame guides, a tally indicator, and 3D LUTs for preview or applying looks — and the scopes help QA masters against broadcast standards. The design takes two standard Sony L-series batteries so you can hot-swap power without interrupting a recording, making it suited to digital cinema shoots, live-production mastering, and broadcast test and measurement.

Key Features

• 5" HDR touchscreen — Bright display for sunlight and HDR monitoring.
• 12G-SDI and HDMI 2.0 — Records HD, 2K, Ultra HD, and DCI 4K up to 2160p60.
• Blackmagic RAW — Native RAW recording from supported cameras.
• UHS-II SD + external drive — Record to fast SD cards or an external disk.
• Four built-in scopes — Waveform, parade, vectorscope, and histogram.
• Focus assist & 3D LUTs — Peaking, frame guides, tally, and LUT support.
• Dual Sony L-series batteries — Hot-swap power without stopping a recording.
• HyperDeck-compatible files — Use as a field recorder or clip player.

Technical Specifications

FAQ

What can it record from? Almost any SDI or HDMI camera, in HD, 2K, Ultra HD, and DCI 4K up to 2160p60, including Blackmagic RAW from supported cameras.

What media does it record to? A high-speed UHS-II SD card, or an external drive over USB-C.

Can it run continuously on battery? Yes — it takes two Sony L-series batteries so you can hot-swap without interrupting recording.

Does it have scopes? Yes — four built-in scopes (waveform, parade, vectorscope, histogram) for QA against broadcast standards.