AJA Cion Camera

So following BlackMagic Desings lead, AJA has jumped full force into the Camera creation game with their new CION.

This is a 4K ENG style Camera with only PL lens mounts (unlike BlackMagic having Canon EF Lens models) and even without a viewfinder (except a small LED on the left side). I will cost $8955, and doesn’t even have a viewfinder, but can use industry standard ones, and rails and batteries. You will need to get AJA storage though, as it uses yet unpriced AJA Pak SSD drives and a USB 3 Dock for them, unlike the BlackMagic which uses CFast 2.0 Media.

It does seem to be more a standard size and use more industry standard accessories than BlackMagic, and has a higher resolution recording capabilities, even without a replaceable sensor.

We will have to wait and see image quality, but this 4K APS-C sensor camera is certainly going to give BlackMagic a run for it’s money.

HDSLR Shooter compares AJA Cion to the BlackMagic Ursa

Jesse Peppin at HDSLR Shooter has a great look at the new AJA Cion vs the BlackMagic Ursa, and he likes the AJA better overall, at least for his purposes.

Overall it sounds like the AJA is a little more Pro, with the ability to record above ProRES HQ in ProRES 4444 (even with the URSA’s upgradeable sensor). Still with no viewfinder you either need a bigger investment or to already have rails and other gear to go with it.

And the worst thing of the Cion, other than not having a viewfinder of it’s own, is that is uses AJA created storage, unlike Blackmagic which uses off the shelf components. Of course hopefully you can then trust them more, but they will cost more.

He is right though, this looks to be the Canon/Nikon of the Videography set.