Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K Gains ProRes RAW in Camera 9.8 Update

Firmware Update

by Nino LeitnerSeptember 10^th, 2025

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Blackmagic Design has released Camera 9.8, a public beta update that introduces Apple ProRes RAW recording to the Pocket Cinema Camera 4K. This move significantly expands the capabilities of the widely used entry-level cinema camera and directly connects with the ProRes RAW support recently introduced in DaVinci Resolve 20.2.

For years, Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K owners have relied on internal Blackmagic RAW or ProRes 422 recording options. While these formats remain powerful, the new addition of ProRes RAW provides filmmakers with greater flexibility and higher efficiency in postproduction, particularly for color grading and effects workflows. The integration means users can now capture in ProRes RAW and immediately take advantage of native playback and editing inside DaVinci Resolve 20.2, which was updated earlier this week with full ProRes RAW support.

A major expansion for Pocket Cinema Camera 4K

The Pocket Cinema Camera 4K has long been positioned as an affordable, compact entry point into professional digital filmmaking. Its Micro Four Thirds mount, high dynamic range, and compact design have made it a popular choice for independent filmmakers, documentary shooters, and educators. With Camera 9.8, this camera now steps into workflows previously reserved for more advanced systems.

Blackmagic emphasizes that this is not just another codec option but a significant expansion of creative freedom. As Grant Petty, CEO of Blackmagic Design, highlighted in the announcement, customers who previously recorded in ProRes 422 can now record ProRes RAW, unlocking higher image fidelity and direct compatibility with Resolve’s RAW pipeline.

Seamless workflow with DaVinci Resolve

Earlier today, we covered the DaVinci Resolve 20.2 update, which introduced immersive EXR workflows and, most importantly, ProRes RAW playback and editing. That update was the foundation for today’s announcement, ensuring that Resolve users can natively handle ProRes RAW files from the Pocket Cinema Camera 4K without conversion.

By tying these two updates together, Blackmagic is positioning Resolve and its cameras as a unified ecosystem, bridging acquisition and postproduction with free software updates.

Availability

Blackmagic Camera 9.8 is available now as a free public beta download from the Blackmagic Design support website. DaVinci Resolve 20.2 is also available as a free update for existing users of DaVinci Resolve and Resolve Studio .

The addition of ProRes RAW further extends the life and relevance of the Pocket Cinema Camera 4K, a model that continues to find new audiences years after its original release.

Do you see yourself using ProRes RAW on the Pocket Cinema Camera 4K, or do you prefer sticking with Blackmagic RAW for your productions?