Pixboom Spark First Production Unit Rolls Off Assembly Line – Mid-March Shipping Confirmed

Camera News

by Nino LeitnerFebruary 2^nd, 2026

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The crowdfunded high-speed camera startup Pixboom has reached a critical manufacturing milestone with its Spark camera: the first pre-production unit has successfully come off the company’s new assembly line, with 200-300 units expected to be shipping between mid-March and April 2026.

This is significant news for the backers who supported the Spark through its Kickstarter campaign last September. Pixboom has shared unedited video footage and candid photos from the factory floor showing the very first unit being assembled. Unlike the demo units the company has been showcasing at trade shows, this unit was built on the exact production line that will manufacture all customer orders.

The company is now in what it calls the “pre-production phase,” essentially a stress test to verify yield rates and line efficiency before full mass production begins. Pixboom has scheduled a controlled run of 20 units for this initial phase, followed by a second trial run in late February. This careful approach aims to ensure that by the time shipping begins in mid-to-late March, every unit meets the company’s quality standards.

Production timeline and shipping expectations

Pixboom has provided specific numbers for backers eager to know when their cameras will arrive. The company expects to deliver approximately 200-300 units between mid-March and April 2026. Orders will be fulfilled in the sequence they were placed, meaning early Kickstarter backers will receive their cameras first.

For those who ordered after the initial batch allocation, Pixboom says it is still crunching logistics numbers and will provide a clearer schedule in the next update. The company also noted that its factory partners will be taking a break for the Chinese New Year holiday (mid February until early March), so operations will pause briefly before resuming for the final push toward mass production.

Pixboom acknowledges the global supply chain remains challenging but states that everything is currently “green” on their end. The team says it is watching suppliers closely to ensure nothing delays deliveries.

SSD price increase takes effect February 6th

In less welcome news, Pixboom has announced a significant price increase for the Pixboom Pro Card SSD add-on. The price will rise from $1,999 to $2,599, an increase of $600. The new pricing takes effect on Friday, February 6th at 8:00 AM PST.

The company attributes the increase to global SSD shortages affecting component costs. This aligns with the broader memory shortage we reported on late last year, which is expected to impact camera media, workstation RAM, and storage throughout 2026. According to Pixboom, the team absorbed higher costs for as long as possible but can no longer sustain the original pricing. Existing orders are protected, with prices locked in at the original rate. Those considering an SSD add-on have until February 6th to secure the current price.

The Pixboom Pro Card is essential for the Spark’s high-speed recording capabilities. Engineered for sustained write speeds up to 10 GB/s, the proprietary media module enables continuous RAW recording at frame rates up to 2,182 fps. The Pro Card offloads data via USB-C at 20 Gbps without requiring a dedicated reader.

Hands-on opportunities at European trade shows

For those eager to test the Spark in person, Pixboom has announced appearances at two major European trade shows in February. The company is partnering with anamorphic lens manufacturer Atlas Lens Co. for both events.

First up is the Micro Salon AFC in Paris on February 5th and 6th, where Pixboom will be at Booth F4 at the Parc Floral de Paris. The following week, the company will exhibit at BSC Expo in London on February 13th and 14th at Booth 124 at Battersea Evolution. According to Pixboom, these shows will mark the first time the new pilot unit from the pre-production line will be available for public hands-on testing.

The partnership with Atlas Lens Co. makes sense given the Spark’s anamorphic capabilities. The camera supports in-camera de-squeeze for anamorphic lenses, and its open-gate 4.6K 3:2 resolution provides ample pixels for working with 2x squeeze ratios. Atlas produces the Orion Series and Mercury Series anamorphic primes, which have become popular choices for independent and professional productions alike.

Pixboom Spark specifications refresher

For those who may have missed our earlier coverage, the Pixboom Spark is a compact Super 35 high-speed cinema camera with a backside-illuminated global shutter sensor. The camera records compressed RAW to the proprietary Pixboom Pro Card at up to 10 GB/s, eliminating the RAM buffer limitations that plague traditional high-speed systems.

Frame rates range from 670 fps at 4.6K open gate (4608 x 3072 in a 3:2 aspect ratio) up to 2,182 fps at 2K 2.37:1 (2048 x 864). In the more common DCI 4K 16:9 mode (4096 x 2304), the camera achieves 887 fps. Pixboom quotes more than 13 stops of dynamic range and dual native ISO at 400 and 1600.

The machined aluminum body measures 108 x 110 x 130mm and weighs under 1.1 kg without lens mount or media. It integrates a V-mount battery plate and accepts 15-24V DC input. A 3.5-inch, 6.22-million-dot touchscreen provides on-camera monitoring and control. Connectivity includes 12G-SDI (up to 4K60), HDMI 2.0, USB-C, dual-band Wi-Fi, and a 9-pin EXT port for genlock, timecode, and GPIO.

The camera uses an interchangeable electronic mount system with support for Sony E-mount, PL, and EF adapters. Pixboom says the mounts support electronic communication for iris control and metadata.

The journey so far

Pixboom first teased the Spark at NAB 2025, where it won a Best of Show award from Newsshooter. The company then launched its Kickstarter campaign in September 2025 at IBC, offering super-early-bird pricing of $7,999 including a Pro Card. We sat down with Pixboom CTO Dr. Honghoa Huang at the show to discuss the camera’s development, and the resulting interview remains a great deep dive into the technology. The Spark also received a CineD Best-of-Show Award at IBC 2025. The standard Kickstarter price was $8,499, with a planned retail MSRP of $12,999.

We published our hands-on review of a beta unit last October after Gunther Machu took it to India to shoot butterflies and damselflies. The resulting footage became the basis for Gunther’s Goa wildlife documentary, which showcases what the camera can do in challenging field conditions. We also discussed the Spark extensively in Focus Check Episode 87. At that stage, the camera showed approximately 10-11 stops of dynamic range on our lab test, with some beta-specific issues like a faint horizontal line from the sensor’s dual-readout architecture. Pixboom indicated these would be addressed in production units, and we look forward to testing whether that promise holds true once shipping begins.

The high-speed cinema camera market has traditionally been dominated by systems costing many times more than the Spark’s sub-$13,000 retail price. Competitors like the Phantom line require substantial investment and often complex rental arrangements. The Freefly Ember represented a more accessible option, but Pixboom is pushing frame rates and resolution even further at an aggressive price point.

What comes next – Pixboom Spark shipping

With the first pre-production unit complete and 19 more in progress, Pixboom appears to be on track for its mid-March shipping target. The company promises another update in late February once Chinese New Year celebrations conclude and factory operations resume.

For those who missed the Kickstarter campaign, pre-orders are available through Pixboom’s website at the planned retail price of $12,999, which includes the camera body, one Pro Card, and a lens mount adapter of choice (E, PL, or EF). Anyone considering the SSD add-on should act before February 6th to lock in the current $1,999 price before the increase to $2,599.

Are you among the early backers waiting to see if your order lands in the first 200-300 units? Or are you planning to test the Spark at Micro Salon AFC or BSC Expo before committing? Don’t hesitate to let us know in the comments below!