At 14.33 inches by 7.18 inches, the Micro Color Panel is about the size of a computer keyboard. It has an iPad Pro mounting slot and connects either via Bluetooth or USB-C. Besides being smaller than Blackmagic’s other color panels, the Micro is also significantly cheaper (The next one up — the Mini Panel — is listed at over $2,000 on Blackmagic’s website). It comes with three weighted trackballs, which the company says will still feel professional. And 12 control knobs can be used to adjust things like shadows, highlights, contrast, and mid-tones.
Blackmagic says that many of the other controls found on the right and left sides of the new panel — like wipe still, cursor, and select — would normally only be found on its larger Mini and Advanced panels. It says it kept many of the controls in the same position as on larger panels, to keep things familiar for editors.
The device is a touch more than half the price of the company’s $895 Micro Panel, which features three weighted trackballs and 12 control knobs, like the new Micro Color Panel, but only connects via USB-C and lacks the iPad slot.
“The old DaVinci Resolve Micro Panel model has been popular with customers wanting a compact grading panel,” said Blackmagic Design CEO Grant Petty, “but we wanted to design an even more portable and affordable solution.” He added that the company will sell localized versions “in multiple languages so you don’t need to learn another language to use it.”
If you happen to be at NAB 2024, Blackmagic says it will be demonstrating the panel at its show booth (#SL5005).
