DJI Unveils Super 35 Drone Camera, the Zenmuse X7

DJI has introduced the Zenmuse X7, what the company calls the world’s first Super 35 digital film camera optimized for professional aerial cinematography.

Designed to work with the DJI Inspire 2 drone, the Zenmuse X7 offers interchangeable lenses and a new DJI Cinema Color System (DCCS) for post-production to give filmmakers more creative freedom, the company says.

The Zenmuse X7 is equipped with a Super 35 video sensor featuring 14 stops of dynamic range for more detail in low-light conditions. Its low-noise image capture enhances grading flexibility by preserving details in both high-light and dark areas while enabling a shallow cinematic depth of field, explains DJI.

The product is capable of shooting 6K CinemaDNG RAW or 5.2K Apple ProRes at up to 30 FPS, as well as 3.9K CinemaDNG RAW or 2.7K ProRes at up to 59.94 FPS – integrating into industry-standard post-production workflows.

The Zenmuse X7 uses a dedicated aerial mount system, the DJI DL-Mount, featuring an ultra-short flange focal distance to carry prime lenses optimally, says DJI. Available with focal lengths of 16 mm, 24 mm, 35 mm and 50 mm, each lens has a maximum aperture of F/2.8 and is crafted out of carbon fiber, making it durable but lightweight.

To allow for advanced setting adjustment and fine-tuning, the 16 mm lens is equipped with a built-in ND 4 filter; in addition, the 24 mm, 35 mm and 50 mm lenses feature a mechanical shutter.

The DCCS features a new D-Log Curve and D-Gamut RGB color space to give more flexibility and color options during the post-production process. The D-Log further extends the dynamic range, while the D-Gamut RGB color space preserves more color information.

Furthermore, according to DJI, a new EI Mode mimics the way a film camera works in order to help cinematographers capture as much information as possible in every scene while balancing the dynamic range and noise with different log curves for more flexibility during the post-production process.

The Zenmuse X7 gimbal system weighs 631 grams with the 16 mm lens. The DJI Inspire 2 has a flight time of up to 23 minutes with the new camera.

The Zenmuse X7 camera is priced at $2,699. The 16 mm, 24 mm and 35 mm lenses will be available for $1,299 each, and the 50 mm will be $1,199. Customers can also purchase the Zenmuse X7 prime lens combo, including all four lenses, for $4,299. The Zenmuse X7 will start shipping in early November from store.dji.com, in DJI Flagship Stores and through DJI authorized dealers worldwide.