The Blackmagic-Design UltraStudio Express is a capture and playback device that supports resolutions up to 1080p30. It captures saved footage or a live feed from a camera and passes it to your computer in formats ready to be edited. It can also up/down/cross convert the resolution of the footage as the footage is being passed to the computer. The third function of the Express is HDMI monitoring — you can connect a top-quality HDMI monitor and monitor the footage you captured in the best resolution possible so to perform color correction in minute precision.

UltraStudio Express features built-in SD/HD SDI, HDMI and Thunderbolt connections. It comes with two breakout cables via which it expands to composite, component, S-Video, RCA audio, AES/EBU audio on XLRs, sync input, genlock for bi and tri-level sync, and RS422 connections. Connection to a camera would be by SDI or HDMI where possible and to a computer by Thunderbolt.