WOODSTOCK, Ill.—Other World Computing will unveil two new Thunderbolt 5 solutions at the 2026 IBC Show, Sept. 11-14 at the RAI Amsterdam. The new additions include OWC Thunderbolt 5 Dock with Dual HDMI, and the Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C) Cable now available in a 1.5-meter length.

With the OWC Thunderbolt 5 Dock with Dual HDMI one connection provides the displays, storage performance, networking, power, and connectivity of an enterprise-class desktop workstation, without the need for a pile of adapters and workarounds. Its key features include:

• Two HDMI 2.1 ports built right in. Any monitor that has HDMI plugs directly into the dock with zero compatibility guesswork;
• Single Thunderbolt 5 connection delivers dual displays, wired networking, storage, card readers, and full laptop charging simultaneously;
• 140W Power Delivery: Keeps MacBook Pros and high-performance Windows laptops fully charged at peak performance while running the entire connected setup;
• Front USB-C port delivers up to 30W of charging;
• Downstream Thunderbolt 5 port runs external SSDs and RAID arrays at full rated speed;
• 2.5GbE delivers the throughput needed for NAS workflows, large file transfers, and secure corporate environments;
• UHS-II SD and microSD slots let photographers and video editors offload footage without a separate card reader;
• Supports dual HDMI displays at up to 4K 240Hz or dual 8K 60Hz with DSC on Thunderbolt 5 hosts. A third display is possible via Thunderbolt or USB-C;
• Compatible with Thunderbolt 5, Thunderbolt 4, USB4, USB-C, and Thunderbolt 3 (Mac) hosts across Mac and Windows environments;
• OWC Innergize Enabled: A complete health, performance, and field update management app when using OWC Atlas SD memory cards with the dock's SD memory card reader;
• Supports both horizontal and vertical desk placement, and
• OWC Dock Ejector unmounts every connected drive in a single click. On macOS, an included driver also enables Apple Super Drive support through the dock.

“Thunderbolt 5 gives you tremendous performance and capability. The real question is what you do with it,” said Larry O’Connor, Founder and CEO, OWC. “With the OWC Thunderbolt 5 Dock with Dual HDMI your laptop is no longer the compromise. One connection gives you the displays, storage performance, networking, power, and connectivity of a serious desktop workstation – without the pile of adapters and workarounds. We didn’t set out to build another Thunderbolt 5 dock. We set out to build the one professionals will measure the others against.”

O’Connor added, “This addition to our dock line-up is a result of customer feedback. Our goal is to continue to ensure our customers always have a choice when it comes to picking the solution(s) that best meet their individual desktop/workflow requirements."

Key features for OWC Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C) Cables, now available in a 1.5-meter length include:

• Since it's 100% USB-C compatible, it connects to current, future as well as older Macs, PCs, iPads, Chromebooks, Surface, and other devices with a Thunderbolt 5, Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3, USB4, or USB-C port;
• Up to 80Gbps of bidirectional data speed and up to 120Gbps for higher display bandwidth needs;
• Connects to millions of docks, displays, eGPUs, PCIe expansion, external SSDs, RAID storage, and accessories;
• Lab-certified to safely deliver up to 240W to charge the most power-hungry notebook computer;
• Connects to the latest and future Thunderbolt, USB-C, and DisplayPort displays for incredible 4K, 5K, 6K, and up to three 8K displays, and
• Three-Year OWC Limited Warranty.

The OWC Thunderbolt 5 Dock with Dual HDMI will be generally available (GA) in November and priced at $349.99. The Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C) Cable in a 1.5-meter length availability is planned for the middle of October and will be priced at $58.99.

OWC will demo the new additions at Stand 7.A60 during IBC 2026. For more information, visit www.owc.com

This problem is like playing a broken record. The USB Promoter Group improves the USB-C computer standard, but at the same time adds more unresolved confusion to the lack of cable labeling. You’d think by now they could get it right!

I know…you’ve heard this all before. But it is astounding that the USB governing body can’t seem to solve this problem. It is not a complex engineering issue, but a simple communications issue.

Of course, USB has come a long way since its humble beginning in the 1990s. Everyone agrees on that. Data transfer rates have increased dramatically, allowing users to run dozens of peripherals. The small reversible USB-C connector was a good choice. For the most part, USB-C has been a good standard. 

Which is Which?
The problem is not the USB-C technology or the physical connector—it’s the idea that the standard is universal. As any computer user now knows, USB-C is not plug and play. It is hard to tell which cable is which and the cables are not identified. After all this time, the problem is still not being solved and about to get worse with the introduction of USB4, Version 2.

The USB4 v2.0 specification enables up to 80 Gbps of data performance over the USB-C cable and connector and is designed to unify the USB and Intel Thunderbolt standards. Updates are also being made for higher available bandwidth for USB 3.2, DisplayPort and PCI Express (PCIe) data. All of the new specification updates are expected to be published in advance of a developer conference planned for November.

“Once again following USB tradition, this updated USB4 specification doubles data performance to deliver higher levels of functionality to the USB Type-C ecosystem,” said Brad Saunders, USB Promoter Group chairman. “Solutions seeing the most benefit from this speed enhancement include higher-performance displays, storage and USB-based hubs and docks.”

Here’s the gotcha. To get the promised 80 Gbps speed, users again need an active cable. There are no markings for the human eye to determine if a USB-C cable is capable of USB 2.0, USB 3.0, USB 3.1, USB 3.2, USB4 or USB4 v2.0 speeds. This lack of labeling ranges from 480 Mbps to 80 Gbps. When we look at the rat’s nest of cables many of us have stuffed away in a drawer over the years, how will we know what cable does what?

Throw into this confusing mix the relatively new 240W charging maximum for USB-C. It still needs a cable explicitly rated for the specific application. Forget being able to figure out what speed or how much power a cable can carry by simply eyeballing it. Most cables won’t be labeled.

When speed, Thunderbolt vs. USB, active vs. passive and charging capability are considered, there are about 60 different combinations of USB-C cable. This is ridiculous and overwhelming!

Voluntary Mandate?
The idea that end users have no idea what a USB cable is capable of is absurd—it’s not that the UBS standards group hasn’t tried to correct the problem. The USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) attempted to force labeling on cables and accessories. In 2021, it created a system of logos in its “Certified USB Logo Program.” The group wanted to “voluntarily” mandate labels on USB-C cabling. 

Of course, no one is enforcing anything. In the real world, there are virtually no labels. All we see are periodic Thunderbolt icons, which still don’t say whether a cable is active or passive. And there is nothing about charging power. Again, it is the “Wild West” as to guessing what a cable is capable of handling.

The technical standards of USB-C are
not the problem. It is truly amazing that with all this technical genius, no one has come up with a standardized and enforceable way of communicating what a cable is capable of. 

As for now, the problem will continue. Users will still have to guess what a cable can do. It will be hit and miss. How many of us have used the wrong cable for an application and been stumped when it won’t work? I know I have. The problem is mind-bendingly annoying. 

Some users have purchased a cable tester and their own labels to determine what a USB-C cable does and then manually label it. Without this, a cluster of old cables becomes a minefield of problems.

Sadly, USB4 v2 is going to make things worse. It looks like we are going to have to live with this problem for years to come. It is all so unnecessary. 

Confession—I had a one week loaner of the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K. After tearfully returning it to Blackmagic, I ordered one.

Measuring 7x3.4x3.8 inches, the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K isn’t exactly a camera that can fit into your pocket, but at a $1,295 price point you also don’t need to dig deep. No piece of equipment is perfect, but the Pocket 4K is an ideal price/performance device that has applications ranging from low budget to high production value projects.

Since the original $995 Blackmagic Pocket Camera, BMD has been under consumer pressure to create a comparable device for the 4K world. Hence, I suppose, the Pocket nomenclature was retained. Actually, the camera felt to me much more like a small medium-format camera from still film photography days. But weighing under 13 ounces without battery or lens, the camera is exceptionally easy to handle and suitable for smaller gimbals.

THE DETAILS

Let’s just start with some specs. The camera brain centers around a 18.96 x 10mm four-thirds sensor with an active MFT mount. The mount is fixed but a whole host of adapters could allow the camera to be used with a wide variety of optics. The sensor is a dual ISO 400 and ISO 3200 and can record up to ISO 25,600. Recording to either a CFast or SD card, it can capture up to 4K DCI resolution with 13 stops of dynamic range. Depending upon the lens, it can operate in fully automatic or manual modes. It can record up to 60fps in 4K DCI or 120fps in a windowed HD format.

While there are no video inputs for recording from other devices, for audio it offers a mini-XLR with phantom power as well as a 3.5mm stereo input. Headphone output is also via a 3.5mm connector but playback can also be monitored through a built-in speaker. Audio is analog only. The built-in stereo mic system can also be selected via audio input menu.

A useful feature is a USB-C port which, with a compatible external drive (Blackmagic lists certified drives and memory cards on its website) can power both the drive and record all available video formats. This provides more recording time for example, for RAW files than a CFast card at a lower cost per gigabyte than the expensive CFast memory.

Recording formats include:

• CinemaDNG RAW with uncompressed, 3:1 or 4:1 ratios

• ProRes 422HQ

• ProRes422

• ProRes Lite

• ProRes Proxy

It can record straight Rec 709 video (called “Video” by BMD) or Log (called “Film”). The rear 1920x1080 resolution monitor can display either recorded signal or apply a LUT for Rec 709 viewing. Blackmagic also includes an “Extended Film” gamma, which achieves maximum dynamic range.

DaVinci Resolve Studio (a $299 value) comes bundled with the camera not only to make it even a greater bargain but also to facilitate working with the files. Resolve’s built-in Film or Extended Film LUTs make a good starting point for grading LOG footage shot in camera while Resolve 15 and greater takes advantage of BMD’s latest color science. I personally find that latest color science particularly pleasing to the eye, especially on flesh tones.

The camera is powered by Canon LP-E6 batteries and it is here that shooting the camera alone provides some weakness. It can deliver around an hour of 24p shooting but I find in real world applications I wouldn’t count on it beyond 50 minutes and even less for 60p. It could of course be operated via AC if available but most likely an operator would need an external power supply.

STILL CAMERA VIDEOGRAPHY

That leads me to a more general comment about mirrorless or still-camera style videography. Most likely operators will need a rig. While there are numerous third-party cages, bases, mounts, power supplies, battery plates, monitors, etc on the market, it does mean that your small pocket camera requires a kit that could cost several times the cost of the camera and may even be more cumbersome to shoot than conventional-format dedicated video camera. And because the Pocket Camera4K has no built-in ND, many shooters may need to opt for fixed or variable ND filters over the lens. I don’t like variable ND filters and the vast difference in price and quality of these filters may cause artifacting or color shifts.

Whenever my camera arrives, I personally intend to keep the kit to a minimum with some kind of external battery, but mostly use it on a small gimbal such as a Zhiyun Crane or DJI Ronin-S.

I tested the camera with the Panasonic Lumix Vario-Elmarit 12-60mm f/2.8-4. This compact zoom offers internal stabilization and is lightweight. The Blackmagic folks expressed a preference to me of the Olympus zoom, but the only MFT lens I owned is the Panasonic/Leica.

Like all Blackmagic cameras, the touchscreen menu system is straightforward, fast and easy to move between setups. I find the ability to enter user metadata for scene and take info to be invaluable.

The USB-C connection to an external drive didn’t give me a problem but being a user accustomed to locking BNC connections, I am suspect of all non-locking connectors. Third-party cages can provide additional connection security. It did record CinemaDNG flawlessly to the external SSD but I never exceeded 60 seconds or so in a test take.

I have tended to shoot Blackmagic Cameras in the CinemaDNG 3:1 RAW format. CinemaDNG files are large but with this modest compression, 4K DCI or UHD footage to my eye barely shows artifacting. Blackmagic has indicated that they hope to bring their BMD RAW formats to the Pocket. Currently only available on the Ursa Mini 4.6K Pro, BMD RAW is a native format with files smaller than ProRes but with all of the flexibility of shooting and grading RAW files. Certainly the availability of BMD RAW will add even greater value to the Pocket.

The dual-ISO sensor of this camera makes it a low-light champion. Once over ISO 1250, the sensor switches to its native ISO 3200 mode. That means that an image shot at, say ISO 1500, is cleaner than an image shot at ISO 1000. This helps greatly in the positioning of this camera in the marketplace as I’ll describe.

The audio pre-amps are clean and recording through the built-in mics is well, what you would expect from any built-in microphone system. For street video and lightweight operation the built-in mics are decent enough.

I find the image from the camera and the Lumix lens pleasant. Manual focus is a bit tough to nail with this lens and despite the peaking features on the camera, so many of my test images seemed a bit soft. This could be the result of the lens but more extensive testing with an assortment of glass is called for in order to determine sharpness. And, as always, the acceptability of an image is based upon individual preferences, target project and often just the whim of a producer. For my application of web delivery, images from this camera-lens combo are perfectly acceptable (when I nailed focus).

CAN FIND A NICHE EVERYWHERE

But the real question here is target market and the usefulness of the camera to TV Technology readers.

I would not hesitate to use this camera for any level of web delivery. With an external battery to extend shooting time and a USB-C drive to extend recording times, it is an ideal reality-TV camera (whether for web or broadcast). Throw it on a gimbal with an appropriately lightweight lens and it can get the shot in tight spaces and easily follow the action. It can easily cut together with other cameras and be a B or C camera in a higher-budget shoot. I’d even send it out in the field with reporters for interviews or action-following formats.

Let’s keep the perspective when looking at this camera. I have heard far too many niggling comments of “it feels too plastic-ky” or it doesn’t offer ProRes 4444 or why doesn’t it have video inputs. The fact here is that for $1,295 including DaVinci Resolve Studio, Blackmagic has delivered a camera which can find a niche everywhere from individual web shooter to broadcast production to ENG to promos to big-screen cinema. It is lightweight, versatile, can be used alone or with a massive kit that dwarfs the camera, shot on gimbal, tripod, monopod or handheld and with a dual-ISO sensor for all kinds of lighting conditions, to popular formats and with 13 stops of dynamic range.

It is a tool well-worth considering for just about any content creator.

Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 4K

www.blackmagicdesign.com

$1295

Pros: Compact and lightweight. Dual-ISO Micro four-thirds sensor. Sharp built-in screen. Records to SFast, SD or USB-C devices. Powerful but simple menu system

Cons: Internal battery insufficient. Most likely requires a rig. No video input. Mini audio XLR input.

Summary: A remarkable value in a camera with application across the spectrum of production, equally at home with the solo web creator, a broadcast outlet or a cinematic shoot.