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Turn your Blackmagic PYXIS into a PTZ Head

The Problem​

The Blackmagic PYXIS 6K and PYXIS 12K are full-frame, broadcast-grade cinema cameras — but their full-size body and weight rule out most off-the-shelf PTZ heads. You want remote pan / tilt / zoom with full-frame sensor quality, without committing to a dedicated PTZ system that won't match the look of your other rigs.

The Solution​

Combine three pieces of gear:

  • A Blackmagic PYXIS 6K or PYXIS 12K
  • A DJI RS-series gimbal with an RSA port and enough payload for a full-frame body — RS3 Pro, RS4 Pro, or RS5 recommended
  • An APC-R, APC-R Mini, or APC-R Mini Lite

You now have a remote, network-controllable PTZ rig with a full-frame cinema sensor:

  • Pan / tilt / zoom through the DJI gimbal, smoothly driven by the APC-R
  • Camera control (iris, ISO, WB, focus, REC, color) over Bluetooth or Wired LAN
  • Tally support out of the box on the APC-R Mini

→ Verify gimbal payload and full compatibility in the compatibility section.

Camera control paths​

The PYXIS supports two control paths (it does not support ATEM SDI/HDMI camera control):

  1. Via APC-R (Bluetooth) — Pair the PYXIS to your APC-R / APC-R Mini over Bluetooth using the Middle Setup iOS app. Camera commands then flow from Middle Control or ATEM through the APC-R to the camera over Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
  2. Via Wired LAN — Direct IP control of the PYXIS with Middle Control Pro. (PYXIS firmware 10.0 BETA required.)

→ See the Blackmagic Cameras setup guide for both methods, and the Wireless Control with APC-R guide for the Bluetooth path.

How it works​

  1. Mount the PYXIS on the DJI gimbal — confirm balance and that your gimbal's payload rating covers your camera + lens combination.
  2. Mount the APC-R Mini / APC-R Mini Lite directly on the gimbal's RSA port — or, on the original APC-R, connect via the APC-R Gimbal Adapter or DJI Focus Wheel. See the APC-R Quick Start for setup.
  3. Pair the PYXIS to the APC-R over Bluetooth (Method 1) or connect the PYXIS to your network via Ethernet for direct IP control (Method 2). See Blackmagic Cameras.
  4. Connect the APC-R to your network. Middle Control discovers it automatically.
  5. Drive PTZ + camera control from Middle Control, an ATEM Advanced Panel joystick, a USB gamepad, the Middle Remote, or any VISCA controller.

Who this is for​

  • Studios and broadcasters wanting a true full-frame look on a remote-operated camera position
  • Cinematic live productions (concerts, theatre, fashion) where a fixed PTZ would be too compressed-looking
  • Operators who already own a PYXIS for handheld work and want to redeploy it for remote shots between sessions
  • Productions standardising on Blackmagic that need PTZ flexibility without leaving the BMD ecosystem

→ See the Save & Recall Presets guide to add full preset recall to your setup.

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