MUTINY is showing the Spark Power IO at Cine Gear 2026, an expansion module built specifically for the Pixboom Spark high-speed cinema camera. The module adds timecode, Genlock, R/S, tally, UART, and multiple power outputs to a camera that ships with those capabilities listed as pending firmware and hardware, making it a practical necessity for anyone running the Spark in a professional production environment.
The Camera It’s Built For
For those unfamiliar with the Pixboom Spark, it is a compact Super 35mm high-speed cinema camera that drew significant attention when it was announced, winning our Newsshooter’s Best of Show at NAB 2025. The impressive specification is 4K at 1000 fps using Pixboom’s own RAW recording solution, with no RAM buffer limitations. Unlike traditional high-speed cameras that are constrained to a few seconds of buffer before requiring a dump, the Spark records continuously to a removable 2.5TB Pixboom Pro Card via a 20Gbps connection, limited only by storage capacity.
The sensor is a 14.2MP Super 35mm BSI global shutter CMOS measuring 25.34 x 16.90mm. BSI (back-side-illuminated) construction gives it a light-gathering advantage over comparable global-shutter sensors, with 13 stops of dynamic range and dual native ISO. The body is a compact aluminum alloy unibody measuring 108 × 110 × 130mm and weighing under 1.1kg, with a built-in V-lock battery interface, a 3.5-inch 6.22 million-dot touchscreen, 12G-SDI, HDMI 2.0, and a 9-pin EXT port. The camera ships with interchangeable mounts in E, EF, or PL configurations and is priced at $13,999, including the Pro Card and one mount adapter.
The catch is that several of the Spark’s professional I/O features — Genlock, Linear Timecode, and GPIO through the 9-pin EXT port — are listed on Pixboom’s own spec sheet as under development, pending future firmware updates and an upcoming I/O expansion accessory. That expansion accessory is what MUTINY has built.
What the Spark Power IO Adds
The MUTINY Spark Power IO connects to the Spark via its 9-pin accessory port and adds a comprehensive set of professional connections and power outputs that the camera body alone does not currently provide. MUTINY developed it on the same platform as their KX-IO module for the RED Komodo X, bringing that proven architecture to the Pixboom ecosystem.
The module features a built-in record button and a red tally LED, both of which are practically useful when the camera is positioned away from the operator. Battery plates are user-interchangeable between V-mount and Gold mount, so the module can drop into existing power workflows without forcing a plate change on the whole rig.
On the power side, the module runs a 6-amp total resettable digital fuse covering the two main-body 2-pin 0B connectors and the Fischer 3 R/S output, with a red LED indicator that trips when the fuse limit is reached. The battery plate’s D-Tap and 2-pin outputs sit outside the fuse circuit and are unregulated, with shortened positive pins on the D-Tap connectors so that ground always connects before positive. An anti-battery-drain switch lets operators leave everything connected without draining the battery.
Specifications
Connectivity:
- 1x Fischer 3 R/S with power (11–16.4V, 6A total)
- 1x 9-pin 0B EXT accessory passthrough port
- 1x 5-pin 0B Timecode / Genlock combo port (Ambient style)
- 1x BNC Genlock
- 1x 4-pin 00B UART/GPO port (future expansion and communications)
- 1x 5-pin 0B DC input/battery hot-swap port
- 2x Unregulated 2-pin 0B power connectors (main body, fused at 6A total)
Protection:
- 6A total resettable digital fuse with red LED indicator covering 2-pin 0B connectors and Fischer 3
- Anti-battery drain switch
Additional features:
- Built-in record button
- Built-in red tally LED
- SMBUS battery data passthrough (V-mount only, with compatible batteries)
- 9-pin built-in cable for camera connection (production version will have a longer cable than the prototype)
- User-interchangeable V-mount / Gold mount battery plates
V-Mount Battery Plate:
- 2x unregulated D-Tap power ports (offset orientation, shortened positive pins)
- 1x unregulated 2-pin 0B power port
Gold Mount Battery Plate:
- 1x unregulated D-Tap power port (shortened positive pin)
- 1x unregulated 2-pin 0B power port
Pixboom Spark Specifications (for reference)
- Sensor: 14.2MP Super 35mm BSI CMOS, Global Shutter
- Sensor size: 25.34 × 16.90mm (diagonal: 30.46mm)
- Dynamic range: 13 stops
- ISO: Dual Native
- Recording format: Pixboom RAW (unlimited, no RAM buffer limit)
- Max data rate: Up to 10 GB/s via Pixboom Pro Card
- Frame rates:
- 670 fps at 4.6K Open Gate 3:2 (4608 × 3072)
- 887 fps at 4K 16:9 (4096 × 2304)
- 1,171 fps at 4K 2.37:1 (4096 × 1728)
- 1,724 fps at 2K 16:9 (2048 × 1152)
- 2,182 fps at 2K 2.37:1 (2048 × 864)
- Up to 15,000 fps via custom ROI
- Lens mounts: Interchangeable E, EF, PL
- Outputs: 12G-SDI (4K), HDMI 2.0 (4K), 3.5″ touchscreen
- Storage: Pixboom Pro Card 2.5TB, 20Gbps export via USB-C
- Battery: Integrated V-lock
- DC input: 15–24V via 5-pin DC-IN
- Body: Aluminum alloy, 108 × 110 × 130mm, <1.1kg
- Screen: 3.5-inch, 6.22M-dot 16:9 touchscreen
- Remote control: Wi-Fi (dual band 2.4/5GHz), USB-C, 9-pin EXT
Pricing and Availability
The MUTINY Spark Power IO is available to pre-order now for $850 USD at Mutiny. store.
The Pixboom Spark is priced at $13,999 and includes the camera, Pixboom Pro Card 2.5TB, and one lens mount adapter (E, EF, or PL). Additional Pixboom Pro Cards are $2,799, and additional mount adapters are $599 each. The first batch is scheduled to ship in July 2026.
