nofilmschool » redscarletx

RED EPIC DRAGON & SCARLET DRAGON Specs, Upgrade Pricing, Warranty Information, and Price Drops

Joe Marine — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 05:29:38 +0000

As we await the first footage from the DRAGON sensor (we’ve already been given some still images, but nothing was shown at NAB 2013), upgrades are already happening. Some of the first cameras to be upgraded, EPIC-Ms, were given the royal treatment right on the NAB floor where RED set up a clean room to give attendees a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes of what goes into camera upgrades. It was definitely one of the more spectacular displays of just how far the company has come since their first appearance at NAB 2006. We know RED is upgrading sensors for current EPIC and SCARLET owners, but what exactly will this cost, and might it actually be more cost-effective to sell your camera and buy DRAGON brand new? Click through for specs and a complete analysis on all prices. (more…)

RED Solves EPIC and SCARLET Fan Noise Issues, Also Introducing New Fans at NAB

Joe Marine — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 22:08:44 +0000

The RED EPIC and SCARLET cameras are impressive feats of engineering when you consider what’s been squeezed into such a tiny package, but the downside to the small size is that internal heat can become an issue. When the camera is in danger of overheating, the fans ramp up to a much higher speed, which some have referred to as sounding like a “hair dryer” or “vacuum cleaner.” It doesn’t take an audio engineer to understand that this could be a problem on set, and it’s quite easy for a take to be ruined by the fans. Well, all of these issues are about to be history as it looks like RED has solved the problem. (more…)

Will 6K with RED Dragon Mean Unmanageable File Sizes? Plus, New RED Rocket Card in Development

Joe Marine — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 00:36:12 +0000

While companies like Sony and Canon are just starting to offer their first affordable 4K cameras, RED is forging ahead to even higher resolutions. 5K is so 2012. Thanks to RED we’re about to get 6K. But it’s not all about resolution, we’re also getting other improvements with their new Dragon sensor, including better sensitivity and more dynamic range (Dragon will likely surpass the best 35mm film stocks with the latter). With all of these advancements comes a potential data headache for any working professional — what are we going to do with all of this data? RED and Sony both work in compressed RAW formats, but 4K compressed RAW is still a lot of data, and 5K pushes that even further. How will we deal with 6K RAW? According to CEO Jim Jannard, that’s where the power of RED’s wavelet codec comes into play. (more…)

RED Dragon Indeed: First 6K 2000 ISO Images from New Sensor Unveiled

Joe Marine — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 20:07:08 +0000

Jannard and Co. have been quiet for a while now except for the occasional firmware update. When the guys at RED aren’t talking with users on their forum into the wee hours of the morning, there is a sure bet that something is brewing. We got our first image of the spectacular dynamic range of the sensor (which looks to be well over 14 stops), and now Jarred Land has posted some of the first still images taken from 6K (6000 x 3000 pixels) 86fps footage. (more…)

Why is the RED SCARLET Four Times the Cost of a Canon 5D Mark III?

Joe Marine — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 19:58:02 +0000

We already know what the Canon 5D Mark III can do, and there’s a good bet you’ve seen plenty of RED SCARLET videos online, but why such a cost difference between the two? Obviously one only shoots 1080p in H.264 but can be pushed quite a bit in lower light, and one can go all the way up to 4K at 24fps in RAW, but its ISO can’t be pushed quite as far. What if the stuff you’re shooting is just going to the web, do you really need all that extra resolution and detail? Will it make a difference in the end? Check out a test below from Robureau comparing the two cameras visually. (more…)

RED SCARLET Named PDN's Video Camera of the Year, What Will Happen in 2013?

Joe Marine — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 15:50:39 +0000

While PDN (Photo District News) is an excellent source of photography related information, they have only just begun dabbling in high-end digital cinema. They just recently finished off their list of ‘Photo Gear of the Year,’ and on that list happens to be the RED SCARLET — which was actually introduced in November 2011 but didn’t start finding its way into the hands of users until December 2011 and well into 2012. It’s an interesting choice, for sure, but I’m sure part of it has to do with cost (it’s still half the price of EPIC), and the other part is that you can pull great still images from the video. (more…)

RED Dragon Unleashes Its First Image, and SCARLET Camera Gets an Upgrade Path

Joe Marine — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 06:52:29 +0000

It may be 2013 in many places around the world already, but it probably feels like a whole bunch of holidays wrapped into one over at RED. The company has been somewhat quiet about their Dragon sensor over the last few months, but thanks to the CEO Jim Jannard we’ve been getting details here and there throughout 2012 about the sensor. It’s claimed that it will be able to achieve over 15 stops of dynamic range, and they are trying to back up that claim with a dynamic range chart showing what appears to be that, and possibly more. (more…)

Purchasing a Digital Cinema Camera Package: a Complete Guide from Ryan E. Walters

Guest Author — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 11:51:09 +0000

Things are moving fast in the world of digital cinema. Just a few years ago DSLRs were about the only affordable way to get a cinema quality image, but now we’ve got plenty of camera options under $20,000 that would have cost well over $100,000 just five years ago. We’ve already shared with you a rather comprehensive RED buying guide, and now we have a wonderful digital cinema buying guide from Ryan E. Walters. He covers everything you need to know about putting together a camera package, and gives personal experience about the package he is planning to put together.

This is a guest post by Cinematographer Ryan E. Walters. (more…)

5 Reasons Why I Bought a RED SCARLET, and Why It May (Or May Not) Be the Right Camera for You

Joe Marine — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 15:12:48 +0000

One NoFilmSchool writer happens to own a RED SCARLET. Now there are two. Ryan already discussed his purchase back in November last year, so if you came here from Twitter or somewhere else and you’re confused why this post is happening a year after he bought one…well…this is your answer. Back when RED had their one-time-only Battle-Tested SCARLET deal, I pulled the trigger, and have not looked back since. This post isn’t an attempt to enrage DSLR users or DIYers, or encourage RED-haters — because I’ve used and owned every brand that exists (Canon, Nikon, Sony, Panasonic, etc.) and I can find positives and negatives about all of them. As a writer for a website with a very diverse audience, however, I thought I had an obligation to explain why I made such a major monetary decision. (more…)

Enter the Shot on RED Film Festival, Winner Receives a RED SCARLET Camera Package

Joe Marine — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 23:10:04 +0000

So you’ve shot a film on RED but you want to actually project that movie for an audience in 4K? With so few films actually being distributed in 4K, aside from renting out a 4K theater, what’s a filmmaker to do? Well, RED is answering that question with their own film festival, which will include both shorts and features from independent productions. The festival will be free to enter, but the deadline is approaching quickly, so you probably won’t have time to shoot something just for the festival if you haven’t done so already — though you can submit films that have already played at other festivals. Click through to read all of the details about the festival. (more…)

REDMAG SSD Cards Will Have a Dramatic Price Drop Very Soon

Joe Marine — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 03:10:17 +0000

RED just recently announced a significant firmware update, and in what will surely be music to the ears of many, according to Jarred Land of RED, the costs for their raw stock of SSDs has gone down dramatically. Therefore they will be lowering the prices across the board for REDMAGs. Since RED uses proprietary firmware and housings with their drives (unlike say Blackmagic with their Cinema Camera), the only choice EPIC and SCARLET owners have is to use RED-branded media. But when are they coming and how much will the price drop be? (more…)

Coming Soon: a RED SCARLET Micro-Short

Ryan Koo — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 18:27:59 +0000

I shared my first impressions of SCARLET-X #00072 but hadn’t yet had a chance to put the camera through its paces properly. I wanted to do a real-world shoot instead of a simple test, so I sketched out a one-page scenario and got together with DP Timur Civan, co-director Raafi Rivero, and actor Harlan Short to put together a rooftop short. Because of holiday commitments it might take us a bit of time to put together, so in the meantime here are some brief thoughts and images from the shoot: (more…)

RED EPIC-X Now Available for Ordering, SCARLET-X Increasing in Price by $2K

Ryan Koo — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:53:29 +0000

RED has finally opened up ordering for the EPIC-X (until now, it was only available for RED ONE owners). Also, as previously mentioned, RED will be raising prices on a number of items starting January 1st, 2012 — including the SCARLET. Here’s how the prices are changing. (more…)