I guessed RED's 2/3" SCARLET was dead, and now it's confirmed. RED just announced the SCARLET-X, which more than backs up their claim that they were bringing a Bazooka to tonight's knife fight with Canon. The SCARLET X is not the low-cost "3K for $3K" SCARLET announced years ago, but is instead the interchangeable lens camera formerly known as the EPIC-S, and it looks like an amazing deal. It is very, very close to being the same Camera as the $28,000 EPIC-X -- it's the same size and weight, has the same large sensor, takes the same accessories, and maxes out at the same 5K resolution -- except the SCARLET-X starts at under $10K. Canon C300, we hardly knew ye.
The SCARLET X will do 5K resolution at 12 FPS (for still shooting), 4K at 1-25FPS, 2K at 60FPS, 1K at 120FPS, and also does Quad HD (which is popular for downsampling to 1080P since it's precisely double the resolution in both dimensions). It uses REDCODE RAW at 50MB/sec (which is 440 megabits/sec), comes with a side SSD slot, Canon lens mount, and will ship December 1st. Pricing will be $9,750 for the Canon mount version and $11,250 w/ a PL mount lens (and the mounts are interchangeable).
Here's the breakdown of the ordering options at present:
There's also supposed to be a $15k PL mount package, but I haven't spotted it yet. If, like me, you want one, you can place a deposit at the link below (if their site is working, that is...).
Links:
Also, given REDUSER is down, if you can't access this FAQ, here are the contents for now:
The Bomb Squad will be buried for the next week or so… so please expect delays. We would encourage you to read the FAQs (we will update) and try and resist the temptation to call in unless you have a question that we can't answer here.
When will Scarlet-X begin shipping?
Dec 1st, 2011 for Scarlet with aluminum mount. Orders for Scarlet with a Ti PL mount will ship earlier. Add $1500.
Are there any considerations or discounted packages for RED ONE owners on Scarlet-X?
No. RED ONE owners have special consideration for EPIC upgrades only.
How can you offer Scarlet-X at this price when EPIC is so much more?
Data rates and processing power. ASICs that weren't fast enough for EPIC… just became a gold mine for Scarlet. This, and board component reduction, allows us to lower the data rate throughput and significantly reduce our costs over volume.
Why can't I shoot 24fps 4K HDRx?
Data rates and processing power. We are working on a future version of HDRx with modified compression to enable this possibility. It will be a firmware upgrade and free.
Can Scarlet-X be upgraded to the new Dragon sensor when it is released?
Yes. However the upgrade will be more expensive than upgrading an EPIC due to the necessity to change several primary boards. There will still be data rate limitations to Scarlet after the upgrade as compared with EPIC.
When will the Dragon sensor upgrade be available?
2nd half of 2012.
Will I be able to get RED Armor extended warranty for SCARLET-X?
Yes, RED Armor will be available for SCARLET-X for $1500.
Will firmware upgrades be free for Scarlet-X as they are for EPIC?
Yes.
Does Scarlet have the same native dynamic range as EPIC?
Yes.
Will all features be enabled in Scarlet-X when it ships?
No. We will continue to add features as time goes on, some of which were never expected. Scarlet-X feature additions and improvements will happen simultaneously with EPIC.
Will there be a different REDCINE-X Professional for Scarlet?
No. REDCINE-X Professional works both EPIC and Scarlet-X files seemlessly.
Will all EPIC Modules work on Scarlet-X?
Yes.
Are there any modules that are specifically for Scarlet-X?
No. EPIC and Scarlet share exactly the same accessories.
Since Scarlet-X has a lower data rate, does it burn less power and have greater battery life?
Yes. More than slight and less than a lot.
Does Scarlet-X have the same user-interface as EPIC?
Yes. They are brother and sister.
Is the side SSD module on Scarlet the same as the one on Epic?
Yes.
Will the Ti PL Mount and Ti Canon Mount work on Scarlet?
Yes. All mounts for EPIC work with Scarlet. Everything in the EPIC/Scarlet system is interchangeable.
Can I upgrade to the Ti Canon mount or Ti PL mount instead of buying the Aluminum Canon mount?
Yes. You just pay the difference in price. And it will not hold up your order. Actually, it will ship 1st because we have a supply of Ti PL mounts.
Will anything be is short supply when I order my Scarlet?
Yes. Side Handles, REDmote and EVF. Any delay in Scarlet is most likely to be caused by the Canon aluminum mount.
When will you get production of all parts up to reasonable levels?
February. We have spent a ton of energy to get out of back order status. The team has targeted February as the "end of pain" month.
How much does Scarlet weigh?
Exactly the same as EPIC.
Will Scarlet have Playback enabled?
Yes. Playback is being released before shipping.
[image via @DanielxHicks]
