RED's Komodo cinema camera will cost $6,000. $7K if you want a custom color.
RED seems to be shipping its 6K Komodo cinema camera based on Jarred Land's social media activity. In a recent post, Land confirms that Komodo will cost approximately $6,000, and for those who want to step outside the traditional black digs, custom hues are available for $7K.
On May 12, RED reopened its doors and began processing orders. By the end of the week, Land started offering shooters eager to get their hands on the camera an opportunity to order one directly via email.
"Now that our factory is back in action...albeit severely anemic with the new protocols, we can slowly start making Komodos again. it’s [sic] a really, really slow train now so it’s gonna take a while to get enough of our troops back to start making enough volume to blast out to dealers and the world but the good news is to pass that time and keep our skeleton crew busy, in 2 weeks I’m gonna start selling some crazy colored Komodos to my friends and anyone else who wants to be a little “different”. Super limited low quantities. Will make just a handful per week till the stormtroopers are ready. Email me if your [sic] interested."
Two days later, Land posted to Instagram saying that the first batch of custom colors have sold out immediately. According to Land, RED plans to "get through this first round and do this all over again the week after we ship the week one batch." The first round is expected to be delivered by June. The second round of pre-orders will take place shortly after.
RED has been slowly releasing information about Komodo over the last 10 months but hasn't provided the full specs of the camera. Land says those specs "won’t come until the camera is official when the normal black ones ship." Those jumping on the pre-order are receiving beta units that will most likely receive a software update when the camera officially launches.
For those who bought the RED Hydrogen One, a discount will be made available only for the black model of Komodo.
Komodo Specs
- 6K Super 35 27.03 x 14.25mm (6144 x 3240)
- Global Shutter
- Full-sensor up to 6K 40 fps
- 6K WS at 50 fps
- 4K at 60 fps
- 120 fps at 2K
- 12G-SDI output with 2160p at 60 fps
- R3D files (REDCODE RAW)
- 3.5mm microphone/headphone
- No XLR
- CFast cards, not dual
- Wireless video module
- Touchscreen Display
- Phase Detection Autofocus
- Canon RF mount
- Size: 4″ x 4″ (10.16 cm x 10.16 cm)
- Weight: 2lbs (900g) approx.
When comparing Komodo to the current RED lineup, it's a bargain based on price alone.
- Monstro 8K VV (40.96 x 21.60mm) - $54,500
- Helium 8K S35 (29.90 x 15.77mm) - $24,500
- Gemini 5K S35 (30.72 x 18mm) - $19,500
- Dragon-X 6K S35 (30.7 x 15.8mm) - $14,950
- Komodo S35 (27.03 x 14.25mm) - $6,000 approx.
This will be the first time RED has offered a camera below a $10K price tag. Even with the lower price, it faces some competition from Blackmagic Design, Canon, Kinefinity, Panasonic, and Z CAM, who all offer a 6K camera that costs even less.
What are your thoughts on the Komodo? Did you order one? Let us know in the comments below.
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Your Comment
16 Comments
Hitchcock, Wells, Kubrick are rolling in there graves, how image capturing devices became "cheap, hi quality, mobile", I think now even on a large theater screen a professional wouldn't notice the difference between a RED, BMC or an ALEXA if it was well exposed and through a good pipeline, and that was proven almost ten years ago...Would die to see Hitchcock's reaction to a Komodo or a bmpcc put in his hand, would love to see what he'll do with it
May 20, 2020 at 1:50PM, Edited May 20, 1:53PM
Hitch would have ADORED the digital revolution, especially when it comes to CGI. He was constantly experimenting with new and different motion picture quality systems, from Vistavision to 3D. I imagine his work would be similar to that of Iñarritu or Cuaron - freed from the encumberances of a ginormous camera limited by physical space, he'd really let loose. Welles too - it would finally be cheap enough for him to get what he needed to make his work without a studio system, and people would see it - he'd be doing stuff similar to Soderbergh, making movies on his own terms with cheap equipment and getting Netflix deals and alternative distribution ideas.
I imagine Kubrick would probably be more of a camera purist (he used the outdated Mitchell BNC camera throughout his career and eschewed widescreen ratios because they didn't use the entire amount of available film stock), but who knows? Maybe he'd be like Steve Yedlin, Rian Johnson's cinematographer, whose extremely deep analysis of film vs digital is Kubrickian in its attention to detail and mastery of the technological process. Kubrick might have consulted with someone like Yedlin and then ordered custom digital cameras from a company like Red, much like Fincher did for The Social Network. Kubrick probably would have enjoyed having high speed internet and an editing workstation and dubstage in his home since he hated to travel. I also think some of the new Mandalorian/Unreal Engine virtual location tech would have been very appealing to Kubrick, who used rear projection with similar results in 2001. And he would have LOVED gimbals the same way he loved the Steadicam when it premiered. It would have been very interesting to see them all do stuff with these tools.
May 20, 2020 at 3:53PM, Edited May 20, 3:54PM
>I imagine Kubrick would probably be more of a camera purist (he >used the outdated Mitchell BNC camera throughout his career and >eschewed widescreen ratios because they didn't use the entire >amount of available film stock), but who knows?
- Kubrick was not a career long Mitchell BNC user. He used a Mitchell NC on his early films like Fear and Desire, KIller's Kiss, because at that time the NC was the only reasonably silent and portable 35mm camera available in the USA. NC stands for News Camera and at 40 lbs for the body and another 20-40lbs for the motor it was their 'lightweight' model. A blimped BNC clocks in at almost 100 lbs and would have been completely impractical for his first few low budget films. I know this because I own a Mitchell NC and passed on purchasing a BNC, because it was impractically big for actual shooting. Mitchell cameras dominated the US market, until Panavision came along in the late 1950's. In the beginning Panavision cameras were modified Mitchell NC-R and BNCR cameras. The DNA of current Panavision cameras traces its roots all the way back to the Mitchell movement.
- Kubrick switched to Arriflex once he moved to Europe in the late1950's (Paths of Glory). His favorite camera was the very hand holdable Arri IIc that was a MOS camera and needed to be housed in a blimp for sync sound shooting. From the 70's forward he shot with Arri BL models and later the 535 series. These were silent cameras, although the BL 1 needed a small blimp over the lens. That went away with the BL2 and subsequent models. The 535 is dead silent and still in use.
- Kubrick shot wide screen specialty formats from early on in his career.
Spartacus which was shot in Super Technirama 70 (anamorphic) and distributed on 35 and 70mm prints.
2001: a space odyssey was shot on Super Panavision 70 (65mm) for Cinerama (see Cinerama Dome in Hollywood). Release was in 35mm/70mm prints
May 22, 2020 at 9:20AM, Edited May 22, 10:04AM
I'm very excited to see what it's like when fully released. It is amazing what film makers have access to these days. Keep in mind that the people are what make a film good or bad. Not a camera. A Komodo will not make a better film than a 5D MK2. It is just one of many tools to help tell a story.
May 20, 2020 at 3:17PM
"This will be the first time RED has offered a camera below a $10K price tag."
This isn't true. Both the Raven and Scarlet M-X bodies sold < $10K.
https://nofilmschool.com/2015/09/red-raven-official-6000-4k-120fps-2k-24...
https://nofilmschool.com/2011/11/red-announces-scarlet-camera-shoots-5k
May 21, 2020 at 10:21AM
Did I miss something, what camera did Canon release that shoots 6k for for less than ~$6k?
May 21, 2020 at 10:30AM
My assumption is the R5 that will most likely coming out around the same time.The leaked price I saw for the R5 was $6700 but as you stated its has not been released so none yet.
May 21, 2020 at 11:52AM
Thank you Sam,
I looked up the R5. It's a mirrorless camera, not a cinema camera.
May 27, 2020 at 1:29PM
Red allowing for CFast cards means I would put on my list of potential investment but I'd still rather buy a "film" camera.
May 21, 2020 at 10:31AM
It will be interesting to see how out-of-the-box shootable it is at $6000.
In the past it took a lot of additional accessories aka $$$ to make a RED shoot ready, which drove up the price considerably.
May 22, 2020 at 10:12AM
Around $800 more or less depending on cards, adapter, and if it comes with a battery.
May 25, 2020 at 11:41AM
considering no screen....not very.....? lol
September 13, 2020 at 10:40PM
I would rather get a Z Cam 6K instead of this bloated mess.
May 22, 2020 at 10:20AM
RED's Komodo cinema camera will cost $6,000. $7K if you want a custom color.
July 19, 2020 at 8:16PM
Dynamic range?
July 20, 2020 at 8:52AM
Seems to be on par with the Helium sensor, incredibly enough. Phil Holland posted some footage from his beta Komodo on reduser. Just google Komodo dynamic range.
July 22, 2020 at 3:27AM