Compact 1080p EFP cam

[Hrvoje Simic]

Does Red company have any aspirations towards developing a compact 1080p camera for documentaries, sports and other tv projects,
or the goal is strictly set on producing the best cinema camera ?

-1/2" sensor,
-1080p,
-Redcode Raw,
-only internal recording to flash memory,
-the size (with lens) of HVX-200/HVR-Z1
-$ 8-10k price range...

When there's no need to carry around the 4k beast, a smaller brother would really come in handy.

[Steve Gibby]

Over the last 15 months that has been brought up several times on RED forums. Though it would be a real cool camera as you describe, my instinct is telling me that RED probably won't produce a camera like that. The 1/2" sensor 1080p market niche has a lot of cameras already. I think the camera you described is a cool idea but I'm not sure RED would ever make a move like that...

[Stuart English]

Given that the size of RED ONE is smaller than most ENG / EFP cameras, there is already an option of using a 2/3" B4 mount, or Super 16 mm lens and shooting 2K RAW.

At 2K, "on-board" flash memory such as CF or Express Card or SATA would provide enough storage time to make a fast turnaround ENG workflow work pretty well, and minimize the weight and size of the RED ONE for full mobility EFP applications.

[Steve Gibby]

All good points Stuart - and exactly what many of us are planning to do when it comes to mobile EFP shooting.

I was focusing in on Omen's 1/2" sensor suggestion in my response...

[tj williams]

Stuart

How much time can I expect to get per gig on the latest windowed RGB 1080/720P?

can I get time on reasonably priced cards compared to current tape ie HDcam 40min? to make this competitive with other ENG cameras?

On another posting I suggested RED Cine render 480 Would it be possible to shoot RGB 480 and retire my BetacamSp???

[Hrvoje Simic]

Thanks for the response, guys.

Gibby, disregard the exact sensor size - I wanted to stress the difference between Mysterium and this sensor, and the 2/3" variant would have larger pixel size, and by that 1080p picture quality too similar to Mysterium's (offcourse, without 35mm DOF).

Stuart, I'm aware of the options you mentioned, the point was on the extra portability, price and added automated options used for dynamic shooting, such as extreme sports.
For example, I will probably use RED ONE for a TV project which really doesn't need RED ONE (altough highly welcomes it, as a lot of keying will be involved), just because I don't want to spend $$ for usual 2/3" cams (after being spoiled by RED's price), and I want to avoid the 1/3" model's crappy low light sensitivity or HDV artifacts.

The idea was - when RED company reaches the level where it is able to produce wide variety of video capture devices, how about aiming for the "lower range" ruler also ?

I know many people brought this up before, and that's exactly what could give you a picture of potential sales profit of this camera.

And yeah, people please don't take this as not being satisfied with RED ONE. This is a whole different subject.

[Steve Gibby]

Omen,

If I hear you right, you're suggesting a follow-up companion camera to RED One, targeted at the market below RED One - a camera with a new 2/3" CMOS sensor, interchangeable lenses, shooting in REDCODE RGB 1080p and 720p (maybe also new 1080p REDCODE RAW), and smaller than RED One. It would be specifically targeted at the run 'n gun EFP/ENG market, be affordable, and use established NLE systems.

There is a niche for such a camera - one that is Wavelet-based, and doesn't suffer from the drawbacks of MPEG2 and DCT. Will someone eventually fill that niche? I'd say yes. Will it be RED with a camera like you described? I'd say who knows. Will RED One be able to do effective run 'n gun EFP/ENG when kept small, using Flash, and with lighweight accessories? I'd say a definite yes.

[Hrvoje Simic]

Heard right, nicely put and nothing to add to that.

[Milan Nikolic]

I second Omen Gibby!

[Mark Thorpe]

OK, here goes, this is just how uneducated I am

RED = OK, got that one.
EFP = ?
ENG = ?

Seeing as I started pointing cameras at underwater objects a few years back I only ever really kept my head busy with what I was / continue to do. What exactly are EFP and ENG? I understand they are a certain type of filming / workload intensive production genres but can someone give the real definitions?

Thanks,
Mark.