Red one and wildlife cinematography thread?

[Lauri Kettunen]

... the 16:9 mode verses the 2:1. Doesn't that create problems in post flow?

Decided to stick on the 2:1 format once ran into "codec error" problems with the 16:9 mode. When shooting with wide angle lenses, small apertures, and if the image involves a lot of details, the codec fails for some reason in 16:9 mode. Never had the same problem with 2:1 format.

What comes to Denis' question of experiences, I would sum up Red One in wildlife filming as follows:

Pro
-Excellent image quality
-Versatile system that can be adapted and modified to many needs
-4 audio channels
-High speed modes

Con (as now with build 15)
-Weigth
-Power consumption
-Bit long booting up time
-Slightly instable system implying the camera may occasionally be whimsical like all computers.

However, as all the specs may change, the new builds may include a sleep mode, and in addition, the slight instability may disappear with software updates.

[Mark Thorpe]

Good idea to get a wildlife thread going. How about suggesting this in the REDUser User Groups Section?? Just a thought.

As for wildlife I would imagine this camera would be best suited for managed shots in controlled environments, aquarium, holding pens etc etc. When Scarlet comes out it would make mre sense given the form factor to have that as a field camera and incorporate the footage in the final project.

Cheers,
Mark.

[Denis Buhot]

Good idea to get a wildlife thread going. How about suggesting this in the REDUser User Groups Section?? Just a thought.

As for wildlife I would imagine this camera would be best suited for managed shots in controlled environments, aquarium, holding pens etc etc. When Scarlet comes out it would make mre sense given the form factor to have that as a field camera and incorporate the footage in the final project.

Cheers,
Mark.

What about interchangeable lenses ? We have to be able to use focal lengths up to 600 or 800 mm, ESPECIALLY in uncontrolled environments and when it comes to shy/dangerous species. Sleep mode and badly protected connectors left aside (true limitations...) , why do you thing real wild environments should rule out the red one ? Crew size ? Anything else ?

[Steve Gibby]

Our crews are in Alaska all Spring, Summer, and Fall using several REDs in uncontrolled and controlled circumstances. Using RED ONE in the field for wildlife production takes planning and forethought - and there are some workarounds. For real mobile wildlife work, physical fitness is also critical. We hike all around boats and on land with heavy loads, setup, shoot, then move to other locations. Being in good physical shape really helps.

We use RED ONE in both controlled and uncontrolled environments. The images are stellar, so IMO the extra work is well worth it.

[Lauri Kettunen]

We use RED ONE in both controlled and uncontrolled environments. The images are stellar, so IMO the extra work is well worth it.

Agree, I also use the camera in uncontrolled environments. It works better than any other camera I've used, thanks to the large dynamic range.

[Denis Buhot]

For real mobile wildlife work, physical fitness is also critical. We hike all around boats and on land with heavy loads, setup, shoot, then move to other locations. Being in good physical shape really helps.

Yes, it helps a lot... BTW, how do you go around the boot-up time/no sleep mode issue ? Does your typical work not require waiting for hours with camera on, just to capture one specific shot (some wildlife shots really don't) ? Or do you just hike with 8-10 batteries, or an anton-bauer huge, 11 kg, 6hr duration new thing.. it looks hardly possible for one single person with food and the rest of the gear...
Any issue regarding the workflow ? Specific solutions to adress our kind of needs. Any answer much appreciated !

[Lauri Kettunen]

Or do you just hike with 8-10 batteries, or an anton-bauer huge, 11 kg, 6hr duration new thing.. it looks hardly possible for one single person with food and the rest of the gear...

When I stay 24 hours in a hide filming birds I need 4 to 6 Red bricks (batteries) and still, I use the batteries sparingly. This gives me 6-8 hours of operating time running the camera. Whether one is recording or not does not make a big difference. The Red lithium bricks has a very high energy/mass ratio, which is higher than that of NiMH batteries. So, it's difficult to reduce the mass by a choice of some other batteries.

Carrying the camera, batteries, tripod, accessories, and audio equipment by a single person at once is next to impossible. So,as Steve says, it takes some planning to manage with the system. But, at least for me, the image quality counterbalances all the trouble. I'm also looking forward to see what Scarlet will be all about. As it stands now, it seems Red One and Scarlet will be a very good combo for wildlife shooting.

Finaly, Epic will be lighter than Red One. But nothing has so far been said about the power requirements. Neither have heard any news whether one could install a Canon EF or Nikon mount on Epic.

[Mark Thorpe]

What about interchangeable lenses ? We have to be able to use focal lengths up to 600 or 800 mm, ESPECIALLY in uncontrolled environments and when it comes to shy/dangerous species. Sleep mode and badly protected connectors left aside (true limitations...) , why do you thing real wild environments should rule out the red one ? Crew size ? Anything else ?

I'm sure eventually someone will develop an adapter to be able to use third party lenses as they have done for the Z1, HVX200 and others, Until then it bears true what Gibby said regarding physical condition. I found myself recently running around African bush country and even though I was 12 years military and since then have worked extensively underwater and kept myself pretty darned trim, that was a tad challenging. Not impossible but not something someone without conditioning could expect to do straight off the bat.

Cheers,
Mark.

[Meryem Ersoz]

Carrying the camera, batteries, tripod, accessories, and audio equipment by a single person at once is next to impossible. So,as Steve says, it takes some planning to manage with the system.

This is true...the weight carried versus distance traveled is always a conundrum. Now, more than ever, with RED.

And Lauri's list doesn't even mention the laptop, the CF card reader, etc. Tape has some advantages with this style of shooting. You can really rack up the weight fast with batteries and RED drives.

I just bought a small cart for my RED gear and used it for the first time today. I haven't got the system thoroughly dialed yet, but it worked pretty well. If I strap my tripod snugly into it, then I can be more mobile, and there's also enough room in it to keep the laptop off the ground and downloading CF cards while I shoot. This cart allows me to shoot a lot of images solo and wrangle the data on-site.

I'm going to try to invent a harness system for it, so I can hands-free it, while towing the load. It's not even about fitness -- I simply don't have anywhere to put all the supporting accessories....my backpack is absolutely stuffed to the gills, and there's still more to bring along!

Having the cart makes it a lot easier to move all the stuff around, to get multiple angles on shots, which can be a challenge. I found that if I laid everything out on the ground, then I'd have to run my camera and tripod over to the new angle, than run back, and pick up the stuff off the ground and do a secondary carry to the new location--otherwise, you have to break everything down, to move it all at one time. With this cart, I can keep everything self-contained and move it all at the same time.

It can't be used for all applications, because there are places that I will go that the cart cannot, but I took it for its first run, to shoot a kayaking competition. And it worked out pretty well -- I have several modifications in mind after the first outing. But I was able to drag it along some narrow woodsy paths with no problems.

I've been fantasizing about the WILD-POD, my ultimate outdoor gear-moving machine....I'll have to invent it, though.

[Denis Buhot]

[QUOTE
I've been fantasizing about the WILD-POD, my ultimate outdoor gear-moving machine....I'll have to invent it, though.[/QUOTE]

Let us know as soon as your dream come true... and thanks for sharing dreams and experience. That won't work in montaneous ground, on steep slopes or very rocky environment, though :-). Let's make friends for a little help... Question, anyone ever used newest sigma lenses (300-800, or 800 mm) on the red ? Some have changed nikon 600 for sigma 500, I hear...