KOMODO....

[Tim Erickson]

Even if Komodo didn't have autofocus at launch, I (at least) would be okay with that. If the PDAF pixels are on the sensor, and Red commits to continue to work on AF with firmware updates, it's a compelling camera for the listed benefits of size/weight, image quality, Redcode, and global shutter. If the camera can grow with me over time, amazing.

Still would love an answer on weather sealing or your general approach there, Jarred?

[Christoffer Glans]

If the PDAF pixels are on the sensor, and Red commits to continue to work on AF with firmware updates, it's a compelling camera

As far as I know, it's sensor-based. But everything hangs on the software and how well it works. The biggest problem is that the cameras ability to hold focus and not lose it during a take will be a dealbreaker to ever using the feature. This is the problem with AF on cinema cameras, because they need to be spot on. There are people buying Sony's instead of Canon just to have slightly better autofocus for shooting, all why both of them have the best AF for shooting so far.

Reliability is the professional's most important feature on cameras. Cheap unreliable gear can give people enough confidence to do small paid gigs, but if someone faces something big, reliability comes first. The AF needs to be reliable, or at least have the hardware capacity that through software updates become reliable. Canon didn't have eye-tracking at the release of Canon R, but got it later through software updates. I hope such things can happen with the Komodo.

[Lee Saxon]

The PDAF is definitely on-sensor. If it weren't there'd have to be a mirror system in there.

[Sareesh Sudhakaran]

Interesting article Sareesh.
You may want to include the 2K @ 120 FPS
as mentioned here:
http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthr...=1#post1892372

Thank you, Gregory. Updated.

[Jaime Vallés]

The next camera I purchase must have excellent auto focus. Right now I have the Canon 1DX Mark II and the Dual Pixel Auto Focus is like magic. It simply works. Sit-down interviews shot at f/2.8 are flawless, with the person's face completely in focus the whole time.

If the 1DX Mark II didn't have a 30 minute video recording limit, it would be perfect. I'm hoping that the Komodo eventually has auto focus as good as Canon's DPAF. If it gets there, I'll buy two of them immediately.

[Bastien Tribalat]

The next camera I purchase must have excellent auto focus. Right now I have the Canon 1DX Mark II and the Dual Pixel Auto Focus is like magic. It simply works. Sit-down interviews shot at f/2.8 are flawless, with the person's face completely in focus the whole time.

If the 1DX Mark II didn't have a 30 minute video recording limit, it would be perfect. I'm hoping that the Komodo eventually has auto focus as good as Canon's DPAF. If it gets there, I'll buy two of them immediately.

Yep. Did exactly that yesterday but with a C300MKII and not even sit down : everyone standing up, I was handheld and it worked perfectly. And that's awesome.
BUT, at launch, as it has been said by Jarred, Komodo's auto-focus will not work as perfectly as that. It won't be continuous either.

[Carlos_Crespo]

I must say that I really appreciate the transparency Jarred has kept in regard to AF. His statements are very coherent. As others, I do hope too that over time and firmware upgrades the AFc will get it spot on, as otherwise if it works 95% it's like not having it. AFc is something that really has to work 100% reliably.

[jordan levy]

The next camera I purchase must have excellent auto focus. Right now I have the Canon 1DX Mark II and the Dual Pixel Auto Focus is like magic. It simply works. Sit-down interviews shot at f/2.8 are flawless, with the person's face completely in focus the whole time.

If the 1DX Mark II didn't have a 30 minute video recording limit, it would be perfect. I'm hoping that the Komodo eventually has auto focus as good as Canon's DPAF. If it gets there, I'll buy two of them immediately.

same.
it's great that Jarred is being transparent about this, i remember when i bought a raven as my first red i owned, AF was advertised, which i quickly learned it really didnt have it. so being open that it wont be functional as a "continuous" or tracking operation will actually tame the number of preorders because i know since canon and sony killed it, especially for one man band and b cameras, interviews, doc style etc...then a lot of people are looking for the komodo to replace that. now they wont have the major expectation of having it, well the ones that have been paying attention wont anyway. also puts my mind at ease that i most likely wont jump on one immediately. but you never know!

[Maz Mawlawi]

I understand that DPAF won't quite be functioning at release time but are you saying that once it works it still won't have face tracking or work as well as the Sony or Canon? I mean if it doesn't come close to that quality then I'm not sure why they would even have DPAF on Komodo. Any clarification on this please?

[Craig Lees]

AF and PDAF is certainly interesting though at the same time...

RF mount is so versatile, you could also buy some awesome vintage glass like speed panchro’s S2 /S3 and get an awesome super experienced guy like Les Bosher in the UK or Jacek Optitek in the US to rehouse them to PL and end up with some really pretty glass that knocks the “sometimes sterile digitalism out of the image” imagery to produce more celluloid looking images in-camera, bake to ProRes via IPP2 , send to the producer / easy to edit video production with lovely clean black levels and move on to the next gig. : )

And damn when you down sample full res to 2k, it gets so clean and beautiful. And rec709 down the sdi pipe for live broadcast etc... just looks so good in camera with these older lenses IMHO.

Though no doubt a new sigma 135 T2 / 85 T1.5 very often can be a good friend too ; )

Horses for courses. Though at the end of the day, Komodo is going to be a fab tool for all I feel going forward. And so tiny!

Craig Lees
UK