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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Pre-order benefit vs. Buying when released?

NormLi

NormLi

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I feel like I am ready to click the order button but hesitant in doing it because I'm not sure whether it's best to just buy the camera when it is released 1 year from now or pre-order it now? What's the difference in doing that...because if I do it now, a deposit of $2555 USD is required which limits cashflow or builds credit card interest. I'm sure this has been discussed before but I couldn't find anything on it so any insight would be great.

Thanks.
 
you can go either way.. ordering it now just moves you many, many months ahead of joe public. i imagine once the camera starts shipping, the orders will continue to outpace the supply for quite some time.
 
If you get one job in the time between when you get it and you would have gotten it had you not pre-ordered. It should pay off any interest you might have accumulated.

If you don't think it'll make a difference in your income then the interest is effectively entertainment spending and I would look at the deposit the same as buying a big screen TV.
 
im.thatoneguy said:
...and I would look at the deposit the same as buying a big screen TV.
Click to expand...

Hi Norm,

In addition to Gavin's statement above, it should be re-iterated that the deposit is fully refundable at any time. *Edit* Norm, if you have multiple streams of revenue to support the purchase you should do so and learn everything you can about the camera system and apply it to your craft. Nice website, now go get a RED--- especially in your market ;-)

Cheers,

Andrew
 
who cares about pre-order vs this or that.... sheesh.
 
Tom,

I only ask because I wanted to see if there was an advantage at all in pre-ordering now or not compared to just buying the camera as soon as it is released. It's a fair question and I'm not sure about you, but not everyone has the luxury of dishing out wads of cash. :glare:

Hey Jarred, how's it going? It's been a while!
 
It's always prudent to move the high interest credit card charges to a low interest personal loan account at the end of each month. :)

I still think renting is the way to go especially since buying a compete kit will run you over $35K plus taxes and duties. Although it's a foregone conclusion the rental houses with the early RED units will price gouge to what the hungry market will bear.
 
the only real benefit, besides having the camera earlier has already expired. The first group of deposit holders got a credit towards accessories...but alas that has passed.

For me personally, I just didn't want to shoot on lower end formats anymore. The sooner I get this camera, the sooner I can start producing imagery that will lend my reel a little more legitimacy. I have lost jobs because of people who were "worried" that I had too much DV on my reel....
 
I see, so basically the benefit of having it before everyone even if I pre-order it this minute is gone? I would like to have it before it is 'officially' released by mass-production to the public (which should only be a few months after it's pre-orders release?) but if the opportunity to have it earlier is gone since there are already so many pre-orders, then there's no point in dishing out the 10% deposit this early in the game anymore. I hope someone can prove otherwise! :)
 
By the time you get your hands on it there will be 2000 of the suckers out in the field.

I'm assuming (and hoping) rental demand will have calmed down by March of 2008.
 
I see that but I a majority of those won't have full feature sets right? I wouldn't want a camera without all of the features working and paying the same amount for it as someone else who receives their a few months later with full features. Unless I'm missing something?

2000 of them would be spread out across the world though, and a majority of them in the US I'm assuming. I'm sure there's lots in TO and Vancouver here in Canada but I'm not sure 'how many'...wish I knew!
 
NormLi said:
I see that but I a majority of those won't have full feature sets right? I wouldn't want a camera without all of the features working and paying the same amount for it as someone else who receives their a few months later with full features. Unless I'm missing something?

2000 of them would be spread out across the world though, and a majority of them in the US I'm assuming. I'm sure there's lots in TO and Vancouver here in Canada but I'm not sure 'how many'...wish I knew!
Click to expand...

Hi Norm,

If you want to gauge ownership of REDS in these areas I would start w/ the user group area of this forum--- there will be many by the looks of it... Also, feature sets not being fully enabled will not affect you... hell, it will barely affect me... #557 will be 98% enabled last I read and those last features would be RGB... All cameras are both software and hardware up gradeable... all software upgrades are free for the life of the camera per Jannard... Jim would not accept a camera that would come from the factory w/ problems and You will not have to as well (per Jim). I would politely say that you are missing quite a bit of info to make a buying decision... READ Brook's FAQ, go back and read some of Jannard's (or other RED Team members), Gibby's posts... I would be happy just to have a RED right now with RUN/STOP but that's me...

Cheers and good luck Norm,

Andrew
 
Here's another point of view....

Let's say for arguments sake that there are many many people who will order a Red as soon as they ....

1. Hear about it.

2. See that production is in fact rolling out cameras that are without issues.

3. Hear the rave reviews that will follow the 4 Hollywood beta productions.

4. See the actual footage like the PJ short on a big screen.

5. When many of the current reservation holders come up with enough money for more cameras.

6. Hear the results from Gibby's Test.

Etc, etc.

By placing your order now, you may be securing your place in line before as many as thousands of new orders. And all you have to do is risk the cost of a nice dinner.

For the cost of a nice dinner out you can secure your place in line.

The deposit for a red is $1,750.00

If you calculate by the current high yield interest rates... lets say 5% and multiply that by 8 months =

$70.00

The risk is only the interest you would loose on the money that was in your savings.

If you can get in line for the price of a dinner out with your girl? It's seems like no brainer, to me anyway.

If you change your mind after 8 months and cancel your order, you just lost $70.00... Not that big a deal.
 
NormLi said:
I see that but I a majority of those won't have full feature sets right? I wouldn't want a camera without all of the features working and paying the same amount for it as someone else who receives their a few months later with full features. Unless I'm missing something?

2000 of them would be spread out across the world though, and a majority of them in the US I'm assuming. I'm sure there's lots in TO and Vancouver here in Canada but I'm not sure 'how many'...wish I knew!
Click to expand...

Any missing features will be associated with software, not hardware. The camera is designed so that software upgrades will be simple and straightforward, and there will be no charge for the upgrades needed to bring cameras up to full functionality. But persons who order now won't be affected by that because full functionality will be enabled before those who are currently in the latter part of the queue get their cameras.

If you order now, you'll get a delivery date in early 2008. How much later will that delivery date be pushed if you wait until early 2008 to order? No one knows. If there's a buying frenzy once people figure out that the cameras are real, you could be waiting months. That's the gamble you take. For my part, it's not a gamble I would want to make for a few grand, but depends on what your needs are.

Mike
 
Sam Druckerman said:
If you can get in line for the price of a dinner out with your girl? It's seems like no brainer, to me anyway.
Click to expand...

Good point. It's not even a few grand at stake. "No brainer" is the correct term.
 
Sam Druckerman said:
The deposit for a red is $1,750.00

If you calculate by the current high yield interest rates... lets say 5% and multiply that by 8 months =

$70.00
Click to expand...

I'm not sure I entirely agree with that perspective because that $1,750 while invested in a deposit is money that can't be spent on other projects. That could be one more day of kit rental shooting a short etc etc.

Unless of course you aren't anywhere near your credit limits in which case yes it would only be $70 lost.

Still I always get reallllly ancy when people start getting encouraged to just extend their debt further.
 
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