An example of innovation that's so simple, nobody thought of it for the longest time

[Karim D. Ghantous]

Using a belt instead of a chain on a bicycle:

https://pin.it/36W90Gy

To be fair though, I bet you that one day, maybe 30 years ago, someone thought that maybe a belt would work better than a chain. And he told his friend. And his friend made up every reason why a belt can't work, and how the chain has withstood the test of time. Reminds you something, doesn't it?

So, what's next in digital camera technology? Or, what's next in silver halide technology? Fun!

 

[Jonathan Keane]

Never rode a bike with a belt, is it actually easier?
Technically isn't it the same? Just metal vs rubber?

I had this thought when the canon r3 came out, 30fps burst mode pictures. Your basically shooting video at that point. I feel like a simple software tweak and maybe a stronger processor you could shoot 12k or 16k resolution with a mirroless camera in the future.

 

[Karim D. Ghantous]

The idea of persistent frame capture in RAW has been proposed over 20 years ago. It even got me thinking if I could use an HD video camera instead of a photographic camera. I use an Olympus E-M1 II which can do 60fps RAW bursts. Not for too long though. Not that I've ever used it.

Red cameras are still too big for that, but one day we will have this feature. It's a matter of when. Although pre-capture is really all we need, which many cameras already have. Persistent capture is icing on the cake.

 

[DJ Meyer]

Belt driven bikes have been available for over a hundred years. They just kind of suck.

 

[Phil Holland]

It even got me thinking if I could use an HD video camera instead of a photographic camera. I use an Olympus E-M1 II which can do 60fps RAW bursts. Not for too long though. Not that I've ever used it.

Red cameras are still too big for that, but one day we will have this feature. It's a matter of when. Although pre-capture is really all we need, which many cameras already have. Persistent capture is icing on the cake.

I find this to be the most interesting sentiment.

Perhaps it's because I've gone from 30lb+ motion picture cameras and 5lb+ still cameras which I often diligently muscled on my own *gasp* with film stock and the required accessories that a comment like this is interesting to me.

Moving into the digital era. Way back when I was going through my Canon 1Ds series, MK II and MK III bodies those all floated around 3lbs+. Then my former Phase One bodies which were in the 5lb range. I felt so free suddenly.

Now with V-Raptor coming in at 4lbs, Komodo less than that. Whelp I travel with two cameras sometimes three in a carry-on case. In a shoulder back or backpack, certainly one body with a host of things needed to keep it running.

The biggest issue now is battery weight and sometimes accessory weight. But also to note, digital motion picture cameras "shouldn't" get too lightweight for professional work. 4-8lbs all in is the sweet spot really rigged and ready to go. 3lbs would be interesting, but can get dicey.

 

[Karim D. Ghantous]

But also to note, digital motion picture cameras "shouldn't" get too lightweight for professional work. 4-8lbs all in is the sweet spot really rigged and ready to go. 3lbs would be interesting, but can get dicey.

But you can just build them up, right? Those batteries are huge. Attach a larger batter pack and, boom, bigger camera!

Devil's advocacy: an operator can have much more freedom of movement with a small camera than a large one. E.g. a GH6 vs an Arriflex.

 

[Zack Birlew]

I think the perfect RED-related example is HDRx. All it needed was innovation in storage to get 1:1 dual frame recording to get rid of the motion jitters and we clearly have that now but everyone poo-pooed it instead of supporting it or getting on RED to make it better, even if we had to drop to 6K or even 4K from 8K on V-Raptor. Now we don't even have it as an option and the squabble for dynamic range continues.

Looking to the future, those small V-mount batteries are the future along with advances in consumer camera batteries as battery tech will become more condensed and electronics may end up going backwards with more electronic efficiency, thus requiring less power (ie. PC vs. Laptop, similar performance). We, or our kids, may have it as easy as new age rechargeable AA-size batteries powering RED 64K cameras for days on end in a single charge.

 

[Karim D. Ghantous]

I think the perfect RED-related example is HDRx.

I think Sony has a better idea: ever other line pair on the sensor has a 2 stop ND over it. No loss in resolution, no motion artefacts, a slight increase in noise. I don't know if they're using this scheme or not.