Despite all the complaints...

[Joe Walker]

This camera takes every other palmcorder out there and squashes it flat. I can't believe some of you are complaining about this thing. 120fps at 3K to Compact Flash?! Sony's EX-1 and EX-3 can only do 30fps at 1080i and Panasonic's HVX200's max out at 60fps at 720p. This is huge! So it has a fixed lens - big deal. So it has a 2/3" sensor - big deal. What other palmcorder camera at that price is going to offer you such unprecedented features? The complainers on here have made it sound like we've re-entered the dark ages of 1/2" U-matic video or something. Grow up. If you need 35mm DOF buy an adapter for the camera just like you've done with all the previous palmcorders. Or just buy a RED ONE! The fixed-lens palmcorder design is something we've all grown accustomed to, quite frankly, I'm glad to see that RED jumped in there and made one. So stop complaining and get behind me in line cuz I want one!

 

[WesVasher]

Sorry Joe, I just snuck in front of you in line while you were posting.

 

[Zhibo Lai]

I'm with u. Red has done something truly spectacular, 3K for $3K, 120FPS, 2/3, wi-fi, then have exceeded what I was predicting it to be.

People don't know how to appreciate what they have and what Red has offered them. Scarlet is the greatest value you can get for a camera of this price.

2009, I'm willing to wait. With great patience comes great quality. I rather wait for 2009 for them to fine tune a really great Scarlet, then have it now and make tons of changes and fixes later.

So now, I wait with my DVX in 411 SD and practice making better films with amazing stories, and when I get my Scarlet, I will make even better films with killer resolution and picture quality.

Scarlet, I shall wait for you. Thank you Red for all you have done.

 

[Christopher Grant Harvey]

I personally LOVE SCARLET!!!!!

I like that it is 2/3" it makes it cheaper and I can honestly afford Scarlet... For me RED is way too expensive. Scarlet is awesome.

The fixed lens is perfect for me too, again makes it cheaper.

I love this cameras as is and would not change it at all.

 

[Joe Walker]

I'm just completely astounded at how many are dissatisfied with the camera. Its not even in production yet, the specs currently listed are MORE than fine, what's with all the fuss?:huh:

 

[Bryan Bishop]

The negative chattering is pretty amusing, though not totally surprising.

Frankly, as one of those people that was going to be struggling to pay $5-7k for a camera of inferior quality, Scarlet looks to be a total gift in its specs and price.

I daresay many of the people complaining are looking to get something for nothing here -- they want a Red One, only with a $10,000 discount.

Up to 120fps, 3k, Redcode RAW, all for $3,000. Give me a break. If people weren't bitching, I'd think I was dreaming.

 

[Randy Walters]

I'm with realogist.

So now, I wait [...] and practice making better films with amazing stories, and when I get my Scarlet, I will make even better films with killer resolution and picture quality.

I just got a Letus adapter for my Sony Z1U, and 8 Nikon lenses off eBay (hey! stop snickering!) and have soooo much work and learning to do. Off over the horizon, Scarlet awaits, and by the time it's available, I'll be a lot closer to being ready for it.

To all the Red folk out there - don't let the nattering nabobs get you down. A lot of people are looking at Scarlet as a godsend. I still can't believe it. More power to you - and us.

 

[Buck Forester]

The complaining makes me wonder if people are really serious indie makers or just hobbyists? I don't say that condescending at all, but from a business perspective, this camera is a gift. If someone is looking to produce a flick using RAW with interchangeable lenses at 3K resolution and they 'complain' about this camera, then I wouldn't think they're in it to make a profit, but more so to make a cool flick for friends, family, or ego, and they want/demand something that makes no business sense. If someone is making a serious indie movie with profitable intentions, they're gonna need some decent equipment to invest in (or rent) and some financial backing to get it produced, finalized and distributed. So why be upset about a sub-$10,000 camera... that'll be the least of their expenses? I'm going into this high-def production business looking at it from a profitable business perspective and I'm really excited at what can be done for so little, with potentially great returns! If someone has confidence in their ability to create marketable footage/flicks and are looking in the price range of the Scarlet, the Scarlet is a dream at this price-point. I'm sure it will have plenty of DOF for 99% of the 'marketable' types of movies being produced, no matter what type of movie/documentary/video is being made. If not, the 35mm adaptors aren't very expensive considering this is a "business" and you'll have a wonderful movie to market. Or go into the next price bracket of interchangeable lens cameras, such as the RED One, which is still inexpensive for a real "business" expense considering what it can do. If it's a hobby, ouch, yes, it's expensive and your wives will probably be pissed at you for buying this stuff, ha! I just honestly don't see how a businessperson can complain about this stuff when the market is flooded with very nicely priced cameras that can produce high-end results. Coupled with the internet, it's leveling the playing field in a big way and it's changing how Hollywood makes and distributes movies and how broadcast channels acquire footage. This is a time to be excited about all this stuff! Unless it's a hobby... then ouch, do you buy a Scarlet or EX1 or do you take the family on a Disney Cruise to the Caribbean? If you take the cruise option... man, aren't those Disney cruises expensive? And they charge you for the poolside pina coladas too? Sheesh. Where's the Disney cruise forum? Somebody stop the planet, I want off! :Þ

 

[Gabriel Sanchez]

What i want to know is, WHEN CAN I BUY IT? Honestly, i hope i won't be stuck in the back of "the line". I wish i could pre-pre-order!

 

[Ameer Azari]

If you need 35mm DOF buy an adapter for the camera just like you've done with all the previous palmcorders.

Hi,

I agree with most of your post but if people by a 35mm adapter that doesn't really set it apart from the EX1 or the HVX DOF wise

but we are getting 3K for $3K so it's still a good deal, but it would be perfecter with 35mm abilities

 

[jonahlee]

I have no complaints for this camera at this price point, except having to wait, and fearing that demand will way outstrip supply.

 

[Ameer Azari]

I have no complaints for this camera at this price point, except having to wait, and fearing that demand will way outstrip supply.

Same Here, they say Early 2009 but I want to actually have it in my hands in Summer 2009...I hope.

 

[dieseljunkie]

The negative chattering is pretty amusing, though not totally surprising.

Frankly, as one of those people that was going to be struggling to pay $5-7k for a camera of inferior quality, Scarlet looks to be a total gift in its specs and price.

I daresay many of the people complaining are looking to get something for nothing here -- they want a Red One, only with a $10,000 discount.

Up to 120fps, 3k, Redcode RAW, all for $3,000. Give me a break. If people weren't bitching, I'd think I was dreaming.

Wrong. Most people want to have interchangeable lenses. It would add maybe $2,000 or $3,000 to the price. And it still would not come close to the RED ONE. And I keep saying this, the total investment, even for Scarlet, will be close to $10,000 when you factor in accessories and more importantly, a very powerful mac or pc for editing and lots of storage space.

A $3,000 Scarlet means nothing if you cannot edit the footage.

P.S. I am very excited about this camera and even with a fixed lens, I will buy it. I just hope they will change only this aspect of this camera or make a version with and without a lens mount. That would make this the ultimate HD camera for most people. Anyway, I will wait and see and am confident that Jim and his team are going to make this camera work for everyone.

 

[Joe Walker]

Wrong. Most people want to have interchangeable lenses. It would add maybe $2,000 or $3,000 to the price. And it still would not come close to the RED ONE. And I keep saying this, the total investment, even for Scarlet, will be close to $10,000 when you factor in accessories and more importantly, a very powerful mac or pc for editing and lots of storage space.

A $3,000 Scarlet means nothing if you cannot edit the footage.

P.S. I am very excited about this camera and even with a fixed lens, I will buy it. I just hope they will change only this aspect of this camera or make a version with and without a lens mount. That would make this the ultimate HD camera for most people. Anyway, I will wait and see and am confident that Jim and his team are going to make this camera work for everyone.

That's where you're wrong. Adding an interchangeable lens mount raises the price not $3000, but close to $12,000 if not more and then with added accessories is close to RED ONE in price. People have got to get used to three market sizes. RED cameras outshine every other camera in those "market-sized" categories. I came to this conclusion six months ago. For the same price in every market category, RED's camera out-performs the competition in every way, be it codec, be it resolution, be it DOF, be it price, be it performance. People have got to get real, this camera MAKES SENSE for this category.

 

[Bryan Bishop]

Wrong. Most people want to have interchangeable lenses. It would add maybe $2,000 or $3,000 to the price. And it still would not come close to the RED ONE. And I keep saying this, the total investment, even for Scarlet, will be close to $10,000 when you factor in accessories and more importantly, a very powerful mac or pc for editing and lots of storage space.

I disagree; I believe Scarlet is aimed at a very broad market (Auto Mode, etc) and many of the people they are looking to sell to aren't on these forums, aren't working photographers, and won't care about interchangeable lenses in the slightest. (And that's ignoring the fact that Sony and Panasonic have been selling oodles of fixed-lens cameras from the miniDV days up until today, and have been doing just fine.)

Now, of course I'd like to have as many features as possible, just like anyone. Frankly, I'd love to have a Red One, but cannot even come close to affording it in my current situation. The money matters. And you're correct that other things will be needed -- computer, etc -- to get the most out of the camera. Which is why I think adding $2,000 or $3,000 to the price -- a ton of money in this price range; you're talking about doubling the price of the camera for a feature many folks will not use -- is the wrong way to go.

By Red using a fixed lens, somebody out there can afford to get both the Scarlet AND a new Mac to edit their footage on.

But, at the end of the day, much like you I'm just excited about what Jim and his team are doing. Looking forward to the opportunity to use their technology to tell some stories.

 

[Buck Forester]

Most people want to have interchangeable lenses.

(BUZZER Sound). Latest poll results are showing only 41% want interchangeable lenses. Most people want them? Now you're sounding like a Democrat politician. :Þ

 

[teeck]

I don't know if the people who are complaining stopped to even digest the information of Scarlet. 3k at 120 fps with a 2/3" sensor is INSANE! NOTHING WILL TOUCH THIS, CLOSEST IS AT $10,000 FOR 2/3 SENSOR. I can't even believe red is doing this, they are gonna literally flatten the whole industry, like a red atomic bomb, I say they have lost it (in a good way). I could care less about interchangeable lenses, as long as the fixed lens is decent.....thats the only thing I'm concerned about because Im sure everything else will be great.

I can't believe people are bitching about Scarlet. You know what Jim, bring it on I'm extremely excited about Scarlet and you guys are doing a great job. I say let the complainers go buy an HPX500 for 11k and they can have their interchangeable lenses with 1080 DVCProHD 12.5 mb/sec (1280x720 stretched LOL) while I will be shooting at 3k up to 120 fps 100 MB/sec in RAW.

-Gev

 

[dieseljunkie]

Think about this:

When RED sells 100,000 Scarlet units, how are they going to produce them? Selling to the masses (which they say they want to do) is completely different from selling to indie filmmakers (the RED ONE market) who have worked with almost every camera and format out there? The $3,000 price tag makes it affordable for everyone but can everyone handle 3k? The answer is no. And 1080p is even problematic today so now we are upping it to 3k?

People blame others for being negative but there is something called reason. The idea is perfect but the execution will be hard. I think RED is the best thing that happened to the video/film business in the past 10 - 20 years but you have to stay realistic. I am still a bit struggling to see which audience they are targeting. Are they after indie filmmakers, everyday shooters, families with a lot of money, students or everyone? If the it is the last option, they become a consumer company and that's going to be huge. It will allow them to grow a factor 10 or 50 but that is also the big risk. If they can't faccilitate the growth it is game over for RED. And that's the last thing I want. That's why I am so puzzled.

This is so different from everything I have seen, so different from the other companies, so different then what I expected that I am overwhelmed.

I agree that people should be positive but you also need to stay realistic. Products that are ahead of their time or far too good can also fail.

 

[oedipus]

I'd be looking at purchasing within an educational context. Fixed lens keeps the price down and I'd rather be able to afford say six @£2.5k (because we Brits just factor in the fact that we'll get mugged on the currency conversion!) than three at twice that. Dieseljunkie's point is right on the money and it seems similar to Apple in that you can gain acceptance in niche markets but for longevity you need the brand awareness and volume that comes with an imac or ipod.

 

[WesVasher]

Think about this:

When RED sells 100,000 Scarlet units, how are they going to produce them? Selling to the masses (which they say they want to do) is completely different from selling to indie filmmakers (the RED ONE market) who have worked with almost every camera and format out there? The $3,000 price tag makes it affordable for everyone but can everyone handle 3k? The answer is no. And 1080p is even problematic today so now we are upping it to 3k?

People blame others for being negative but there is something called reason. The idea is perfect but the execution will be hard. I think RED is the best thing that happened to the video/film business in the past 10 - 20 years but you have to stay realistic. I am still a bit struggling to see which audience they are targeting. Are they after indie filmmakers, everyday shooters, families with a lot of money, students or everyone? If the it is the last option, they become a consumer company and that's going to be huge. It will allow them to grow a factor 10 or 50 but that is also the big risk. If they can't faccilitate the growth it is game over for RED. And that's the last thing I want. That's why I am so puzzled.

This is so different from everything I have seen, so different from the other companies, so different then what I expected that I am overwhelmed.

I agree that people should be positive but you also need to stay realistic. Products that are ahead of their time or far too good can also fail.

I think there could be possible software solutions developed that could help here. Think of how iMovie imports HDV and AVCHD and transcodes on the fly to 960x540 Apple Intermediate Codec which computers from ten years ago almost can edit (My 9 year old G4 edits 720p AIC no problem). I can see a similar app being made for R3D files. Basically Redcine for the lower end user or 'Soccer Mom'.