Epic render...

[Chris Parker]

i LOVE this design. As soon as I saw it, I knew (well, serisously hoped) that the back would pop off and control the camera wirelessly. And then Jim posts that it indeed will. Super cool there.

I cannot wait to get my hands on one (check that - TWO) of these bad boys. Is is perfect? Of course not. Nothing is. Is it going to rock the film world again? Hell yes.

I am starting to think there is a whole group of people out there who try to find fault with RED, just as the fanboys (call me one if you like, i don't give a shit anymore) tout everything as gold.

I live in a world of reality. Every week, I hear negative things at work about the RED. I don't care. Some are true, some aren't. BUT....the BOTTOM line is simple. In my world, I have seen RED on over 50 commercial productions THIS YEAR. Genesis - ZERO. Viper - ZERO. D21 - ZERO. Dalsa - ZERO. F23 - ZERO. So, that is 50 to ZERO, RED against all comers. In my world anyways. And this is with the camera that people are still knocking as 'that beta camera', or 'that silly thing' or 'that crappy thing.'

The truth hurts. And in my world, the truth is, RED is shooting infinitiely more projects than all other digital cinema cameras combined.

Imagine when they come 'out of beta' and 'get a real camera'. EPIC. Hehe. Bring it on.....

 

[Irmeli R]

b4 and after
is the shoulder pad out of a soft material? if it compresses, the sharp edge at the bottom of the body might be more 'exposed' and become a bit uncomfy..just add a bigger fillet to the edge (if there's room for this)

edit:

like the blue fillet here..okay the shape's a bit different but i think it would help alot

 

[David Birdy]

Quote of the week!
By Jim
Sometimes one gets puffed up because they can see all the way down the block. The trick is seeing around the corner.


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Let's all work together in a productive way, some ideas are good some are bad and some just won't work. Ideas guys are a dime a dozen.....give me someone that will implement an idea,.... that guys worth his weight in gold!

Dave

 

[Joseph Hutson]

Jim,

Just don't forget how pleased everyone is at ScarletUser with even fake renders. We are happy with anything you do, and thanks for all of the "18 hour days" and "holidays"you work on on.

 

[number6]

Jim,

Just don't forget how pleased everyone is at ScarletUser with even fake renders. We are happy with anything you do, and thanks for all of the "18 hour days" and "holidays"you work on on.

You Scarlet guys... always buttin' in:whistling: Don't you wonder if maybe all this Epic and Red One talk is just a diversion to keep the competition pre-occupied? I'm thinking these two versions, while they may be industry-changers, are not the real "world" changers. I think that may be reserved for Scarlet.

Be patient ScarletUsers... your day is coming and it should be as a day in the arctic during Summer Solstice.:wink:

 

[Jim Exton]

Couple questions about the modular back panel. Will there also be a dock for it on the smart side? And how will it operate?

oh, and will you be able to purchase additional "REDRemotes" or "REDPods" so that there can be control onboard and remotely simultaneously? Yes?

I am interested to know about a dock on the smart side. It would be great to be able to mount it there and leave it.

Or have the option of having it there from the factory.

Love the new render, thanks so much for showing it.

 

[Adam C Lubkin]

The distance from the PL mount to the bottom of the camera is fixed. Period. Unless you want to throw away the Arri standard and buy all new gear. So the question is how much "rise" is there on the bottom (for shoulder mount) and how far back is it from the mount. Pretty easy stuff. Except for the board stacks. Epic is as short (as in height) as we can make it given the board stacks (and taller is not good). We could make the body longer... but there is no reason to do so. There is no way to raise the back "floor" any more than we have... which is an almost perfect match to a 435. So what exactly are you asking for as it relates to CG?

Jim

Is there any practical downside to making the body a little longer - if that's what it takes to deepen the cutout/step-up? Since (for handheld) we're looking to put more weight to the back anyway, a couple more inches in length wouldn't hurt, would they?

 

[Adam C Lubkin]

...the controls on Epic can be removed from the back and mounted anywhere you want... tethered or wireless. That seems to me to be a much better solution than "just" on the front left side of the camera.
Jim

That's awesome, Jim. It would be great if there were a docking station of sorts on the smart side where the control panel could feel just as at home as on the back. The idea isn't to limit one's options, but rather to have one logical place on the smart side where the panel could be plugged in quickly and not interfere with any other controls.

*edit* just saw Jim Exton's post above

 

[Jason Murphy]

Is there any practical downside to making the body a little longer - if that's what it takes to deepen the cutout/step-up? Since (for handheld) we're looking to put more weight to the back anyway, a couple more inches in length wouldn't hurt, would they?

It appears to me, looking at both the new render and the NAB prototype body, that the new render is actually longer than the original design. Could be wrong, though.

 

[Peter Majtan]

It is indeed - up to 8 ribs from 6...

 

[Christian Berg]

This is looking really good! Just thinking about upgrading to an Epic...

I would really like to see the power and drive connectors on the side like the bnc ones. When i do low angle shots the power and drive connectors of the REDOne is in the way. Jim, is it possible to have them on the side, little bit towards the front of the camera? This way they dont interfear and don´t stand out in the back. I really think i will break them one day...

Nice work. I like Epic so much!!!

 

[Robert Sanders]

Man, this camera is looking goooooooood. I sit wringing my hands waiting for the day I can shoot something on this badass monster!!!

As a side note: I'm not sure why there's so much L.A. Crew hatred around here. I think the CW about Epic has been that it's the direct answer to requests made by A-list DPs. This camera is being made for them (with the hope that it can also be modular enough to satisfy additional markets as well).

I mean, the company is called Red Digital Cinema. Right?

 

[Tom Lowe]

looking awesome, Jim. Is the sensor 4:3?

 

[Shawn Bannon]

EPIC looks awesome. Love it. Love the ergonomic touch. And removable rear panel just insane.

 

[Jeff Butcher]

The removable control panel will be great! I don't know if we need a dock though, which may add more to size and weight. Throwing it on an arm or a quick release mount on a rail will work just fine. Don't forget how light this camera is going to be guys. If I can survive with an Arri BL4 on my shoulder in 100 degree weather (im a small guy) we should do quite fine with this with or without a shoulder cutout.

 

[Pawel Achtel]

As far as underwater, generally longer is better than wider both to reduce drag and also volume. One of the great things about the REDONE is that it can be stripped down so it fits in a very small cross section housing. Even with the drive, battery and LCD in the housing and all cables, you can get it to a displacement (the weight it has to be to be neutral) of just over 50 pounds. Whereas because of the height of the Varicam, F900, etc. you were usually looking at 75 lbs or so and quite a bit more drag. Epic looks even better because it is compact height and width - but even shorter, and when you look at other compact quarters applications - car interiors and such - it will be superior.



I think this is the key to the discussion, a lot of the changes simply ADD more to the block - PERMANENTLY. As it is, when you need to, you can strip it down to an extremely small size. If the changes add more to the basic block the only way to get it smaller is with the milling machine. In this configuration, with a birger mount and compact still lenses the epic can be stripped down to a size not much larger than the SCARLET.

I must say I largely agree with AquaVideo (for a change :tongue. weirdcrew would lose the bet, I like the connectors at the back.

For u/w housings the most important thing is that the height of the optical axis from the base is the same as in RED One (~109mm). As long as this is maintained, a housing for RED One will be good for Epic too. The extra space at the back can be used for additional (2nd) battery - always handly to have more power :weight_lift: .

 

[roryhinds]

I see the removable control panel more as a gimmick that will wear thin quickly.

Having bit that can potentially get lost or fall off is problematic and if the camera has wifi you can always get a separate remote for it anyways.

I don't understand why RED can't design the camera with the batter and data storage in mind, that is have a ergonomic solution for mounting the battery and data as you'll never be able to shoot without these vital bits.

IMO the back of the camera should be for the battery and drive and the body should have a handle position build in.

Arri's 100 year history with hands on film making can't be sneezed at.
I do appreciate that Jim wants his own unique design but I don't believe you have to reinvent the wheel.

Arri's tools are like military weapons, build to withstand the riggers of the field and very they are very dependable. Function before fashion.

Holding a piece of photographic equipment for a half hour while recording a scene is a exercise and making it as comfortable as possible makes your life easier and allows you to create new interesting shots.

I don't get the hostility towards Brook, have I miss something here?

 

[Brent J. Craig]

Is there any practical downside to making the body a little longer - if that's what it takes to deepen the cutout/step-up? Since (for handheld) we're looking to put more weight to the back anyway, a couple more inches in length wouldn't hurt, would they?

Good point. If Epic is the professional studio camera, size really isn't that critical. Fill the extra inches with heat sinks or something. You know we're gonna tax the hell out of the camera's processors and heat will be a natural byproduct of that.

 

[Brent J. Craig]

...I would really like to see the power and drive connectors on the side like the bnc ones

Agreed. The back of the camera is prime real estate. I can't tell you how many times we've had cameras backed up against a wall or bashing into a car/boat/aircraft window. Cables on the side are the way to go.

(And yes, I know that contradicts my "make it longer" reply above. So sue me.)

 

[Pawel Achtel]

I don't understand why RED can't design the camera ...IMO the back of the camera should be for the battery and drive and the body should have a handle position build in....Arri's 100 year history with hands on film making can't be sneezed at....

I disagree. Arri cameras are a bitch to put in u/w housing, mount on a helicopter or mount inside a car. Arri is much less adaptable than the Epic (or RED One). And, Sony F23...well that thing just doesn't fit anywhere :bleh:

If Epic is the professional studio camera, size really isn't that critical.

Not for you, but it is for me and many others. I like the stubby shape. You can always attach more bulk to it (extend the shoulder mount), if that's your thing, but it is difficult to saw the back off the camera.