F900 Comparison

[Stephen Pruitt]

Who says RED can't do greenshots? That's ridiculous!

Who says RED can't do greenshots? That's ridiculous!

This "RED ain't no good a greenscreen shots" garbage is just that—garbage.

My DP and I did a brutal greenscreen test several months ago with RED at MK12 (one of the country's leading post-houses. . . e.g., "Stranger than Fiction") here in Kansas City using falling sand, frizzled hair, etc. as the "torture test." The verdict: The RED created the best greenscreen shots they had ever seen. And you know what? They used tungsten lights for that test.

How good was it? Well, here's some more evidence: MK12 is currently doing some post/green/blackscreen work for the new James Bond movie. They called me on Monday to try to rent one of our two REDs for those shots. That should tell you everything you need to know.

(Unfortunately, since we're currently in the middle of our feature, "Works in Progress," and I didn't want my cameras to be subjected to the ravages of an indoor sandstorm, I had to say "no" to the opportunity.)

Stephen

 

[JohnLands]

Agree I shot the tests for a pretty large movie on a green screen with tungston light and at 75fps in build 12 and it was better then most things Ive seen. Before you post and do tests make sure you are using the gear right and lighting correctly. I was asked how does the RED handle a key light that is four stops over? My reply was I dont know I dont light bad.

 

[Michael Thornton]

For Green screen, there is no problem for us so far using tungsten.

We interlace our Kino with super green bulbs.

Keep distance between back ground and talents to control spills as for any green screen shoot.

Tek

 

[Philip Powell]

Agreed

Agreed

I've pulled many a key on the Red and footage from the F900, the F900 is noisier than a Red even at 32K. While 56K does create cleaner keys, 32 is fine, and better still than the F900.

I would use HD for jobs where workflow and turnaround was my primary concern.

 

[Derek Wiesehahn]

This may have been covered in another thread, but I have been wondering about using an 80C or 80D filter in tungsten situations. My general approach to the Red has been to treat it as I would a camera which shoots 250 ASA daylight balanced film stock. Anyone had good results with this, any tests?

 

[Harry Clark]

Yes, 80D always in tungsten. It certainly helps.
I'm doing a tungsten-lit greenscreen job today. No issues whatsoever. The IMAX thing I did back in February or March looked fantastic on the filmout. Tim Sassoon said the keying was fine.
Cheers,
Harry

 

[Robert Berger]

I had a job that went one day on Red for location and was going one day on F900 in a studio for greenscreen. We had a three-person full-body shot that blew the budget for the lighting unless we went tungsten. Tungsten greenscreen meant F900 and not Red ...

Jason

i did several greenscreen shots with red and with tungsten...............great without any problems

 

[David Wyatt]

I am about to loose a rental to an F900. Have the comparisons between the two cameras been discussed. If so where would I find this discussion. Is it just me who feels the f900 is now outdated because of Red?

It could be as simple as the company in question are all Avid-based and don't fancy the extra ball-ache compared to the F900's comparatively simple post?? Just idle speculation...but it might not necessarily be that they think the F900 creates better images than the Red...unless of course they're morons...never discount that possibility...:wink:

 

[Michael Thornton]

Most people who win this one has been giving the F900 away so they can get others business.

Like lights and post services.

Tek

 

[Fredrik Callinggard]

Why is that? Why can't a RED shoot green screen on tungsten?

It can with build 16 - I was the guinea pig for it and can report that Stuart and the guys sorted it out with some help from my log files.

I even tested it with the "rotten egg" build which was hell on earth and then immediately upgraded to the "fixed" one - no problem what so ever.

So guys when it comes to green screen - NO PROBLEM - can't speak for blue screen.

 

[Jason Mitchell]

Well you get busy for a while and miss reading how everyone now thinks the Red is just fine shooting greenscreen with tungsten. (Guess everyone hadn't gotten that memo ...) So to clarify ... at the time of that job, the tenor of the board on build 15 was not the case. And that particular client had just had a "not as easy as an F900" time pulling a key on Red / tungsten / green setup. The large setup cause the gaffer to call for tungsten or blow the budget. So it was real easy for the client to make that call.

But yes, I have another client that would have no problem I'm sure with it, but THAT company is not down with the aforementioned "ball ache." Shame as it's the perfect camera for them ... especially when the i/link get's linked.

So good to hear that Red on green with yellow is okay with a little blue in front. I'm glad we covered it one more time.

 

[mavrix]

I've had phenomenal results shooting Red with greenscreen and tungsten on commercial shoots. The VFX / editorial teams were very happy and had no problems. Also having shot with F900s for the past several years and now shooting on Red -- there is no comparison -- Red just obliterates the F900.