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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 :)

Just thought of Scarlet, am I nuts?

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Green Digital

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First day on reduser, just finished registration. I've looked over the topics quickly and wanted to ask this question. Is considering Scarlet a waste of time for a business like mine?

Been hearing about Scarlet for about 2 months ever since I started shooting with the 5D. I had 3 cameras, 5D, and 2 XHA1s. The XHA1s were nice cameras and did a sufficient job for what I do which is mostly internet commercials for my clients websites and performances like jazz, classical and dance. But since working the 5D into the mix the footage just looks so much better than HDV I am getting from the XHA1. I sold one and about to sell the other because I am tired of this awkward handheld stuff. When I have to shoot a performance with 20 dancers that lasts 90 minutes or so running about with those form factor type cameras, well simply hurts after a bit and I work out regularly.

I never thought of a Red until just today so I am beginning my research into whether it could be a good camera for me. Something better in low light than the 1/3" chips in the XHA1s, something shoulder style for goodness sakes, a picture that will compare with the footage from the 5d but has longer recording times than the 12 minutes I get on the 5d (needed for performances). Some work will be tripod, some crane, some possibly on a steadicam pilot but some will be run and gun so the shoulder mount at this point for me is almost a must.

So, not to be redundant, but am I crazy to consider a Red product? I know the Red One would be completely more camera than I need... I am not in the business of making movies. I own a small business so I need the best I can afford and that gives me the most bang for the buck. I know, I am not asking for much am I?

Your thoughts?

Cheers,
Jason
 
Hi jason, welcome to reduser. When you registered, you probably missed the REAL NAME section of the sign up. Its cool to have a company name in your signature and all but they are requesting peope use real names. First and last or first initial and last is also cool.

back to topic. The future of RED is still mostly unfolding... and its exciting. While first efforts were on a RAW image capture camera for digital cinema, the 2/3 chip Scarlett indeed sounds promising to all of us... especially for your business model.

take the time to read the many threads from camera to lenses to most importantly
post workflows.

Scarlettuser.net may also be a great resource for you. welcome to RED
 
Let's start here, what are you budgeting for a new camera? And if you are considering a S35, it's starts at $7k for just the brain.
 
hmmmm, if you're working for web only I'd recommend a scarlet, although it is way too sofisticated for webvideo ..... imo
 
Thank you to all for the replies...
Tim, I will try to change my profile, I breezed through it so I did not enter my name Jason Kubicki. I will read through the forums for certain now that I know that some in here feel it could be a viable option for me to use.
Russ, I have been considering an HPX500 or an HPX300 so the price is about that range.

Justin, I use Final Cut Pro but I own Adobe CS4 Master which includes Premiere (that I seldom use). I will have to read the forums to find out about FCP workflow.

Gerald, this is my concern however I have been experiencing more and more clients wanting to multi-purpose their footage. I have been shooting some footage that goes to broadcast and a fair amount that goes to DVD. What market do you feel the Scarlet is intended for?

Thanks again guys, you have given me enough of a green light to keep Scarlet in mind for a future purchase.

Cheers, Jason
 
Scarlet 2/3" should be good for anything up to 2k theatrical wide screen format. Plenty of resolution even for that. Broadcast HD should be no problem. A lot of R1 shooters shoot 2k for HDTV and it looks pretty good. At 3k Scarlet will more than fully resolve HD if the lenses are up to it. Think of it more as a digital 16mm camera.
I have shot everything from 16mm to DV to Betamax over the years for the same kinds of work you are doing and I think Scarlet 2/3" will excel at it. Worth waiting for in my opinion.
Have you seen the clip of Izzy, or any of the still frames from the 2/3" prototype?

http://redgrabs.com/izzy/
 
Green Digital said:
Gerald, this is my concern however I have been experiencing more and more clients wanting to multi-purpose their footage. I have been shooting some footage that goes to broadcast and a fair amount that goes to DVD. What market do you feel the Scarlet is intended for?


Cheers, Jason
Click to expand...

Well the market for Scarlet is a fairly wide one, you could even do digital cinema .... so If you're going to do more for TV and DVD it would be a good choice to go with the scarlet - you can shoot in 3k, edit your feature in the resolution you need for your customer and archive the 3K RAW files for a possible future usage.
 
I think one of the great things about the RED program is that they offer (will offer) a lot of diversity in their line up. Combined with the modularity of the whole thing, they really give you the chance to create your own solutions. The Scarlet is a camera that can be configured for a variety of applications, and I'd bet it'd work it's way in great for your needs, and be upgradeable/expandable in the future should your needs change.
 
Scarlet (in some flavour) does sound like a good fit for your needs.

A 2/3 fixed would probably be ideal, but if the bigger sensor appeals, then the barrier to entry will be lower as you can still use whatever glass you accumulated for the 5D. Sounds like you have the software side of post sorted; just need to check the hardware. Decent MacPro, maybe coupled with a RedRocket and a decent RAID should see you good.
 
Green Digital said:
Justin, I use Final Cut Pro but I own Adobe CS4 Master which includes Premiere (that I seldom use). I will have to read the forums to find out about FCP workflow.
Click to expand...

You can edit in FCP natively, or transcode to something like ProRes when you Log and Transfer if you want - it's faster and can be much easier if you're going to DVD or web. Then if you want you can grade in Colour and reconnect your ProRes files back to the native ones, but it takes a lot longer to render if you do, I beleive (but it's higher quality).

Take a look at the Final Cut whitepaper in the FCP plugin download over at RED support. You can try out the workflow now by installing it and playing with 3K RED ONE footage (here's some sample clips on Scarlet User). Once the plugin is installed, you can just import it in Log and Transfer, but make sure you set it to Native mode, because iirc it transcodes to ProRes by default.
 
Stephen Gentle said:
You can edit in FCP natively, or transcode to something like ProRes when you Log and Transfer if you want... Once the plugin is installed, you can just import it in Log and Transfer, but make sure you set it to Native mode, because iirc it transcodes to ProRes by default.
Click to expand...

Hi Stephen, not sure where you set it to "Native mode". Is it somewhere in the Log and Transfer window? Would like to know, thanks.

OT: I also worked in aerospace way back when. I worked at Grumman Aerospace in NY. Retrofited EF-111A's and main job was the F-14.
 
If you need a camera quickly, I'd strongly suggest looking at Sony's EX-1. It has considerably better low light performance than the XH-A1 does, but not as good as the 5D's.
 
Russ Blaise said:
Hi Stephen, not sure where you set it to "Native mode". Is it somewhere in the Log and Transfer window? Would like to know, thanks.
Click to expand...

You go into the Log and Transfer preferences (there's a dropdown box that has a cog icon, and you click Preferences in it) and then you should be able to go down to RED Digital Cinema REDCODE and change it to Native (see attachment - it's from the RED Final Cut whitepaper, which comes with the FCS plugin).

Russ Blaise said:
OT: I also worked in aerospace way back when. I worked at Grumman Aerospace in NY. Retrofited EF-111A's and main job was the F-14.
Click to expand...

Australia's last 21 F-111s are just being retired next year - I actually saw the last dump and burn demonstration in Brisbane (near where about half of them are stationed) last night at a fireworks display. Bit of a shame to see them go (the dump and burn is very cool) but they are pretty outdated now, and need something like 150 maintenance hours per flight hour... They are being replaced by F/A-18F Super Hornets.
 

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Stephen Gentle said:
You go into the Log and Transfer preferences...
Click to expand...

I can see that now... Thanks,

Stephen Gentle said:
Australia's last 21 F-111s are just being retired next year...
Click to expand...

I guess it's time for the old dogs to get their rest.

One day I was driving by the bone yard here in Tucson and to my surprise there were all the retired F-14's. I'd like to get inside and read the serial numbers to see the ones I worked on.
 
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