- Moderator
- #221
Jeff Kilgroe
Well-known member
Yes, the numbers are somewhat hypothetical. Nothing is ever 100%, anything can fail. By 100%, I'm referring to media that will record 100% of the time as it is intended, assuming there are no electrical or mechanical failures that deviate the media from proper function. The RED media does this. If it's in proper working order, it will work as intended.
If anyone is willing to accept media that may drop occasional frames or lose a shot here and there, even under normal operation, even if that may only happen once or twice out of every one hundred takes, then fine, let them have it. I would personally not want it, even if it were free. And I hope for the sake of the camera's reputation and the community as a whole, that RED does not make a move in this direction. That's what I was getting at with the 97%, that and it's a number that has been referenced here and there in the discussion already. Even when I pick up my camera, yes my RED One, to shoot my kids playing or for hobby shooting, something that matters to no one but even me, I still wouldn't want sub-standard media. My time is valuable to me. I don't want to lose a shot or have frames go missing every now and then because I bought cheaper media. I'll cut costs somewhere else.
I don't want to show up on a shoot, mission critical or not, and have to operate a camera or perform in any task that deals with the media or data, if the production is using sub-standard media. I would refuse, I would walk off the set. Of course I would tell them why and let them try and round up proper media... No self-respecting camera op, AC, or DIT is going to work on a shoot using sub-standard media. As soon as frames are dropped or a shot is lost and fingers start pointing, I'm not going to deal with it. Been there, done that.
And, FWIW, as insurance providers are becoming more and more digital savvy, you will find it increasingly harder to get insurance coverage for non-approved media and data storage.
That's my stand on all this. If you don't agree, then cheers, I respectfully agree to disagree with you. To me, the premium for the media is a small price to pay for the extra assurance, insurance and the ability to be able to call up RED and bitch at someone who will actually care if something does go wrong.
Er... I don't see where it would be any more or less of an issue than the CF card, other ports on the camera, the lens mount, etc.. If you're in an environment where something could get into the REDMAG slot, I'd say you have plenty of other things to protect on the camera. Use proper protection at all times and you'll be fine. Those of us who shoot outdoors a lot don't think twice about this. We bag the camera and/or tape up ports.
Perfect examples. And that REDMAG port is only one out of about 30 or 40 things you should be protecting.
Not picking on you, David. I just don't understand what everyone is so concerned about. As Jarred has pointed out, we've seen most of these concerns pop up with the CF module on the RED One. But once everyone actually received their cameras, it was suddenly not a big deal.
As for those that are so worried about the 1.8" REDMAG getting snapped off.... OK, now I have to ask just what you think your camera will be doing where this might happen? The REDMAG doesn't stick out as far as the side handle, let alone a mattebox or other hardware that will probably be mounted. The Epic with a REDMAG sticking out seems no wider than a RED One body. If something is going to be falling next to the camera or moving that close with enough force to snap a 1.8" storage device (inside an aluminum housing) in half, then I think you guys have a lot more to worry about than just protecting that 1.8" thing that's probably not sticking out of the camera more than about an inch and a half.
:laugh:
