Aluminum vs Carbon Fiber 7" DSMC2 LCD

[Cicero A]

Which would you choose? Is the only different the weight based on material?

 

[Eric Oh]

CF but that's cause my Weapon is CF.

 

[Björn Benckert]

The difference in both weight and performance is rather slim. So it´s only a gear lust thing. If you fancy carbon and think it´s cool looking and want to pay the extra cost then don't get the AL version. The AL version came out as the CF version was delayed in delivery line, I guess those carbon fiber bits where hard to get done.


So look at it as an ecstatic choice. I got the CF version as that was what RED could deliver when I bought it. If I would buy another one today it would for sure be a AL version as I think the difference is pretty much none and I estimate it will last for about two years or so then there is something new and better or I most likely broke it by then.

 

[Christoffer Glans]

It's irrelevant in my opinion, a luxury choice not needed for productions. The only reason I would have gone with CF would have been because of it's increased internal power while shooting. It's sad that we didn't get the same circuits in the MG, which I'm not sure why we didn't. I think we could've easily gotten the same specs in our MG with a slight increase over the lower powered MG due to the internal processing speeds being higher and that the CF is an increased cost on top of that if you'd like, just as it was with the Epic Dragon aluminum and carbon versions.

Most of the time it's the internal specs that's most important for shooting, you are gonna equip the camera with so much stuff anyway that the slight increase weight of the magnesium is irrelevant. In terms of durability you could easily build a cage around it.

I feel that the differences between the cameras should only be internal. I actually think that Red should make a coherent lineup with all cameras based on internal specs with a base material in aluminum. Then with modularity choices you choose the camera you like and choose a material to go with it. So you could choose a Scarlet-W and choose carbon fibre for that as well, the cost would be increased the same as if you choosed the more expensive High End model with CF, which would be priced at what the regular Weapon CF is at now. It would make more sense for the customers choice. Like this:

1. Choose a sensor

Dragon s35mm 6K or Helium s35mm 8K
Or for High End, 8K Vista Vision Dragon.

2. Choose a camera body

Introduction camera = Weapon Raven
Housing, only Aluminum Alloy only (due to slightly different form cut)

Low range = Scarlet-W
Mid range = Weapon-M
High end = Weapon-H

3. Choose a material

Aluminum Alloy
Magnesium
Carbon Fibre

Cost increases based on choices.

Would make much better sense than the current lineup with locked in internal specs together with material housings or sensors. Just make it modular even in ordering, tailoring for the needs. Someone might not care for weight and could live with increased weight but with higher internal specs. Someone might not need the fastest or best camera internally, but might want to put money into a lighter camera body, cinematographers like those traveling with a light gear in nature etc.

Because the current choices are so locked in place we get these new cameras over and over, like the Epic-W which in my opinion sounds DOA as a camera within the current lineup. If you put aluminum alloy on the current Weapon MG specs you would have a slightly less expensive camera with the same specs, being much closer to the gap between Scarlet-W and Weapon-MG.

1. Sensor
2. Internal Processing Power
3. Camera Body Material

Three choices, different costs. Would be much easier.