Best CAM for the Buck in these times

[Peter Sensor]

2/3" = super16mm DoF

2/3" = super16mm DoF

I think you have an excellent approach, Depending on what type of work you're doing. If doco style, you can leave the adapter off so you have more DoF, which you would want along with the ease of use. (The biggest money making documentary "March of the Penguins" all shot on Super 16 with Aaton XTR's) Is the same DoF as the 2/3" Scarlet. You could put it on the DoF adapter for interviews and commercial / feature work. To go with the bigger chip, I think might limit you , especially in the doco world. Will a doco afford a focus puller ? Probably not.
I would wait and see what P+S Technik and Letus come up with that will work well with the 3K resolution. You probably should not consider trying an older adapter, the GG's might not be fine enough. But I think you're looking at this camera pkg. in a smart way. And, if you need to do a cine-upgrade for that slew of Nikons, I could help with that.
- Peter at rplens.com

 

[Charles Angus]

As mentioned before, you don't have to wait for Scarlet to compare DOF, it will be the same as any 2/3" camera at the same f-stop.

Many people are quite happy with 2/3" DOF (David Fincher, for example). It is certainly different, but not better or worse. You will struggle a little to get those completely obscured backgrounds you see on 35, but that's a minority of most shooting.

 

[Nicholaus James]

Wow!

Great input and criticism here!

Now I'm re-thinking this into these 2 scenarios:

Get a S35 Scarlet for my Nikons and the 90% of the shooting situations I will be in.
And get the 2/3" Fixed Lens Scarlet if there is any high frame rate or ramping that needs to be done. And the 2/3" cam can be an optional "B" cam in certain situations.
(I would go with the fixed lens only because I don't want to invest too much in 2/3" format. I'm only looking to go higher in camera format, such as FF and/or Epic)

or

A 2/3" Brain with the Letus relay lens and adapter.
I know, to get the ultimate in quality, I'm looking at $10,500 in gear from Letus on top of the 2/3" brain.

Both look like they equal to about $15,000 set ups:

S35 Brain $7000
2/3" Fixed $3750
Accessories $4250 (estimated)

2/3" Brain $2500
Letus equipment $10,500
Accessories $2000 (estimated)

Now, I know there are other things to consider, such as matteboxes, follow focus and the such. I'm just going off of camera, lenses, power, and recordable media.

So far, the s35 and a 2/3" fixed looks like what would suit me, but maybe someone here can convince me otherwise.

Either way, it looks like I would be operating RED for $15,000 rather than the minimum $25,000 for the R1.
I'm loving RED's direction!