Can Red please answer this one question?

[Denis Haineault]

Hi Red,

Can you please answer if you have any interest at all in providing a "minimal", less expensive solution for those indie filmmakers who do not earn a living on a daily basis using their camera?

I'm talking about something that is less Epic-like, and perhaps closer to the original Scarlet specs.

 

[Kris Canonizado]

http://www.eoshd.com/content/5147/canon-announce-35mm-full-frame-4k-dslr

 

[Peter Dmitriyev]

No. Jim said 3k is no longer acceptable and as such only 4k and up is the future so you're out of luck bud, there's always the FS100 and AF100 if you want something low end.

 

[Denis Haineault]

@Kris,
I'm aware of Canon's announcements. That was not my question.

@Peter,
I'm aware of Jim's position on 4K. My question is whether Red has any interest in the indie community with limited financial means. If they say this is the best (price-wise) they will ever be able to offer, and that a "lesser" camera is out of the question, then it will clarify what our options are...for quite a few of us.

I'm interested in hearing what their official stance is as far as catering to the little guys.

 

[Daniel Dols]

I still think this is very indie-priced. A lot of the 'indie' camera's (F3 etc.) are around the same price or even more expensive, while the Scarlet's specs really are more then 'indie'. I don't think RED wants to make a cheaper camera, as they said they wanted to be PRO, not less, but of course i could be wrong. There's always renting, also .

 

[Matt Bowden]

Again, the "PRO" word being thrown out here. What is Pro? Working 80 hours a week doing what you love making just enough to allow you to continue what you love to do? Or someone who makes enough money to buy expensive equipment? Just saying

 

[Stephen Gentle]

Hi Red,

Can you please answer if you have any interest at all in providing a "minimal", less expensive solution for those indie filmmakers who do not earn a living on a daily basis using their camera?

I'm talking about something that is less Epic-like, and perhaps closer to the original Scarlet specs.

I would doubt it. I'd think the bet for now is to buy a DSLR and/or rent Scarlet, and perhaps look for used Scarlets in a year or two.

 

[Steve Yager]

@Kris,
I'm aware of Canon's announcements. That was not my question.

@Peter,
I'm aware of Jim's position on 4K. My question is whether Red has any interest in the indie community with limited financial means. If they say this is the best (price-wise) they will ever be able to offer, and that a "lesser" camera is out of the question, then it will clarify what our options are...for quite a few of us.

I'm interested in hearing what their official stance is as far as catering to the little guys.

The scarlet is about as indie as you get without a degraded cinema screen image. There are other cams for lower budget minded folks. Good luck with everything.

 

[Ethan Cooper]

At this point it doesn't appear that Red has any interest in the sub $10k camera market. I can't say I blame them, they've established themselves as a higher end company that delivers more bang for the buck than anyone else. It's smart to identify who you are as a company and stick to it rather than try to be everything to everybody.

Can I afford $15k or so for a Scarlet right now? Nope. Should I sit around and cry about it? Nope. What I can do is rent one when the job calls for it, pretty sure rentals will be plentiful and cheap once the market is flooded with 1000's of these things.

If you're not a full time 'pro' as the OP stated then why dump all kinds of money into a camera system anyway? For the weened warrior who is working hard M-F at his 9-5 then dropping a few hundred into a weekend's rental a few times a year to enjoy his hobby is perfectly normal, acceptable and will allow you to further hone your skill without having to have $30k tied up in lenses, mics, computers, storage, lighting, grip gear, cameras & all the stuff required to create what's in your head.

If you feel you need practice making images, then drop $850 on a used GH2 & shoot till you're satisfied. All the lessons learned with it will translate to the Scarlet. If you're making a short, then the countless hours and days and weeks you'll spend writing, storyboarding, scheduling, securing locations, planning, lining up actors and gear is time that your Scarlet will be sitting on the shelf anyway. Why be paying for shelf time? If you do have a cheap little camera then use that to shoot rehersals & get a feel for the blocking & practice your framing and pulling focus, figuring out where you want camera moves. THEN spend what will amount to less than 1/14th the cost of a very bare bones Scarlet & shoot for real with the confidence that everything has been thought through and you're not wasting your money on a rental. You've saved tons of $$, you have created your vision & your toy isn't sitting idle on a shelf while you're working, and doing everything else that life requires.

 

[John Bellari]

Hi Red,

Can you please answer if you have any interest at all in providing a "minimal", less expensive solution for those indie filmmakers who do not earn a living on a daily basis using their camera?

I'm talking about something that is less Epic-like, and perhaps closer to the original Scarlet specs.

Is there anything wrong with Renting?
I'm pretty sure you'll find great rates on Scarlet rentals shortly,
as I even plan on renting a second Scarlet body for 3D.

Budget: Do you really need 3K, or will 1080p suffice?
If your client needs film look on beer budget, then 1080p is probably enough
for web and blu-ray distribution. Nobody works for free very long and cine gear is not cheap.

I'd suggest the hacked Panasonic GH2 is one hell of a camera for $1000 or less on the low end,
at 1/15th the price of the Scarlet, you free up funds for other gear that will be compatible with the
Scarlet and Epic.

I also would not be surprised if Red still releases a Fixed Scarlet or Epic in the future in their surprise roadmap in 2012.
Shoot now, invest in yourself and save up either way...

 

[Zeb B]

At this point it doesn't appear that Red has any interest in the sub $10k camera market. I can't say I blame them, they've established themselves as a higher end company that delivers more bang for the buck than anyone else. It's smart to identify who you are as a company and stick to it rather than try to be everything to everybody.

Can I afford $15k or so for a Scarlet right now? Nope. Should I sit around and cry about it? Nope. What I can do is rent one when the job calls for it, pretty sure rentals will be plentiful and cheap once the market is flooded with 1000's of these things.

If you're not a full time 'pro' as the OP stated then why dump all kinds of money into a camera system anyway? For the weened warrior who is working hard M-F at his 9-5 then dropping a few hundred into a weekend's rental a few times a year to enjoy his hobby is perfectly normal, acceptable and will allow you to further hone your skill without having to have $30k tied up in lenses, mics, computers, storage, lighting, grip gear, cameras & all the stuff required to create what's in your head.

If you feel you need practice making images, then drop $850 on a used GH2 & shoot till you're satisfied. All the lessons learned with it will translate to the Scarlet. If you're making a short, then the countless hours and days and weeks you'll spend writing, storyboarding, scheduling, securing locations, planning, lining up actors and gear is time that your Scarlet will be sitting on the shelf anyway. Why be paying for shelf time? If you do have a cheap little camera then use that to shoot rehersals & get a feel for the blocking & practice your framing and pulling focus, figuring out where you want camera moves. THEN spend what will amount to less than 1/14th the cost of a very bare bones Scarlet & shoot for real with the confidence that everything has been thought through and you're not wasting your money on a rental. You've saved tons of $$, you have created your vision & your toy isn't sitting idle on a shelf while you're working, and doing everything else that life requires.

Tru

 

[Denis Haineault]

Renting is a valid option which is often suggested. And resolution is not that big of a deal for what I intend to do (hence me asking Red for something less than 4K)

My issue with renting is that my main area of interest is in post work (compositing/effects/chromakeying). I'm teaching myself these skills, and having to rent equipment every single time I want to experiment with a particular shot would be both inconvenient and (eventually) expensive. Other cameras in the (say) $6k range don't offer something like Red raw. Yes you can get 4:2:2 for around $5k (which is very workable), but it can still make your life quite complicated for certain situations.

What Red was planning on offering initially (a 2/3 camera with Red raw) seemed like *the* ideal solution. But now it doesn't seem like this will ever happen. If that's the case, then Ok. I'd just like Red to confirm what their stance is.