jtcoleman
Well-known member
I am writing this letter here because the other thread has become a flamewar, and I don't want an part of that. I am not trying to throw stones or lay blame, but I do want you to know how I feel.
Long before I received by RED camera, someone started a thread on this forum titled "What do they mean by future proof?"... You can find my reply by searching in the archives if you like; for convenience, I will post it below:
---
I always read it as "we use the same upgrade method of the IBM PC" ... basically, you can swap parts out of a PC and keep using the base forever: getting slow? upgrade the memory. better graphics? upgrade the video card. faster performance? new processor. oops! too many peripherals, buy a new power supply. Don't like this case, think I'll move everything into a slimline model. out of hd space, think I'll add another one. and an adapter for my new printer... and... eventually it's a completely new machine, but I was able to upgrade it part by part over time, so that I never had a day when I woke up and found my entire investment obsolete.
---
As the owner of R1 #396, I was eager disciple of your company and in your vision. Evidently, I was right in my prediction, only... I was a generation premature. Please know that this was not a trivial purchase for me. I had to convince my wife (no small feat) that this camera was a worthwhile investment for my career and my family. Yes, I can hear the sound of the professionals scoffing at me even as I type this. But remember, Red wasn't billed as just a camera for professionals. Red was billed as a game changer, a camera to let the "little guy" take on the big studio productions. I wanted to be a part of that, and I have. I have been a proud, satisfied soldier in your revolution.
Until this morning.
For right or wrong, I feel like this morning's announcement was a reversal of one of your earliest tenets, "rendered obsolesence obsolete." Yes, R1 is still a great, functional camera. Yes, the other cameras are not available yet, so it will continue to be the best camera for the money for a short period of time. Yes, I realize that all technology loses value over time.
But if you read my answer, above, you'll see that I was expected to be a part of this approach from the beginning. Your early marketing materials stated the "modular design" of Red, and with the "obsolence obsolete" tagline, this approach -- that you announced today -- is what I thought I was buying. The first time.
Let's be clear: you are, in fact, obsoleting the R1. My old chevy truck may still run and be in great condition, but that doesn't mean it isn't obsolete. Within a year (or so), your company is moving in a new and decisively better technology direction, and the old stuff is going to be phased out. No, I didn't expect "free upgrades forever". Again, look at my post (and your marketing materials at the time)... I thought that my base investment would be secure. I had an expectation that my camera package would be able to grow with your company, over time, as I could afford it. I don't believe I was way off base in reaching this conclusion.
For what it's worth, the people who will be hurt the most by this will be your early adopters. Some won't care, and that's great for them. I know there are a lot of people here who will argue with me about my feelings on this matter. That's fine, they are entitled to their own opinion about their money. I am talking about my money, and I feel very disappointed. Especially so, since I have spent the last two years acting as your tireless evangelist.
It is very generous of you to offer a plan to turn in our cameras towards an Epic. Unfortunately, I will not be able to take you up on this plan, because I cannot afford it. I was able to come up with that much money once, but not again.
Respectfully, I would like you to give serious consideration to allowing Red One customers to use this credit towards the purchase of a Scarlet S35 or FF35 and accessories. This one, simple change would resolve the issue to everyone's satisfaction: your early adopters who cannot afford an Epic would be able to move onto the official "upgrade path" that RED is committed to, and continue to be a happy customers (purchasing upgrades whenever we can afford them) for many years to come.
Thank you for your consideration. To be clear: I am not threatening to sell the camera, or to bad mouth the company or do anything of that sort. In fact, you probably could ignore this message if you so choose, and I will go be unhappy and disappointed in silence.
At the end of the day, I am an adult, I made this purchase, I have made bad purchasing decisions before.
I was just hoping that Red One would not be one of them.
Sincerely,
JT Coleman
Austin, Texas
Red #396 - Bumblebee
Long before I received by RED camera, someone started a thread on this forum titled "What do they mean by future proof?"... You can find my reply by searching in the archives if you like; for convenience, I will post it below:
---
I always read it as "we use the same upgrade method of the IBM PC" ... basically, you can swap parts out of a PC and keep using the base forever: getting slow? upgrade the memory. better graphics? upgrade the video card. faster performance? new processor. oops! too many peripherals, buy a new power supply. Don't like this case, think I'll move everything into a slimline model. out of hd space, think I'll add another one. and an adapter for my new printer... and... eventually it's a completely new machine, but I was able to upgrade it part by part over time, so that I never had a day when I woke up and found my entire investment obsolete.
---
As the owner of R1 #396, I was eager disciple of your company and in your vision. Evidently, I was right in my prediction, only... I was a generation premature. Please know that this was not a trivial purchase for me. I had to convince my wife (no small feat) that this camera was a worthwhile investment for my career and my family. Yes, I can hear the sound of the professionals scoffing at me even as I type this. But remember, Red wasn't billed as just a camera for professionals. Red was billed as a game changer, a camera to let the "little guy" take on the big studio productions. I wanted to be a part of that, and I have. I have been a proud, satisfied soldier in your revolution.
Until this morning.
For right or wrong, I feel like this morning's announcement was a reversal of one of your earliest tenets, "rendered obsolesence obsolete." Yes, R1 is still a great, functional camera. Yes, the other cameras are not available yet, so it will continue to be the best camera for the money for a short period of time. Yes, I realize that all technology loses value over time.
But if you read my answer, above, you'll see that I was expected to be a part of this approach from the beginning. Your early marketing materials stated the "modular design" of Red, and with the "obsolence obsolete" tagline, this approach -- that you announced today -- is what I thought I was buying. The first time.
Let's be clear: you are, in fact, obsoleting the R1. My old chevy truck may still run and be in great condition, but that doesn't mean it isn't obsolete. Within a year (or so), your company is moving in a new and decisively better technology direction, and the old stuff is going to be phased out. No, I didn't expect "free upgrades forever". Again, look at my post (and your marketing materials at the time)... I thought that my base investment would be secure. I had an expectation that my camera package would be able to grow with your company, over time, as I could afford it. I don't believe I was way off base in reaching this conclusion.
For what it's worth, the people who will be hurt the most by this will be your early adopters. Some won't care, and that's great for them. I know there are a lot of people here who will argue with me about my feelings on this matter. That's fine, they are entitled to their own opinion about their money. I am talking about my money, and I feel very disappointed. Especially so, since I have spent the last two years acting as your tireless evangelist.
It is very generous of you to offer a plan to turn in our cameras towards an Epic. Unfortunately, I will not be able to take you up on this plan, because I cannot afford it. I was able to come up with that much money once, but not again.
Respectfully, I would like you to give serious consideration to allowing Red One customers to use this credit towards the purchase of a Scarlet S35 or FF35 and accessories. This one, simple change would resolve the issue to everyone's satisfaction: your early adopters who cannot afford an Epic would be able to move onto the official "upgrade path" that RED is committed to, and continue to be a happy customers (purchasing upgrades whenever we can afford them) for many years to come.
Thank you for your consideration. To be clear: I am not threatening to sell the camera, or to bad mouth the company or do anything of that sort. In fact, you probably could ignore this message if you so choose, and I will go be unhappy and disappointed in silence.
At the end of the day, I am an adult, I made this purchase, I have made bad purchasing decisions before.
I was just hoping that Red One would not be one of them.
Sincerely,
JT Coleman
Austin, Texas
Red #396 - Bumblebee
