Rob Anderson
Well-known member
I'm going to continuously update this thread with info regarding the RED Dragon sensor and our experiences with it.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14th
RED Dragon #15 (carbon fiber) received by Blackwood Cinema. The carbon fiber ships in the standard EPIC-M carrying case. First impression, immediately upon removing the body from the case, is how much lesser weighted than the Epic-X it really is. One pound (453.3 grams) absolutely makes a difference. It is noticeably lighter and ever so slightly [magnesium PL mount] front heavy. Beautifully constructed. Having spent a lot of time in and around race cars, I can definitely say the quality of the carbon fiber is top-notch. All of the standard M3 hex screws are in the same places (albeit they're uniquely red for the CF models). Both the front and top fans are the 2.0 upgrades. Front of camera has "DRAGON 6K" marking beneath lens mount and "RED" in relief and "DRAGON" inlaid-recessed, flanking the SSD mount.
Sturdy and well-constructed, just like the full body Epic-X but now with one hell of a good looking carbon fiber jacket.
Bonus: March 15th is my birthday (Ides) and I've always had a special affinity for the number. Nice to have #00015 on the bottom. As the carbon fibers are 'M' models, I'll have to see if that means I finally get a thread on the 'EPIC-M OWNERS' board.
I assume RED made their own red-colored M5 body screws. I was recently on a shoot where the DP brought his own Epic and he had red screws from a popular after-market supplier and one was broken off below the crown (screw post permanently lodged into his SSD module). His fault for over-torquing the screw but I also suggest caution against using anything other than warranty'able RED bolts and parts.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15th
After a quick run of tests with the lone Ultra Prime I had on hand, I was able to get 6K FF 1/2 resolution playback with an nVidia Titan GPU on a Mac Pro (2012 12-core with 128 GB RAM and Quad-SSD RAID 0). Surprisingly great performance. For just $1k and to have something compatible with both Mac (as of Mavericks) and PC, this will give Scarlet and indie productions a fast leg up on handling their RED footage. If the RED Rocket is just out of your range, RED did a huge favor by implementing GPU support and even with Dragon 6K footage at 1/2 resolution, you're still getting a lot of bang for your buck.
You don't need to waste any extra money buying a TITAN card from an after-market supplier or so-called "Mac Video Hack". Thanks to a major boost in the arm by Apple and the introduction of Mavericks OS X, all you need is the off-the-shelf TITAN or TITAN SuperClocked. Plug and play. Use the standard Apple motherboard power leads with a 6-pin to 8-pin cable converter. PC users... A lot less work and a lot more bang.
However, I was itching for a little heavy-lifting extra help. 1/2 resolution is nice but after becoming accustomed to working with 5K Epic footage across 5 RED Rockets (JMR BlueStore PCIe Expansion System), I wasn't about to step down. After a quick call to RED, I arranged to pickup my pre-ordered RED ROCKET-X. Now we're cooking with fire.
A few hours after pickup, the RED ROCKET-X took the place of a 16x PCIe lane previously occupied by a JMR expansion board. Running with both the Titan GPU and the ROCKET-X, I am blown away. We're slicing and grading 6K FF footage, with alchemy enabled, as if it was 720p. The RED ROCKET-X is every bit the Dragon devouring monster RED has suggested. In fact, I was so overly impressed by the result, I'm thinking the true performance of this thing has been understated. RED's being modest. The ROCKET-X is awesome. The companion purchase discount is a definite green light. The ROCKET-X should be considered a must-have with any Dragon purchase and Producers have got to start asking for one on set.
The claim is the ROCKET-X performs somewhere around 5x that of the current RED ROCKET. I believe that claim. And while a $1k Titan GPU is going to give you excellent bang for the bucket, if you're in the business of producing RED projects, you're an editor, you're VFX/post, DIT, or any of a handful of other folks that work with R3Ds day in and out, spare yourself and indulge. The ROCKET-X is the definitive RED camera companion.
With that said, Apple and partners have got to get to work on TB2 expansion chassis. I know mLogic has demonstrated one, but those things have got to come sooner than later if the new Mac Pro is going to have a top-tier relevance in this Dragonized-world.
Special notes:
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16th
Build-up time. Spent a little while kitting out the Dragon in my favorite light-weight configuration using the following RED components:
I'm also a big fan of the Pro I/O. Thanks to the module system, you can easily toss the Pro I/O to save weight with just two quarter twists of a torx screw. Amazing.
The 9" Touch Pro is another must-have. If you're still shooting with a 5", you're missing out. We now have two of the 9" Touch Pros and throwing both of them onto an Epic/Dragon (via the Pro I/O) is awesome. I haven't been shooting as long as many of you and for me, having the 9" to make sure I'm grabbing focus has been instrumental in getting my work buttoned down.
This is the camera in profile with what I call my run-and-gun configuration:
Losing the Pro I/O module saves a few pounds. But if I'm on sticks or mounts, it's always on for me. The second monitor input (while still leaving HDMI open for my wireless Paralinx module), plus the audio inputs and additional power, jam, and sync ports make the Pro I/O a very good module.
I've become a huge fan of the RED quick mount/release system. We use Miller 100mm and 150mm fluid head mounts on Arrow (carbon fiber) sticks, Miller high-hat, mitchell mounts, RED Gunner shoulders, 19mm rails with matte boxes and follow focus, etc etc. We even have an R90 that we use surprisingly often.
Nothing is faster on set and we've come to rely on the RED Universal Quick Release System.
We are currently in the process of custom-building our own components built off of the RED Universal Quick Release mounts...
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17th
Loaded up and ready to rock for another afternoon of testing. Nikon lens testing time. Although mass-produced and built for still photography, the Nikon 'G-series' of lenses have seriously impressed me. They're fast, cheap, light, and easy to handle. The RED Nikon mount fully supports them and the electronics and motors allow for software tricks like touch focus and dialing in racks. It may be passé to talk about this in the 'pro' world and I get shit for it all the time, but I don't care. Nikons are great and RED did a fantastic job making them really fun to use with the Epic and now the Dragon. Plus, using them forces better focus discipline.
We've got the 24mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, 105mm macro, 14-24mm, 24-70mm, 70-200mm, and 65mm macro. All wonderful lenses with the 50mm and 85mm being absolutely superb. (I shot a fashion film called TIME PIECE on Nikon http://vimeo.com/74359892, among others.)
Plus we have mounts for PL (titanium, magnesium, and motion), Leica, and Canon. We have each type of mount for every Epic and Dragon body we own. Whatever glass you want to use, we're game. Pick a flavor.
We tested all of our Nikons and of course the primes covered full frame without vignetting.
In addition to the Nikons, we also tested a full set of ARRI Ultra Primes (gorgeous) and Schneider Xenar III's. I have a set of Xenon primes on pre-order and will post results once I've shot with those.
Shot on Nikon 85mm 2.2 86fps 6K at 200 ISO:
Yep. The Dragon is pretty fucking incredible.
Bigger: http://www.blackwoodfx.com/shares/dragon/dragon_fire.jpg
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14th
RED Dragon #15 (carbon fiber) received by Blackwood Cinema. The carbon fiber ships in the standard EPIC-M carrying case. First impression, immediately upon removing the body from the case, is how much lesser weighted than the Epic-X it really is. One pound (453.3 grams) absolutely makes a difference. It is noticeably lighter and ever so slightly [magnesium PL mount] front heavy. Beautifully constructed. Having spent a lot of time in and around race cars, I can definitely say the quality of the carbon fiber is top-notch. All of the standard M3 hex screws are in the same places (albeit they're uniquely red for the CF models). Both the front and top fans are the 2.0 upgrades. Front of camera has "DRAGON 6K" marking beneath lens mount and "RED" in relief and "DRAGON" inlaid-recessed, flanking the SSD mount.
Sturdy and well-constructed, just like the full body Epic-X but now with one hell of a good looking carbon fiber jacket.
Bonus: March 15th is my birthday (Ides) and I've always had a special affinity for the number. Nice to have #00015 on the bottom. As the carbon fibers are 'M' models, I'll have to see if that means I finally get a thread on the 'EPIC-M OWNERS' board.
I assume RED made their own red-colored M5 body screws. I was recently on a shoot where the DP brought his own Epic and he had red screws from a popular after-market supplier and one was broken off below the crown (screw post permanently lodged into his SSD module). His fault for over-torquing the screw but I also suggest caution against using anything other than warranty'able RED bolts and parts.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15th
After a quick run of tests with the lone Ultra Prime I had on hand, I was able to get 6K FF 1/2 resolution playback with an nVidia Titan GPU on a Mac Pro (2012 12-core with 128 GB RAM and Quad-SSD RAID 0). Surprisingly great performance. For just $1k and to have something compatible with both Mac (as of Mavericks) and PC, this will give Scarlet and indie productions a fast leg up on handling their RED footage. If the RED Rocket is just out of your range, RED did a huge favor by implementing GPU support and even with Dragon 6K footage at 1/2 resolution, you're still getting a lot of bang for your buck.
You don't need to waste any extra money buying a TITAN card from an after-market supplier or so-called "Mac Video Hack". Thanks to a major boost in the arm by Apple and the introduction of Mavericks OS X, all you need is the off-the-shelf TITAN or TITAN SuperClocked. Plug and play. Use the standard Apple motherboard power leads with a 6-pin to 8-pin cable converter. PC users... A lot less work and a lot more bang.
However, I was itching for a little heavy-lifting extra help. 1/2 resolution is nice but after becoming accustomed to working with 5K Epic footage across 5 RED Rockets (JMR BlueStore PCIe Expansion System), I wasn't about to step down. After a quick call to RED, I arranged to pickup my pre-ordered RED ROCKET-X. Now we're cooking with fire.
A few hours after pickup, the RED ROCKET-X took the place of a 16x PCIe lane previously occupied by a JMR expansion board. Running with both the Titan GPU and the ROCKET-X, I am blown away. We're slicing and grading 6K FF footage, with alchemy enabled, as if it was 720p. The RED ROCKET-X is every bit the Dragon devouring monster RED has suggested. In fact, I was so overly impressed by the result, I'm thinking the true performance of this thing has been understated. RED's being modest. The ROCKET-X is awesome. The companion purchase discount is a definite green light. The ROCKET-X should be considered a must-have with any Dragon purchase and Producers have got to start asking for one on set.
The claim is the ROCKET-X performs somewhere around 5x that of the current RED ROCKET. I believe that claim. And while a $1k Titan GPU is going to give you excellent bang for the bucket, if you're in the business of producing RED projects, you're an editor, you're VFX/post, DIT, or any of a handful of other folks that work with R3Ds day in and out, spare yourself and indulge. The ROCKET-X is the definitive RED camera companion.
With that said, Apple and partners have got to get to work on TB2 expansion chassis. I know mLogic has demonstrated one, but those things have got to come sooner than later if the new Mac Pro is going to have a top-tier relevance in this Dragonized-world.
Special notes:
- RED ROCKET-X will not work outside of a 16x PCIe lane.
- The original RED ROCKET will not work with Dragon R3Ds. (As of most recent driver+firmware and seems unlikely to change).
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16th
Build-up time. Spent a little while kitting out the Dragon in my favorite light-weight configuration using the following RED components:
- 9" Touch Pro monitor
- Tactical Top Plate 2.0
- DSMC Tactical Right Z Adapter
- Sliding Top Handle
- Mounting Plate (DSMC)
- LCD/EVF Cable (right-to-right) 7"
- Swat Rail 100mm
- Module Adapter
- Quickplate Module (v-lock)
I'm also a big fan of the Pro I/O. Thanks to the module system, you can easily toss the Pro I/O to save weight with just two quarter twists of a torx screw. Amazing.
The 9" Touch Pro is another must-have. If you're still shooting with a 5", you're missing out. We now have two of the 9" Touch Pros and throwing both of them onto an Epic/Dragon (via the Pro I/O) is awesome. I haven't been shooting as long as many of you and for me, having the 9" to make sure I'm grabbing focus has been instrumental in getting my work buttoned down.
This is the camera in profile with what I call my run-and-gun configuration:
Losing the Pro I/O module saves a few pounds. But if I'm on sticks or mounts, it's always on for me. The second monitor input (while still leaving HDMI open for my wireless Paralinx module), plus the audio inputs and additional power, jam, and sync ports make the Pro I/O a very good module.
I've become a huge fan of the RED quick mount/release system. We use Miller 100mm and 150mm fluid head mounts on Arrow (carbon fiber) sticks, Miller high-hat, mitchell mounts, RED Gunner shoulders, 19mm rails with matte boxes and follow focus, etc etc. We even have an R90 that we use surprisingly often.
Nothing is faster on set and we've come to rely on the RED Universal Quick Release System.
We are currently in the process of custom-building our own components built off of the RED Universal Quick Release mounts...
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17th
Loaded up and ready to rock for another afternoon of testing. Nikon lens testing time. Although mass-produced and built for still photography, the Nikon 'G-series' of lenses have seriously impressed me. They're fast, cheap, light, and easy to handle. The RED Nikon mount fully supports them and the electronics and motors allow for software tricks like touch focus and dialing in racks. It may be passé to talk about this in the 'pro' world and I get shit for it all the time, but I don't care. Nikons are great and RED did a fantastic job making them really fun to use with the Epic and now the Dragon. Plus, using them forces better focus discipline.
We've got the 24mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, 105mm macro, 14-24mm, 24-70mm, 70-200mm, and 65mm macro. All wonderful lenses with the 50mm and 85mm being absolutely superb. (I shot a fashion film called TIME PIECE on Nikon http://vimeo.com/74359892, among others.)
Plus we have mounts for PL (titanium, magnesium, and motion), Leica, and Canon. We have each type of mount for every Epic and Dragon body we own. Whatever glass you want to use, we're game. Pick a flavor.
We tested all of our Nikons and of course the primes covered full frame without vignetting.
In addition to the Nikons, we also tested a full set of ARRI Ultra Primes (gorgeous) and Schneider Xenar III's. I have a set of Xenon primes on pre-order and will post results once I've shot with those.
Shot on Nikon 85mm 2.2 86fps 6K at 200 ISO:
Yep. The Dragon is pretty fucking incredible.
Bigger: http://www.blackwoodfx.com/shares/dragon/dragon_fire.jpg
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