Dragon upgrade of Scarlets in 2012..

[Gary Paul Walker]

I was having a think about the upgrade option of Scarlet X next year. If both Scarlet and Epic can upgrade to the Dragon sensor, wouldnt that then just make them exactly the same camera?
and if thats the case would there be a need to change the bodies to reflect the upgrade?

 

[Phil Holland]

I was having a think about the upgrade option of Scarlet X next year. If both Scarlet and Epic can upgrade to the Dragon sensor, wouldnt that then just make them exactly the same camera?
and if thats the case would there be a need to change the bodies to reflect the upgrade?

Not necessarily, since we don't know at all what Dragon will do. Epic and Scarlet aren't the same camera even though they use the same sensor.

If Dragon is merely a dynamic range increase for instance, both systems benefit from the upgrade and the base features remain the same across both bodies to their original release specifications in terms of FPS and resolution.

 

[Gary Paul Walker]

Not necessarily, since we don't know at all what Dragon will do. Epic and Scarlet aren't the same camera even though they use the same sensor.

If Dragon is merely a dynamic range increase for instance, both systems benefit from the upgrade and the base features remain the same across both bodies to their original release specifications in terms of FPS and resolution.

True - I guess what got me thinking about it was the fact that it had been stated elsewhere that Scarlet would need new boards for the upgrade. Obviously closer to the time we'll know one way or the other - and I realise that its putting the cart before the horse as many people have yet to get their Scarlets in their hands. Just a Scarlet-relating musing to quell my impatience

 

[Phil Holland]

The hardware inside Scarlet is a bit more streamlined than the Epic and I believe that's why the new boards will be needed. However, as some have speculated, this could also be due to a possible resolution and fps increase.

Time will tell. Dragon's a ways away. The good news is that everybody who's purchasing cameras now will have an actual upgrade path rather than buying a new body when the time comes for new technology.

 

[Marc Berger]

I guess Dragon upgrade will be only possible for R1. Maybe this will be the big surprise about the future of R1. To upgrade Epic or Scarlet with "Dragon" we have to buy a new "Dragon" brain. The idea behind this modular Epic/Scarlet system was to upgrade by changing the brain...but hey, who knows.
Just my 2cents,
Marc

 

[Gary Paul Walker]

The good news is that everybody who's purchasing cameras now will have an actual upgrade path rather than buying a new body when the time comes for new technology.

I absolutly agree with this. Even if you didnt care about resolution, raw workflow etc - Modularity and upgrade options alone make RED a very appealing option for people

 

[Martin Weiss]

I guess Dragon upgrade will be only possible for R1. Maybe this will be the big surprise about the future of R1. To upgrade Epic or Scarlet with "Dragon" we have to buy a new "Dragon" brain. The idea behind this modular Epic/Scarlet system was to upgrade by changing the brain...but hey, who knows.
Just my 2cents,
Marc

I'll call BS on that one. It was already said that the upgrade would be for the Epic and - at a higher price, as some boards would need to be replaced - Scarlet.

 

[Gary Paul Walker]

I'll call BS on that one.

I agree...
I saw the 'brain' concept as being part of the modularity concept of the Scarlet / Epics (everything works with everything else.
Upgrade options, however, would likely be additions to the brains themselves rather than new brains (at least as far as Dragon goes)

 

[Phil Holland]

I absolutly agree with this. Even if you didnt care about resolution, raw workflow etc - Modularity and upgrade options alone make RED a very appealing option for people

Yep. Even after a fairly hefty $8k discount off the original price tag from a certain other camera company on a currently unreleased camera and literally a phone call to "seduce me" I still chose Scarlet. It's going to cost me more today, but for the next 1 to 3 years it's going to save me a chunk of dough just based on the upgrade concept.

 

[Gary Paul Walker]

Yep. Even after a fairly hefty $8k discount off the original price tag from a certain other camera company on a currently unreleased camera and literally a phone call to "seduce me" I still chose Scarlet. It's going to cost me more today, but for the next 1 to 3 years it's going to save me a chunk of dough just based on the upgrade concept.

Haha yes I got a phone call as well!!
Apparently, "The images from the Canon hold up to 4K images when projected in a standard size cinema"

I got angry when he started asking me questions about my workflow, destinations sources, purchasing power...
On November 3rd if Red had cold-called me, it wouldve been the quickest phone order of their life!