DSMC 1 Scarlet Dragon versus DSMC 2 Dragon-X

[Stephen Pruitt]

Hi all. . .

I really haven't been keeping up with all the changes in the RED DSMC 2 development department, but I am now curious with the release of the Dragon-X what the IQ differences between the 5K DSMC 1 Scarlet Dragon and the new DSMC 2 Dragon-X really are.

I am quite happy with the look we are getting using our DSMC 1 Scarlet Dragon (shooting at 5K for a 1080p delivery) wonder if there really is much benefit of "moving forward."

Thoughts?

Thanks.

Stephen

 

[Mike P.]

Warning: not a DSMC2 owner and I'm basing this mostly off using the other DSMC2 cameras, the tech specs, and internet compressed video samples (though I think RED.com has .r3ds from all cameras posted, which you should checkout and compare to your own).

I think this is one of those ignorance is bliss (or conversely, grass is greener) cases; so long as you don't use a Dragon-X, you'll (rightfully) be content with what is essentially the same thing coming out of your Scarlet-Dragon. However, once you get used to Dragon-X, going back would probably feel cumbersome.

Frame rates aside, Dragon-X has a pretty large compression ratio edge as well as the "newer boards" that apparently offer a bit more in the low-end and generally have less noise/artifacts. Functionally, you'd have IPP2 native with all its internal perks (like LUT monitoring), as well as prores/dnx, and built-in wireless... Obviously you can get all of that out of the Scarlet-Dragon in post (or with an 3rd party monitor/recorder that can display LUTs, so you could use RWG/Log3G10 internally). More over, at 1080p delivery I'm not convinced you could see much difference unless you're really *really* peeping them pixels.

Gemini, on the other, will net you much greater low-light, give you a substantially larger sensor than both (with similar filesizes because its still 5k), and the general consensus I've read is that the bigger pixel pitch gives it a DR/colour edge over Dragon (and even Helium.)

I dunno, for me 5k is just better 4k, but 8k is at least 8k.... Personally, I'd wait, or get something like a used Epic-W for the same price (if not cheaper) and at least get that 8k futureproofing. Or also worth considering is getting a couple 1.8" 512gb mags for cheap (or more expensive mini-mags) for your Scarlet-Dragon and always leverage the lowest possible compression ratios to eek out every bit of IQ from it (4k 5:1 or 5kws 7:1). It'd be way cheaper and get you over the hump until DSMC3 drops.

 

[Nick Morrison]

Hi all. . .

I really haven't been keeping up with all the changes in the RED DSMC 2 development department, but I am now curious with the release of the Dragon-X what the IQ differences between the 5K DSMC 1 Scarlet Dragon and the new DSMC 2 Dragon-X really are.

I am quite happy with the look we are getting using our DSMC 1 Scarlet Dragon (shooting at 5K for a 1080p delivery) wonder if there really is much benefit of "moving forward."

Thoughts?

Thanks.

Stephen

Dragon-X would be a lot cleaner, lower compression, and better off-speed. It's a pretty big jump. But Gemini is a whole other leap.

 

[Michael Tiemann]

DSMC2 DRAGON fixed everything I didn't quite like about DRAGON. HELIUM and MONSTRO (the directions I went) gave me new things to love, but DRAGON is legit in a DSMC2 body.

 

[David Moreno Belmonte]

DSMC2 DRAGON fixed everything I didn't quite like about DRAGON. HELIUM and MONSTRO (the directions I went) gave me new things to love, but DRAGON is legit in a DSMC2 body.

So in between a Dragon X and a Epic W, which one would you go for?
What about crop factor in 8K sensors? isn't it a con for you guys?
Is this 5k Sensor as magic as the old 6K? what you think?

 

[Codakchris]

i own dragon x