Epic Q&A

[Brook Willard]

also has anybody put an epic through high temperatures and really hot/sunny days yet?

Our third day on Spider-Man was a hot one. We had two cameras [of an older, hotter design] in rain bags at 48FPS baking in the sun all day long. It got HOT in that bag and the cameras never missed a beat... they weren't even close to being in trouble.

Is RED-DRIVE working with Epic?

What media is supported for firmware updates? Do I need to have a RedStation ssd with me all the time? or are there other options?

As of today, SSDs are the only released recording method. RED has announced that there will be more... it's just that SSDs came first. And they rock.

Just curious - how long does black shading take?

This falls into that "early build" thing, I'll leave it alone for now.

 

[Deanan]

Pretty sure it's 1/2 debayer - Stuart?

Playback is not enabled on the current build (that I have).

It's a combination of a full debayer+scale especially for the camera but the end result is different than Rocket or sw debayer.

 

[Albert C Martin]

anybody know?

There was some talk of a "fibre to fibre" module here:

http://reduser.net/forum/showpost.php?p=604317&postcount=27

So possibility of linking the Redmote wired via fibre cable?

Curious if this is a module that will be in production alongside the Epic release or if its still in "design stage"?

 

[Michael Hastings]

Hey Albert, how's it goin'? Hoping to bring the first epic to Ft. Lauderdale soon.

i'm really talking just a simple wire from the redmote to the camera - no extra modules, please. For long distance I think we will have control over ethernet - which is very cool. May help in your studio application, but also very significant for remote operation for my underwater stuff, but for now I just want something that will be simple to operate at the housing. I imagine I can just mount it at the backplate (plastic so RF should penetrate fine) but that isn't the most convenient operation point.

A 2 foot cable would make life much better and of course a longer cable might help the jib people - without having to go to a computer setup for ethernet control.

 

[Elsie N]

You will need a sync cable [from RED] for each camera and a timecode and sync generator. You should consider having your DIT email the bomb squad to talk about 3D.

We're months into Spider-Man [3D] and it's been working great. The sync between the cameras is the best I've ever seen.

Just curious... will it be possible to sync three cameras?

 

[Albert C Martin]

Hey Albert, how's it goin'? Hoping to bring the first epic to Ft. Lauderdale soon.

i'm really talking just a simple wire from the redmote to the camera - no extra modules, please. For long distance I think we will have control over ethernet - which is very cool. May help in your studio application, but also very significant for remote operation for my underwater stuff, but for now I just want something that will be simple to operate at the housing. I imagine I can just mount it at the backplate (plastic so RF should penetrate fine) but that isn't the most convenient operation point.

A 2 foot cable would make life much better and of course a longer cable might help the jib people - without having to go to a computer setup for ethernet control.

Going well! And can't wait for Epic to make its South Florida debut!

I do see how another module would probably not be ideal for underwater purposes seeing as you want as small an enclosure as possible. We currently have our studio setup designed for the ethernet control based on the specs that are currently available. Will be interesting to see what this ethernet control entails (Web-based management? Red-developed computer app? iPad control maybe?)

 

[Brook Willard]

Just curious... will it be possible to sync three cameras?

Sure... you could sync 100 cameras. Since you can do it with a normal genlock signal, all you need is a sync generator and a distribution amplifier.

 

[Dan Kanes]

Hi Brook!

Big fan of your work.

Question re: "Lookspace" or Viewing LUTs on Epic - of course I know this can and will change.

Is Redcolor 2/RedGamma 2 or Redlog/Redlogfilm implemented in camera as a default lookspace yet?

Thanks!

 

[Brook Willard]

Hi Brook!

Big fan of your work.

Question re: "Lookspace" or Viewing LUTs on Epic - of course I know this can and will change.

Is Redcolor 2/RedGamma 2 or Redlog/Redlogfilm implemented in camera as a default lookspace yet?

Thanks!

Yes to both.

 

[Roberto Lequeux]

Hey Brook.

1. This is probably too early since there is a lot more important stuff Red must be looking at first. But is there an option already to flip everything in the 5" monitor, image and readouts, so that you can mount it upside down with a short arm from the top cheese plate from ET?

2. I need to read the thread again to make sure I didn't miss it, but what framing guides are available? And can the look-around be made to appear darker on the monitor (hopefully user-selectable brightness)?

 

[Christian Munoz D]

Minimun Weight?

Minimun Weight?

Anyone knows the minimum weight of Epic without lens?

It am thinking to fly the Epic on the OktoKopter XL for nature filmmaking.


.

 

[Brook Willard]

Hey Brook.

1. This is probably too early since there is a lot more important stuff Red must be looking at first. But is there an option already to flip everything in the 5" monitor, image and readouts, so that you can mount it upside down with a short arm from the top cheese plate from ET?

2. I need to read the thread again to make sure I didn't miss it, but what framing guides are available? And can the look-around be made to appear darker on the monitor (hopefully user-selectable brightness)?

1. Not yet, but since the R1 can do it I'm sure the Epic will be able to do it.

2. Anything you want, pretty much down to the pixel.

Anyone knows the minimum weight of Epic without lens?

It am thinking to fly the Epic on the OktoKopter XL for nature filmmaking.


.

The body is 5lbs, an SSD magazine is maybe a few ounces. Power the camera with 11.5-17v [same as the R1] and you're shooting.

 

[Gunleik Groven]

Yes to both.

Just to confirm:

You can have redlogFilm on the monitors?

(Gunleiks celebrational days are approaching rapidly...)

 

[Dylan Macleod CSC]

Great thread Brook!
What is this I hear of a combination record/power button.
Say it ain't so!?

 

[Jannard]

Great thread Brook!
What is this I hear of a combination record/power button.
Say it ain't so!?

The Power button turns the camera on. Once it is on you have a number of ways to start Recording. You can use the same Power button (a great feature BTW), the side handle, the front of the SSD or REDmote. What happens if you are only recording wireless (future) or to a rear module, you don't have a side handle or SSD and your REDmote is lost in the truck? Hit the Power button to Record.

I'm not sure why the "say it ain't so". No one has complained who has actually used the camera. Anticipating this to be a problem when it is actually a well thought out feature baffles me. What am I, and all the other owners and operators... missing?

Jim

 

[Jonathan Stevenson]

The Power button turns the camera on. Once it is on you have a number of ways to start Recording. You can use the same Power button (a great feature BTW), the side handle, the front of the SSD or REDmote. What happens if you are only recording wireless (future) or to a rear module, you don't have a side handle or SSD and your REDmote is lost in the truck? Hit the Power button to Record.

I'm not sure why the "say it ain't so". No one has complained who has actually used the camera. Anticipating this to be a problem when it is actually a well thought out feature baffles me. What am I, and all the other owners and operators... missing?

Jim

I guess the worry is "How do you not mistakenly turn the power off when you're trying to roll?" I always just assumed you had to hold the power/rec button down for a few seconds longer to power it down, correct?

 

[Dylan Macleod CSC]

The Power button turns the camera on. Once it is on you have a number of ways to start Recording. You can use the same Power button (a great feature BTW), the side handle, the front of the SSD or REDmote. What happens if you are only recording wireless (future) or to a rear module, you don't have a side handle or SSD and your REDmote is lost in the truck? Hit the Power button to Record.

I'm not sure why the "say it ain't so". No one has complained who has actually used the camera. Anticipating this to be a problem when it is actually a well thought out feature baffles me. What am I, and all the other owners and operators... missing?

Jim

If the power/record switch is able to power the camera off, then how do you differentiate wanting to record, versus powering down with a single switch. It does sound like an interesting feature - but was curious to know if you could accidentally power down when you wanted to record.

 

[Jannard]

If the power/record switch is able to power the camera off, then how do you differentiate wanting to record, versus powering down with a single switch. It does sound like an interesting feature - but was curious to know if you could accidentally power down when you wanted to record.

If you choose to power down with that button, you have to hold it for a few seconds. It isn't easy to get confused. We were purposeful in the design. You also have a few other ways to power down.

It seems like it might be better to ask the question rather than assume a mistake? Just a thought.

Jim

 

[Brook Willard]

I wrote a nice post about the power button but sporadic internet access ate it.

Long story short, we've rolled the camera over 8,000 times and haven't once accidentally powered down a body because of that button.

Think of it like forcing your Mac to power down with the power button... you have to hold it ~5 seconds or so before something happens. The same is true of this button. You only have to push it once to power up but you have to hold it for quite a bit to power down.

The status light also indicates that the camera has power even when the body is powered down - it's a really nice little thing.

We power down through the touch screen or REDmote 99% of the time.

 

[Jason Beckwith]

If you choose to power down with that button, you have to hold it for a few seconds. It isn't easy to get confused. We were purposeful in the design. You also have a few other ways to power down.

It seems like it might be better to ask the question rather than assume a mistake? Just a thought.

Jim

I think this is a great feature...

There were a least a couple of times where I was squeezed in some place and blindly reached for the record button on the back of the R1. Even though it's on the other side, I felt something round, pushed the power button and had to wait for a reboot. Stalled everything.