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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

EPIC stops recording when pointed at bright sky

pieterstathis

pieterstathis

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Hey guys,

has anyone ever had this happen? i'm shooting with EPIC build 3.0.

the shot calls for a transition tilting down from the sky onto the actors.

my camera starts pointed level to shoot the slate, then i tilt up to a bright overcast sky and then tilt down to transition into the scene.
the camera's red roll button and time-code have turned red and keep showing we are rolling, but the SSD percentage counter doesn't count down.

and when we check playback, the camera has actually stopped recording as soon as the entire frame is covered with overexposed, white sky.

i tried this a few times with both of our EPIC bodies and identified that the cameras will not roll when the frame is 100% filled with bright, uniformly overexposed white information. i tried a similar bench test with the lens off and the resulting blown out white image and when i roll, the camera hiccups a few frames and then cuts out even though it appears to keep rolling according to the active red roll button and red time-code numbers.

is this just a firmware or software glitch -- or is it a safety feature to somehow protect the sensor from burning out?

anyone ever experienced something like this before?

for the time being, no more shooting the bright sky :)

thanks,
Pieter.
 
Thats the weirdest thing I have ever heard....

So much so, that I have just walked out side and pointed mine directly into the sun... over exposed it...pressed record. and it works. !

You had me scared there for a minute.

Maybe some RED Scientist can help you out.

Oooooohh your getting ready for APRIL 1st... got ya. :))))
 
If you have a problem... we take it seriously. Send log to us if you can.

Jim
 
Hum.....
 
Very odd yes. I have often shot at very bright sky with HDR-X or the sun etc and that's never happened.

Have you tried re-loading the firmware and checking all your power connections and that the SSD module is seated tight and the SSD itself is sitting nice and snug in the slot?

def an odd one and would love to know the outcome.
 
I am a focus puller working in Vancouver and I am the one that discovered this bug while working with Pieter. Over the last few days I have thoroughley tested numerous other Epics around Vancouver from both individual owners and rental houses. I have found the same issue on all 5 cameras that I have tested. I have tested both Epic-X and M models on firmware versions 2.0.5 and 3.0.0.

To be clear, the camera will still indicate that it is rolling (red light, red time code, lowered fan speed and limited functions) but will not record to the media when every pixel on the sensor is completely uniformly overexposed. (ie. when in exposure check, the entire screen is red.)

THIS IS NOT AN APRIL FOOLS JOKE!.

We have been in contact with Red Technical Support and they are fully aware of this issue but I encourage all red epic and scarlet owners to test their cameras and please post your findings.

---
Nick Malcolm
1st Assistant Cameraman
Vancouver, Canada
 
We have reproduced this and have a fix undergoing test that will be hopefully be rolled out soon.
 
I just recreated this on an Epic-X running 2.02. I'm surprised this hasn't come up before.
 
Problem replicated

Problem replicated

Pieter's problem is real. The problem has been replicated with firmware versions 2.0.5...

Get the Bug Fixer ready...

Richard

pieterstathis said:
Hey guys,

has anyone ever had this happen? i'm shooting with EPIC build 3.0.

the shot calls for a transition tilting down from the sky onto the actors.

my camera starts pointed level to shoot the slate, then i tilt up to a bright overcast sky and then tilt down to transition into the scene.
the camera's red roll button and time-code have turned red and keep showing we are rolling, but the SSD percentage counter doesn't count down.

and when we check playback, the camera has actually stopped recording as soon as the entire frame is covered with overexposed, white sky.

i tried this a few times with both of our EPIC bodies and identified that the cameras will not roll when the frame is 100% filled with bright, uniformly overexposed white information. i tried a similar bench test with the lens off and the resulting blown out white image and when i roll, the camera hiccups a few frames and then cuts out even though it appears to keep rolling according to the active red roll button and red time-code numbers.

is this just a firmware or software glitch -- or is it a safety feature to somehow protect the sensor from burning out?

anyone ever experienced something like this before?

for the time being, no more shooting the bright sky :)

thanks,
Pieter.
Click to expand...
 
I know it's the wrong thread but we got random one 1 errors on the last couple of jobs. I have not saved out the frames / clips so far (did not have the time).
But is anyone else experiencing a frame or half a frame of digital noise once in a while?
a bit scary I think.

/b
 
A excellent example how having an open dialogue with your customers can accelerate product development and thus prevent consequential losses to end user.
In this case only a few days for the bug to be fixed!
Do all Red owners receive an email regarding the problem and fix?

It also serves as a reminder that high tech kit can produce some bizarre bugs and that there is only so much testing of major software updates can be done in the factory.

Mike Brennan
 
We've rolled out FW build 3.0.6 which includes an update that should address this problem
 
I had a similar issue. Was shooting in a very white desert, with extremely bright light in Africa. After swapping out a lens I suddenly I couldn't record and there was no image on the screen. Did a black shading and all was fine after that. Freaked me out though. I thought my camera was down and I was in the middle of nowhere with no backup.
 
TheBied said:
We've rolled out FW build 3.0.6 which includes an update that should address this problem
Click to expand...

To restate what Matt said earlier in this thread. Please try that if you see this issue.

If that does NOT resolve your issue, please contact us and send us a camera LOG file....
 
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