Flip HD/Creative Vado - Red Ultra Compact Camera?

[Trevor Fernando]

Hey all,

Just out of curiosity, to the Red team...

Have you guys considered or do you have any interest in producing an ultra compact camera that would blow away the competition just like you have in the Cinema camera world, using RED expertise and innovation?

The current ultra compacts are quite affordable, but naturally their lens and sensor qualities match industry standards which are way behind RED. They are also of course consumer cameras. (Flip HD, Creative Vado, Kodak, etc.)

The scarlett will be quite compact, but it could be a great advantage for pro shooters to have an ultra compact option for ultra mobile applications where having a full rig isn't ideal, or perhaps as a scaled down, cheaper option for students, etc. (Less inputs, and accessories, just the bare minimum).

Anyway, just thought I'd throw that out there...perhaps its already been suggested and talked about but I didn't see anything on it in the search. Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Trevor

 

[Carsten Kurz]

Don't distract them from working on Scarlet and Epic. They can do all the fancy stuff afterwards ;-)

 

[Juhan Malmstein]

The scarlett will be quite compact, but it could be a great advantage for pro shooters to have an ultra compact option for ultra mobile applications where having a full rig isn't ideal, or perhaps as a scaled down, cheaper option for students, etc. (Less inputs, and accessories, just the bare minimum).

They've already done that, it's called the 2/3" Scarlet. Can't beat that unless you're hoping RED to produce the next iPhone with 720p RAW video recording. There's no point in all these "how about RED make a bong module" "how about a wireless monitoring option" "how about the best coffee machine in the universe made by RED" "I'd like a car by RED, and it should record 60mp raw stills" threads right now, especially a week before the biggest announcement in the last year.

 

[Roberto Lequeux]

I think it might be a better business plan to establish themselves a bit more, THEN release a "Red Flip".

 

[Carlos Prio]

Dont give them anymore great ideas!!!!

In the interest of the future of Red and all of us who have invested in Red's core business, Red needs to concentrate on what they do best and finish the job they started. Don't chase markets that are crowded with highly capable competitors who have well established R & D departments and the resources to fund them.

Epic (Non-Beta Red One) is the holy grail and it needs to be locked down and brought to market now before Canon releases another 1ds Mk? !!! Technically, Red is a boutique that manufactures high-end cinema cameras that delivers professional moving pictures at a quality/price ratio that we have never seen before. To hold that title is a full time job for any manufacturer and Red will have to continue to pull rabbit-X's out of their A&$!!!! Not Flips, DSLRs or even Scarletts!!!!

IMO- To pursue the still, HDV, DVCPRO, and Flip markets is a mistake... Lets be realistic... Red will be hard-pressed to compete in that arena.

 

[Obin Olson]

Way off point man. A small or TINY RAW 1080p camera would be totaly AMAZING....you could shoot stuff never before captured on a high resolution camera due to size. I would use it all the time on shoots.


Please Make it the size of a Canon Powershot

They've already done that, it's called the 2/3" Scarlet. Can't beat that unless you're hoping RED to produce the next iPhone with 720p RAW video recording. There's no point in all these "how about RED make a bong module" "how about a wireless monitoring option" "how about the best coffee machine in the universe made by RED" "I'd like a car by RED, and it should record 60mp raw stills" threads right now, especially a week before the biggest announcement in the last year.

 

[Michael Totten]

Way off point man. A small or TINY RAW 1080p camera would be totaly AMAZING....you could shoot stuff never before captured on a high resolution camera due to size. I would use it all the time on shoots.


Please Make it the size of a Canon Powershot

haha. and make sure it's full frame ; )

 

[Trevor Fernando]

Thanks Obin, I think you're the only person that got what I was going for.

I think it goes without saying, we all love what Mr. Jannard and the RED team have done. They have singlehandedly revolutionized digital cinema and are transforming the film industry as a whole. We should all be grateful. But that said, some of you seem afraid to give suggestions, as if the RED team would somehow get offended and pack up. Feedback and dialogue can only help them and us in advancing our craft and the tools we use. That is what makes RED unique and way ahead of the curve...they listen to their customers.

To address a few points that were brought up...

They've already done that, it's called the 2/3" Scarlet. Can't beat that unless you're hoping RED to produce the next iPhone with 720p RAW video recording. There's no point in all these "how about RED make a bong module" "how about a wireless monitoring option" "how about the best coffee machine in the universe made by RED" "I'd like a car by RED, and it should record 60mp raw stills" threads right now, especially a week before the biggest announcement in the last year.

Sarcasm much? RED has developed cameras that are both worthwhile to top directors, and accessible to independent ones. They are hitting the top tier markets with the Epic, and the middle tier with the Scarlett. The 2/3 inch fixed lens Scarlett I believe was originally estimated at somewhere around 2500-3500. Some of this cost would be going into robust inputs/outputs, compatibility with a variety of accessories, high frame rates, etc. This is all amazing. However, what I'm throwing out there is a camera that capitalizes on the R&D RED has done with sensor technology, to build a much more scaled down, ultra portable camera to hit the lowest tier of both size and cost. Something that could be used for Run & Gun shooting, that could be easily mounted on talent or on structures for specialized shooting. This is hardly a random, superfluous suggestion. Mini-HD cameras are used on a regular basis and it seems possible that RED could use existing technology they've developed to provide an offering like this. The question is whether its something the RED team sees in their vision and business model or not.

Don't chase markets that are crowded with highly capable competitors who have well established R & D departments and the resources to fund them.

Epic (Non-Beta Red One) is the holy grail and it needs to be locked down and brought to market now before Canon releases another 1ds Mk? !!!
....

IMO- To pursue the still, HDV, DVCPRO, and Flip markets is a mistake... Lets be realistic... Red will be hard-pressed to compete in that arena.

This to me is the anti-thesis of what RED is trying to do. The whole point was specifically TO challenge larger companies with larger R&D departments. That was what the RED One was. And what RED is continuing with their future lines. They are taking on Sony, Panavision, Panasonic, Canon, ARRI, Thomson, Dalsa, Vision Research, Silicon Imaging, etc etc.

I'm glad you were able to capitalize on the RED One, that is awesome. But while you are doing well in your business, you're disregarding a large segment of independent filmmakers who have been wanting something that has Mysterium quality, at a lower price point, with acceptable trade-offs in features for that lower price. I can't afford a RED One, and it was the most exciting news when I heard about the Scarlett. Given history and my faith in the RED team, I believe the Scarlett will blow away the competition. As far as what Canon does...let them release whatever they're going to release. Why would we be afraid of that? Competition is great and will only breed better products overall. In fact, in many ways RED caused them to figure out the 5D/7D. They realized they were behind the curve and needed to catch up and they are still chasing.

 

[Jeff Kilgroe]

Hey syncpicturefilms guy.. Stop by the real names thread in the recon section. I realize you registered 2 years ago and have only just now posted for the first time, but that's the new policy around here. Thanks.

As for the compact camera thing. I'm totally with you and Obin. I'd love something the size of a compact stills camera that could shoot RAW stills and video better than the other guys. My Canon G9 point n shoot is pretty darn good, within the limitations of the optics, but the sensor is slow with poor native sensitivity and the camera is dog slow when it comes to actually wrapping up a picture and putting it onto an SDHC card.

Oh, and Scarlet was originally supposed to be a "professional pocket camera". I don't know about you guys, but Scarlet is a little too big for most of my pockets. Hopefully the vision of a "pocket camera" is not something that has been lost over at RED HQ.

 

[Lawrence Bansbach]

Oh, and Scarlet was originally supposed to be a "professional pocket camera". I don't know about you guys, but Scarlet is a little too big for most of my pockets. Hopefully the vision of a "pocket camera" is not something that has been lost over at RED HQ.

Who knows? With the prospect of price increases, maybe there will be more room in your pockets.

 

[Hrvoje Simic]

I think there are a lot of folks wishing for that type of camera and I'm one of them.
If RED eventually makes an ultra compact RAW camera I'd prefer if its design went in this direction instead of still camera's - perpendicular-to-body-holding type:






Something along those lines...maybe with rotational head (lens+sensor) to be able to adapt to both holding types.


As far as resolution, no point in developing a new sensor...that 2/3" 3K would be excellent.

I wouldn't care if it's features were a bare minimum, but I would need 50p, wide(er) lens and a 3.5" to cca. 4.5" monitor at least...




Not only would that camera expand creative possibilities in this profession, I'm sure guys like my friend Amir (red jacket) would appreciate a better tool to capture this (watch fullscreen):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxRCJDsOhH0

Now imagine that shot on 2/3" in 3K. Shot in 50p and played @ 50p.



So...after Oakley...I mean....you know...