Welcome to our community

Be a part of something great, join today!

Register Log in
  • 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 :)

Helium sensor upgrade - 8K S35 vs 8k VV

roryhinds

roryhinds

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 15, 2007
Messages
2,144
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Website
www.minefilms.com
With all the news on Helium I can't seem to see any details on if its possible to get the Helium sensor upgrade instead of the 8K VV, anyone have info on this?
 
Looks like you'll be able to..

vincent kardasik said:
Tough spot...
I wish we could compare specs.
Would it be possible to switch from 8K VV to 8K S35 if the last one fits our need?
I have to admit that I'm getting confused... I want 8K but I don't know about the flavor yet...
Click to expand...

Jarred Land said:
Yes... in October when Helium really begins.
Click to expand...
 
Daniel John said:
Looks like you'll be able to..
Click to expand...

Daniel, if your switch frees up an 8K VV sensor, I'd gladly take your place in line. I had deposits on two cameras and then chickened out.

Brent or Jarred, would that be possible?

M
 
Hey Mark-

I'm currently waiting on my upgrade to 6K CF Weapon-I don't have a deposit on an 8K sensor at the moment. Just quoting Vincent and Jarred's dialogue to try and
answer the OP's question. Good luck if you do make the jump to VV though!
 
Rory, the fact that Panavision is going with Vista should really make you feel good about vista. It's likely that with the shear number of Helium versions sold today this sensor will be much faster into your hands. Step out of line, and I'm sure it's not easy to get back into. Its a delima I'm sure many will face.
 
Sure is a tough dilemma. From Mark Toia's initial impression it looks like Helium will see real improvements over the Dragon sensors although I am looking forward to more detailed test results from Mark. So in the end it will probably be a trade off between how much you value the Full frame or Vistavision look and how much the improved Helium performance rings your bell. Oh the agony:willy_nilly:

What I still do not understand is if the Helium sensor is the "tock" in the tick tock of the camera body/sensor upgrade path that Red has been following and will their be another sensor a few years from now that you will be able to be upgrade the Weapon with?

Its interesting that Red has moved back in sensor size to S35 with these first Helium sensors. Is their a plan for larger Helium sensors? At this new pixel pitch larger Helium sensors will end up at 10K and 12K and I am not looking forward to telling clients their workflow needs to accomodate 12K ! Now that Red has two sensor lines maybe its time for one of these sensor lines to cater for bigger than S35 chips and go with larger pixels and push to Vistavision and beyond.
 
Michael Dalton said:
Rory, the fact that Panavision is going with Vista should really make you feel good about vista.
Click to expand...

Agree on that... Plus the crazy deal Red gave us at NAB last year... I have the feeling that 8K VV upgrade will be more expensive than the 10K we already paid.
 
It seems logical that Red will introduce the Helium sensor tech in to the VV size at some point.
I mean if you look at fully upgrading and moving your product forward then introduce Helium on a S35 sensor size and then upscale.��
 
Definitely a hard choice given the blind timeline and difficulties with producing the VV sensors. Switching lines could get one in a serious jam without knowing realistic shipping estimates ahead of time. Regardless, both sensors seem badass.
 
i'm still trying to work out which to go for. VV seems cool but only really useful for vfx work or reframing as most delivery formats for TV & Film are not VV size so you will always have to crop the VV or shoot at 6K to get the standard crop which defeats having the 8k. I'm just feeling the Helium with 8K at S35 crop would be more of a work horse to take advantage of the 8K all the time and not just for vfx shots.
 
VV to me is more about the depth of field and large sensor look, which you absolutely get in 16:9

8k is just more pixels, but the VV look is an aesthetic
 
The Helium sensor is by Jarred's own words supposed to help take the load off the other lines of cameras slow-shipping.

I think it would behoove RED to allow customers with current orders for WEAPON 8K VV, unfulfilled Weapon MG, even Scarlet Ws... to switch to Helium pre-order even before the orders open up in October.

In fairness to current Scarlet W owners, MG Weapon owners, current CF Weapon pre-paid 8k VV owners, allow a near full-refund for a trade-in immediately upon return of their camera.

Then, those not wanting to spend the large price for the upgrade and who currently have orders in for Scarlet W, MG, Weapon 8k VV, allow them a factory refurbished option instead of new camera at a discount to their original price.

Do the above and HEY PRESTO!... all bottlenecks become only wide-mouth jar necks for the flow of cameras to customers.

Everybody and I mean EVERYBODY wins!
 
Helium 8K S35 should rock for UHD/4K imagery, and should be quite interesting for S16 > 1080/2K production. Intermediate crops will be great for some use cases, but sub optimal for others.

As a Dragon 8K VV waiter, it is nice to know that I can crop to 6K and easily match image characteristics with the many 6K Dragons (and other S35 sensor cams) out there - especially for multi-cam, 2nd unit and pick ups.

The other, as yet unknown issue, is whether we will see a VV sized Helium cut, and, if so, whether the current CF Weapon boards could process an 11K-ish raster...

Cheers - #19
 
Apparently they will be shipping Heliums in numbers in October. (They've already proven they can make sensors in numbers, so...) I'd say the quickest route to 8k is Helium. Could be a year's difference.
 
would be great to have a Helium 8K vs VV 8K HD frame for frame comparison. I have my 8K VV payment in years ago but this new Helium with 8k S35 is causing lots of questions.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top