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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 :)

I hope Red team read this...

Minu Park

Minu Park

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A few days ago, I find myself that were shocked about 8k S35 sensor.

I was thinking about "Yes, that's RED, a company who looks many steps ahead comparing other company"

While I am preparing for a documentary feature film in Indonesia next year, I was calculating how many batteries do I need to bring...

I am a bit shocked about how many batteries I need to bring comparing other companies' offer.

Both sony(FS7) and canon(c300mkII) cameras' need probably two 230wh for entire day(9-10hours) But, Red's case, in order to achieve 10 hours usage, I need to bring least 3-4 batteries.

Heavior means, slower.

I understood that RED always created the best image, and the company constantly pursuit it's original concept.

But, it would be really great... if red camera can have two times more efficient energy consumption some how...

I am writing this, because I truly believe that Genius Red team can actually realize this amazing achievement for Documentary shooters, who goes to the jungle with limited equipment, or perhaps some of the filmmakers don’t even have an access to charge the batteries.
I mostly work most time in a studio, so I am not particularly complain about this…again...
I am no particularly documentary shooter.

All I am saying is that… If you somehow tweak the camera, it surely would make all the red users very very happy.

Thank you for reading this :)
 
I tested my Scarlet W (sadly now shipoed back for some problems) with 3 hypercore slim and each ine will last about 1 hour but are good to fly with. Which one you have? Is not bad 9 hours with 3 batteries....
 
I absolutely LOVE RED. I owe some of my budding career to the tools RED makes, and I'll enjoy using RED probably forever.

But, yeah, you're right: they are power hogs. Bigtime. You need to treat them like oldschool film cameras, because they require the same amount of care and feeding as a big cinema camera. Bottom line for me is, if it's an all-day shooting project, and a light crew, and especially if it's doc? Don't shoot on RED. Other cameras do a better job. It's like, you have this kickass hammer and then everything looks like a nail. Well, everything isn't a nail. Rent or buy a FS7 (if you know how to color grade) or even a FS5 with Shogun, or a C300II for the project.

This is from a guy who has traveled the world with a RED ONE, then a Scarlet, then a Scarlet Dragon.
 
I agrre with you Patrick, I have used until now my C100 M2 then I bought the SW used only few days then I had to send back, but in only few days I saw the potential of Red and obvious is something you want to use all the time! I do fashion shooting which normally dont take all day but for my peace of mind will be nice to have some extra power
 
You have to look at what a RED camera is doing compared to the others when measuring power consumption. If it is a Scarlet-W for example, you might be writing 5K compressed RAW and perhaps 2K ProRes files at let's say 50fps. Add in the fans required to keep equipment that processes all that data cool, and you are going to use some power. No, an FS7 doesn't use all that power because it is doing only a FRACTION of the work. Patrick is right. Right tool for the job. If image is your priority, stick with RED and figure out the power problem. If carrying batteries is your main concern, get an EX-1.
 
I've been calling out for better power consumption for a long time. I think however that with how technology develop, we always want the most out of the processors we have. We favor power over longer consumption. Yes, perhaps a tweak could be made so that when you shoot say lesser resolution and such, it draws less power and use less resources, but I think it's already doing that, it's just that the difference isn't measurable to any large extent.

My proposition has always been for better batteries. The thing is that there are many new technologies in development all over the world, MIT for one. My suggestion to Red would be to partner up with a company researching newer battery technology that isn't Li-Ion but a successor to that technology. The "promise" of these technologies is to be able to power a Red for days, on one single battery, or a very small battery lasting a whole day.

Many are discussing Jannards new project and my idea for that was new battery technology, since it's THE one thing that has potential to change the world, not just cinema. Just imagine an Iphone that you don't have to recharge for over two weeks. I'm sure Jannard isn't doing this in particular, but the one who does this would change everything. Just imagine electric cars outrunning regular cars by tenfold.

More powerful battery technologies would be a better route than tuning back the Reds processing power.
 
Just to add some information here.

Typically RED DSMC and DSMC2 batteries are about 1Wh per minute of camera up time. For instance a 90Wh battery should net you around an hour and a half of up time. I'm mostly using 89Wh (1.5 hr) REDVOLT XLs or 150Wh (2.5 hr) Anton Bauer Cine Batteries at the moment.

You can do a few things to help with that like using some of the power saving features that are built into the camera.

RED has in the past added some power enhancements to the DSMC line. DSMC2 is still pretty new, but I imagine there's a bit of optimizing that can be done. We'll have to see.

2X the efficiency is a huge ask on current bodies and sensors.
 
Luca Volpe said:
I tested my Scarlet W (sadly now shipoed back for some problems) with 3 hypercore slim and each ine will last about 1 hour but are good to fly with. Which one you have? Is not bad 9 hours with 3 batteries....
Click to expand...

there will be minimum three days - four days staying in a jungle.

only a producer and I will go there. The location isn't particularly easy to charge the batteries...
of course, I can bring 8-12 v mount batteries for covering three days. But, wouldn't that be really great if I could bring only 6-8 of them instead?

3 battery for a day isn't bad...

its just I don't want to bring that many batteries during 20 days...

note:

memory's case, we could easily extend the capacity using higher compression mode...
which I really love so much about Red.

if higher compression needed lessor power to run the camera. Could Red team possibly changing battery saving mode like our cell phone :)?
 
Look into a solar powered trickle charger.
 
As mainly a one man doco shooter I've learned to adapt. RedVolt or Vlock charger becomes part of my bag, always on the look out in SE Asia for dodgy power points in remote little towns, waking up every 2 hours at night to swap RedVolts/ v locks, plugging into a service station power point for 20 minutes on a fuel stop.... I do miss my c300 sometimes!
 
This is simply never going to happen. It's a real production camera that crunches big numbers and needs power. That's it. You take batteries, you come up with solutions. People have been making documentaries in remote locations since there have been docs. At least there are better battery options now. Try shooting in antarctica with Nicads ;-)
 
Minu Park said:
there will be minimum three days - four days staying in a jungle.
Click to expand...

My take on this; RED camera options may not be the best solutions for a "Job in the Jungle".

If HD is OK, consider a C100, it has pretty great battery life - 5 hours on a single charge.

I'm unaware of any 4K camera that has "great" battery life.

If the selling point for this job is RED 6K/etc,
Better pack those big bricks and/or look into modifying a portable solar trickle charger:
https://www.amazon.com/Go-Power-GP-SF-5-SUNfilm-Solar/dp/B006Q7C7L6/

91U0Uz3XhCL._SL1500_.jpg
 
There are a few doc filmmakers here, and we manage. I agree I would love to see better power management, but remember red is 6k not 4k, so the power needs are greater. I just returned from filming in Indonesia, and did not find it that hard as Indo is relatively small and there is always power around or near by. I have often hired runners who's job it is hike out and charge batteries on big mountains etc. You can also look locally to rent a few extra bats.

it's wise to get a small power inverter and a couple of small swit travel chargers. I have one rigged in my Land Rover in Africa, but you can get smaller versions that can go into a boat, car etc...
 
Thank you Phil and Alvise...so I suppose that for long shots I need a red brick or I need to see which one is the biggest from Switroniks compatible with Red...

Phil Holland said:
What Alvise said.

That's a 75Wh battery. And remember RED cameras will shutdown before the power runs completely out.
Click to expand...
 
My 230w Global Media Pro last 4h00 on my weapon with 1 monitor only. It is weird to see 4h00 on the screen.
Completly accessorized, I'm at 3h20-3h30.

With 2 batteries and a clever power management, I use only 2 batteries per day. By day I mean regular days of 8h.
If you charge them when you can, you will hurt the battery life, but you will last more.


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I'm saying it again, but MX cameras, with DSMC2 bodies would be a great adition to the arsenal. It would need less batteries, less everything and still would be an awesome camera.
 
Don't forget to make use of Red's power saving feature when you want to be ready but not drain too much power.
 
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