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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 :)

Is the OLPF DIY kit program dead?

Lauri Kettunen

Lauri Kettunen

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All practical things seem to suggest the OLPF DIY kit program is never going happen. Could somebody from RED please comment on this?

Thought would save time and trouble by doing the change myself. Changing it should not be a big deal. Eventually ended up not having the low light OLPF when needed it the most –a wildlife shooter appreciates all light when it's otherwise rather dark here up in the north.

Did not either get a proper answer to the status of the DIY program by leaving a ticket to RED support.
 
Lauri Kettunen said:
All practical things seem to suggest the OLPF DIY kit program is never going happen. Could somebody from RED please comment on this?

Thought would save time and trouble by doing the change myself. Changing it should not be a big deal. Eventually ended up not having the low light OLPF when needed it the most –a wildlife shooter appreciates all light when it's otherwise rather dark here up in the north.

Did not either get a proper answer to the status of the DIY program by leaving a ticket to RED support.
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Don't know what practical things you're referring to, but Brent chimed in recently with this:

Brent@RED said:
Daniel and antoine, must be a miscommunication. We are not recycling DIY kits. We are just hand to mouth on the actual OLPFs, as you guys know, so that is the bottleneck.

EDIT: More clarification, we did exceed the number of OLPF gasket removal tools we had originally made. So, for the few days production needed machine up some more of those tools, we were hands tied unless a tool was returned. Meaning, this was a short blip on the radar. We are not holding back DIY kits waiting for kits to come back as SOP.

Chris, yes, they are shipping. As quickly as we can make them.
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Phil, I mean, it seems impossible to get any bit information what is going on with the DIY kit. Especially, they are not able to takes side on when one may expect to get the DIY kit. The RED guys at Pinewood actually seem to say they know nothing. Sending a ticket to RED support to USA resulted in a same kind of answer from Pinewood.

Since I have a very low serial number of Dragon, replied immediately to the email enquiry that opt for the DIY kit, and paid the fee they asked for already in November, did not expect that still in January the situation is steadily half of meter from the ground level in air. But, as all veterans with RED cameras know, managing with these kind of things is not precisely the strength of RED. ;-)

Still, proper information from RED would be highly appreciated, because have to make decisions now.
 
I just got my DIY kit a couple days ago
 
Lauri Kettunen said:
Phil, I mean, it seems impossible to get any bit information what is going on with the DIY kit. Especially, they are not able to takes side on when one may expect to get the DIY kit. The RED guys at Pinewood actually seem to say they know nothing. Sending a ticket to RED support to USA resulted in a same kind of answer from Pinewood.

Since I have a very low serial number of Dragon, replied immediately to the email enquiry that opt for the DIY kit, and paid the fee they asked for already in November, did not expect that still in January the situation is steadily half of meter from the ground level in air. But, as all veterans with RED cameras know, managing with these kind of things is not precisely the strength of RED. ;-)

Still, proper information from RED would be highly appreciated, because have to make decisions now.
Click to expand...

Same situation here.
 
I wouldn't really recommend doing the DIY kit unless FedEx is horendous and you need your camera 24/7. It's beyond nerve wracking and then you'll always have to live with the fear that you did something horribly wrong to your camera. Or at least I do. If RED messes it up then they can fix it and it's their neck on the line not yours.
 
Gavin Greenwalt said:
I wouldn't really recommend doing the DIY kit unless FedEx is horendous and you need your camera 24/7. It's beyond nerve wracking and then you'll always have to live with the fear that you did something horribly wrong to your camera. Or at least I do. If RED messes it up then they can fix it and it's their neck on the line not yours.
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The process is simple? Apart from nerves of course.
 
Im still waiting for my swappable lowlight olpf, ordered it the same day it was out. The London office told me they still dont know when they will get them in stock... would really want one for Wednesday but that was not possible. :(
 
About to do it today. They sent a password protected link to a video that walks you through it. You have to actually cut/tear some rubber gasket type material that's in there. Seems simple enough if everything goes smoothly, but if it doesn't...
 
I have two low light olpfs sitting on my bench since mid November...

And no sign of the installation kit or skin tone ones.

Sending cameras into Red is not really a practical option outside of the USA.

I would not have bought these items so early if they were just going to sit unable to be used. It's kinda frustrating.
 
Jake Wilganowski said:
About to do it today. They sent a password protected link to a video that walks you through it. You have to actually cut/tear some rubber gasket type material that's in there. Seems simple enough if everything goes smoothly, but if it doesn't...
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Why is the video password protected? Wouldn't it be helpful for potential DIYers to see how to do it before deciding to?
 
After receiving the DIY kit which comes with some tools, online instructions, and a a video walkthrough, I've decided to send my camera to RED to do the installation. I was about to start the process and was reading the instructions which recommends several different times very strongly that the camera be sent in. Self installation officially requires a professional clean room etc. You have to cut some rubber in there, and pry loose a part that is glued in. Basically if anything gets in there (which seems likely in my environment) it is on you and you are advised to contact RED and not attempt to remove it. Not worth the risk to me, I'd rather send it in after seeing the process. Just thought I'd share, you may be bolder that I.
 
Jake Wilganowski said:
After receiving the DIY kit which comes with some tools, online instructions, and a a video walkthrough, I've decided to send my camera to RED to do the installation. I was about to start the process and was reading the instructions which recommends several different times very strongly that the camera be sent in. Self installation officially requires a professional clean room etc. You have to cut some rubber in there, and pry loose a part that is glued in. Basically if anything gets in there (which seems likely in my environment) it is on you and you are advised to contact RED and not attempt to remove it. Not worth the risk to me, I'd rather send it in after seeing the process. Just thought I'd share, you may be bolder that I.
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This is really good to know, I was waiting for my kit as well but will be sending my camera in based on this post. It would have served a lot of us better if perhaps Dragon owners were all able to view the video before their DIY kit was already ready to ship, and possibly would have helped Red with the backorders as more people like me elected to wait for a good time to send their camera in.
 
I was uncertain if it would be a good idea to use the DIY option. I got my kit, and started, followed each step from the great video carefully. No problems. (I cleaned the knife, it was a little bit oily! Not mentioned in the video ;o)

From the point I got the kit, to the confirmation that the kit was back at RED, I counted only ~30 hours. I think that was the least I could do, to keep things running for others.

Waiting and feeling always to be on the end of the line: In the moment I got the kit I was already a little bit impatient, it seemed that everyone else had it already. Well: Seeing others now a month later waiting, made me feel that I was correct to order in the moment RED mentioned it. (I missed that with the Dragon, and waited a long time)

I hope everyone gets these OLPFs ASAP, it is certainly a great option. Having said that, where is the "IR-OLPF"? Thehehe. ;o)

All in all, a great service and thanks to the RED team.

P.S.: I have that little "clean room" (kind of) from KOH, certainly worth it.
 
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