Komodo shipping?

[Han Vogen]

Many here will be quick to defend Red... pandemic pandemic pandemic... but yet, somehow, Blackmagic was able to announce a camera, and ship it out to customers on the same day. These delays by Red are outrageous. Many look at these delays as a forewarning as to what to expect for after purchase service. It’s bad look for the company. I’m sure the defenders will quickly step in to attempt to save face. But let me make it clear... the only way to save face is for Red to get their act together and start meeting demand with shipments. End of discussion.

 

[Bérenger Brillante]

No, they were not able to do that with every cameras they have.

People are often forgetting attitude is important to Red (well to anyone I guess)
Badmouthing a company for having trouble keeping-up with sale success in a time of global pandemic is really bad taste when they obviously would love to meet the demands.

But I agree. 3 months is a lot.
As you probaby, I just can't wait to have mine, and it's easy to worry about future projects.
I have a 3 weeks documentary shooting mid-April, and I fear it won't be there in time, but criticizing the company for long delay is rubbish.
Arri was in the same boat with the LF release, and no one was complaining.

Things are coming. In the meantime, try different accessories, write lists of gear to go along. Think about your rig, optimize it before the delivery.
It's time well spent.

Or maybe you should cancel your order and get an available camera ?
Especially if you fear about after purchase services from a company that litteraly send loaner cameras to people in distress.
Which (well... I should say who) also answer and solve issues here, on Facebook & Instagram when users need to.

Sales services at Red are good, you can't possibly worry about that.

 

[Alex Stolpakov]

Many here will be quick to defend Red... pandemic pandemic pandemic... but yet, somehow, Blackmagic was able to announce a camera, and ship it out to customers on the same day. These delays by Red are outrageous. Many look at these delays as a forewarning as to what to expect for after purchase service. It’s bad look for the company. I’m sure the defenders will quickly step in to attempt to save face. But let me make it clear... the only way to save face is for Red to get their act together and start meeting demand with shipments. End of discussion.

What is about that ? Taken today.

 

[Aaron Green]

Many here will be quick to defend Red... pandemic pandemic pandemic... but yet, somehow, Blackmagic was able to announce a camera, and ship it out to customers on the same day. These delays by Red are outrageous. Many look at these delays as a forewarning as to what to expect for after purchase service. It’s bad look for the company. I’m sure the defenders will quickly step in to attempt to save face. But let me make it clear... the only way to save face is for Red to get their act together and start meeting demand with shipments. End of discussion.

The BM Pocket 6K Pro has been in development for a year. They were beta testing a near production run back in November. The difference here is that RED just let the public in on the process sooner.

 

[Jesse Lee]

The BM Pocket 6K Pro has been in development for a year. They were beta testing a near production run back in November. The difference here is that RED just let the public in on the process sooner.

Komodo has been out of beta testing. The point is that both models are in production.

 

[Han Vogen]

The excuses just keep rolling in. Red is not the only company affected by the pandemic... it’s impact is worldwide. But clearly, this is the new reality. And at some point companies need to adapt and meet demand.

 

[Phil Holland]

The excuses just keep rolling in. Red is not the only company affected by the pandemic... it’s impact is worldwide. But clearly, this is the new reality. And at some point companies need to adapt and meet demand.

You're right. I've spoken to pretty much every camera company during this past year and current one. Everybody has had difficulties in manufacturing, suppliers, allocation, workforce related things to levels we'll never fully grasp. Pandemic, fires, evacuations, storms, freezing weather, power outages, supplier factory fires, a whole lot of stuff adding on top of each other. Any single one could have an impact, let alone back to back or all at once. Still however, getting numbers up from where they would normally be is not there yet as the pandemic is extremely high in various regions across the world. It's not impacting just workforce but the normally somewhat smooth task of imports or exports has become a delayed cycle.

Fairly complicated layers to it. You and everybody certainly have a right to be upset or frustrated about delays on preorders. But I would say digesting how the general global levels of manufacturing aren't exactly back up to speed yet, not by a long shot, the picture becomes clearer.

I'm certain it's been compounded by Komodo being fairly popular and likely ending up being the top selling RED camera to date when it comes to shear numbers, but based on various groups it seems bodies have been going out regularly, just likely not to the speed and volume to meet demand. Which is par for the course currently from every manufacturer.

There's been mega release issues with products from various other motion picture equipment manufacturers that have been postponed, fully cancelled, or quickly hit with notable price hikes to adapt to the times and likely costly solutions to solve some of these frustrations. This isn't exactly like going to Fry's and grabbing a USB cable when we're talking multi-million dollar and even billion dollar factories getting whomped by all of this.

The sincerest thing I can say speaking to all or sorts of people from manufacturers is they are also upset because demand was/is high during a time of economic pause and/or struggle. Local retailers here in LA sold out of many cameras which were subsequently not restocked. Not anywhere. That's old stock and new hot cameras even. This mainly came on as a boost in live streaming and remote production. Stuff I saw hit me back in March 2020 as I was getting calls that rental houses would normally get, but they were closed, and I took every suitable precaution including a UV decontamination room. Weird dichotomy was witnessing so many squarely pissed off at so many new cameras being released while most people in the states couldn't shoot safely, yet demand picked up for those who saw those ins when they popped up. Can't tell you how many calls I had with companies who normally rent or hire out who squarely geared up from scratch during the pandemic slump. Komodo's launch was clearly impacted by new shipments of new BP batteries not coming in, which has subsequently been resolved by battery manufacturers, but that took a few months to rectify and that's a pretty simply battery. Wild times IMO.

 

[Lee Poston]

I ordered from B&H on 30 Nov. I just checked with them and was told my order won't ship until April, unless RED ups their production rate.

i just had the exact same conversation with them --- "APRIL" . And I dont even trust that estimate. And i am in the same boat as others, bought accessories ahead of time and cant return. My excitement over this camera and Red in general has definitely cooled. I understand covid and all that stuff, but why cant Red communicate the truth of the precise situation to us? The biggest psychological disruptor is uncertainty.

 

[David Grijalva]

TOTALMENTE DE ACUERDO

TOTALMENTE DE ACUERDO

Many here will be quick to defend Red... pandemic pandemic pandemic... but yet, somehow, Blackmagic was able to announce a camera, and ship it out to customers on the same day. These delays by Red are outrageous. Many look at these delays as a forewarning as to what to expect for after purchase service. It’s bad look for the company. I’m sure the defenders will quickly step in to attempt to save face. But let me make it clear... the only way to save face is for Red to get their act together and start meeting demand with shipments. End of discussion.

I totally agree, I think RED officials have to go out and answer for these delays, I don't think the lack of respect for customers should be justified, I don't think adding flattery helps. In life we must be fair and demand when we feel that our rights are violated.

 

[Cameron Perry]

My Komodo just shipped today. I ordered on November 11th. It was pretty frustrating there toward the end. RED called me at the beginning of February and I paid. I was told it was ready to ship out and it would be a matter of days before I had it. Long story short they delayed it 4 times. I was told that COVID and the storm in Texas were having an impact which I totally understand. These are crazy times, but I think one thing they really need to work on is having a bit more communication. I had to call them every time the new ship date came and went and the story was never consistent. I recently started production on a documentary that I was renting the Komodo for. Once I paid I locked up about $9,000 of my cash and was expecting to have the camera in hand shortly to avoid paying for more rentals. At the end of the day I only paid for a week more of
Rentals than I was expecting, but I was getting really nervous there that my Komodo would just continue to get delayed and I’d be continuing to rent cameras despite shelling out 9k for a camera. I know there’s a lot of crazy things happening in the world, but it seems to me RED may have bitten off more than they can chew with this camera, and they aren’t doing much to compensate for the neglect on their end. I haven’t yet received an apology in regards to the persistent delays. An apology can go a long way. With that said, I’m very happy to be getting the camera, and I know there’s a lot of people working hard to get those
Cameras out and for that I am thankful.

 

[Tomasz Nizielski]

What RED does is a shame. I understand that they have problems with production, but what is the reason that they aren't inform clients about the situation. It's also covid's fault? A chinese virus attacked their mailboxes? no one wrote to me, I have to ask for some information. I lose a lot of money because I sell my old camera in December, and sice that moment I have to rent a camera.

 

[Sergio Perez]

I know this will not ease the pain for most, but all I can say is that the camera is worth the wait. Hang tight.

 

[Bill Ravens]

What RED does is a shame. I understand that they have problems with production, but what is the reason that they aren't inform clients about the situation. It's also covid's fault? A chinese virus attacked their mailboxes? no one wrote to me, I have to ask for some information. I lose a lot of money because I sell my old camera in December, and sice that moment I have to rent a camera.

This is the basic issue, here. No one can, or should, fault RED for circumstances beyond their control. But, the lack of transparency, the changing story coming from RED, leaves me distrustful of their integrity and care for their customer. Given the cost of acquisition, RED should be much more careful with how they treat customers. If their honesty is questionable, I would run from purchasing a RED.

 

[Massimiliano_Serra]

This is the basic issue, here. No one can, or should, fault RED for circumstances beyond their control. But, the lack of transparency, the changing story coming from RED, leaves me distrustful of their integrity and care for their customer. Given the cost of acquisition, RED should be much more careful with how they treat customers. If their honesty is questionable, I would run from purchasing a RED.

Yep reliable should be not only the product but even the company and the relationship with the customers

 

[Oleg Kutuzov]

I ordered and paid the Komodo production pack in November 14. The delivery time was designated 8-10 weeks.
No one has ever sent me a single letter. Eight weeks later, I wrote to Red on my own, when their move was over, I received an answer that the expected date of dispatch was 02.20.2021.
Unfortunately, on 02.20.21 I did not receive the camera, and again contacted Red myself.
This time I got the answer that my camera will be available by the end of March. it's awful that the company does not even inform about such huge delays and disruptions in delivery and the buyer has to write letters on his own.

 

[Jason Kisser]

Just spoke with B&H again and was told "The estimated availability for this item is 4/18/2021". I ordered the "Starter Pack" on Nov. 20.

 

[Omar Alzadjali]

Any New Info From November Gang?
i have been told that it will take a one-week delay from the original 20th of Feb Shiping date. Soooooo?
anyone with some good news?

 

[Scott Feiner]

My mid-November order (direct from Red) had a Feb 15th shipping date, which slipped to Feb 23rd due to winter storm/power outages in Mexico.

Also heard 2nd-hand that B&H would be getting some Komodos today (March 1st) to fill some of their back-orders.

 

[Jason Kisser]

<snip>

Also heard 2nd-hand that B&H would be getting some Komodos today (March 1st) to fill some of their back-orders.

Ohhh don't tease me like that!

 

[Kenny Grant]

Yes. I ordered the production pack on Nov 6th from Filmtools. They reached out to me Friday 2/26 and offered to ship the body and the other accessories they had in stock. SO, not the entire package but most of it. I happily jumped on that offer. Scheduled to arrive tomorrow.
One thing I did notice, the Canon lens adapter w/ the drop in filter is sold out or on back order from every company I researched.