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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 :)

New Camera called Craft?

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Gianni C

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Hey guys happy almost Friday!


I apologize if this is on a different thread but i could find such a thread.


So this website popped up on my Facebook newsfeed,
http://www.comingsoon.craftcamera.com

They claim a cinema quality camera under $1,000

As a college student who's saving money for the Raven it would be great to get cinema quality for under a grand but it just sounds too good to be true in my opinion.

Has anyone heard about this or is it a too good to be true situation

Thanks,

Gianni
 
Gianni, I've seen that ad too and I haven't seen nor heard anything about it as of yet. It's just a waiting game at this point I suppose. But remember, just because it's cheap doesn't mean it's good. In college and saving for a Raven, eh? Bravo! Back when I was finishing up college the RED One came out but I was moving on to film school to get my Masters so it was a case of one or the other. Still, wish I could have got a RED One for my first year projects instead of the then new Nikon D90. Now there's 4K options everywhere and hopefully this one turns out to be a good option but I'm not holding my breath to be honest.
 
The craft camera started as an audrino board interfaced to a camera sensor board in a cardboard case. What is shown in the website is definetly nolonger cardboard, and they used to say HD and 4k cameras this year under $1k (but am unsure if this is one or both types of camera. If it is the latest nvidia chip it should be rather hefty in performance.
 
Crafty II Cinema Camera.

Just thinking about Jim's comments about a race to the bottom and a YouTube clip of an even simpler cheaper simpler craft camera where a bunch of actors on a stage behind the new camera record what the actors in front of the camera are doing by mimicking them like a reflection. Rewind and replay should be rather interesting. Need a dance troop for that one. :)

aren't comedy lovely.
 
I'm going to say something RED fans might hate me for..... but if you're a college student then do *NOT* buy a Raven!

How long will it take you to graduate? 4yrs? Plus at least a couple of years after you graduate before you start to really get some experience and gain some traction.

By then a RED Raven will be old news, and you could pick one up for dirt cheap, and if you'd purchased one it wouldn't be worth much.


Instead buy one of these:
Samsung NX1 / Sony A6300 / Sony A7s mk1 / Panasonic G7 / Sony PMW-F3 / BMPCC / Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera.

Get yourself a small set of Nikon primes (and perhaps a couple of zooms).

The total cost will be vastly lower.

Then you're set with your personal camera, and use the university to get hold of any other gear you need.
 
yeah but if you can afford it i think it's worth the bump in quality and professionalism as well as experience in a more professional system.
if you buy one of those dslrs then you have nothing more then what the person next to you has and no experience.
at least with the raven, if you want to be a dp in college you might get a director to have you shoot something before he has someone else shoot something, and in 4 years you know what, the quality will still hold up!
so i dont agree, those low end still cameras will just mess you up to deal with what's really out there.
 
I've got a better suggestion.

Don't pay to go to film school.

What a fucking waste of money, sorry! In the industry your "credibility" is often challenged once people find out you were a film student or are one. Weird right ? If you go get a "regular job" later people will look at you like you're worse than scum. Take it from me, I studied literature, and then decided to get into studying film.

If you have a free ride scholarship, or really really want a degree, major in Marketing, Business, or engineering - and just make friends with all the film kids.

Instead, buy a Raven, get an apartment or better yet, build a tiny house/trailer in the back of a box truck or van and live relatively free NEARBY a school that teaches film. Get a job on campus or near campus that's either at a bar or coffee shop where the film students (preferably attractive members of opposite or same sex depending on your preference) hang out.

Make as many friends as you can who are aspiring writers, directors, producers. Start making films with them and your Raven. Become the SPECIALIST that they want, no they DEMAND, because you know your shit and you work hard, and you are likeable.

Sit in on a few classes for fun, go to EVERY screening you can get to for free or cheap.

Live frugally, exercise a lot. Don't drink beer. If you have to get drunk, have a Vodka+soda or something.

Don't forget to eat vegetables - salads are your friend.

Go to the dentist, even if it's too expensive, try to get a credit card or something and figure it out. Brush three times a day.

Don't get into a serious relationship, try a lot of different things.

By the time all your friends finish film school you may already have a career and a track record.
 
Dan Kanes said:
I've got a better suggestion.

Don't pay to go to film school.

What a fucking waste of money, sorry! In the industry your "credibility" is often challenged once people find out you were a film student or are one. Weird right ? If you go get a "regular job" later people will look at you like you're worse than scum. Take it from me, I studied literature, and then decided to get into studying film.

If you have a free ride scholarship, or really really want a degree, major in Marketing, Business, or engineering - and just make friends with all the film kids.

Instead, buy a Raven, get an apartment or better yet, build a tiny house/trailer in the back of a box truck or van and live relatively free NEARBY a school that teaches film. Get a job on campus or near campus that's either at a bar or coffee shop where the film students (preferably attractive members of opposite or same sex depending on your preference) hang out.

Make as many friends as you can who are aspiring writers, directors, producers. Start making films with them and your Raven. Become the SPECIALIST that they want, no they DEMAND, because you know your shit and you work hard, and you are likeable.

Sit in on a few classes for fun, go to EVERY screening you can get to for free or cheap.

Live frugally, exercise a lot. Don't drink beer. If you have to get drunk, have a Vodka+soda or something.

Don't forget to eat vegetables - salads are your friend.

Go to the dentist, even if it's too expensive, try to get a credit card or something and figure it out. Brush three times a day.

Don't get into a serious relationship, try a lot of different things.

By the time all your friends finish film school you may already have a career and a track record.
Click to expand...

thats awesome, you forgot, learn how to fix a car and change your own oil :)
 
Dan Kanes said:
I've got a better suggestion.

Don't pay to go to film school.

What a fucking waste of money, sorry! In the industry your "credibility" is often challenged once people find out you were a film student or are one. Weird right ? If you go get a "regular job" later people will look at you like you're worse than scum. Take it from me, I studied literature, and then decided to get into studying film.

If you have a free ride scholarship, or really really want a degree, major in Marketing, Business, or engineering - and just make friends with all the film kids.

Instead, buy a Raven, get an apartment or better yet, build a tiny house/trailer in the back of a box truck or van and live relatively free NEARBY a school that teaches film. Get a job on campus or near campus that's either at a bar or coffee shop where the film students (preferably attractive members of opposite or same sex depending on your preference) hang out.

Make as many friends as you can who are aspiring writers, directors, producers. Start making films with them and your Raven. Become the SPECIALIST that they want, no they DEMAND, because you know your shit and you work hard, and you are likeable.

Sit in on a few classes for fun, go to EVERY screening you can get to for free or cheap.

Live frugally, exercise a lot. Don't drink beer. If you have to get drunk, have a Vodka+soda or something.

Don't forget to eat vegetables - salads are your friend.

Go to the dentist, even if it's too expensive, try to get a credit card or something and figure it out. Brush three times a day.

Don't get into a serious relationship, try a lot of different things.

By the time all your friends finish film school you may already have a career and a track record.
Click to expand...



love this
 
David Peterson said:
I'm going to say something RED fans might hate me for..... but if you're a college student then do *NOT* buy a Raven!

How long will it take you to graduate? 4yrs? Plus at least a couple of years after you graduate before you start to really get some experience and gain some traction.

By then a RED Raven will be old news, and you could pick one up for dirt cheap, and if you'd purchased one it wouldn't be worth much.


Instead buy one of these:
Samsung NX1 / Sony A6300 / Sony A7s mk1 / Panasonic G7 / Sony PMW-F3 / BMPCC / Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera.

Get yourself a small set of Nikon primes (and perhaps a couple of zooms).

The total cost will be vastly lower.

Then you're set with your personal camera, and use the university to get hold of any other gear you need.
Click to expand...

Very valid. I myself have had a Canon 7D which has been loyal to me and has been fantastic. I have two friends one that has a BlackMagic Pocket and another that recently used the money she saved and got a Canon C100. Between me and my friends we have a range of cameras to shoot stuff. My university isn't much of a film school so anything i can acquire will be through renting or through friends and friends of friends.
 
Dan Kanes said:
I've got a better suggestion.

Don't pay to go to film school.

What a fucking waste of money, sorry! In the industry your "credibility" is often challenged once people find out you were a film student or are one. Weird right ? If you go get a "regular job" later people will look at you like you're worse than scum. Take it from me, I studied literature, and then decided to get into studying film.

If you have a free ride scholarship, or really really want a degree, major in Marketing, Business, or engineering - and just make friends with all the film kids.

Instead, buy a Raven, get an apartment or better yet, build a tiny house/trailer in the back of a box truck or van and live relatively free NEARBY a school that teaches film. Get a job on campus or near campus that's either at a bar or coffee shop where the film students (preferably attractive members of opposite or same sex depending on your preference) hang out.

Make as many friends as you can who are aspiring writers, directors, producers. Start making films with them and your Raven. Become the SPECIALIST that they want, no they DEMAND, because you know your shit and you work hard, and you are likeable.

Sit in on a few classes for fun, go to EVERY screening you can get to for free or cheap.

Live frugally, exercise a lot. Don't drink beer. If you have to get drunk, have a Vodka+soda or something.

Don't forget to eat vegetables - salads are your friend.

Go to the dentist, even if it's too expensive, try to get a credit card or something and figure it out. Brush three times a day.

Don't get into a serious relationship, try a lot of different things.

By the time all your friends finish film school you may already have a career and a track record.
Click to expand...

Dont be sorry, you're absolutely right it is a waste and some of the things you're suggesting I already try to put into practice. I also am super lucky to day play as a PA for a major network TV show in NYC and sometimes I get to camera PA as well when they have bump ups or in the case of last week their normal Camera PA took the cinemagraphers union test so I got to fill in for him. Last week I mentioned I was a junior in college to the camera guys and they were 1. dumbfounded I was in school (I look like I'm in my early 30s and not 21 with my beard I have been told) and 2. they kinda laughed that I was going to school and explained no one cares about where you went to school after you have around 3 real productions under your belt.

I'm so close to getting the overly expensive piece of paper that has my name and fancy letters that I figured that I'd just buckle down and finish my last year and a half.
 
Thank you all for the responses, especially this craft camera that I'm not gonna hold my breath for now. This is why I joined reduser because of all you and the information you guys have and the life suggestions (including the salad and brush three times life advice lol)

hopefully I'll be able to join the RED ranks soon once I save up enough for my raven.

Thank you again
 
I would try to check out every camera the school had rather then own a starter RED system. I think the great thing about film school is the rare ability to do a lot of shorts on a ton of different cameras. I'd try and do a short on every major camera the school had, mandatory is 8mm then 16mm then 35mm film. (Actually a bunch of shorts on 8mm just so you understand the process). I'd even mess with some tape cameras, and I bet they have a red one or epic. Also checking out the sound is important. A short on stop animation would be a great learning experience using still camera. To me the great cinematographers have a mastery of all the tools, and it's hard to do that out of school since out of school you normally stick with very few systems for most jobs(especially the low end jobs).
 
Sounds like you're in a great place!

If you ever end up on the west coast and need contacts hit me up!

might as well get the degree - not slamming it at all!

I wish you a fulfilling experience and may life bring you all the things your heart desires.
 
Problem with degrees in university is they tend to follow an academic format that can really distract from practical hand's on learning. One degree I was doing they used the requirements for business degree to meet an very different more practical subject area. But better than using the arts degree standard. Those arts people are really insidious trying to get thier claws with their wonky irrelevant standards into everything, because they are so irrelevant.

There is a format to. The types of intelliegence change at each level according to some standard proposed long ago. But this is ill suited to industry. After you get past certificate levels things probably get more and more irrelevant. Associated Diploma is probably the highest level before things get to academic heavy. Now film schools are likely setup to be more practical than these university models. But you probably can have industry training schools that run you through the use and training of the equipment and jobs, and then on set experience (ie work force supplements that pay fur he privalege) from which production crews can pick from for apprenticeships. So how much shorter and cheaper would that be than film school. Sure you will miss out on certain things (that can be done latter) but into it sooner, and industry can even subsidise good talent) Only an idea.
 
Dan Kanes said:
I've got a better suggestion.

Don't pay to go to film school.

What a fucking waste of money, sorry! In the industry your "credibility" is often challenged once people find out you were a film student or are one. Weird right ? If you go get a "regular job" later people will look at you like you're worse than scum. Take it from me, I studied literature, and then decided to get into studying film.

If you have a free ride scholarship, or really really want a degree, major in Marketing, Business, or engineering - and just make friends with all the film kids.

Instead, buy a Raven, get an apartment or better yet, build a tiny house/trailer in the back of a box truck or van and live relatively free NEARBY a school that teaches film. Get a job on campus or near campus that's either at a bar or coffee shop where the film students (preferably attractive members of opposite or same sex depending on your preference) hang out.

Make as many friends as you can who are aspiring writers, directors, producers. Start making films with them and your Raven. Become the SPECIALIST that they want, no they DEMAND, because you know your shit and you work hard, and you are likeable.

Sit in on a few classes for fun, go to EVERY screening you can get to for free or cheap.

Live frugally, exercise a lot. Don't drink beer. If you have to get drunk, have a Vodka+soda or something.

Don't forget to eat vegetables - salads are your friend.

Go to the dentist, even if it's too expensive, try to get a credit card or something and figure it out. Brush three times a day.

Don't get into a serious relationship, try a lot of different things.

By the time all your friends finish film school you may already have a career and a track record.
Click to expand...
Best fucking advice I've seen in a while. Love it Citizen Kanes.
 
Dan Kanes said:
I've got a better suggestion.

Don't pay to go to film school.

What a fucking waste of money, sorry! In the industry your "credibility" is often challenged once people find out you were a film student or are one. Weird right ? If you go get a "regular job" later people will look at you like you're worse than scum. Take it from me, I studied literature, and then decided to get into studying film.

If you have a free ride scholarship, or really really want a degree, major in Marketing, Business, or engineering - and just make friends with all the film kids.

Instead, buy a Raven, get an apartment or better yet, build a tiny house/trailer in the back of a box truck or van and live relatively free NEARBY a school that teaches film. Get a job on campus or near campus that's either at a bar or coffee shop where the film students (preferably attractive members of opposite or same sex depending on your preference) hang out.

Make as many friends as you can who are aspiring writers, directors, producers. Start making films with them and your Raven. Become the SPECIALIST that they want, no they DEMAND, because you know your shit and you work hard, and you are likeable.

Sit in on a few classes for fun, go to EVERY screening you can get to for free or cheap.

Live frugally, exercise a lot. Don't drink beer. If you have to get drunk, have a Vodka+soda or something.

Don't forget to eat vegetables - salads are your friend.

Go to the dentist, even if it's too expensive, try to get a credit card or something and figure it out. Brush three times a day.

Don't get into a serious relationship, try a lot of different things.

By the time all your friends finish film school you may already have a career and a track record.
Click to expand...

This is really great advice. It's basically a prescription for how to make yourself indispensable, how to become a pro. People work - and work again - with professionals.

Though the details are different, it reflects my career path in the industry. While I did get an English degree, I mostly hung around with the film school/theater school people - frankly, I poured their drinks at the bar. I asked a lot of questions, I listened/learned, and tried to apply it in the real world. Of all those folks who got MFA degrees, ZERO are working in the industry today. When we all came to NYC, it seemed as though they thought that degree would get them something. It didn't.

I learned to act on film sets, to write by writing/selling scripts, and now, slowly slowly, to shoot by shooting. It helps to have the good fortune of working with some highly skilled practitioners in the field who are generous with their time; but it's certainly not required.

There has never been a better time for the DIY, self-educated filmmaker than now; an extraordinary time in that respect. There are truly no excuses for not making quality work. I wish you great fortune on the journey.
 
Whatever the route taken, just beware the level of market competition is extraordinarily high. The informal route will demand just as much strategy, creative thought and determination as pursing the secular approach. The current higher educational model isn't giving grads a huge jumpstart out of the gate. Educational/personal debt will have a linear effect on flexibility and growth.

The takeaway from the earlier posts is that personal brand management is more crucial that ever before. Access to the professional tools are at super modest price points now. So, there is little barrier to a good program of personal academic discipline. Industry money is illusive. Money is always there, just very hard to hit pay dirt.

This is where choice works in the eye of the beholder. Lets you puzzle together your recipe for success or finding that hidden vein of opportunity. Select your tools judiciously, but also sleep with one eye open with the other stuff.
 
The biggest splash any camera maker could make at this point, particularly an upstart, would be to have production model ready for purchase on the NAB show floor. $1000 cine cam and it works would be a hot ticket. Forget the glass case, and preorders. Throw that footage on the biggest screen, have a CC imprint machine ready and get busy. Can't be lame with a requirement $3K of (unavailable) accessories to produce an image AND have to wait for the next calendar year. DOA.

At the show, want to hear and see more about the 8K Weapon. Want to see the LEGO version of the BM4.6K sensor and/or a full frame sensor option from BM. Want to see some new entries in the grading monitor market. Want to see 8K lens systems. And get a comprehensive look at all the 3rd party modular extensions, mounting options for the RED DSMC2. And the whereabouts of the Tangent Ripple.
 
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