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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 :)

Nikon to Acquire US Cinema Camera Manufacturer RED.com, LLC

rand thompson said:
Of all the things to wake up to this morning, I never thought it would be RED being purchased by Nikon.
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Took the words right out of my mouth.... Of all companies, Nikon... ew

I feel like this is a shot on the foot for RED's future products. Its a win to a degree for the industry because now compressed raw will be available in more future camera bodies, but, Nikon is going to bastardize and consumerize RED to a degree where a lot of the long time users will migrate somewhere else.... its just like when Steve Jobs died and Tim Cook took over... Apple focused more on consumer products than professional and completely killed Final Cut Pro and turned it into iMovie Pro.

....I don't see this as a good move for RED as a brand but trust me, I want nothing more than to eat my words here....i don't want to be right about this.
 
Mike Krumlauf said:
Took the words right out of my mouth.... Of all companies, Nikon... ew
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Because of the lawsuit. There's no other explanation for Nikon being the one acquiring Red. Canon would have made much more sense seen as how they've integrated the RF mount and such. But Nikon, a company who's been struggling for years to stay relevant even in their own still photography market, nah, it seems clear that this is a fallout of the lawsuit being dropped and losing control over compressed RAW while Nikon is in dire need of getting a market share within a position that can compete with the others.

I actually would have thought Apple would make more sense. Like, they have ProRes RAW and they have their streaming service and a lot of advanced tech that could really change the game for what it means to work with cinema cameras. They would have been the best choice and I think really shaped things into a very interesting direction. But Nikon? I see things only going downhill from here.
 
I am dissapointed. As Red Komodo user, I had to pay 6k for this camera.( for global shutter, Redcode RAW, color science) I don't want to see Nikon mirrorless (Z6 IV, Z8 II, Z9 II) with Red technology for 3-4K. I hope, that this doesn't happen. Why to buy RED, if this happens.
 
This is surprising! Unfortunately I don't think this is a good move. How often do big companies acquire smaller companies and keep everything the same? Sure things will stay the same for a bit but eventually I see red being completely absorbed into Nikon. I can't blame Jim, he's getting up there in age. What's the point of working so hard and not being able to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Build a big company, make it successful, sell big company, retire and enjoy life.
 
Wait and see...
 
Can you imagine the next generation of Nikon Z cameras shooting in .R3D? :LOL:
 
Not sure if this was posted here:

www.engadget.com

Nikon buys high-end cinema camera company RED

Nikon has purchased RED for an undisclosed sum and plans to move into the cinema camera market.
www.engadget.com www.engadget.com

They also spelled Jarred's name wrong. The nerve of them :)
 
After some deep breathing exercises, cobbling together some positive takeaways:

  1. Vertical Integration: Nikon's acquisition of RED could streamline production processes and supply chains, leading to cost savings and operational efficiencies.
  2. Z Mount: Large diameter, short flange distance yielding flexible lens design, optical performance, adaptability
  3. Brand Positioning and enhancement for both companies. Each company is well respected in their area of expertise. Bigger marketing budgets for RED
  4. R&D Synergy: Collaborations that capitalize on their respective strengths

Nikon respectively, does have a deep product portfolio, imaging & optics expertise, precision engineering semiconductor & fabrication market share. So, there are some good ingredients in the mix.
 
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I don't understand the "sky is falling" chatter on this one.
I have an old Dragon 6K with a ton of RED eco gear.
Still works after all these years.
I work with colleagues that own new Komodo/Raptors and they will still be working years after this is blows over.

Just keep shooting folks :)
 
cuervo said:
I felt totally betrayed by RED when they killed the value of my Komodo by releasing the komodo-x. This is a real slap in the butt. I don't ever see a NikEd in my future. Long live BMD.
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BM's Grant Petty is not getting any younger. A corporate amoeba may well be waiting in the wings to assimilate BM. The free lunch which has been DaVinci Resolve may well disappear into another entity or be Adobe'd into a subscription business model.
 
I don't know that this heralds, but I think there are exciting possibilities alongside the dangers. For the time being, at least, I don't think Red disappears as a brand because it's what gets Nikon onto professional sets, where they don't yet have a track record. Of course, this brand equity might just come down to certain video-forward Nikon models being "powered by Red."

I can also see new technologies coming to Red cameras (improved autofocus, stabilization, etc.) that would have been impossible to R&D or implement cost-effectively in the past at a company their size. Red has had the amazing ability to remain on the cutting edge, but I have to imagine that they've been a bit squeezed between the more feature-rich Canon C and Sony A/FX series and the "at any cost" Alexa/Venice world, so I imagine at least that this helps them compete with the lower end bodies that offer so much technological innovation.

In any event, congratulations to Jarred and the Red team! Excited to see where it goes.
 
Here is the Press release Newsshooter posted in their article made they said by RED
www.newsshooter.com

Nikon acquires RED - Newsshooter

Nikon has acquired RED which I don't think anyone saw coming. I always thought that RED might eventually be sold to another company, but being
www.newsshooter.com www.newsshooter.com

Below is the press release issued by RED​

RED Digital Cinema Announces it will be Acquired by Nikon Corporation

HOLLYWOOD (March 6, 2024) – In a landmark move, RED Digital Cinema (RED.com, LLC), is excited to announce it will be acquired by Nikon Corporation (Nikon). The agreement with Nikon, reached with RED’s Founder Jim Jannard and President Jarred Land, signifies a new era of innovation and excellence in the professional filmmaking sector.

This strategic partnership brings together Nikon’s extensive history and expertise in product development, know-how in image processing, as well as optical technology and user interface, with RED’s revolutionary digital cinema cameras and award-winning technologies.

For over 17 years, RED has been at the forefront of digital cinema, introducing industry-defining products such as the original RED ONE 4K to the cutting-edge 8K V-RAPTOR X, all powered by RED’s proprietary REDCODE RAW compression. RED’s contributions to the film industry earned a Scientific and Technical Academy Award®, and their cameras have been used on Oscar®-winning films. RED is the choice for numerous Hollywood productions and is celebrated by directors and cinematographers worldwide for its commitment to innovation and image quality optimized for the highest levels of filmmaking, documentaries, commercials and video production.

This acquisition marks a significant milestone for Nikon, melding its rich heritage in professional and consumer imaging with RED’s innovative prowess. Together, Nikon and RED are poised to redefine the professional digital cinema camera market, promising an exciting future of product development that will continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in film and video production.

Stay tuned for more updates as Nikon and RED embark on this exciting journey to shape the future of cinema technology.
 
StevenBills said:
Can you imagine the next generation of Nikon Z cameras shooting in .R3D? :LOL:
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I think they'll keep it as like a new version of NRAW or whatever, but I am curious to see if there's crossing the road tech benefits.

And um... To those not tuned in. Nikon has a huge war chest.

I'm of lots of perspectives, but remember companies like SmallHD couldn't actually make larger monitors until they were acquired in a similar way. RED just gained a lot of resources, Nikon just gained a lot of technology.
 
Y'all need clam down. Some of you are acting like you just got laid off from your 9-5. This really isn't something that I would be too worried about based off the information Im seeing. This doesn't appear to be Nikon buying the brand to acquire some tech and then killing off the brand. It's pretty clear they're trying to get a foot in the door in the high end cinema world. The safest way for any company to do that is to buy an existing company.

Will there be change? Absolutely, but it doesn't have to be bad. Will Nikon's mirrorless cams get some new features? Absolutely, and that might annoy some of you, however, our industry is about to go through a lot of change with AI anyways. Smaller companies like RED is/was are not in a place to be able to handle that as well as maybe some larger companies are from a software and R&D standpoint.

RED has done some really impressive things with their global shutter sensors. Can you imagine what they're going to be able to do with the extra engineering support from a larger company like nikon? I wouldn't be shocked if we saw some really cool things in the next few years.

In the short term, I just hope RF mount REDs don't get neglected.
 
TYLER STOOKSBURY said:
Y'all need clam down. Some of you are acting like you just got laid off from your 9-5. This really isn't something that I would be too worried about based off the information Im seeing. This doesn't appear to be Nikon buying the brand to acquire some tech and then killing off the brand. It's pretty clear they're trying to get a foot in the door in the high end cinema world. The safest way for any company to do that is to buy an existing company.
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What information are you seeing outside of carefully put together copy in press releases? Many of us have been with Red since it was just a rudimentary 3D render of some building block and a sensor strapped to a computer by some newcomers no one believed in. The reason for the reactions is basically because it's been a beloved company for a long time. And the reason for all the doom and gloom is basically due to how every other acquisition of the same kind within the world of business and capitalism usually leads down those same roads. How many times have we seen press releases by companies who acquire some other company about how nothing is gonna change and everything will get better, only for the core and soul of the acquired company to be stripped away in a death of a thousand needles. Why would this be different?

TYLER STOOKSBURY said:
Can you imagine what they're going to be able to do with the extra engineering support from a larger company like nikon? I wouldn't be shocked if we saw some really cool things in the next few years.
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Nikon owns Red 100%. It's not Red being helped by Nikon, it's Nikon being helped by Red. This isn't a partnership or merger, it's a full on acquisition, that's the reason for the worried voices.
 
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