Number Crunching: RED Mags

[Adam J. Craig]

I'm new to the red world and did lots of calculations to stretch my dollar as far at it can go.
I figured it would be good karma to share some (if not all) of these calculations.

Here's a quick price/gig comparison for red Mags.

[TABLE="width: 195"]
[TR]
[TD="width: 65"]Price[/TD]
[TD="width: 65"]SSD Size[/TD]
[TD="class: xl63, width: 65"]Cost per gb[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]495[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]48[/TD]
[TD="class: xl63, align: right"]$10.31[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]725[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]64[/TD]
[TD="class: xl63, align: right"]$11.33[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]1250[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]128[/TD]
[TD="class: xl63, align: right"]$9.77[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]2450[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]256[/TD]
[TD="class: xl63, align: right"]$9.57[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]3900[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]512[/TD]
[TD="class: xl63, align: right"]$7.62[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

As you can tell, the 64GB mags are cheapest (that are epic compatible) but do not offer the best balance for cost/value. At a minimum, buyers should go for the 128GB.

 

[Terry VerHaar]

Good cost analysis on price (But, you might want toadd the cost of a 4-pack.). However, there are other considerations. One of the factors that led me to purchasing a 64G 4-pack was that I didn't want to risk as much data being on one card. Also, I can offload footage from one while shooting with the next. And, you can always add an extra card when you have additional funds.

 

[Patrick Grossien]

+1 Terry. They amount of Data you could lose if one 512GB goes "poof" - I wouldn't want to be there.

I calculated all the prices a few months ago and did it again after the new mags came out. Best bang for the buck is definitely the 512 especially because you get better data rates on top of it.
The 12 pack makes the 64GB come down to $9.75 / GB which would be about par with a single 128. So a local group buy is also always worth it. (yes, I deducted the case )

EDIT: and the 48GB mags become really interesting with a 4 pack @ $9.43/GB (sans case)

 

[Adam J. Craig]

Here's a more breakdown including the 4 and 12 packs:

[TABLE="width: 280"]
[TR]
[TD]Price[/TD]
[TD]SSD Size[/TD]
[TD]Cost per gb[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]495[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]48[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]$10.31[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]725[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]64[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]$11.33[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]1250[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]128[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]$9.77[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]2450[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]256[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]$9.57[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]3900[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]512[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]$7.62[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]4 Packs[/TD]
[TD]Total GB[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1840 (4x48)[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]192[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]$9.58[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2695 (4x64)[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]256[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]$10.53[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]4650 (4x128)[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]512[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]$9.08[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]9100 (4x256)[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]1024[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]$8.89[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]12 Packs[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]7525(12x64)[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]768[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]$9.80[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]12875(12x128)[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]1536[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]$8.38[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]25250(12x256)
[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]3072[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]$8.22[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

 

[Patrick Grossien]

You didn't subtract the cost of the case. I believe that would reflect the price more accurate.

 

[Adam J. Craig]

You didn't subtract the cost of the case. I believe that would reflect the price more accurate.

The 4 pack comes with the case, why would I subtract that? You can't buy it the media alone for these rates without the case and resale of the case at msrp is not feasible.

 

[Patrick Grossien]

I know what you mean but it doesn't account for the price per GB. Since you can buy the cases seperately it's easier to compare as if you buy 4 solo mags and add a case. But in the end it doesn't make a whole lot of difference anyway. I just don't see it as accurate is all.

 

[Maik Müller]

The 48s do have a few GB more, not advertised but they should be there, this has been stated in the NAB-thread i think. I don't know a actual number...

 

[Brian Merlen]

i bought a 256 and haven't filled it up yet, but im still just putting a reel together and not shooting commercially. i just hope the dragon isn't 512 only... cuz i almost bought that instead to future proof my media...

 

[Erik Lundby]

I was also doing a lot of calculations when I bought my set-up. I ended up with three 128GB cards and one 64GB card.
64GB gives you about one hour of recording, when shooting at compression rate 8:1. I think that should be the measure for your investment, recordingtime.
And the 128GB is definet the most preferred size. Gives you a lot of recording time, and is quite fast to off-load.
Kata Data is a nice app for the iPhone to calculate the storage you are using with different compression rates and size of your SSD.

Good luck!

 

[Paul Schneider]

This is informative.

I have three 64mb mags and its the perfect amount for commercial work. I never run out of space. There is always one mag in use, one cleared, and one being dl'd by the DIT. Perhaps one more spare would be nice, just in case a mag goes down, but I see little need for the 128 or 256 varieties.

Guess if I was doing super long takes, but thats so rare that its almost a non-event.

I'm still very skeptical about the pricing of these items. Even the best case scenario price wise puts the storage at 7-8x more expensive than high end ssd's. I suppose the sales of this storage is a necessary cash cow for Red...and while I'm fine paying premium prices for premium equipment the cost of the media is laughable.

 

[Maik Müller]

I was also doing a lot of calculations when I bought my set-up. I ended up with three 128GB cards and one 64GB card.
64GB gives you about one hour of recording, when shooting at compression rate 8:1. I think that should be the measure for your investment, recordingtime.

That are the 128s with one hour, not the 64.