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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 :)

Ownership Transfer Costs... boo!

Mark, just so we all know where you are coming from on this, did you purchase a used camera or are you selling a camera? When was the sale? If recent, I think all of that language for the transfer of ownership, as well as the certification and warranty has been around for a while.

Not looking to probe into your business affairs by any means, and respect your right to air complaints here, just trying to understand as a fellow camera owner/user what the context is for this. I have found that free firmware upgrades when it comes to cameras are not always a given. To me, Red is like Sound Devices. Not only do they look to fix things with firmware updates, they also look to add features if possible. Support is also not a given. There are a lot of companies doing a VERY bad job of it these days. I have a RAID card that I'm about to toss into the trash because I can't get proper support. You are tossing aside the upgrade to Epic rather casually, and to me it's more than just a gesture. It's one that means Red is not just about money. If you have ever spoken to Jim, you know that this is not all about money. He actually really gives a shit, to the point where he's thinking outside the box a little to show loyalty to those who had faith in what they're trying to do.

Do they need to make money? Yes! If the profit isn't coming from camera sales (I have no idea) then it has to come from somewhere, or else the well runs dry and the customers will really be left in the cold. Maybe that's coming from accessory sales, warranty certifications, who knows. I think it's fine to call foul if you see it as such. I just think it's good to look at the whole picture. If you weigh everything and you still come out disgusted, then perhaps this is not the right match for you. Time to find another camera company.

Hopefully you get a chance to talk with people over at RED directly. I think you will find a phone call can do a whole lot of good.
 
Mark, just so we all know where you are coming from on this, did you purchase a used camera or are you selling a camera? When was the sale? If recent, I think all of that language for the transfer of ownership, as well as the certification and warranty has been around for a while.

Not looking to probe into your business affairs by any means, and respect your right to air complaints here, just trying to understand as a fellow camera owner/user what the context is for this. I have found that free firmware upgrades when it comes to cameras are not always a given. To me, Red is like Sound Devices. Not only do they look to fix things with firmware updates, they also look to add features if possible. Support is also not a given. There are a lot of companies doing a VERY bad job of it these days. I have a RAID card that I'm about to toss into the trash because I can't get proper support. You are tossing aside the upgrade to Epic rather casually, and to me it's more than just a gesture. It's one that means Red is not just about money. If you have ever spoken to Jim, you know that this is not all about money. He actually really gives a shit, to the point where he's thinking outside the box a little to show loyalty to those who had faith in what they're trying to do.

Do they need to make money? Yes! If the profit isn't coming from camera sales (I have no idea) then it has to come from somewhere, or else the well runs dry and the customers will really be left in the cold. Maybe that's coming from accessory sales, warranty certifications, who knows. I think it's fine to call foul if you see it as such. I just think it's good to look at the whole picture. If you weigh everything and you still come out disgusted, then perhaps this is not the right match for you. Time to find another camera company.

Hopefully you get a chance to talk with people over at RED directly. I think you will find a phone call can do a whole lot of good.

I'm coming from the perspective of having rented a camera to a long-term renter who now wants to buy.

The epic upgrade will be more significant to me when I eventually have enough to pay for it. You're probably right that I'm not giving the upgrade credit enough weight. I'm short-sighted these days.
 
I'm coming from the perspective of having rented a camera to a long-term renter who now wants to buy.

The epic upgrade will be more significant to me when I eventually have enough to pay for it. You're probably right that I'm not giving the upgrade credit enough weight. I'm short-sighted these days.

Understood. That does help put things in context.

As I said, I don't want to get in the way of your business dealings with Red. I think in the heat of the moment, sometimes it's good to bounce these things off your peers and see what the general consensus is. Ultimately though. contacting Red and working through it will probably be the best way to go about it.

My final thought on this, if you have seen Jim's posts about the economy and advising people to be careful with their money (including purchasing RED products), I think that gives some perspective as to where he is coming from. I don't think the intent is to price gauge. But $1200 to one person is different than $1200 to another. So, I can understand that this will not sit well with everyone. But I just can't imagine the Red team sitting around a table saying "Hey we can make tons of money of people by overcharging on transfer of ownership"." Doesn't seem like their style.
 
Mark B - For what it is worth, it is a little more than "changing a name in a database". You are locked into queue for eternity with the original delivery date and serial number of that camera, get access to FREE firmware upgrades, get a dedicated BOMB SQUAD account rep, get a credit for an EPIC for the full $17,500 value of the RED ONE or scarlet credit, get 24/7 technical support, etc. In light of that, if you still are "disgusted" by RED, I recommend that you contact Kelly as I suggested in an earlier post. Or, if you would like to discuss with me, give me a ring tomorrow - 949.206.7900.

BC

Hi Brent,

Those benefits already applied to the original owner, so were presumably paid for with the original camera purchase.

Best,

Stephen
 
As much as I would like to continue this lively debate, I am going to work on getting out the "your camera is ready for upgrade" email blast to the next group, You know, that program where RED is bringing in thousands of cameras to update them (ie, new audio board, ipins, etc) at NO COST to the customer. You are right, Steve, we don't sit around saying that. In fact, we usually do the opposite - "If we were the customer, how would we expect to get taken care of?" Don't listen to me, listen to people like David, Steve, and Rod in this thread - their opinion should matter more than anything I could say about our policies.

This is my last post in this thread. If you have any questions, please contact Kelly or I via 949.206.7900.

BC
 
I'm coming from the perspective of having rented a camera to a long-term renter who now wants to buy.

So you're selling your RED, and you can't afford to upgrade to EPIC. Aren't you already a lost customer? This thread is just a little silly...
 
Seems like the cost of being on the bleeding edge. Of innovative technology and a one-of-a-kind relationship with the company breaking all the rules. For what some of you will happily pop for lenses, I don't see the issue. This ain't Sony (or Canon or Panasonic, or ...)
 
Although the transfer fee does sting. Red could have easily charged that fee upfront as a service contract just to get firmware updates (read Cisco and every other network appliance manufacturer). On a side note: it's also a means to discourage the purchase of stolen cameras. Assuming I find a deal too good to be true I'm still going to want to transfer ownership for the added benefits...however if the camera is stolen the seller will definitely not want to go that route (raising eyebrows)

Just my 2 centavos...As with most debates both sides have merit...
 
So you're selling your RED, and you can't afford to upgrade to EPIC. Aren't you already a lost customer? This thread is just a little silly...

Selling one of two. The second camera is staying with me for some time to come.
 
I'm doing the $1250. For trade-in alone and place in line
plus kick ass support and cool people and gear?

priceless.

Seems worth it to me. But what do I know?
 
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