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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 :)

Red for home use?

Initially confused by somebody's desire to use Red for home only use... I have straightened my thinking and think it a great idea... I was once encouraged a mate of mine to squirt of a mag on a XTR at 75fps of his kids playing.. That looked great and it was a whole different kind of memory the footage fostered..

He doesn't have to shoot 4k full chip for anything other than big scenic wides (focus easy)... If most other stuff is S16 crop with a bit of practise and aptitude he'll be fine... He can do wonderful TL and great (and very unusual for home video's) slowmo...

What is interesting is how, seeing themselves on media that is more cinema than homevideo, his younger families notions of themselves will be affected...

regards

Michael
 
Why not film the things that are most important to you as well as the things you get paid for filming?
It's probably easier on the Red than for David Lean if he had decided to lug home the Panavision 65mm!
 
Oh! and you will want a decent microphone + windshield + suspension.

M
 
Imagine a poor professional who is shooting with a minimum equipped RED e.g a scene on the beach with untalented ugly actors, and just 50 meters away a rich amateur playing with a full equipped RED and a bunch of knock-out hot ladies posing and having fun! :)

Sorry, that was a black joke, but my intention was just to make you laugh -I hope!
 
John's idea to buy a RED for home use is not bad at all. Literally, is there anything more valuable than one's kids? If one has the money, why not?

Once the kids get old and they realize having 4K images of their childhood while their friends have only SD or perhaps HDV footages, the odds are high that the childhood clips are highly appreciated. Wouldn't we all feel like having a treasure, if such material existed from our own childhood?

To answer John original question, yes, the short lens 18-50mm is a good idea. Probably you want to be prepared for quick situations so the RED CF flash module is useful as well as a pair batteries to make sure you won't run out of power in any situation. Plugging to the electric network slows things down implying your family has to wait while you prepare the camera and that's not a good thing. I would also suggest the LCD. Likely, the basic production pack will cover all the needs you have at home. I would not bother with a tripod. For, in filming kids it will also slow down things. It's another matter if you film weddings or other family events.
 
Lauri Kettunen said:
Wouldn't we all feel like having a treasure, if such material existed from our own childhood?
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Definitely! It would be priceless!

But even someone who is not rich, could invest on RED for home use and get his investment back just by shooting nice "stock footage" in his spare time!
Quality-wise it would be perfect, what is needed is a little passion and a desire to learn!
 
Lauri Kettunen said:
I would not bother with a tripod. For, in filming kids it will also slow down things.
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You are right that there are many situations when a tripod would get in the way but there are also loads of occasions when it is essential. I have filmed my kids at the dining table, school plays, climbing trees, etc. etc. Anytime when they are reasonably static or predictable it is worth setting up the tripod.

M
 
Family first!

Family first!

I love it! If my dad were alive, he wouldn't have hesitated to buy a Red for doing home video as well. Recently I have been doing D5 transfers of a bunch of old 16mm footage that my grandparents took of my parents. There's no sound, but what I wouldn't give to trade the sound on some of the early VHS footage my dad took of my family for that kind of image quality! And any one who thinks that buying a Red for family use is a waste of a professional camera has got their priorities wrong. Family first! The Red is no Handycam, but you'll get it down eventually:wink: Best of luck John!
 
I just don't see it. A red will be complicated and much harder and slower to shoot with then a prosumer option. I will rarely shoot with my camera without a 1st assistant. Not just for focusing but to do all the work on the camera changing lenses and filters, downloading footage and just keeping the camera set up properly. Red is very much like a film camera and there are a lot of things to do just to keep the camera running. I have a RED comming in but if I was doing family memory shooting a dvx or hdv camera would be my choice and the red would sit on the shelf for that. A person will just miss far to much of the action trying to use a red for that style of shooting.
 
Finner said:
I just don't see it. A red will be complicated and much harder and slower to shoot with then a prosumer option. I will rarely shoot with my camera without a 1st assistant. Not just for focusing but to do all the work on the camera changing lenses and filters, downloading footage and just keeping the camera set up properly. Red is very much like a film camera and there are a lot of things to do just to keep the camera running. I have a RED comming in but if I was doing family memory shooting a dvx or hdv camera would be my choice and the red would sit on the shelf for that. A person will just miss far to much of the action trying to use a red for that style of shooting.
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Don't forget that originally all home footage was done on film cameras. We've been spoiled by modern camcorders with their ease of use (and at the same time turned a blind eye to the unfortunate quality). I see your point about missing the action, which is why I too will stick with hdv for home video, but I also plan to use my Red for home video as often as is practical. There's nothing I'd rather see in 4k more than the people most important to me:blush:
 
Harmonica said:
Don't forget that originally all home footage was done on film cameras.
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Don't forget we use to live in caves and eat raw meat.

Some things change for the good and as far as family shooting goes it is tough to tell when the "moment" will happen. So I choose the higher chance of capturing the moment over missing many moments but having better quality. Also there is a special quality about footage shot with camera technology of that time that will give the footage a period historic type look.
 
Finner. It all depends what you want to achieve, I don't see RedOne as an alternative to a small camcorder, it's a different beast. I would still want to have a small camcorder for throw away family footage and capturing "moments" but I can see the value in having the ability to shoot top end footage too. It is the same in stills photography I like to use a DSLR with primes but it is great to have a little pocket camera too. If I had to chose between one or the other for family snaps I would probably have to go with the pocket camera but I would always curse the lack of quality and the lack of controllability, why not have both?

M
 
John

More power to you. I totally applaud the use of RED for home movies. Well made home movies seem to be a lost art (it seemed to die after people stopped shooting them on 16mm). And as time passes, a beautiful home movie will tend to become richer and more meaningful, unlike most of the movies that are produced these days.

Also, really, there's no reason that someone with a bit of practice shouldn't be able to use a RED one solo. Pop on the 18-50mm, or switch over to windowed 2K mode if you're concerned about pulling focus solo and use a lens designed for 16mm. Maybe screw a ND filter on the end of the lens, depending on conditions, and go shoot.

And actually, I'm not sure that a practiced shooter will lose much more of the action than someone using an HDV camera. Following action is a skill in and of itself; a good documentary shooter will spend a lot of time perfecting a sense of where it's important to point the camera at any given time, in anticipation of an event unfolding in front of the lens. Obviously some things can't be predicted, but many can.
 
Finner said:
Don't forget we use to live in caves and eat raw meat.

Some things change for the good and as far as family shooting goes it is tough to tell when the "moment" will happen.
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Jonas Mekas, a filmmaker who has probably made the best home movies of all time (shot almost entirely on 16mm on a Bolex), noted that shooting on film, he missed far fewer moments than shooting on DV. When he pressed a button on the film camera, he was instantly shooting footage of an event. When saw an interesting event unfolding and pressed record on the DV camera, it took a second or two for the tape to start rolling, and he said that for a long time, his video work was always about capturing the moments just after the event he really wanted to shoot.

On this topic, does anyone know how long, if any, the delay between pressing the record button and actual recording will be on the RED one?
 
last year i came across alot of old film in my wifes parents basement that was shot from 1944-1960 ... the 1944-49 was shot on kodachrome 16mm - the rest on 8mm ...i had it all transferred ( wet gate) and i have to say the 16mm is beautiful ( this was when kodachrome was more muted colors) ... the 8mm is fair to ok ....
i'm planning to use some RED on the grand kids too ...
 
Hmmm, raw meat...

Hmmm, raw meat...

Finner said:
Don't forget we use to live in caves and eat raw meat.
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I have a yen for sushi and have always loved caves (my wife calls our home theatre "the cave" since I have blocked all the light to get the best contrast on the front projection system :calm: ).

Since we're on this subject I have been wondering about using the RedOne for transferring some old 8mm film my dad shot when I was a kid. I know I could send it out for transfer to DVD but then I am stuck in SD res and MPEG-2 :ohmy: .

I realize that the best case resolution of the 8mm and Super8 is nowhere near 4K but I am thinking it might give me a beefier data set for grading. It would put me in the RAW color space for tweaking the faded color palette of 40 year old footage.

Of course the next thought is whether the RedOne might be a great piece of a telecine chain for pro use?
 
donatello said:
last year i came across alot of old film in my wifes parents basement that was shot from 1944-1960 ... the 1944-49 was shot on kodachrome 16mm - the rest on 8mm ...i had it all transferred ( wet gate) and i have to say the 16mm is beautiful ( this was when kodachrome was more muted colors) ... the 8mm is fair to ok ....
i'm planning to use some RED on the grand kids too ...
Click to expand...

Kodachrome was an absolutely gorgeous stock, and the image retains its color for years. Well preserved Kodachrome looks just as good and rich today as when it was shot. It's really sad that Kodak is no longer making it.
 
I wouldn't be where I am today - three features financed, to be shot on Red - if my Dad hasn't let me use his 8mm camera all those years ago. The next generation of directors will be sneaking off with their parents' Red One and a few CF cards.

I'm getting my Red One for features, but if I can shoot my kids in 4K rather than HDV, then why not?
 
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