Red for home use?

[Zakaree Sandberg]

Come to think of it.. this is a great business idea.. sell yourself as a HOME MOVIE producer.. get hired to shoot family gatherings in perfect 4k imagery..
Cinematic home movies. I dont know about you.. but the last time i watched home movies on tape was a long time ago.. if we had family movies shot on 4k and digital Id prolly watch them all the time haha I think we have home movies in beta tape, before my dad upgraded to a VHS camera

 

[Ronnie Silos]

If I was to compare this to my still cameras, I shoot with 1DS and 1d MK2. I pull them out to shoot my kid (6 years old now) with the intentions of getting the best pictures I can. Of course we also have our point and shoot for trips to Disneyland or something. But everytime I make a slideshow for the year - and knowing this is for showing and archiving, I always go back to the 1d shots because the quality is amazing. I now have a Canon HV20 HDV and shoot memories with my kid. I make 3 minute music videos with him in it. I still have the Sanyo SD HD1 to shoot when we go to Disneyland, but at the end of the day, to setup a day at the beach and shoot a lasting memory clip of my kid, I go through all the effort of finding the right location, the right time for lighting, scheduling the day... So why not setup the Red. I already have good canon lenses (24 1.4, 50 1.2, 85.12, 135 2.0, and 200 1.8) - and I'm not a pro photographer - well, I don't do it for a living... Although my kid gets free Ice Skating rink time for shooting events at the place. So, for me, getting a Red to use with my lenses now using Erik Birger's adaptor will be a good compliment. This is also using the Harley arguement. So I do understand because I'm also there. I do it for my family. If I make a feature with my Red, even better! Don't get me wrong. I have plans to try and make money and business out of this, but at the least, if I get some amazing family videos on it, it's already more than paid for itself. I also do understand that buying this camera does not equal great videos. There's lots to learn! I'm using this time while waiting by reading and reading and reading. So my advice, learn all you can now - not just how to operate a camera - but the art of film making, storytelling, framing, etc..

Ronnie

 

[Jason Murphy]

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.

Agreed. Also, if you've practiced pulling focus on a RED by shooting home movies from the age of 11 or so, I think it's safe to say that you're on the way to being a pretty great camera op by the age of 20.

 

[ChristopherKenworthy]

Agreed. Also, if you've practiced pulling focus on a RED by shooting home movies from the age of 11 or so, I think it's safe to say that you're on the way to being a pretty great camera op by the age of 20.

Agreed on that as well. I'm not a DP, but I'm far better at pulling focus than I was before I had kids. They just don't hit their marks... So you learn to compensate. If you can shoot kids, professional actors are easy.

 

[Blair S. Paulsen]

Professional actors = spoiled children with a trailer

Professional actors = spoiled children with a trailer

(SNIP) If you can shoot kids, professional actors are easy.

So which is Lindsey Lohan?

 

[Harmonica]

Don't forget we use to live in caves and eat raw meat.

That's exactly my point. If you want an easy steak dinner, you can eat your New York strip right off the meat diaper. Personally, I prefer to go to the trouble of marinating it, spicing it, and grilling it to perfection.:bleh: (no offense to the Inuit people)

 

[Harmonica]

My point is was that if people have been able to get great family footage on manual film cameras in the past, John will be able to as well, with the Red. And like I said, I agree with you. Most of the time I won't be shooting family stuff on the Red.

 

[Emanuel A.]

Did anyone check my signature?

 

[Curran Giddens]

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?

I think you may be able to record few seconds to RAM even before you press record...

 

[Peter Karlsson]

I will practice pulling focus on my dog chasing ballons... Now if Im able to atleast get ten seconds in focus, I'll be able to handle anything

 

[Mathieu Ghekiere]

You'll also miss every family event because you'll be so busy trying to pull focus instead of being there and enjoying the experience.

I'm sorry, but to the contrary of the many enthousiastic people here, I have to agree with this statement above...
Really, a 4k Digital Cinema camera with 35mm DOF for home events?

Thnk about choosing the right tool for the right job...

That's my opinion anyway.

 

[Michele Gavazzeni]

I've alwais thought family events are boring, you suggested a nice solution.

Hei granma step off I can't talk to you i have to operate my red!

 

[Ace]

I look at some of my childhood photos, some of them taken by my dad who was into the old Canon SLR's.. They have a special magic to them. A special kind of nostalgia to them which I dont see or perhaps feel is the better word, in video recording for example. Maybe its the depth of field that allows the subject to be suspended and seperated from the environent, maybe its the ability to capture nuanced details like the way eyelashes brush away from the eyelids or a starburst pattern in an iris.. Whatever it is, I do know that those subtleties dont get captured in "home video" on your regular video camera HD or not. They get captured in 35mm photography. RED = the new moving family photograph.

 

[Brandon Freeman]

I think we should all use the camera for whatever the heck we want.

If and when I ever have the finances to buy the RED, you bet your butt I'll be filming my cats, wife, and (if the Lord decides to bless us) our future kids.

But I really think that's entirely not anyone else's business. Some might feel it's a waste -- they're entitled to not waste their RED. Others wanna play -- let 'em play.

 

[Harmonica]

RED = the new moving family photograph.

Amen! This is why, although I'll mainly use a regular camcorder, I will often pull out my Red to capture that magical aspect you just don't get with video. Although it wasn't the greatest film, I thought Unstrung Heroes did an excellent job of illustrating this.

 

[redhead]

I never have

M

You don't know what you're missing, Martin! Steak tartar was the most delicious meal I have ever had. :biggrin:

 

[Craig Meadows]

If Michael Jackson can have a ferris wheel in his front yard who cares if someone wants a Red camera for home use. Um, o.k., maybe a bad analogy, in any case...to each their own LOL!

 

[Proteus]

I will practice pulling focus on my dog chasing ballons... Now if Im able to atleast get ten seconds in focus, I'll be able to handle anything

Don't forget that you can choose to adjust your distance from your dog instead of trying to adjust the focus ring!

 

[Jeff Kilgroe]

Don't forget we use to live in caves and eat raw meat.

What do you mean, "use to"? :biggrin:

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.

I think I see it both ways... For 99% of my personal / family type shooting, it's going to be the HDV palmcorder all the way. But that doesn't mean I won't take out the RED here and there. Not all RED shooting is going to require assistance or special lighting or anything of the sort. And I've found that crawling around playgrounds, tree forts, large rocks, etc.. chasing kids with an HVX200 + 35mm adapter to be real good conditioning for shooting wildlife. Even a stock DVX/HVX isn't an ideal camera for home movies, yet people do it.

 

[Finner]

I think I see it both ways... For 99% of my personal / family type shooting, it's going to be the HDV palmcorder all the way.

I agree 100% and feel it would be nice on the odd occasion to pull out the red for family shooting but that is because I will have it for work anyway and it will be sitting there. I just see it as a terrible choice for a hobby home camera.