Red Helium s35 vs Komodo x

[shamz]

Hey guys

So i am really struggling between the two of these cameras. For me I can get a full Helium set for under 10k and the Kx would come about 12-14k. Im in a bind because the Helium has an amazing look which I can not look pass vs the Komodo x its like a digital look. Need your guys help on which I should go with. I know DSMC2 is older and kx is newer but I dont think the kx is better in terms of image than Helium..

 

[M Harvey]

If you prefer the look of the Helium, no reason not to go with it. It’s just as amazing a machine as it was the day it came out.

As far as pros/cons, it otherwise depends what you want to do with your camera. But just to state the obvious, the Helium offers higher resolution (max 8k@60fps), though the cameras are essentially equivalent from 6k down (Kx tops out at 6k/80fps to Helium’s 6k/75fps). For me, 6k in Super 35 is sort of the sweet spot, but more resolution is more resolution!

You can also value the Komodo’s lower power draw and smaller size—it’s amazing to be able to tuck such a powerful camera into your suitcase with a mirrorless lens and shoot all day on two batteries. But the size can also be a pain when you want a bigger production camera body, with a wider range of I/O available in a traditional form factor. And though the locking mount is a big improvement, the interchangeable hard mounts on the Helium will be more stable.

One other thing to mention is the larger file size and simplified compression scheme of the DSMC3 cameras vs that of the older cameras. I like the smaller files (for equivalent quality) on the DSMC2 cameras. That said, media is much cheaper for the Kx, since it’s non-proprietary, so maybe that’s a wash.

And finally, you might consider service life—Helium will probably not be repairable well before the Komodo X is unsupported.

So yeah—get the Helium if you prefer the look (and the above bullet points don’t change your mind).

 

[shamz]

Thank you for this! I am excited to purchase the Helium and I have work arounds for the cons so I should be fine