It is if you define a "4K camera" as having a sensor with 4096 pixels horizontally. There are those at Red who have stated that their use of the term "4K" should actually be interpreted as "4K RAW," which somehow implies that there are simply 4K worth of pixels on the sensor in the horizontal direction, with a Bayer pattern on top of them. The problem with that definition is that it is misleading, since most of the camera world has long since defined a "4K Camera" as one that produces 4K worth of original information in the horizontal direction on all three primary color channels. In other words, Red has come up with their own definition of what 4K means, in much the same way they came up with a re-definition of the term "telecine." There is nothing really wrong with this as long as the general public is aware of the redefinition, but this is often not the case. Hence the notion that these terms are sometimes more about marketing and desired perception than they are about technical accuracy.
As for the article that seems to have started this thread, John Galt has many, many years of experience and accomplishment in the area of imaging and imaging science, and has done enormous amounts of research to come to the conclusions he has come to. His opinions are not borne of corporate loyalty, they are borne of knowledge, experience, and careful consideration of facts. He feels strongly about the products of which he speaks not because of who he works for, but because the designs of these products are largely based on what Panavision's clients have been asking for, both ergonomically and technically, and are built on a sturdy foundation of technology. Now, that doesn't mean one has to agree with everything that's said, but one should also consider that the person saying it is more than qualified to come to these conclusions. I can certainly appreciate that Graeme, for instance, has different views. But I have also stood between them in a conversation, and regardless of the views that were expressed, it was clear that Graeme and John have an enormous amount of mutual respect for each other. It would be nice if others here would feel the same way and realize the unique opportunity to benefit from the knowledge bases of both.
