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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 :)

Scarlet Rentals

Brandon_J

Brandon_J

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I know the full specs on the Scarlet won't be out until Nov. 30th, but I've been wondering how much someone could charge per day for a moderate Scarlet system? I've seen the prices in my area for prosumer cameras like Sony XD cams, Panasonic HVX200, and the Canon XLH1. They seem to range from $150 to $350 a day, usually for a small/moderate package. I'm thinking about getting an interchangeable with 1 or 2 batteries, an lcd, redmote, and a CF card. Once the full specs are released, that may change a little, but that's what I'm planning for now. How much do you think I could reasonably charge for such a system, with optics included? I'm thinking maybe $40 to $50 a day. Any helpful comments are greatly appreciated. Thanks.
 
Brandon_J said:
I'm thinking maybe $40 to $50 a day. Any helpful comments are greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Click to expand...

I'm gonna assume you meant $400-$500??

Right?:blink:
 
most likely a full package will be 200 a day (there will be a market flooded with them)
Epics will start off at 1500/day package for the first few guys.. but then once more get out, It will hit the 600/day mark (unless productions just opt for the scarlet.. then people will be dropping their epic rates just to make ends meat)

Rentals are a terrible business for single owners
 
My thinking is to price a 2/3" Interchangeable Scarlet body in line with Shoulder mount camera bodies like the HPX500, and the new XDCAM EX F350. The low end of 2/3" sensor cameras. The EX3 and HPX300 rentals would be a lower bound.

Your glass and accessories are a different matter. A Scarlet with a 24-105 f/3.5-5.6 lens is a completely different proposition from a Scarlet with a set of 16mm PL glass.

Remember to price the value of your system not its cost. Your system will outperform cameras like the HPX3700, F900 and F23. In fact, you are likely to be outperforming a RED One in many regards.

Of course, competitively pricing the camera versus other Scarlet kits is also a good thing.
 
Yeah, I was thinking that too, there's going to be a lot out there once they start shipping. I just want to rent it out a little bit to make a little extra $$$, I don't plan to make it my main source of income. I don't have much overhead, so I think I could rent a system out for cheaper than most other places who have tons of overhead costs. Ultimately it comes down to demand, so that'll determine the price once the camera gets released. I figure if demand for Scarlet rentals is not high, then $40 to $50 a day would draw more business. But if demand is high then I think it would be appropriate to raise the price to maybe $100 a day, which is still pretty cheap. The only overhead I might have is maybe maintenance and insurance.
 
Hold up Brandon, this is not the HV20 board.

You are joking right?
 
Brandon_J said:
I figure if demand for Scarlet rentals is not high, then $40 to $50 a day would draw more business. But if demand is high then I think it would be appropriate to raise the price to maybe $100 a day, which is still pretty cheap. The only overhead I might have is maybe maintenance and insurance.
Click to expand...

A good start for figuring out the rental price is around 5.5% of the price of the gear - that's what the other cameras usually rent for, roughly. So, if you rent out a reasonable fixed Scarlet kit that cost you $ 6000, a good starting point would be $330 a day. Everything under that will be "cheap".

$50 or $100 a day is "ridiculously dirt cheap", even for the bare brain only.
 
$50 to $100 is pretty cheap, i do realize that for sure. But, that's kinda the point. I really think the package I'm thinking about getting would normally go for about $200 a day, if I use the conventional 5% rule. If I can get away with charging that then I just might do that. I really don't think the average rental prices for prosumer cameras will drop too much, no matter how many Scarlets RED sells. The reason why I might consider renting a system that cheap is to broaden the range of people I could advertise to, and perhaps increase the volume of business I can get. I know there's probably a ton of college students who don't have 4K+ to drop on a Scarlet system, but might still want try the camera out for a few days, and don't have the money for pricy rentals. I probably can't compete too well with professional rental houses, nor do I really want to. So it just seems to me that targeting a different market might be smart. But if anyone has a lot of experience in camera rentals, and thinks that I'd be better off just charging $200+ a day and just renting out less over all then I'll definitely take their advise.
 
Don't feel discouraged, Brandon. I'm a poor college student myself and I understand where you're coming from.
 
I'm going to predict about $150 / day for a Scarlet body. You can flame me a month after it comes out if I'm wrong, but I don't think I will be. (I'm talking Los Angeles, by the way.) I think the thing most new filmmakers forget though is that there is a lot of support gear and non camera gear necessary to make a film and that's where you bleed.
 
That's a good point, but I wouldn't plan on making it a major business for me. There is a TON of production/post stuff a filmmaker needs that can break the bank fast like dollies, flags, reflectors, lighting, edit bays, capturing decks/stations, audio cables/mics/booms, and the list sadly goes on....
 
this is assuming that most ad agencys and production companys wont buy their own scarlets, thus rendering rentals for the usual big renters (commercials) non existent.

If im an ad agency or production company and im doing a bunch of commercials.. You better believe id be buying a scarlet, for as cheap as they are.. you will easily recoup the cost in what you are saving from rentals you no longer need.
 
Scarlet and rental shouldnt be in the same sentence to be honest...

Unless youve made your mark in the rental biz and have clientele.. your scarlets wont work except for the occasional craigslist post/college kid...

not trying to shit on anyone's parade.. but im pretty sure this will be the case.
 
$50 per day is a DVX100. But I think threads like this are a good indication to anyone thinking about dropping $50,000 on an Epic package. Most productions do not need overcranking, so a $10,000 Scarlet package just might be enough.
 
I don't think saturation will drop the average price anywhere below $250/day for the camera. I mean, here everyone and their mum owns a HVX-200, but $200/day is still the going rental rate and that camera is nothing compared to what the Scarlet will eventually be.
 
Jeff Hitchcock said:
I don't think saturation will drop the average price anywhere below $250/day for the camera. I mean, here everyone and their mum owns a HVX-200, but $200/day is still the going rental rate and that camera is nothing compared to what the Scarlet will eventually be.
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its a different world.. demand for HVX isnt as High.. and therefore the few people who really do RENT out there hvx's are low in numbers.. even though everyone and their mom owns one.. only a few actually rent it out.

scarlet will be more in demand. however supplys will flourish.. therefore the rental price will drop ALOT..

many scarlet owners trying to rent out there gear.. so a person looking to rent.. will just go to the next guy who is cheaper.. until he hits the bottom.. and this guy at the bottom will pull everyone down with him.

It happend with RED ONES.. im seeing red packages go out for the same rate as a hvx package.
 
If you think about it...if you end up renting a scarlet...say rent it enough times that its worth the 2/3's package...you might as well buy the 2/3's package and upgrade along the way...that's all I'm saying...

I can see Epic's being rented, Scarlet rentals would just end up destroying the prestige of rentals in some ways. It'd be an over flooded market with such low rental points that it would take ages to get the money back in some cases.

Just a thought...
 
I'd say you pretty soon hit the 2.5% mark.

But the Scarlet will change the rental game - once more.

Thus: I don't rent cams, I rent me. I can bring a cam if you want... :)
 
Zakaree Sandberg said:
this is assuming that most ad agencys and production companys wont buy their own scarlets, thus rendering rentals for the usual big renters (commercials) non existent.

If im an ad agency or production company and im doing a bunch of commercials.. You better believe id be buying a scarlet, for as cheap as they are.. you will easily recoup the cost in what you are saving from rentals you no longer need.
Click to expand...

Then don't be surprised that DP's won't be hired too...since some tech head within the company will play, shoot and do some amazing work then he will be hired as the DP.

Learn your craft very well and be the best and offer some extras to keep you in the game. 7000 R1...wait their will be 50,000 Scarlets worldwide.
 
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