Weapon and rocket x, do we need it with prores?

[Brian Merlen]

My buddy is suggesting I sell my rocket x based on prores in weapon and was wondering what others are thinking? I think for other codecs or UHD/4k it may still be useful but not sure what to do? Has it been confirmed if weapon does 4k prores Cuz that may be a determining factor for me? Thx

 

[Stacey Spears]

Do your process footage from others or just your own? Do you think you will never want to work with the native resolution out of the camera? Will you never want to process footage again using newer color science? These are some of the questions you need to ask yourself.

eg let's say in the middle of a project they release a new color science that is something you really want to use. You won't be able to apply to the existing prores files because they will have already used the previous color science.

If you think you will want to use Prores on all projects, then you may not need the RRX anymore. At a minimum, I suggest waiting until you, or someone you trust, has evaluated R3D vs Prores to make sure you are not losing anything.

 

[Blair S. Paulsen]

IF - the only reason you roll the RR-X is for fast turnaround situations where ProRes is the requested format then in camera ProRes might sort that need. With a bomber GPU in a decent box you could still crank out ProRes, or whatever flavor you need, from the original R3Ds in a reasonable amount of time as needed. In my world, I use the RR-X to scrub footy at full res on/near set on a UHD monitor to check focus, continuity, etc so reliable real time decoding is a must.

One place the RR-X really shines is for field situations where a desktop machine is impractical but a fast laptop with an RR-X in a TB2 expansion chassis can be schlepped along.

Cheers - #19

 

[Brian Merlen]

I thought we can roll r3d and prores, which would be my intended carbon workflow. But I think rocket x may come in handy on other codecs too and rasters but might be wrong? I sublease mine at a house and use it on gigs once in a while but haven't had tons of demand or broken even on costs yet so I was not sure if the demand would be even less in the near future and weighing my options is all, thx

 

[Cid J Salcido Uyarra]

If you DIT keep it

I've tried to find many reasons to ditch my Rocket X but I've had to keep it. Commercial world is too demanding

Even if you build a PC with dual Titan X you still won't get speeds I'm getting in my Hex Core 2012 Mac Pro with GeForce 980 4GB.

Plus the world doesn't revolve around ProRes.....Allot of post houses are still cutting on old towers via Avid DNxHD 36 via FW800 cause its stable and will be XML

 

[Wynn Padula]

Also, I doubt the Prores codec that records in realtime on the weapon SSD is using a full-debayer from the 6K redraw. That would mean the camera essentially has a built-in redrocket-x card that can run while also recording full-resolution R3D files. I bet it is using a half-debayer and you are losing half your pixels - causing Moire and other problems... I don't know this for a fact, just speculating. Also, what about HDR and other essential post-production tools that require access to the r3d files? Are there any options to do HDR in Prores?

 

[filmillr]

I would think most productions are still going to want the .r3d files in the end, for whatever reason - if even to just archive with.