Welcome to our community

Be a part of something great, join today!

Log in
  • 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 :)

What do you hate about your EPIC?

I hate the Redmote. It is a piece of junk. I upgraded the antenna and it still doesn't work. ALL the anecdotal evidence I have heard is all the same- unreliable connections. I wish Red would own up to this product being a POS and recall it or something. It's hard to believe that my Xbox controllers work more reliably than the redmote. Experience with the redmote is reason #1 I will not consider buying the Meizler module.
 
One of my biggest complaints is RED Customer Service. Takes forever, they are extremely unresponsive and costs shitloads. I have asked them honestly on several occasions how long something would take... but it takes way longer. They are the worst.
 
Rolling shutter (had some footage shot on a ferry that wasn't usable), stupid fiddly audio inputs, weight and how many times my camera has crashed. I had it stop recording and give me an error message out of the blue last week. I was over directing talent and letting the camera just roll and I came back and found out it had stopped recording a take or two earlier. Also general reliability: my side handle had to go back a week or two after receiving it--there is also too much play in all of the side handle buttons for my taste, my camera was just returned after completely dying (although RED had awesome service and fixed it out of warranty for free... love that, don't love the length of the normal warranty) and I hate that REDCode is encrypted and needs custom hardware to decode.

A super reliable 2.5lb Epic with miniXLRs, ZIPs scanline compression, global shutter and cheaper media would be perfect.
 
Robert Ruffo New said:
I don't know - Epic at 5K , 3:1 - 5:1 compared to Red One at 4K 16:9 Recode 42?


I can see a huge difference, even scaled to 1080p. Then start doing secondary color corrections - the Epic footage tears anything else to pieces.
Click to expand...

I doubt very much You could tell which scenes in Finshers' Dragon tattoo were shot with the R1 and which with the Epic. I have a side by side in front of me
and not until a 400% enlargement can one discern a difference, and since the R1 has more aliasing artifacts, downsizing to 1080 it will actually make it appear
sharper. Also, I don't see how secondary color correction would benefit Epic footage any more than any other footage. It will definitely not tear anything apart
or kick ass or blow something away. For that it actually lacks the dynamic range we hope will be available with new chip.
 
My list of features that hopefully will be improved:

• noisy fan (why do I have to pay $500 for a replacement?)
• power safe modes have little to no effect
• batteries drain while camera is off
• there is no true still photo mode (i.e. single shot, lossless RAW)
• camera has a PC-socket (x-sync terminal) but is unable to sync to a photo flash
• slow black shading
 
I hate that I don't hate anything about the Epic, and for this some simply categorize me as a Fanboy, instead of realizing that for me and the way I use the Epic, in both both, personal and professional use, it has performed extremely well, and with DRAGON, the Fan upgrade, the Meizler Module and the Wireless transmitters, it is looking better then ever.
 
Here is my list, I love my Epic, and keeping in mind that most of the bigger issues ( except onboard sound recording ) will be hopefully solved with the upcoming upgrades (fans, Dragon, power)
-black shading (will this change with Dragon ? )
-BOMB EVF ( I don't understand why it is not possible to adjust the image, it is still the worst EFV on any professional digital cine camera )
-I am not a fan of 90 % of the accessories; most of them lack important in- or outputs and arrive too late, developed without the professional user in mind, hopefully the acquirement of ET will change this.
-Menu still too complicated, designed by a technician/developer, not a user.
 
Before I get started, the camera takes a beautiful picture. Everything leading up to seeing that picture is a different story.

#1 - Basic camera body doesn't support EVF & LCD at the same time.

#2 - Cannot get REDLogFilm out HD-SDI and REDGamma3 on EVF & LCD at the same time. Kind of moot - See point #1

#3 - Can't use another on board monitor in RG3 and send REDLOGFilm out HDSDI 'cause only one HD-SDI tap. Not to mention needing a tool to unplug HDSDI cables.

#4 - REDMOTE. 'nuff said. Never worked on any combination of units. Ever. Totally unreliable and without a REAL ANTENNA.

#5 - Rolling shutter. The new hack fix is not acceptable. RED gets a reprieve on this one cause few others can deliver here either.

#6 - 3:1 compression. Seriously? For the cost of those redmags, we should be able to get rid of the compression all together.

#7 - Just about everything relating to the MEIZLER module. Should have come with the camera. Should also have come with an ANTENNA.

#8 - REDVOLT. What was this for again?

#9 - Fan noise. This fix should have been free. The thing is a turbine engine and really makes us look bad on a quiet, intimate set.

#10 - Audio. Do it right or just ditch it. It is totally OK if it is not included but having it there makes people think its OK to use.

#11 - Cost of redmags. High end, off the shelf SSD's (See BMD's camera) is the way to go. This isn't the data of the Phantom, even at 6K.

Love it, Hate it. </vent>
 
I love my camera, and as in any relationship there are a few things I dislike/miss/dream of. In weighted order:

a) Audio. Wish it had a more pro-system connector (mini XLR, or full XLR). Wish it had 4 channels out of the box - like the R1 did. Wish the fans were quieter, and did ramp up their speed when the recording stops (when filming in a quiet surrounding, this is the one thing that really draws attention to the camera. It would be great if the fans would speed up over a 10 second time period.) Looking forward to the new fans. Wish it was quicker to change the volume settings; dedicated knobs would have been awesome (and ENG standard). Wish I could record two audio inputs to 4 channels, with different dB sensitivities. Wish there was a way to record just the fan noise, and then use some advanced noise-cancelling tech to strip the audio signal of that unwanted noise.

b) Black Shading. Because it takes so bloody long, I don't get to do it often enough. I wish there was a way to do a 24hr black shading bonanza, automated, where the camera would go through a whole bunch of possible combination, keep them in memory and then automatically chose the proper black shading when I change the settings.

c) Red Mote Pro. Been way too long. I know RED doesn't publish their roadmap anymore, but I wish they'd keep us informed about products that were mentioned before the new policy kicked in. Right now I don't know if I should invest $2+k in a remote focus system, when RED might be days away from delivering their better (for us Canon-L shooters), cheaper, more elegant solution.

d) Price of media. I wish we could buy high capacity, frame rate limited media. Have a whole bunch of cheaper media in your bag for standard 25fps, 8:1 compression. Then buy/rent some high speed mags for the special stuff.

e) More open modular system. Wish RED could open the development of extra modules to third parties. (And in connection with c) I wish that third parties would be encouraged to build specialized mounts. Birger would have been awesome, though I know how unlikely this is, given their past.) Would be great to be able to simply switch between EVF and LCD, without having to buy/install an extra module.

f) 1:1 zoom during playback. Faster switch from 1:1 zoom to full view. Possibility to delete the last shot. Possibility to auto-format empty SSD drives. Possibility to have the camera perform an automatic check of the file integrity (when you're shooting alone, you often dont have the time/patience for a proper visual check. This function might add a little layer of confidence.)

g) Imagine if it was possible to have a API for the firmware. 3rd party developers could come up with fancy iPhone/Android applications. Programmers might find wicked ways of using the accelerator data during record. Arduro hackers might come up with the wickedest time ramping box ever. ...

h) GPS data. Heck, just for the fun of it, it would be great to see afterwards where exactly I shot some landscapes.
 
Made in USA, but no cupholder? How am I supposed to work?

cupholder.jpg
 
But seriously. Jarred, if you're reading this - could you just make the audio holes in the fan cover plate larger so that the existing thread on the 3.5mm sockets is accessible. Such a simple fix for the connector gripe.

Standard threaded locking ring connectors would then fit (RED could sell these in place of the current 3.5mm to XLR on the store) and nobody could complain about the connector at all... after all the locking ring 3.5mm to XLRs I use came straight off Senny radio mics - totally professional.
 
Very quick response - pictures are stunning, audio sucks!

RED One had great audio, Epic/Scarlet was a BIG step backwards. A pro camera with 3.5mm audio inputs? NO NO NO!!!

We shoot lots of long interviews and we've given up shooting these on our Epic for the above reasons, opting for a C300.

Dragon is fantastic BUT look at the C300 and the F5/55 for an idea of better usability/ergonomics. ND's built in without spending lots of additional cash, proper XLR's, much better workflow, low cost media et etc.

Scott
 
Still amazed that I have a 5k cinema camera and that I can take it in a backpack if I want!
That said, I love complaining from time to time:

- Fan noise
- 1:1 zoom for focussing takes far too long, the Red One was so much faster!
- Zoom for playback, I remember that in one of the early builds for the Red One there was zoom for playback, 5 years ago!!!
- Touch LCD is really heavy and has an awkward hinge that is useless if you are standing next to a tilted camera
- RedVolts, probably the most expensive batteries I ever bought, I have three and they barely hold charge even though I have used them them just a few times
- EVF, I didn't order the BOMB EVF as it is too expensive and the reviews are not encouraging
- limited in/outs in a difficult to get place
- I wished batteries would last twice as long
- The military styling and attitude of RED, really not my cup of tea
- Needing a Red Rocket for post production
- Having to send my camera to the other side of the world for repairs and service and having it take forever
- Rusty wing nuts on the baseplate
- Announced products that just disappear without a word (Redmote Pro, Red laser projector, 3k Scarlet, RED electronic lenses)

I know some of these things are not directly the Epic but they come with the camera in one way or another.
 
- Bulb mode for external timlapse triggering is wanted.

-I do not like the miezler. as it ditch the module concept all together and also the redvolts and the fact that it's not going well together with the quickrelease. Simply it's a side step that is not so upgradable and does not care for what we allready bought into.

-I think the proress stuff could be left alone as it can not record highspeed, it will cause more confusion than good im afraid. Better to buy a pix 260 and a teradek bolt instead and record away from camera.

-sound stuff I like. I like the small phono jacks. I do not understand that there is no third party guys that delivered a nice front mounted XLR thingy that sticks out to the side that replaced the fan grid and all for a low cost. the current phono jacks put less wieght and make the camera base config smaller, that is most esential to me.

-Flip flop wanted, but it coming I guess.

- Frame rates, do not forget europe... 98 instead of 100fps is something that could be easily fixed. I do not care if the cmpression needs to be twice as hard, but being able to record at something evenly dividable by 25 is quite important. Loosing work over this.

- more ana resolutions... basically let the resolution be customizable. super low hight and full 5k with in 400 fps should be possible as an example.
 
- I hate not having very cheap media option for the sole purpose of storing firmwares and other settings (not for shooting purposes)
- I hate having to black shade as it takes too long
- I hate its performance in low light...it jus cannot handle low light in uncontrolled environments a easily as other cameras such as the fs100/700 or canon c300...other than that I love everything about the cam.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top