01/23, 5:40pm
Captures imagery at 2xthe normal rate
Producer and director Peter Jackson may claim one of the first high frame rate movies to reach theaters. Jackson, best known for the Lord of the Rings trilogy, is shooting The Hobbit using his RED Epic-X cameras at 48 frames per second, or twice as fast as the industry standard. Shooting at this faster rate reduces the blurring effect referred to in the film industry as strobing. The effect is most noticeable in action sequences, or when a camera pans and moves down a long hallway.
more
01/16, 10:05am
Sony returns fire by shipping its first 4K pro cam
Sony followed up on its promises at the start of the week by shipping its first CineAlta F65 pro video camera. Movie camera rental firm Otto Nemenz International picked up the 4K-capable camera. About 400 pre-orders had lined up, with "at least two" large studios planning to start using their F65s almost immediately on projects.
more
01/12, 8:15pm
Camera may begin shipping after 2+ year beta
RED, the maker of high-end professional hybrid digital still and motion cameras has submitted its latest product, the Epic-X to the FCC for approval. The photos of the submission, have been posted by Wireless Goodness. The 57 images detail the sophisticated modular components of an imaging system used to produce such motion pictures as The Hobbit, The Muppet Movie, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
more
01/11, 2:45pm
4K video to external display in near real-time
JVC has announced the world's first handheld 4K camcorder, the GY-HMQ10. The GY-HMQ10 uses JVC's on-camera Falconbrid Large-Scale Integration processing to deBayer RAW images from the camera's 8.3 million-pixel CMOS sensor in real time. Unlike other 4K cameras, such as RED's Scarlet-X 4K camera system, the GY-HMQ10 can output live 4K via four HDMI terminals to a monitor or projection system with almost no latency. JVC claims the camcorder is the first to be able to capture, process, display and record 4K images in real time.
more
01/02, 11:50pm
High-end camera already backordered
RED's Scarlet-X camera has been reviewed by the team at Cinema5D, after the first limited production units began shipping to a select group of customers in November. A video post provides an early look at the professional camera, which starts at $9,700 and is already on backorder.
more
12/30, 8:00pm
Red says Arri took ultra HD camera secrets
Red took its accusations of Arri hacking further in the past week by suing Arri directly for claims of corporate spying. Based on a plea by former Arri veteran Michael Bravin, Red argued that the rival beyond-HD video camera designer had used technical details Red was sharing with Band Pro during talks over a possible deal. Bravin's hacking allegedly led to Arri getting unfair help developing its Alexa camera, a direct rival to Red models like the Epic-X.
more
11/18, 5:20pm
Tonaci Tran gets first shipping RED Scarlet
Cinematographer Tonaci Tran has become the first person to receive a shipping unit of the RED Scarlet 4K camera. Tran is a known in the industry as a RED product specialist and is often hired on film sets as RED camera supervisor or operator. RED has posted an image of Tran with his new Scarlet unit on its company blog.
more
11/03, 10:10pm
RED Scarlet shown in final form at event
RED at its own camera event showed its long-delayed, finished version of the Scarlet. The new version has gone from a complete camera to a central body and sensor that fits into the RED modular system. While not ambitious as the Epic system, it's now one of the least expensive 4K cameras, costing $9,750 despite shooting at its full 4096x2160 at a slightly more than film-grade 25FPS.
more
09/23, 10:45am
Michael Bravin pleads guilty to e-mail hack
A US District Court federal case reveals that Michael Bravin, an executive at Arri Camera, has been charged with illegally accessing the computer and e-mail address of Band Pro Film & Digital and several other companies. He has pleaded guilty and allegedly faces up to two months of jail time. Red camera CEO and found Jim Jannard also revealed his personal e-mail account was hacked as well.
more
09/22, 12:20pm
RED to release 4K laser 3D projector soon
RED has posted yet another teaser on its forums, this time being more elusive. Company CEO Jim Jannard posted a quote from Stephen Pizzo, the co-founder of Element Technica and partner of 3ality Technica. Pizzo apparently came away very impressed after seeing a demo of RED's 3D laser projector.
more
09/21, 4:10pm
Red promises Scarlet ship dates, specs on Nov. 3
Red company founder Jim Jannard announced on the company's forums that the Scarlet pro-oriented digital camera will be finally unveiled on November 3. The reveal will include technical specs and shipping information, so prices are also expected. The date coincides with Canon's scheduled Hollywood announcement, leading many to guess that RED may be using a similar 4K Super 35mm sensor as Canon, though other are quick to shoot these rumors down.
more
09/05, 5:35am
Red Epic X with 5K resolution ships in quantities
Red has announced that it is now shipping its latest and ‘most sophisticated’ film camera, the Red Epic X, in bulk. The camera incorporates a 5K sensor and a 27 layer ASIC processor which combine to give the camera the ability to shoot at up to 120 frames per second at a full 14-megapixel resolution. Although a digital camera, its resolution is so great that it exceeds the resolution of 35mm motion picture film.
more
04/25, 7:50am
50 RED EPIC-M cameras for Avatar 2?
The chief of RED Jim Jannard has revealed that Academy Award winning director James Cameron has ordered 50 RED EPIC-M cameras. The cameras are a modular design and can be used to shoot in 3D, as two EPIC-Ms can be placed on the same mount and linked. This would deliver two 5k-resolution images at once.
more
04/11, 3:00pm
James Cameron and Vince Pace start 3D tech firm
Famous directing team James Cameron and Vince Pace on Monday at their special event said they were forming a new company to tackle 3D hardware in movies and TV. The Cameron-Pace Group hopes to develop technology that would lower the costs of making 3D and get it out to broadcasters. Cameron said he hoped to get a system where "everything will be produced in 3D" and that the 2D version would just have to come from the 3D source.
more
01/03, 10:55am
RED Scarlet becomes EPIC-S with details
RED started the new year with details of the EPIC-S, the newly christened production form of the Scarlet. The name shift reflects a change from the cheaper original body to the same body as the EPIC-M and has the promised upgrade to HDRx (high dynamic range) recording. EPIC-S is focused on "pro, not prosumer," company founder Jim Jannard said.
more
12/19, 1:00pm
RED EPIC cam arrives in custom builds
RED this weekend confirmed that the first custom-made EPIC-M cameras were shipping to the earliest members of the program. Camera number 6, the first not headed to RED chief Jim Jannard, was shipped on Friday to OffHollywood studio co-founder Mark Pederson. The 5K resolution camera is already being tested in a live shoot at Niagara Falls and initial impressions of how it works compared to earlier RED cameras, including a RED ONE MX sporting its upgraded sensor.
more
12/15, 8:45pm
Launch time-frame still remains unclear
Red has finally allowed a member of the general public to try out a prototype Scarlet camera that will arrived on the market in fixed-lens form. Company representative Jarred Land reportedly showed off the upcoming camera at Red Studios during the Santa Fe 3D Workshop. Aside from the fixed 8X lens, the camera was outfitted with a five-inch display.
more
12/07, 3:35pm
Spider-man reboot being shot with RED's EPIC cams
The RED user forum is afire with news of the RED EPIC camera being used to shoot the next Spider-Man movie, due for a release in 2012. The filming with four of the high-end devices started on Monday, and the cameras are also being used to film The Hobbit, as reported earlier, though 30 EPICs were purchased for this purpose. This movie is also due for a 2012 release, but Spider-Man started shooting first.
more
11/28, 12:50pm
RED Epic-M to sell early and shoot The Hobbit
RED founder Jim Jannard this weekend revealed that his company would deliver the Epic camera early in the form of a limited pre-production run. The Epic-M will use the new 5K Mysterium-X sensor in a hand-built chassis with a bomb electronic viewfinder, a five-inch touchscreen, an SSD module, a remote and four 128GB SSD cards. Each bundle will cost $58,000 and, with less than 100 to be made, won't necessarily guarantee that every order is fulfilled.
more
10/05, 4:15pm
Scarlet future becomes unclear
RED founder Jim Jannard has admitted that his company should not have attempted to engage the consumer market with its upcoming Scarlet camera. The comments come just days after RED announced that it would raise the price of the Scarlet video camera by $1,000, which was said to be necessary to integrate a high dynamic range feature.
more
10/01, 10:45am
RED Scarlet climbs in cost for HDRx support
RED today said it was raising the price of the Scarlet pro video camera by $1,000 to add in a high dynamic range feature, HDRx. The new feature needs a new ASIC chip and extra development but would turn out "incredible" results according to founder Jim Jannard. It would invoke a slight delay but was partly the result of user voting in favor of the upgrade.
more
09/13, 9:00am
RED One MX made available to everyone
RED this weekend finally began wider distribution of its first next-generation camera. After the earlier upgrade program, the Red One MX is now available to everyone. The camera still shoots at the same 4K resolution as the original but uses a modern Mysterium-X sensor with much better low-light performance and other image quality improvements.
more
09/10, 6:30pm
Supports more formats, 3D, speed increases
Blackmagic Design today unveiled the Mac upgrade to v7 of the Emmy-winning professional DI color grader, DaVinci Resolve. The software, which requires a 17-inch MacBook Pro for standard-definition or web projects and a top-end Mac Pro for higher-level work, sports an all-new interface, now incorporates Apple ProRes and H.264 formats, supports RED Rocket cards and boasts new stereoscopic 3D grading as well as other features.
more
08/09, 5:50pm
RED teases with working Scarlet digital camera
On the company's official forums, RED has shown off a working version of its long-expected and delayed Scarlet. There is also a link to a movie (MOV) that illustrates the fast autofocus function of the camera, as it's controlling an 85mm Canon lens in Single Shot AF mode. Despite these teasers, the camera is still not ready for a mass-market release, but the team at RED is still committed to the project.
more
07/09, 3:20pm
YouTube now supports greater than HD video
YouTube today touted a first in web video as it became the first to support greater-than-HD video. It can now handle movies up to 4K widescreen, or 4096x3072; the resolution is about four times larger than 1080p and is dense enough to remain sharp at distances that would normally be reserved for 4K projectors. It can also handle intermediate steps such as 2K and is invoked just by choosing the original video size.
more
07/06, 10:30am
RED EPIC, Scarlet back on track
RED's Jim Jannard late last night updated videographers on the status of its next generation greater-than-HD cameras. He now says the company has overcome the major bug that had kept the EPIC and Scarlet back, and at least the 5K-capable EPIC will be made in the US. The delays have pushed back the cameras by an unspecified amount of time, but the founder was adamant the development time was also to ensure the camera was completely stable when it shipped.
more
06/25, 6:15pm
RED shows lightweight, small 5K 3D camera rig
RED founder Jim Jannard has posted a photo of what he calls a working 3D rig that has two EPIC cameras capable of recording 3D images at 5K resolution. The Element Technica rig is said to weigh just over 45lbs, which is apparently very light for such a setup. The package can be made even lighter if the dual RED Brick batteries are replaced with lighter EPIC-X batteries.
more
06/17, 1:15pm
RED founder says DSLR makers are playing catch-up
The always vocal RED founder, Jim Jannard, has responded to a thread on a RED-devoted forum regarding DSLR cameras with HD recording capabilities. He opines that current consumer-level DSLRs from the likes on Nikon and Canon, will eventually bring 4K resolution video recording to their products. Jannard says his company wants to be the best, not the biggest, which is why it will bring ever-higher quality and resolutions to its products.
more
06/14, 8:10am
RED cameras set back twice
RED's EPIC and Scarlet cameras have been dealt double blows, company founder Jim Jannard said today. A significant firmware bug is now known to have been holding up both of the greater-than-HD cameras for at least two months. Jannard wouldn't describe the bug but was determined to have it fixed.
more
04/15, 2:30pm
RED demos 5K camera and readies smaller cam
RED as promised showed off a working example of the EPIC. The pro camera on display at NAB took 13 seconds to warm up but could shoot its intended 5K resolution. Its upgraded sensor wasn't given a full test, but in previous teases RED has shown it capable of much better light sensitivity than the 4K sensor in the older RED ONE.
more
04/12, 4:25pm
RED 5K camera moves to stage 2 with proxy module
RED used the occasion of the NAB trade show to firm up its camera plans. It's near shipping the very early test versions of the EPIC, known as Tattoo models, to its closest customers; these should arrive in May. Pre-orders have also begun for the stage two program of existing RED ONE owners and should see the $19,500 camera reach buyers in roughly July or August.
more
04/07, 10:10am
RED vows stackable readers with FW800, eSATA
RED used the advent of NAB to detail and ship the RED Station, a uniquely modular storage reader for its greater-than-HD cameras. The system revolves around a core base station that supplies most of the power and can add one or more readers to take in different formats. A CF reader takes the most common removable storage on RED's cameras, and the MAG 2.5 loads in notebook-sized hard drives and SSDs. Either reader has two FireWire 800 jacks and one each of eSATA and mini USB.
more
04/01, 5:05pm
Red bringing EPIC 5K camera prototype to NAB show
Red founder Jim Jannard announced on the Red User forum that a working model of the long awaited and delayed EPIC camera will be displayed at the NAB show in mid April. The high-end camera, according to specs first released nearly two years ago, is expected to be capable of capturing images at near 5K resolution thanks to a full-frame sensor the same size as traditional 35mm film while still retaining the benefits of a digital sensor.
more
01/13, 6:20pm
RED ONE cameras get new sensor Jan 22
RED this evening said it would start offering RED ONE owners an upgrade to its new Mysterium-X sensor next week on January 22nd. The deal will give the 4K camera the improved imaging for $5,750 and will also include a new optical low pass filter. A new version of REDCINE-X will be needed to handle the updated greater-than-HD video and should be available at the same time.
more
12/15, 8:05am
RED's next-gen cameras to get demo
RED early today made clear its efforts to persuade videographers by promising to hold a "RED Day" February 13th. At the Los Angeles gathering, the company plans to show prototypes of its long-delayed EPIC and Scarlet cameras along with some of their accessories. It additionally plans to show the current RED ONE camera outfitted with the new generation's Mysterium-X sensor and to show 4K footage at its native resolution using a Sony 4K projector.
more
12/01, 12:30am
New player distributes 1080p in 4 quadrants
RED on Monday provided a wide range of updated information on several upcoming products including the Ray Pro, Scarlet 2/3", Redmote Pro, Redcine-X, and new lenses. The company's engineering team is still working overtime to develop a new layout for a manufacturing revision that should help resolve the ASIC chip issue disclosed last week. 'Fire Chief' Jarred Land admits, however, that there are still hurdles to overcome.
more
11/25, 10:30am
RED Scarlet and EPIC set back by 30 days
RED this week warned that its EPIC-X camera program would be delayed by 30 days due to a problem with its app-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) chips. Company head Jim Jannard explained that it has to perform a new "metal spin," or manufacturing revision, due to an unspecified flaw. It's considered a relatively mild obstacle as a major alteration would have taken substantially longer.
more
10/30, 6:40pm
RED details EPIC-X beta, Scarlet 1080p60
RED this evening provided an update on the progress of its greater-than-HD EPIC and Scarlet cameras with a beta program for the EPIC-X and a feature boost for the Scarlet. The 5K resolution EPIC-X should now be available as a "beta" test camera before the end of 2009 and, in a first stage, will give those buyers a pre-production core body and all the equipment needed to use it outside of the lens, such as CompactFlash storage, an electronic viewfinder, a mount and power. This initial run should be available only in very limited numbers for $28,000 and will get special support up to and including CEO Jim Jannard's personal cellphone number.
more
10/06, 6:00pm
Simulates damage, jitter
Digieffects has released Aged Film, a new video effects plug-in for post-production suites that recreates the style of damaged filmstock. Customizable effects include dust, grain, scratches, frame jitter and color. Presets cover a variety of scenarios, including 8mm film, old home videos and shaky projectors. All effects are rendered at 16bpc.
more
09/28, 5:20pm
RED shows upcoming camera accessories
RED has recently posted teaser images and little else for some upcoming pro-level camera accessories on a RED forum board. Among the upcoming products, all of which are due for a release sometime in October according to the posts, is the RED Bomb Electronic View Finder (EVF), as well as the EPIC and Scarlet camera bodies introduced in March. There is also the REDmote, that will allow for wireless control of the EPIC or Scarlet cameras, with what RED calls nearly infinite customizing options.
more
03/05, 10:00pm
RED sneak peaks
RED has provided a few sneak peeks of its upcoming Digital Still and Motion Camera (DSMC) systems, EPIC and Scarlet, along with the new Pro series of lenses. The EPIC and Scarlet "brains" can be configured with a wide variety of options and accessories, each built upon the Mysterium-X and Mysterium Monstro sensors capable of resolutions well beyond standard 1080p HD.
more
12/03, 12:00am
RED EPIC X bundle
Camera-maker RED has detailed the specifications of its upcoming EPIC X bundle, and outlined pricing information for the basic Scarlet kit with an 8X optical lens. The EPIC X package, built on the 30mm by 15mm S35 sensor, will include a CF recording module, I/O module and battery module, bundled in a package that carries the same $28800 price tag as the sensor alone. As a bonus, the X package data-rates will be higher than the individually-purchased EPIC S35, featuring REDCODE 250 instead of REDCODE 225.
more
11/28, 3:45pm
digital camera deals
A variety of digital cameras are currently featured at DealNN with special Black Friday pricing. CircuitCity.com has reduced the price on the Samsung 8.1MP digital camera -blue from $99.99 to $79.99. TigerDirect.com has reduced the price on the Canon HD camcorder from $899.99 to $559.99, that's an instant savings of $340. Until 11/30/08 Newegg.com is offering the Kodak EasyShare 9.2MP digital camera (model no. C913) for $96.99, that's $15 off the original price of $111.99. TigerDirect.com has cut the price on the Canon PowerShot SD2200 8.0MP digital camera from $199.99 to $169.99, an instant savings of $30. RadioShack.com is offering the Samsung 10.0MP digital camera -red for $149.99. On November 28th save $50 for a final price of $99.99.
more
11/27, 2:10pm
Black Friday Apple deals
A variety of great Black Friday deals on Apple products are currently being offered by a range of online merchants. Until 11/30/08 Newegg.com is offering the 4GB iPod nano -silver (model no. MA978LL/A) for $99.99, that's $49.01 off the original price of $149. Save an extra 10% on Apple computers at Gainsaver.com, prices start at $260. MacMall.com has reduced the price on the new 13.3-inch MacBook from $1229.99 to $1179.99. Until 11/30/08 Newegg.com is offering the 2.4GHz MacBook Pro (model no. MB133LL/A) for $1489. BestBuy.com is offering the first generation 32GB iPod touch for $349.99 which is $30 off the regular price of $379.99. Visit DealNN for more Black Friday deals.
more
11/25, 9:20am
RED Big Change Coming
RED already has a second major announcement due early next month, company head Jim Jannard says in a community teaser. Having just launched the EPIC and Scarlet revisions and the DSMC system earlier this month, the greater-than-HD camera maker now promises a "big change" on December 3rd and calls the earlier announcements "insignificant" by comparison. Details of the new announcement itself remain a mystery and are unlikely to be provided until the announcement.
more
11/20, 11:00am
Premiere Pro 4.0.1 patch
Adobe has posted a v4.0.1 update for the CS4 version of Premiere Pro, its high-end video-editing suite. The patch introduces the ability to import projects from Apple's editing suite, Final Cut Pro, without any necessary conversions or re-rendering; most effects and transitions should be preserved. Users can also import and export in the Advandced Authoring Format (AAF), and export to an OMF file.
more
11/13, 8:45am
RED EPIC and Scarlet DSMC
RED today formally uncovered the full remakes of its EPIC and Scarlet cameras. Now considered part of the Digital Stills and Motion Camera (DSMC) system, the two are designed both to serve as extremely high-resolution DSLRs as well as RED's staple greater-than-HD video cameras. The two use the REDCODE RAW format to produce both still shots and videos, and introduce a unique modular system to either category: users pick the EPIC or Scarlet as a core unit and then choose displays, eyepieces, grips, lenses, mounts and more depending on the exact need.
more
10/27, 10:25am
RED Epic Scarlet Updates
Greater-than-HD camera maker RED will unveil a major new direction for its upcoming Epic and Scarlet cameras on November 13th, company chief Jim Jannard says in a new update on the company's strategy. While not detailing the changes, the executive describes the new programs for the video cameras as "incredible" and believes many will call the changes a "scam" based on the capabilities of the new models.
more
09/23, 12:40am
RED Scarlet camera redux
Premium camera manufacturer RED recently announced informally it is scrapping current plans for the Scarlet camera, and will reveal a new rethought version, still in 2009. A company rep, Jim, announced that the changes to the platform are taking place due to changes in the marketplace, and RED is looking to position the camera differently overall. Jim hints that the changes are "measurable," and equates the announcement to product development.
more
09/02, 1:05pm
RED DSLR in works
RED is looking to build a still camera, according to a company official. The company has so far specialized in HD movie cameras such as the Scarlet and the Epic, but is said to be interested in the world of DSLR (digital single-lens reflex) hardware as a divergence. DSLRs are the cameras most used by professional photographers, due to features like portability and lens choice; only more cumbersome medium- and large-format cameras may have superior features in some regards.
more