Red One FAQ

[Brook Willard]

2010 update: It's been years since this was written and - as such - almost everything in the following pages is inaccurate. Most of the images were lost in the Great Forum Burp of 2009. Those taking information from this thread should do so very carefully. It will be left undeleted for "historical" purposes only at this point.


2/17/08 update: I have started overhauling the FAQ. Slowly - but surely - production-era posts will appear. There still may be mistakes... I can't stress that enough. This isn't the instruction manual.


The FAQ is still very incomplete.

If you see a mistake, PM me. If there is something that you'd like to see added or improved upon, do the same. Be aware that some sections posted below reference sections that I have not yet posted.

I have put a great deal of time into writing and fact-checking this FAQ - I wouldn't post it if I didn't believe it to be accurate. That said...

The contents of this thread are not necessarily accurate. This was not prepared by, proof-read by or requested by anybody at RED. As a result, there are almost certainly mistakes and bits of misinformation below. Many things may have changed in the past and many others may change in the future. Do not take this FAQ as representing fact. Do not repost this information and do not make any decisions [financial or otherwise] based upon what you read below.

For all intents and purposes, just assume that what I've written below is wrong. Better safe then sorry... and angry at me. :) I am far from an authority on the matter. Most sentences in the FAQ are phrased as though I am reporting fact - stating that something "is" instead of "might be." This is for two reasons: First, I believe what I've written below is true. Second, writing the entire thing in a passive voice would have needlessly complicated things [when all I need is this disclaimer at the head].

Everything I've written is drawn from what I've read on REDuser and DVXuser. This is prepared on my own time with no compensation. I will continue to update it as sections are completed and fact-checked.

Below is the table of contents as it is prepared today. Items in black are not posted. The table of contents will grow considerably... this is just the plan as of today.

The RED ONE Camera Body
- Introduction
- Upgradability
- Lens Mounts
- Ports
- Accessories
- Rod Standards
- Storage

Understanding Mysterium™
- Mysterium™ Basics
- Dynamic Range
- Color Space, Bit Rates and more
- Bayer Pattern
- Depth of Field & Field of View

RED ONE Supported Formats
- What is 4K? [Film & Digital]
- REDCODE

Workflow
- Introduction
- REDCINE...
- ...and beyond

Lenses
- RED Lenses
- Film vs. Digital
- 3 CCD vs. Bayer
- Coverage
- ...and beyond


Stay tuned...

~Brook

[Brook Willard]

The RED ONE Camera Body
The RED ONE camera body is based around three key concepts: usability, modularity and upgradeability. That said, with so many possible configurations and accessories, the camera body can appear daunting at first. Here goes...


Introduction

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1189308987.jpg

The RED ONE camera body is 12.02 inches / 305mm long, 6.34 inches / 161mm tall and 5.20 inches / 132mm wide. The production models weigh approximately 10lbs.

The body is made of aluminum. The aluminum is coated with a dark grey/black finish.

As the body is aluminum, the entire surface of the camera acts as a heat sink. The "ribs" on the top of the body presumably assist in cooling [and looking mean...], but the primary cooling system is on the bottom of the camera. As you can see below, the camera body is broken up into three distinct areas.

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1189309024.jpg

The camera body itself [red] houses all of the boards, electronics and mysteries. It is sealed from the other two areas - cooling and sensor/mount [green]. The distinctions in this image are not designed to be exact, but serve a conversational point only. The camera body itself is sealed off from the cooling and sensor/mount areas of the camera, ensuring that no debris can make it into the sensitive electronics. The cooling area of the camera is ventilated, to allow the camera's internal fans to cool the camera as needed. Heat sinks reach down into the cooling area from the camera body itself, enabling a heat transfer without ventilation [or risk of contamination]. The sensor/mount area of the camera functions in a fairly similar way - sealed from the camera body itself to prevent contamination, but connected electronically to enable sensor communication and Peltier cooling.

I'm being vague and nonspecific here because I really don't know. The last time I heard about the cooling system was on a prototype several generations ago. Everything may have changed completely, so take this past section with a grain or two of salt.

Note that all pictures in this FAQ – renders or photographs – are not necessarily indicative of the production model cameras. I've done the best I can, but some pictures may be outdated.


[b]Ports

Thanks to Anders Holck for his original footwork in breaking down the inputs and outputs on the camera body.

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1184987295.jpg (http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1184987267.jpg)

Click on the image above to see all ports on the RED ONE body. I have accidentally swapped the Power Input port and the Drive Connector port in this diagram. I will fix this shortly.

Power Input – The RED ONE uses a 6-pin, 12v LEMO power input.

Drive Connector – This LEMO connector supplies power and eSATA data connection to the RED DRIVE or RED RAM for recording purposes.

Auxiliary 12v Connectors – These ports allow for power accessories from the camera. They are 0B shell size 4-pin LEMO connectors [FGG.0B.304.CLAD52]. They can be combined to supply 24v if your desired accessory requires it. Pin-outs consist of 12v battery loop-through [to 1A], 12v battery loop-through [to 1A], GPI, GPO.

1/8” Headphone Audio Output – This stereo port provides headphone output during recording and playback.

Genlock Port – “Mini-BNC” [1.0/2.3] Generator Lock (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genlock) port. Adapters to standard BNC will be provided.

HD-SDI Preview Output – “Mini-BNC” [1.0/2.3] single-link HD-SDI preview output at 720p displaying the captured image with frame lines, look-around, any additional overlays and the full menu system. Adapters to standard BNC will be provided.

HD-SDI Outputs – “Mini-BNC” [1.0/2.3] 2x single-link [4:2:2] or 1x dual-link [4:4:4] 1080p HD-SDI output displaying the captured image without any overlays. Adapters to standard BNC will be provided.

USB Ports – These two USB ports enable the camera to operate as a slave or host. These ports have theoretical access to all elements of camera control as well as read/write ability to footage metadata. In essence, these are the ultimate accessory ports.

HDMI Preview Output – HDMI preview output at 720p displaying the captured image with frame lines, look-around, any additional overlays and the full menu system.

Timecode I/O – The Timecode port takes a standard 5-pin LEMO connector [part FGG.0B.305.CLAD52] for matching timecode with audio equipment on set. The camera records dual SMPTE timecode tracks - for example, one could be a Run Record (Edge) timecode, and the other could be Jam Synced to an external source. Each clip combines Camera I.D, Magazine (i.e. roll) number, Clip number and Date to form the file name, which helps data management in post. Pin-outs consist of ground, LTC in, ASCII in/out, nc and LTC out.

TA5 Audio Output – This port takes a standard 5-pin XLR-style TA5 connector for 2 channel balanced audio output.

Mini-XLR Audio Inputs – These ports provide phantom power for either line or mic input for four channels of balanced audio input. They are capable of recording uncompressed 16/24-bit audio at 48KHz. Pin-outs consist of ground, audio in [H], audio in [C].

Electronic Viewfinder Connector – This 17-pin LEMO connects to the 720p RED Electronic Viewfinder. It carries a 720p DVI-based signal, power and interface controls.

RED LCD Connector - This 17-pin LEMO connects to the 720p RED LCD. It carries a 720p DVI-based signal, power and interface controls.

B4 Lens Power Connector – This 12-pin LEMO supplies 5v regulated power at 750mA. It can be used to supply power to a B4 lens rocker switch. It will also interface with the RED SuperGrip. Pin-outs consist of return switch, record "VTR Start/Stop," ground, AT-MA, ID-CO, regulated 12v, IP-B, AT-RE, EXT-ANS, zoom position feedback, nc and nc. These pin-outs may no longer be accurate.

[Brook Willard]

Lens Mounts

The RED ONE ships with a standard Positive Lock [PL] mount from the factory. All RED lenses announced thus far are PL-mount, but since the PL-mount is the cine industry standard, one could use nearly any cine lens available on the market.
Keep in mind that lenses designed for a Bayer-pattern sensor [such as RED’s lenses or Arri’s Master Primes] will generally appear sharper than lenses designed for film. Also be aware that while shooting with 16mm or Super 16mm PL-mount lenses is possible, the lenses may not have the optical coverage to enable shooting 2K. More on these topics in the lens section below.

While the PL-mount is the “ultimate” for cine-style productions, the RED ONE’s lens mount can be swapped out by the user to allow for the mounting of other lenses.

Canon 35mm FD Mount
$500
The RED FD Mount enables mounting Canon still lenses.

Nikkor 35mm F Mount
$500

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1189310755.jpg

The RED F Mount enables mounting Nikon still lenses.

Birger Canon EOS EF Mount
$950

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1189309106.jpg

The Canon EOS EF Mount, designed by Birger Engineering, will enable the use of Canon EOS EF lenses on the RED ONE. Focus and iris will be controlled via the RED SuperGrip or by Birger's own wired or wireless interface. Focus control is in 4,096 steps from CF to infinity. The Lens mount also requires a $75 LEMO cable. The follow focus disc is $300 and the required LEMO cable to connect it is also $75. There will be a wireless controller with an LCD and two control surfaces [a slider for iris and knob for focus] available for $600.

The latest update on the EF Mount came in this (http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?t=3101) thread... which includes more pictures of a prototype and more operational details.

B4 Lens Adapter
$3,500

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1189310733.jpg

The RED B4 to PL Mount adapter is not actually a replacement lens mount. Instead, this small adapter mounts on the B4 lens in question or in the RED ONE’s PL mount. It optically enlarges the B4 lens’s image ~1.32x, allowing for 1080p or 2K capture [using the S16mm area of the sensor], depending on the optical coverage of the lens.


Swapping Mounts

But what of swapping mounts? Those who have changed out a lens mount on a film camera know how difficult a process this can be. Lens mounts must be collimated to within extremely specific tolerances [generally <1/1000th of a millimeter].

RED has taken an interesting approach to this problem. The lens mounting plate in the camera is collimated to the sensor from the factory. The PL-mount ships attached to this plate, collimated independently of this plate. By putting the PL-mount [collimated to one distance] onto the lens mounting plate [collimated to another distance], the result is a perfect match that should not require further shimming.

So if you were to install the Nikon F mount, for example, it would already be collimated at the factory to its own specific depth from the lens mounting plate on your camera. Since the lens mounting plate on your camera will already be collimated to the sensor, installing the Nikon mount onto this plate should result in perfect collimation without the need for re-shimming. A lens mount swap should be a fairly simple process, requiring about 15 minutes, a clean environment and a competent camera assistant.

While I don't have a picture of the lens mount removed, these eight small screws inside of the PL-mount pictured below are the first step towards swapping a mount. When I have first-hand experience with swapping a lens mount, I will post pictures of the process. What I can tell you is that these eight screws are the first step.

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1189398412.jpg



Upgradeability

As the RED Team puts it, the RED ONE “renders obsolescence obsolete.” Parts of the camera can be upgraded as time goes on.

The team has stated that all software updates will be free for the life of the camera. This will start with downloadable firmware updates that enable features of the camera as production evolves. After all features are enabled, software updates could potentially be used to enable new features that the guys over at RED haven’t even thought of yet.

Hardware upgrades will be handled on a case-by-case basis. A key member of the RED team stated that any upgrade that fixes a known problem will be free to the user.

But what if RED comes up with a new sensor in a few years? Or some new internal board that allows for new features? Maybe they come up with a new part that allows for faster compression of footage, enabling higher frame rates. Who knows? Nobody likes to have an outdated camera.

That’s why RED will offer hardware upgrades when they become available. So if they do come up with a new sensor or other hardware element, you’ll be able to send in your camera and have it installed. The price of these upgrades will obviously depend on the new upgrade part. We don’t know what they’ll come up with in the future… but we know that when they do… it’ll be upgradable.

As Jim put it, “The question I always ask is ‘what is fair?’ in the eyes of the customer. Not ‘can we make a dime on this?’”

[Brook Willard]

Accessories

RED has announced an entire line of accessories to go with the RED ONE. Here’s an overview of what is available:

RED Electronic Viewfinder
$2,950

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1189312673.jpg

The RED Electronic Viewfinder [EVF] is a CCIR709 8-bit color 1280 x 848 4:4:4 viewfinder that interfaces with the camera via a proprietary 17-pin 0B LEMO connector. The viewfinder has a tally light that can be enabled or disabled via software.

The viewfinder displays the captured image along with look around, frame line overlays and status indicators. While the resolution is 1280 x 848, the image display is 720p. The extra pixels are saved for status indicators above and below the image. The EVF can also display the focus assist, waveform monitors, histogram, false color exposure indicator, zebra exposure lines and potentially SMPTE bars, luminance ramp, chroma ramp or chip chart. It also displays the menu system when it is activated; as well playback when the camera is playing back completed takes.

The EVF's diopter can be focused to the user's eye. The three buttons and knob on the side will be user assignable in the future, but currently the user key closest to the focus ring is used to select the Focus Mode [which magnifies the central region of the camera's subject area by a factor of 2x]. Future firmware updates will enhance EVF interface functionality.

The viewfinder mounts to the camera body or RED RAIL system via the RED ARM. The EVF has four ¼”-20 threaded mounting points that allow it to be attached to the RED ARM in different places, depending on the desired setup.

That said, the EVF is not limited to mounting on the RED ARM. Since it uses standard threaded mounting points, it can be mounted to any accessory arm that has the same thread. The EVF’s only an accessory away from interfacing with a standard eyepiece leveling system. There is complete freedom here.

Since the EVF does not require an optical connection to the camera, it can be mounted or held anywhere on or around the camera. There are 3 foot [$200] and 10 foot [$300] extension cables available, so the EVF can live up to 10 feet away from the camera.

Though not pictured, the EVF comes with a RED ARM and a 2' EVF cable.


RED LCD
$1,750

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1189312755.jpg

The RED LCD is a CCIR709 8-bit color 1024 x 600 4:4:4 5.6” display that interfaces with the camera via a 17-pin 0B LEMO connector. The screen housing is ABS plastic. On the top of the LCD is a power button, brightness control arrows and a user-assignable button.

Like the viewfinder, the LCD displays the captured image along with look around, frame line overlays and status indicators. Since a 16:9 image would be 1024 x 576 pixels, the extra pixels on the display are saved for these indicators. The LCD can also display the focus assist, waveform monitors, histogram, false color exposure indicator, zebra exposure lines and potentially SMPTE bars, luminance ramp, chroma ramp or chip chart. It also displays the menu system when it is activated; as well playback when the camera is playing back completed takes.

Its ability to display all of these functions [most notably the focus assist] makes it an amazing tool for a focus puller. Not only will they have a very high resolution “video tap” of what’s going on in the camera, they’ll also have the ability to display the focus assist or blow the image up to a 1:1 pixel ratio for those extremely critical focus shots. Currently [as of the 1.0 firmware], the 2x Focus Mode is the best focus option.

The LCD is quite bright, being designed for use indoors or outdoors. While a sun shade wouldn't be a bad idea, it is apparently quite viewable in direct sunlight (http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1184997563.jpg).

The LCD mounts to the camera body or RED RAIL system via the RED ARM – it has one ¼”-20 threaded mounting point on the bottom and another on the back. There are literally dozens of places to mount the LCD with RED ARM on the RED RAIL system.

There are 3 foot [$200] and 10 foot [$300] extension cables available, so the LCD can live up to 10 feet away from the camera.

As pictured, the LCD comes with a RED ARM and a 2' LCD cable.

RED ARM
$120

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1189312876.jpg

The RED ARM is a small, stunningly sturdy magic arm for mounting the viewfinder, LCD or other accessories. It has a male ¼”-20 thread on each side, with a finger-tightening device on one.

The ARM has three ball joints, all of which lock via the thumbscrew in the middle. There really isn’t much to say about the ARM that hasn’t been said already: It’s small, flexible, sturdy and well built.


RED ONE BASIC PRODUCTION PACK
$1,250

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1189312514.jpg

The RED ONE BASIC PRODUCTION PACK is a handsomely priced collection of several key RED RAIL system accessories. It includes:

RED V-MOUNT PLATE
RED CRADLE
RED BOTTOM PLATE
RED SHOULDER DOVETAIL
RED TOP HANDLE
RED TOP MOUNT
RED HANDLE
RED UNIVERSAL MOUNT
RED STEEL 18" RODS

For a description of these parts, see below.

[Brook Willard]

RED BATTERY PLATE
$175

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1189377953.jpg

The RED BATTERY PLATE enables mounting V-Mount batteries [either RED’s own or third party] onto various camera accessories. The plate powers the camera via a LEMO power cable that plugs into the back of the camera body as indicated in the ports section above.


RED RAIL CRADLE
$750

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1189378022.jpg

The RED RAIL CRADLE is the mount that holds the RED DRIVE or RED FLASH DRIVE onto the camera. It also has bolt patterns to mount the RED V-MOUNT PLATE, a standard IDX plate or an Anton Bauer Gold plate.

The CRADLE has two allen/hex screws that allow it to bend and lock into whatever position suits your setup best. It is generally mounted on a RED UNIVERSAL MOUNT, which could be placed on rods towards the front, rear, bottom or top of the camera… it’s really up to you. It is quite handy to move around for the sake of balancing a handheld setup. Remember that modularity is the core of the entire RAIL system.

The RED DRIVE and RED FLASH DRIVE cradle mount itself makes changing drives very easy. There are four thumbscrews that loosen to allow the DRIVE/FLASH to slide out. “Magazine” changes can occur in about 30 seconds.


RED QUICKPLATE
$500

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1189378095.jpg

The RED QUICKPLATE is a lightweight BATTERY PLATE mounting solution for those that do not need the RED DRIVE/FLASH-holding features of the RED RAIL CRADLE. The QUICKPLATE can be mounted to a RED UNIVERSAL MOUNT on rods. The QUICKPLATE can be mounted with the battery horizontally on top of the camera or vertically if the UNIVERSAL MOUNT is at the rear of the rods and there is enough clearance.

I am not sure if the BATTERY PLATE is included in the price of the QUICKPLATE.


RED QUICKPLATE ADAPTOR
$75

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1189378239.jpg

I really don't know what this does. I suppose it adapts the QUICKPLATE.

[Brook Willard]

RED UNIVERSAL MOUNT
$100

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1189380068.jpg

The RED UNIVERSAL MOUNT is a small 19mm bridge plate designed to slide freely on the rails to enable mounting various accessories wherever you want them. They lock onto the rail with ratcheting twist-lock thumbscrews.

The RED UNIVERSAL MOUNT has ten ¼”-20 threaded mounting point and one 3/8”-16 threaded mounting point. The UNIVERSAL BRACKET can be used to mount the QUICKPLATE, CRADLE, ARM, or any other accessory you can think of.

These things are going to come in handy. Anything that needs to be mounted on the rods can be mounted on one of these. Want to mount the EVF or LCD on it and freely slide the MOUNT into position? No problem. Want to put the QUICKPLATE on the rods? Go for it. Everybody's going to have a few spares in their kit.


RED STEEL RODS
6" - $20
12" - $40
18" - $55
24" - $70

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1189380109.jpg

The RED STEEL RODS are standard 19mm rods. If you already have 19mm rods in your kit, you can use those as well.


RED 15mm ADAPTOR
$95

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1189380148.jpg

The RED 15mm ADAPTOR can be mounted on a RED UNIVERSAL MOUNT to adapt 19mm rods at 105mm spacing to 15mm rods at 60mm spacing. It is a very simple, no-fuss design based around two 1/4"-20 screws to hold the rods and a 3/8"-16 screw to mount to the UNIVERSAL MOUNT.


RED HANDLE MOUNT
$150

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1189380247.jpg

The RED HANDLE MOUNT mounts on a UNIVERSAL MOUNT to create a proper spread and orientation for using the RED HANDLE for handheld operation. It effectively results in two short 19mm rods sticking perpendicular to the standard rods onto which the UNIVERSAL MOUNT would be attached. With two RED HANDLES mounted on the HANDLE MOUNT, several different axis of control over the handle position is possible.

The RED HANDLE MOUNT has a 3/8"-16 threaded hole for mounting to the UNIVERSAL MOUNT and eight additional 1/4"-20 threaded holes for mounting accessories.

[Brook Willard]

RED RAIL BASE PLATE
$TBD

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1184984780.jpg

The RED RAIL BASE PLATE is the heart of the RED RAIL system. It attaches to the camera body by means of four ¼”-20 screws, two on each side. The BASE PLATE has a dovetail built into the bottom that allows the RED PAD to be slid in and locked into place.

The BASE PLATE is the bottom half of the RED RAIL equation. It has 19mm channels at 105mm spacing for mounting rods out the front or rear of the camera. The rod system is what enables mounting almost every other accessory that RED makes.


RED PAD
$TBD

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1184984808.jpg
Click here for an additional photo. (http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1184984832.jpg)


The RED PAD is the shoulder pad and base plate for the RED RAIL BASE PLATE. It slides into the BASE PLATE via a dovetail and locks in place with an integrated locking mechanism. The sliding characteristic of the RED PAD allows for roughly 6” of center-of-gravity adjustment.

The PAD is designed to allow for handheld operation or tripod head operation. The PAD has a rubber contoured shoulder pad that allows for comfortable handheld operation. Because the PAD can be adjusted forwards and backwards, the position of the shoulder pad is up to the operator.

The bottom of the PAD has multiple standard threaded mounting points. While the specifics have not been revealed, the PAD will easily interface with any standard tripod head or base plate you already have in your arsenal.


RED TOP HANDLE
$TBD

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1184984875.jpg

The RED TOP HANDLE is exactly what it looks like: a low profile, sturdy top handle for the camera. It mounts onto the RED RAIL TOP PLATE with four ¼”-20 screws. The top handle has at least two ¼”-20 threaded mounting points on the top for adding accessories.


RED RAIL TOP PLATE
$TBD

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1184984898.jpg

If the RED RAIL BASE PLATE is the bottom half of the RED RAIL equation, the RED RAIL TOP PLATE is the top half. The TOP PLATE attaches to the camera body with four ¼”-20 screws.

The TOP PLATE has 19mm rod channels at 105mm spacing that match the channels on the BASE PLATE. This allows for mounting accessories on the upper rods at any point you see fit. It also allows for mounting the SIDE HANDLES.

The TOP PLATE has a currently unspecified number of mounting points of several sizes, though at least eight ¼”-20 mounting points are visible in the render.

While this image depicts the TOP PLATE in one piece, there is a chance that the front and back may be two separate pieces.


RED 15mm ROD ADAPTER [studio/lightweight]
$TBD

Not many details have been made public regarding these adapters. What is known is that the studio model will adapt the RED RAIL BASE PLATE’s 19mm rods at 105mm spacing to 15mm rods at 100mm spacing and the lightweight model will adapt to 15mm rods at 60mm spacing. While prototypes have been made public at tradeshows in the past, the most current design is unknown.

This concludes the RED RAIL system description.

[Brook Willard]

RED ONE POWER PACK
$1,450

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1184985020.jpg

The RED ONE POWER PACK is a package deal that includes the RED CHARGER and two RED BRICK batteries. The package is offered for convenience, as it will likely be a very popular purchase. The price of the individual components purchased separately is identical to the package price. For more details about the RED BRICK and RED CHARGER, see below.


RED BRICK
$450

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1184985043.jpg

The RED BRICK is a 140Wh V-Mount battery pack designed specifically for the RED ONE camera. It mounts on the camera via the RED V-MOUNT PLATE. The RED BRICK has a small five-lamp status indicator that is activated by pressing a small, recessed button on the side of the battery. When charging, the battery status indicator switches to a charge status indicator. When all five lights are illuminated, the battery is charged.

The RED BRICK is a standard V-Mount battery design, with a sturdy yet replaceable latching mechanism and guarded contacts. The batteries are fully standard – they could be used on any accessory that accepts V-Mount batteries.

The body of the RED BRICK itself is designed with one-hand operation in mind. Unlike many unwieldy V-Mount batteries on the market, the RED BRICK is very easy to handle. Perhaps the most surprising element of the battery is its weight. While there is no official weight figure for the battery, it will be considered a “lightweight” battery by most who handle it.


RED CHARGER
$550

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1184985066.jpg

The RED CHARGER is a sequential V-Mount charger designed for the RED BRICK. It can hold two batteries at a time, though it charges them sequentially [fills one first, then the other]. It also has the 6-pin, 12v LEMO power connector to power the camera from AC.

There are three lights next to each port on the charger that indicate its current status. When the camera is connected to the charger, it takes precedence over the battery charging. If the camera is switched off while it is still attached, the charger will automatically switch back to providing power to the batteries for charging. This is all handled automatically - there is no need to remove batteries or flip switches to change what the charger is doing. Charging a RED BRICK takes a little over two hours.

The RED CHARGER, like the RED BRICK, is surprisingly lightweight. It has a small stand on the bottom that keeps the CHARGER standing upright. The stand can swing 90˚ to hide beneath the charger, lowering the charger’s profile for travel.

The RED CHARGER includes the CHARGER itself, an AC power cord and a 10-foot 6-pin LEMO cable to power the camera.

Optics Adapters
As described above in the Lens Mounts section, there are optics adapters that allow use of different kinds of lenses.

Canon 35mm FD Mount
$500

The RED FD Mount enables mounting Canon still lenses.


Nikkor 35mm F Mount
$500

The RED F Mount enables mounting Nikon still lenses.


Canon EOS EF Mount
$TBD

While there aren’t many details yet, we do know that RED and Birger Engineering have teamed up to develop a mount that allows users to mount Canon EOS lenses to their RED ONE. The lenses aperture and focus will be controlled via the SuperGrip.


B4 Lens Adapter
$3,500

The RED B4 to PL Mount adapter is not actually a replacement lens mount. Instead, this small adapter mounts on the B4 lens in question or in the RED ONE’s PL mount. It optically enlarges the B4 lens’s image ~1.32x, allowing for 1080p or 2K capture [using the S16mm area of the sensor], depending on the optical coverage of the lens.

[Brook Willard]

Rod Standards

For those that are new to professional equipment, understanding rod standards can be tricky. Even for those who have worked in the film industry for decades, many often forget that there is more than one support "standard" out there. Everybody assumes that the standard they are used to is the only standard out there... and react as you might expect when one piece of equipment doesn't work with another.

Since I started working with the RED ONE roughly five months ago, I can't tell you how many times I've heard "What? You mean it doesn't work with the Arri standard!?" The thing is, there are three major Arri standards... and about half a dozen other rod spacing standards that people don't often come across.

Everybody will insist that their local standard is the only one that people mean when they talk about the "Arri standard," but that's usually just frustration talking. They will get huffy and mighty in an instant, demanding to speak with whoever designed the camera. It's really remarkable... and quite amusing after the first dozen or so times. If you ever want your camera to work with your local rental houses, you must first place a few phone calls and determine what the local standard is for your area.

I won't touch on every rod spacing standard there is in this thread - only the three major standards that you have to be concerned with. I will ignore Panavision's standards, as you're not likely to ever have to put Panavision accessories on a RED.

Moving on.

The three rod standards I will cover in this FAQ are as follows:

Arriflex 15mm Lightweight Standard [sometimes referred to as "video"]
Arriflex 15mm Studio Standard [sometimes referred to as "offset"]
Arriflex 19mm Studio Standard

[Brook Willard]

Arriflex 15mm Lightweight
Also known as "video," "video spacing" and "60mm spacing"

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1201475191.jpg

The Arriflex 15mm Lightweight standard is made up of two 15mm rods that are 60mm apart and 85mm below the optical axis of the camera. The rod spacing is symmetrical: each rod is 30mm from the center on either side of the optical axis.

While this standard was originally introduced for film cameras, it has become the "video" standard. If you own accessories designed for a video camera , your accessories are probably based on this standard. To those that are stepping up to the RED from a video background, this standard will seem quite familiar.

Know that if you decide to base your own personal system off of this standard, many film accessories will not fit on your camera. Only recently did film accessories also include spacing for "video" rods. If you want to buy film accessories to use with this standard, you will either need to look at very old Arri gear [back when this was a film standard] or at very new Arri gear [like the FF-5 or MB-20, for example] that includes "video" rod channels in addition to the "film" rod channels.

Also note that some larger film zooms and even some large film primes will never work with this standard. If the maximum outside diameter of the lens is greater than roughly 166.2mm, the lens will be too large to clear the rods. Lenses this large are extremely rare, but it's still something to take note of.

If you expect your camera to work in a "film" environment, I do not personally recommend this standard. Many will disagree with me, but the 15mm Lightweight standard is not always taken seriously by the "film" crowd. The word "video" usually comes with some disdain.

That said, what if you do want to go with this standard? Lets say your gear is already set up for "video" rods - how do you make it work with the RED?

If you look at the diagram, it's clear why there are no RED baseplates designed around this standard - it's physically impossible with the RED's design. The rod channels would have to cut through the body of the camera in order to work.

As a result, there are adapters on the market. In general, there are two kinds of adapters: channel adapters and plug adapters.

There are adapters that will go from either 15mm Studio or 19mm Studio to 15mm Lightweight on the market. You should choose your primary base plate based on the local standard of the area in which you work or based on your preference for one standard versus another. You should not base that decision on the available adapters... as there are both channel and plug adapters for both Studio standards.

A channel adapter is an adapter that mounts on your lower rods [either 15mm Studio or 19mm Studio] and rises up to create new rod channels for 15mm Lightweight/video rods. While they all vary in design, the concept is largely the same:

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1201477614.jpg

The blue represents a theoretical 15mm Studio to 15mm Lightweight channel adapter. As you can see, it mounts on the 15mm Studio rods and creates new channels for 15mm Lightweight rods at the appropriate height. A channel adapter from 19mm Studio to 15mm Lightweight would be the same concept with 19mm Studio rods instead of 15mm Studio rods at the bottom.

Such adapters are generally tightened down by thumbscrews and are quite inexpensive.

RED makes a 19mm Studio to 15mm Lightweight channel adapter of their own. To make the adapter, you must purchase a [u]RED Universal Mount (http://www.red.com/store/product_detail/52) and a RED 15mm Adapter (http://www.red.com/store/product_detail/72). The RED 15mm Adapter attaches to the top center of the RED Universal Mount with a 3/8-16 screw.

The resulting adapter takes up a significant amount of space on the 19mm rods [as the RED Universal Mount is over an inch long]. It also requires removal of the entire unit to adjust the 15mm rods, as the 15mm rod channels are locked with 1/4-20 screws instead of thumbscrews like most adapters. The fact that it uses screws instead of a thumbscrew also necessitates using a separate tool to adjust anything. There is no keyway to keep the RED 15mm Adapter square to the RED Universal Mount, so it is possible to mount the 15mm rods out of square. Furthermore, the entire unit weighs several times what 3rd party adapters weigh.

If you are looking for the most compact, lightweight or easy to use and adjust solution, RED's is not it. I personally recommend buying a 3rd-party equivalent channel adapter.

If you buy a channel adapter, you will only need one per camera. Channel adapters are not the most elegant, as they result in two rod systems on one camera [the studio system you are adapting from and the lightweight system you are adapting to]. Channel adapters are the low-cost solution.

Plug adapters, on the other hand, require one adapter for each 15mm Lightweight accessory you wish to mount. They are very similar to channel adapters in design, but vary in that instead of rod channels for 15mm Lightweight rods, there are little "plugs" or miniature rods that are approximately 1/2" long. You mount your "video" accessory onto these plugs on the adapter in a semi-permanent manner.

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1201478244.jpg

In this diagram, the green shape represents a 15mm Lightweight accessory semi-permanently mounted to a 15mm Studio to 15mm Lightweight plug adapter. On this camera system, there are no 15mm Lightweight rods - only 15mm Lightweight accessories adapted to 15mm Studio using plug adapters.

Here is a plug adapter made by Chrosziel to adapt 15mm Lightweight accessories to 15mm Studio rods.

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1201484406.jpg

Any movement of the accessories happens on the 15mm Studio rods. You essentially "forget" about the 15mm Lightweight part of the equation and treat the accessory like it is a 15mm Studio accessory.

Obviously such plug adapters are available for 19mm Studio rods as well.

This is the desirable solution for adapting 15mm Lightweight accessories to 15mm Studio or 19mm Studio rods. For all intents and purposes, you turn your 15mm Lightweight accessories into "film" accessories. The clearance issues with 15mm Lightweight rods still exist, but that is the only real practical downside to a system like this.

The other downside to this system is that you must buy a plug adapter for each and every one of your 15mm Lightweight accessories. It will cost more money as a result, but your 15mm Lightweight accessories will be more accepted as "film" accessories. This, of course, is only important if you want to work in a "film" environment. Everybody has their own goals... figure out what yours are before purchasing anything.

[Brook Willard]

Arriflex 15mm Studio
Also known as "offset" and "100mm offset"

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1201481499.jpg

The Arriflex 15mm Studio standard is made up of two 15mm rods that are 100mm apart and 118mm below the optical axis of the camera. The rod spacing is asymmetrical: the rod center is offset 17.25mm to the right from the optical axis of the camera.

Why offset? The Arriflex 15mm Studio Standard was introduced when film cameras still had huge motors off to the side of the camera. In order to keep the cameras balanced on the dovetail plate, they had to shift the camera's optical center over to the left to keep the camera's center of gravity between the rods and over the dovetail. While this standard is old and outdated from a technical perspective [modern film cameras are appropriately center-balanced], it stuck in certain major cities.

Years ago, when the newer 19mm Studio standard was introduced, all of the big rental houses in Los Angeles met and decided that they were not going to switch to the new standard. As a result, certain cities [Los Angeles being the most notable] are still stuck on this old 15mm Studio standard. If you expect your camera to work with accessories from any Los Angeles rental house, you need to have a 15mm Studio baseplate for your camera. There is no adapter from 19mm Studio to 15mm Studio.

Los Angeles is not the only city that still uses 15mm Studio equipment. I once again recommend that you call your local rental houses to determine what rod spacing standard they work with.

If you are an individual who owns film equipment that is more than a few years old, it is most likely set up for the Arriflex 15mm Studio standard. If you are not certain, get out a ruler and check.

The good news is that there is an easy solution for those that use 15mm Studio equipment: the RED ARRI 15MM Base (http://www.red.com/store/product_detail/43). This baseplate is manufactured by Element Technica (http://www.elementtechnica.com/) and sold by RED.

The Element Technica/RED Arri 15mm Base puts properly spaced 15mm Studio rod channels on your RED. It also has a channel for the standard Arri dovetail on the bottom - another film industry standard that many people will expect to find on your camera.

If this is your first camera of this kind, you will need to buy an Arri or Arri-style dovetail to mount to your tripod head's quick release plate. A quick look at the picture of the RED ARRI 15mm Base I linked to above will explain why - there is a female dovetail channel on the bottom of the RED ARRI 15mm baseplate, but no dovetail in sight! These dovetails are standard and can be purchased from just about anywhere - including from Element Technica.

If you ever hear somebody refer to the "Arri 15mm baseplate," the "E.T. 15mm plate," the "ET/RED 15mm base," the "15mm offset baseplate," the "15mm Studio baseplate" or anything similar to that, they are referring to this base plate. Element Technica makes it, RED sells it.

The 15mm Studio baseplate also has a single rosette on the right side for mounting an accessory such as a handle.

But what about handheld? None of RED's handheld accessories [from the shoulder pad to the handles] will work with this baseplate. How will you go handheld with it?

This standard has been around for decades. RED's handheld system is but one of many that are available. Frankly, there are more handheld solutions for 15mm Studio and the Arri dovetail than any other standard. If you're going 15mm Studio, you're not going to want to buy RED's handheld system. Just try out a few 15mm Studio handheld solutions, pick your favorite and buy. And don't stop with Zacuto... they make great video accessories, but the RED's not a video camera. This is not a shot at Zacuto in the least... just take the blinders off and look beyond what RED and Zacuto make. Look at some film camera accessories [yeah, it's not a film camera...] before you buy. Chances are the handheld setup you use with your favorite film camera will work with the RED using this baseplate.

Remember, a city that is built on 15mm Studio accessories will not know what to do with a 19mm baseplate or accessories. Element Technica also makes 15mm top mounts for the camera, to replace RED's 19mm top mounts. If you want to go 15mm Studio, I recommend going completely 15mm - both with your baseplate and with your top mounts.

[Brook Willard]

Arriflex 19mm Studio
Also known as "19mm@104mm" or "19mm centered"

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1201481458.jpg

The Arriflex 19mm Studio standard is made up of two 19mm rods that are 104mm apart and 120mm below the optical axis of the camera. The rod spacing is symmetrical: each rod is 52mm from the center on either side of the optical axis.

The 19mm Studio standard is the "new" world standard for film cameras and accessories. Any new Arri gear will be set up for 19mm Studio by default. RED made the appropriate decision by going with the 19mm Studio standard for their accessories, as it is the new standard going forward.

If there was one "standard" in the world, this would be it. As it is the most modern standard, built around beefier rods and centered spacing, it is the most logical for designing a new camera system. That said, it is also the heaviest of the standards. Furthermore, it will be next to impossible to find older film accessories based on the 19mm Studio standard, as it has not been popular as long as the 15mm Studio or 15mm Lightweight standards have. Los Angeles's ignorance of this standard hasn't helped its popularity much as well.

There are some older film accessories based around the 19mm Studio system - some older Arri cameras used this standard in the 1980s - but not many. Most of those accessories are coupled with the cameras they were originally designed for. If you're going to purchase all 19mm accessories for your camera, you will likely find yourself looking at new accessories.

So should you go with a 19mm Studio baseplate? Call your local rental house and find out. If renting equipment is not something you're planning on [or if you live in a 19mm city], go for it! As RED has selected 19mm Studio as their accessory standard [and several thousand RED ONEs are going to be flooding the market this year...], you'll probably find a lot more 19mm accessories popping up at different price points.

As it stands, there are two ways to go 19mm Studio with the RED.

One is to buy the RED BOTTOM PLATE (http://www.red.com/store/product_detail/47), which is set up for 19mm Studio rods. This is RED's own base plate and is a part of the Basic Production Package. It is designed to work with RED's own proprietary dovetail, which you can find on their Shoulder Pad. You can also purchase the RED Cheese Plate to mount to the RED Bottom Plate to eliminate the dovetail.

Once again, the RED Bottom Plate's dovetail is proprietary and will not work with an Arri dovetial. Even if you machined the Bottom Plate out to match the Arri dovetail, it would not work as the RED Bottom Plate has a nonstandard locking mechanism.

If you wish to use an Arri dovetail, you should purchase the RED ARRI 19MM Base (http://www.red.com/store/product_detail/45). This base plate - designed and manufactured by Element Technica but sold by RED - has 19mm Studio rod channels and a female dovetial for the standard Arri dovetail plate.

It shares all of the same features and relationships as the RED ARRI 15mm Base which I detailed in the 15mm Studio post above. It will function with all of RED's accessories, including the Side Handles, which bridge the gap between the 19mm Studio rods and the 19mm rods that can be inserted into the RED Top Mounts.


------------


So which should you go with? That is completely up to you, your accessories, your rental houses and what you plan to use your camera for. At a personal level, all of the cameras that the Ninjas use have all three rod standard options available... depending on the city or country we're working in.

I hope this helps to clear things up. PM me if I've missed something or made a typo.

I will be adding pictures when I get around to taking them.

Also, to prevent confusion, what I call a "baseplate" many call a "bridge plate."

[Brook Willard]

Digital Media Options

Understanding the pros and cons of each different storage option can be overwhelming to the uninitiated. Consider this initiation.

The first important thing to understand about the storage options is the way that the camera uses the available storage. Any form of onboard storage [any of the options listed below] can only record the REDCODE footage formats. No uncompressed formats of any kind can be recorded onboard the camera.

Additionally, the camera can only record to one storage device at a time. While the camera may have more than one storage device attached [onboard flash and an external drive, for example] at a given time, the user must choose which storage device is utilized.

As mentioned above, the storage options below are designed for REDCODE compressed footage. Formats vary between storage devices.

Remember, REDCODE RAW 4K's data rate generally falls between 24MB/s and 35MB/s. For more details on these formats, see the REDCODE section. See the RED ONE manual on www.red.com/support for current available formats and their compatibility


Since every storage option can record similar footage formats, the primary differentiation between storage options is broken into two key distinctions: solid-state media vs. spinning media and onboard media vs. outboard media. Keep an eye out for these distinctions in the media listed below.


RED DRIVE
320GB
$900
Spinning Outboard Digital Media

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1184985245.jpg

The RED DRIVE is the fragile workhorse of RED ONE digital media. It is the lowest priced and highest capacity media available at this time, but it can be affected by physical movement of the camera. It is an outboard media format that can be mounted in the RED RAIL CRADLE on the camera body or RAIL system. It interfaces with the camera via the Drive Connector LEMO on the back of the RED ONE camera body.

The 320GB RED DRIVE is made up of two 2.5” 160GB laptop hard drives arranged in a hardware-based RAID 0. The drives are in a RAID for data transfer speeds – it cannot be reconfigured to record in a RAID 1 mirrored formatting. Keep this in mind for data security... two drives means "twice" as much of a chance of a failure. That said, no RED DRIVEs have catastrophically failed in the field.

The RED DRIVE has five ports on its underside: the Drive Connector LEMO, Firewire 800, Firewire 400, USB 2.0 [mini-B] and a 12v power connector. The Drive Connector LEMO is used to connect the RED DRIVE to the camera for recording purposes. The Firewire 800, Firewire 400 and USB 2.0 ports are used to connect the RED DRIVE to a computer for transferring footage from the RED DRIVE to another hard drive. The 12v power connector is used to power the RED DRIVE when it is connected to a computer using the USB 2.0 port, as the mini-B USB port does not provide enough power to run the RED DRIVE system.

The RED DRIVE is capable of recording between two and three hours of 4K REDCODE RAW footage. The uncertainty in the recording figure is based upon varying frame rates, data rates, formatted capacity of the drive and other variables. To the user, what goes on inside of the RED DRIVE can be most easily explained as “magic pixies.” No matter how you look at it, storing two to three hours of 4K REDCODE RAW footage on a drive smaller than an ASC manual is downright unbelievable.

But there are downsides. The reason that the RED DRIVE has the highest storage capacity and lowest price is that it uses spinning media instead of solid-state [flash] media. The disks in the RED DRIVE are not shock mounted, so any movement of the camera directly affects the drives. If you are aggressive with the drive [aggressive handheld, vehicle mounts, etc.], you will drop frames. The camera will inform you of dropped frames [which will read out as green frames in the footage file, but will maintain audio sync] during the take. The drive is also heavy, adding weight to the camera.

Pros: High capacity, low cost, higher speed formats available [see the RED ONE manual on www.red.com/support for current formats]

Cons: Instability.

Conclusion: If you have any concerns about the stability or security of the drives, perhaps the solid-state options are more suited to you. Some have more faith in spinning media than others – the beauty of RED’s digital media options is that the decision is up to you.


RED RAM
64GB
$4,500
Solid-State Outboard Digital Media

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1184985270.jpg

The RED RAM has all but vanished from RED's page. I'm sure a SSD-based version of the RED DRIVE is still in the works, but no details are available at this time. What follows is old... I wrote it well before the first RED ONE camera shipped. Every word of it may be invalid at this point, as we do not know anything about the RED RAM or whatever will replace it.

The RED RAM is the highest-capacity solid-state [flash] digital media option available for the RED ONE. It has an identical form factor to the RED DRIVE, but is made up of solid-state media instead of spinning media. It is an outboard media format that can be mounted in the RED RAIL CRADLE on the camera body or RAIL system. It interfaces with the camera via the Drive Connector LEMO on the back of the RED ONE camera body.

The 64GB RED RAM is made up of two 2.5” 32GB solid-state laptop flash drives arranged in a hardware-based RAID 0. The drives are in a RAID for data transfer speeds – it cannot be reconfigured to record in a RAID 1 mirrored formatting. That said, as the RED RAM is made up of flash media, it has a higher potential maximum ingest data rate. While this does not mean anything at this time, it may open the door for different [read: higher quality or higher frame rate] format options in the future. As of this time, the same formats can be recorded to the RED RAM as any other digital media option – this is just a potential for the future.

The RED RAM has five ports on its underside: the Drive Connector LEMO, Firewire 800, Firewire 400, USB 2.0 [mini-B] and a 12v power connector. The Drive Connector LEMO is used to connect the RED RAM to the camera for recording purposes. The Firewire 800, Firewire 400 and USB 2.0 ports are used to connect the RED RAM to a computer for transferring footage from the RED RAM to another hard drive. The 12v power connector is used to power the RED RAM when it is connected to a computer using the USB 2.0 port, as the mini-B USB port does not provide enough power to run the RED RAM system.

The RED RAM is capable of recording roughly thirty to forty minutes of 4K REDCODE RAW footage. The uncertainty in the recording figure is based upon varying frame rates, possible changes to the footage data rate, formatted capacity of the drive and other unknown variables.

As the RED RAM is based on solid-state [flash] media instead of spinning media like the RED DRIVE, several key elements of the storage system are changed. The flash-based nature introduces several new pros and cons:

Pros: No moving parts, no noise.

Cons: Higher cost, lower storage.

With regards to cost and storage, flash media is simply more expensive than spinning media at this time. Accordingly, the RED RAM has a higher cost and lower storage capacity than the RED DRIVE.

No moving parts and no noise: Because flash media is solid-state, no moving parts are required to store data. This means that the RED RAM will be able to record footage silently. The lack of moving parts also means that the RED RAM does not have the same stability concerns as the RED DRIVE. No reasonable amount of shaking will stop the RED RAM from recording or from keeping the data safe. While it should still be treated like a fragile piece of equipment [it is…], the RED RAM is suited for more intense shoots involving vibrations or percussion that would potentially disrupt spinning media.

[Brook Willard]

RED CompactFlash read/write Module
Storage Varies
$500
Solid-State Onboard Digital Media Interface

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1184985381.jpg
Click here for a photo of an early prototype of this interface. (http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1184985430.jpg)

The RED CompactFlash [CF] read/write Module is currently the only available onboard storage option. The Module does not actually store data – instead it adds an interface into which CompactFlash media cards can be inserted.

The RED CF Module has one slot allowing the use of one CF card. High-speed CF media [>350x] must be used - 8GB cards are available from RED for $200.

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/9_1185333108.jpg

Storage times vary on the size of the CF card you put into the Module. The currently available 8GB cards store roughly 4.5-5.5 minutes of REDCODE RAW 4K. Many have taken to calling them "400 foot magazines," as their record time is similar to that of a 400 foot film roll.

Because the CF media is solid-state [flash], it has the same benefits as the RED RAM: no moving parts and no noise.

In the end, the RED CF Module is a fantastic solution for those requiring a small, low profile, low cost, solid-state recording solution for their RED ONE. Whether it’s for a single shot or a whole day, the RED CF Module [or another onboard flash interface] will almost certainly find a way into nearly every RED owner’s kit.


RED ExpressCard/34 read/write Module
Storage Varies
$500
Solid-State Onboard Digital Media Interface

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1184985381.jpg

What follows is old text... I wrote it well before the first RED ONE camera shipped. Every word of it may be invalid at this point, as we do not know anything official about the EX34 interface at this point.


The RED ExpressCard/34 [EX34] read/write Module is one of the onboard storage options. The Module does not actually store data – instead it adds an interface into which ExpressCard/34 media cards can be inserted.

Storage times vary on the size of the EX34 card you put into the Module. This is the beauty of the onboard flash interfaces: you aren’t locked into some RED-specific media format. You simply buy the interface and use whatever media you want to use. As long as the media is fast enough to store your desired recording format, the media is fine to use with the RED ONE.

Because the EX34 media is solid-state [flash], it has the same benefits as the RED RAM: no moving parts and no noise.

Various specifics about the RED EX34 Module are not yet public. We do not know if the Module is user installable or if RED must perform the installation. We do not know if the module will have one or multiple. Specifics will certainly be released if the Module nears completion.

Lately, there have been some concerns regarding the viability of ExpressCard/34 as a flash storage format for the RED ONE. EX34 manufacturers have been falling behind on availability, storage size, data rates and price. There is a fair chance that the RED EX34 Module may not see the light of day – at least not for a while.


RED 1.8” SATA read/write Module
Storage Varies
$500
Solid-State Onboard Digital Media Interface

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1184985381.jpg

What follows is old text... I wrote it well before the first RED ONE camera shipped. Every word of it may be invalid at this point, as we do not know anything official about the 1.8" SATA interface at this point.

The RED 1.8” SATA read/write Module is the last of the initial onboard storage options. The Module does not actually store data – instead it adds an interface into which 1.8” SATA media drives can be inserted.

Storage times vary on the size of the 1.8” SATA drive you put into the Module. This is the beauty of the onboard flash interfaces: you aren’t locked into some RED-specific media format. You simply buy the interface and use whatever media you want to use. As long as the media is fast enough to store your desired recording format, the media is fine to use with the RED ONE.

Because the 1.8” SATA media is solid-state [flash], it has the same benefits as the RED RAM: no moving parts and no noise.

Various specifics about the RED 1.8” SATA Module are not yet public. We do not know if the Module is user installable or if RED must perform the installation.

RED may release RED branded or RED recommended 1.8” SATA flash drives to ensure that the media passes the minimum speed requirements or to ensure availability.

In the end, the RED 1.8” SATA Module is another solution for those requiring a small, low profile, low cost, solid-state recording solution for their RED ONE. The RED 1.8” SATA Module has the added benefit of longer storage times [as 1.8” SATA drives are physically larger, they can have larger storage] and potential lower $/GB costs. Whether it’s for a single shot or a whole day, the RED 1.8” SATA Module [or another onboard flash interface] will almost certainly find a way into nearly every RED owner’s kit.

[Brook Willard]

Understanding Mysterium™
At a first glance, the formats that the RED ONE is capable of shooting can be mind-boggling. Discussion of the formats brings to light many questions regarding data rates, frame rates, field of view, depth of field, you name it. The Mysterium™ sensor is an amazing piece of technology... so here's an introduction.


Mysterium™ Basics

Mysterium™ is a 12-megapixel 24.4mm x 13.7mm Bayer pattern [single layer] CMOS-type sensor. It has an active array of 4,900 x 2,580 pixels. Each pixel is 5.4 microns.

While the active pixel array is 4,900 x 2,580 pixels total, the maximum recording resolution is 4,520 x 2,540. The "extra" pixels on the sensor are used by the camera for calibration purposes. While the exact use of the extra pixels is not public, we know that they are at least used for calibrating the sensor's black level.

It is notoriously difficult to characterize a sensor in terms of ASA. To this point, no official word has been made regarding the native speed of the Mysterium™ sensor. Most of us are expecting something in the ASA 320 range with the ability to boost sensitivity via gain.

That said, they've done some tests at speeds beyond 16,000 ASA. While it may not be a reasonable figure for standard shooting, fairly clean images have been released into the 8,000 ASA range with gain [though it should be achievable without gain]. Here's an image Jim posted... check out the speed on the slate.

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/9_1184475391.jpg

It's outrageously fast and clean. You won't be fighting for exposure... this sensor can reach far into the shadows.

But what is actually usable? I can write all day about how great the sensor is, but at some point... everybody wants real numbers. I'll post some of my findings, but ultimately you should do your own testing.

To put it bluntly, as of Build 14:

320 ASA: Perfectly noiseless image. This really is home for the sensor. If you see noise, you're doing something wrong.
500 ASA: Noise is visible, but it is very very light and only in the shadows before grading. You can get a 100% clean image from this speed.
640 ASA: The image has some character - noise is visible and may stick around after grading. Few people would have the heart to call it noisy, particularly after downsampling to 2K, but fewer people would call it noiseless. The noise characteristics will be cleaner in daylight than in tungsten.
800 ASA: This is about as far as I like to push the image. There is noise, particularly under tungsten conditions. It's not ugly noise, but it's still there. That said, if what you see on the monitor while shooting is "proper exposure" [meaning you don't push the exposure further in post], then it's still an acceptable image.
1,000 ASA: I don't like it as much. That said, I've compared a 4K RED image at 1,000 ASA to Kodak 5218 pushed one stop to 1,000 ASA and they are still very comparable. But personally? I don't like being here.
Beyond 1,000 ASA: I wouldn't put it on my reel.


Dynamic Range

The Mysterium™ sensor has a dynamic range in excess of 66dB. Roughly speaking, 6dB is approximately one stop of light and one bit of recording data.

The folks at RED performed a dynamic range test on Frankie [the first RED prototype] using a Stouffer T4110C Step Wedge. The results of this test, pictured below, revealed 11.3 stops of dynamic range. This number has nowhere to go but up.

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1184983583.jpg

This chart is so outdated at this point that I feel nervous even posting it. A lot has changed since this was made.

Depending on the recording format selected [see the format section of this FAQ], the output from the sensor is recorded in a 12-bit linear format. As a rule, 12-bit data is capable of recording 12 stops of "true" latitude. For explanation, see this thread (http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?t=586&page=2). Simply put, this means that the RED ONE is capable of recording every bit of dynamic range that that Mysterium™ sensor is capable of putting out.


Color Space & Bit Rates

Output from Mysterium™ is digitized by means of a 12-bit analog-to-digital converter [A/D]. Everything in the RED ONE exists in 12 bits unless you choose a 10-bit format. But what does this mean?

The screen that you are reading this on is capable of 8-bit color [often referred to as 24-bit "true color"]. This means that each color channel [red, green and blue] is expressed in one of 256 values [0-255]. At a value of 0, output from a single color channel will be black. At 255, output from a single channel will be 100% color saturation.

In RGB, all colors are expressed as red, green and blue values. This means that there are 256 x 256 x 256 [16,777,216] colors available in 8-bit RGB. This is where marketing departments came up with "24-bit true color" - 8 bits per color channel.

But what does 8-bit actually mean? Simply put, 8 bits [256 values] is expressed as 2^8 or 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2. This reveals why higher bit rates are so desirable. Because possible values increase exponentially as bit rates increase, massive advantages are realized when one jumps to 10- or 12-bit space.

As mentioned above, the monitor you are reading this on is 8-bit. This is also the standard for most formats that you are probably familiar with [DVDs, most DV formats, etc]. There are 10-bit monitors and projectors on the market to go along with growing 10-bit standards [such as D5].

As 8-bit is expressed as 2^8, 10-bit is 2^10 and 12-bit is 2^12. See below.

8-bit
2^8
256 values per channel
16,777,216 possible colors

10-bit
2^10
1,024 values per channel
1,073,741,824 possible colors

12-bit
2^12
4,096 values per channel
68,719,476,736 possible colors

This just goes to show how superior 12-bit data is to 8-bit. The possibilities are endless.


Data Rates

If you have the ability to record over 68 billion colors with Mysterium™, data rates become the next obvious concern. The good news?

First off, RAW data. Due to the nature of RAW data, all of the color information can be recorded in a single channel. This means that data rates for RAW formats are dramatically lower than RGB formats [as RGB formats need a red, green and blue channel]. This is great, but we're still talking about 4.5K data. It's massive.

Uncompressed RAW 4.5K at 24p comes in at roughly 323 MB/sec. This number is actually pretty low for 4.5K data [remember, RAW vs. RGB], but it's still a very big number. Such data rates would require snaking a large cable from the camera to a large [think refrigerator] RAID. Nobody wants a fridge connected to their camera.

So what is the solution? Scroll down to the REDCODE section below and see. I promise it'll make your day.

But as for uncompressed formats? The only official number so far is roughly 323 MB/sec for 4.5K uncompressed RAW at 24p. A little speculation and math reveals the approximate data rates of other formats.

With the assumption that the uncompressed data rate is 323MB/sec, we can infer that each uncompressed RAW 4.5K frame is 13.46 MB. We also know that 4.5K is 4,520 x 2,540 pixels. Furthermore, we know that 2K is 2,048 x 1,304. A little math reveals some estimated data rates.

Estimated Uncompressed RAW Data Rates
These data rates are not necessarily accurate - they are speculation only.

4.5K@60p - 807.50 MB/sec
4.5K@30p - 403.75 MB/sec
4.5K@24p - 323 MB/sec

2K@120p - 375.67 MB/sec
2K@60p - 187.84 MB/sec
2K@30p - 93.92 MB/sec
2K@24p - 75.13 MB/sec

Once again, these figures are speculation only!

At this point, there is no uncompressed option available and there do not appear to be any plans to make one.


Bayer Pattern

Rather than rewriting the book on Bayer sensors, I'll direct you to the Wikipedia Bayer Pattern (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayer_pattern) page.

The benefits of a Bayer pattern sensor reach far and wide. A Bayer-type sensor sits below a Bayer filter mosaic. The Bayer filter is a color filter array that arranges the red, green and blue wavelengths of incoming light onto a square grid. The output from this filter is captured by the sensor itself, recording the values in 12-bits. To prevent Moirée, an optical low-pass filter [OLPF] is placed above the Bayer filter.

Since Mysterium™ captures all three color wavelengths at the same depth , standard lenses designed for film cameras [both cinema and still photography] can be used. More on this in the lens section below.

Also, because we are talking about a Bayer pattern sensor, the data is recorded in the RAW image format. For a description of the RAW format, see [u]Wikipedia's RAW image format page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raw_image_format).

[Brook Willard]

Depth of Field & Field of View

As mentioned above, Mysterium™ is a Super 35mm [S35mm] sized sensor. This means that footage shot with the RED ONE has the same depth of field [DOF] characteristics as a motion picture film camera. When shooting a cropped format [either S16mm or 2/3" B4], the output will take on the depth of field characteristics of the selected format.

I use the term "depth of field characteristics" lightly, as depth of field does not actually change between different formats. The depth of field of a 50mm lens at a F: 1.4 will be identical on 35mm, S16mm or 2/3" B4.

This statement is striking to many. Allow me to explain.

One must first remember that depth of field is affected by three factors: focal length, F-stop and subject distance. Longer focal lengths have shallower depth of field. Wider F-stops will have shallower depth of field. Shorter subject distances will have shallower depth of field.

So why doesn't format have an effect on depth of field? Because different formats are essentially crops of each other. Consider the way that Mysterium™ functions. When it's imaging with its S35mm sensor area, the entire active pixel array is utilized. When it is imaging with its S16mm sensor area, however, only that area is utilized. Each format is really just a cropped down version of another. Consider the image below.

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1184985577.jpg

The pictured frame was shot on an 85mm lens with a 1.85:1 gate on Super 35mm and cropped to 16:9. As you can see, the different format "crop" outlines do not somehow change the depth of field within their given area. The background is just as blurry behind our subject in the S35mm area as it is in the 35mm area and the 16mm area. What has changed is the field of view - how "tight" or "wide" a given lens looks on a given format.

Only when field of view between two formats are matched does depth of field begin to appear different for a given format. Consider the image above. The field of view in the S16mm area is significantly narrower than it is in the S35mm area. If I had put a S16mm camera next to the S35mm camera when I shot that test and wished to match the field of view of the two cameras, I would need to put a shorter lens on the S16mm camera. As that image was shot on an 85mm lens with the S35mm camera, a ~40mm lens on a S16mm camera would match the field of view.

In that example, as the focal length has now changed, the depth of field would change as well.

85mm lens @ F: 2.8 @ 10' subject distance has a DOF of 7" (S35mm)
40mm lens @ F: 2.8 @ 10' subject distance has a DOF of 2' 9" (S16mm)

This is where people get the misconception that different formats have different depth of field characteristics. They forget that when one switches formats they must also switch focal lengths to maintain a certain field of view. A more accurate statement would be that all formats have identical depth of field characteristics but different field of view characteristics.

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1184985650.jpg (http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1184985615.jpg)

Here is another way to visualize different field of view characteristics between formats. The depth of field, as we just established, would be identical on both of these formats.

But as we saw above, people with different backgrounds have different concepts of what focal length lens should correspond to a given field of view. Consider some of the popular formats that you may be familiar with:

1/4" CCD
1/3" CCD
1/2" CCD
2/3" CCD
Super 16mm film
35mm motion picture film
Super motion picture 35mm film
Canon 1.6 Crop digital SLR
Nikon 35mm digital SLR
Full frame Canon digital SLR
Full frame still photography film
65mm motion picture film
70mm motion picture film

Everybody who has used these formats seriously has some vague understanding of what field of view a given focal length will yield them. While a 50mm lens is a fairly normal lens on 35mm motion picture film, it's a very long lens on 1/3" formats and a nice wide lens on 70mm formats. So how should we all make sense of this?

Some think that conversion factors are the right answer. I personally do not.

A conversion format takes a given focal length on one format and converts it to another. For example, since a 25mm lens on S16mm has approximately the same field of view as a 50mm lens on S35mm, the conversion factor from S16mm to S35mm is 2x. While the conversion is nice and easy between these formats, it can get very confusing very quickly. Nobody wants to whip out a calculator on set to figure out what sort of lens they want to put on the camera.

One important thing to remember is that focal lengths don't magically change between formats. If you are using still photography lenses with your RED ONE [designed for a full frame still photography film format], you need not convert the "25mm prime" stamped on the side of the lens to some other number for use on the RED ONE. While the 25mm prime will have a wider field of view on a full frame still camera than it will be on the RED ONE, the focal length is still the same.

Let's return to that S16mm to S35mm example. If one is used to S16mm, they are computing that "x2" conversion in their head. They want a 25mm lens for S16mm... think about it... x2... and ask their 1st A.C. for a 50mm lens. Hell, they might even relabel their 50mm lens to say "25mm" on it because they're so used to the S16mm format.

This is another problem with conversion formats. Not only is it annoying to constantly have to translate focal lengths on set, the user will never learn. If you're constantly thinking of one focal length in terms of another one, what are you learning? All conversion factors do is complicate the situation.

My personal opinion is that an individual should learn what a given lens will look like on their RED ONE format of choice - be it 35mm, S16mm or otherwise. Skip the conversion factors and just learn the format that you'll be working on from now on.

The good news is that the Canon 1.6 crop digital SLR format and the Nikon 35mm digital SLR format are very similar in field of view characteristics to super 35mm and 35mm sensor areas. That means that if you're shooting 4K or 4.5K [35mm or S35mm] with your RED ONE and you're already used to your digital SLR's field of view characteristics... you're home free.

[Brook Willard]

RED ONE Supported Formats
Uncompressed RAW, REDCODE RAW, REDCODE RGB, 2540p, 4K, 2K, 1080p, 720p... what the hell is going on?


What is 4K?
Film

With a digital cinema camera, the first question that pops into most people's heads is "how does it compare to film?" In order to answer such a question, a person must first have a basic understanding of how various film formats relate to rising digital alternatives.

There are varying opinions regarding the true "resolution" of film. Few say that a 2K scan is enough, though it is the current digital intermediate standard. Many/most say that 4K is a high enough scan resolution, but some insist that 6K or 8K+ are necessary to rival 35mm film's quality. There is, of course, a difference between a 4K scan of film and a clean 4K image... but I'll get into that later.

As mentioned above, 2K is essentially the digital intermediate resolution standard for film. Most people agree that modern 35mm's inherent "resolution" is greater than 4K, but costs and data rates for 2K are already so high that reaching into the 4K realm is reserved for only the highest-end shows.

Before discussing the pros and cons of different formats, we must first establish what the formats mean. In RED's case, "4K" refers to a pixel resolution of 4,096 x 2,304. This resolution is of a 1:1.77 aspect ratio. Since there are so many aspect ratios possible [both with RED and film scans], the horizontal pixel resolution is fixed and the vertical pixel resolution changes. As an example, 1:1.85 4K would be 4,096 x 2,214 pixels. If one wanted a 1:2.35 aspect ratio, the resolution would become 4,096 x 1,743. The lesson here is that the "4K" refers to the horizontal pixel dimension of 4,096.

This is also the case with 2K resolutions. The "2K" refers to a horizontal resolution of 2,048 pixels. This means that 4K is four times the resolution of 2K [not two times, as the name suggests].

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1184985781.jpg

Since we are discussing film, it is well to remember that Super 35mm shares approximately the same relationship with Super 16mm as 4K shares with 2K. That is, S35mm film is approximately four times the surface area of S16mm film. This will come into play later.

As 2K is the current standard for scanning 35mm film, I have a few examples posted below.

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1184985836.jpg


These images are sourced from 2K scans of S35mm tests I shot on Kodak's 5218 film stock. The images above were assembled from 2K DPX files in Photoshop As you can see in the 100% crops, even at 2K film's grain structure is noticeable. While 5218 is a fast and grainy stock, film grain would be visible on slower stocks as well. So while there is film grain present, the overall image appears quite sharp. Areas that are in sharp focus are nice and crisp... just the kind of image we want.

But while the scans do look nice, some of film's weaknesses are showing as well. The 2K resolution does not actually show detail of individual grains as much as it just shows random noise. You cannot see the true details of the film stock's grain structure in these 100% crops. When projected against a fresh print, the 2K scan will appear significantly softer... there just isn't enough resolution.

Enter 4K scanning. The data rates are massive, but the image quality is fantastic. While I do not have 4K 35mm scans available, I do have 2K S16mm scans. These scans will actually have the same cropped resolution as a 4K scan of a S35mm frame. Here's why:

Remember that S35mm film is four times larger than S16mm film. Also remember that 4K is four times larger than 2K. By this math, a 2K scan of S16mm film should show identical grain detail to a 4K scan of S35mm film. With that in mind, here are two more tests.

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1184985866.jpg

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1184985890.jpg

These images were created in the same manner as their S35mm brethren. I shot the tests using the same stock under similar lighting conditions and using the same lenses - I took the S35mm primes and put them on the S16mm camera.

The results of the 100% crop are much more telling. Grain structure is significantly more prominent and overall sharpness and detail is decreased. While much of this has to do with the sharpness of the primes I was using, the grain and contrast issues come from seeing film in the grain resolution equivalent of 4K.

As mentioned above, many feel that 4K is "enough" to match film. But what of those who don't? Is a 4K digital cinema camera enough for them? This is the beauty of digital acquisition. We are no longer trying to "match" or "outdo" a pre-existing format... we are doing something entirely different.

[Brook Willard]

What is 4K?
Digital Cinema

Unlike film, digital cinema is not working against grain. Because the image is clean from square one, 4K appears significantly sharper than a 4K film scan would. Any description would be biased, so I'll simply post the images.

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1184983851.jpg
One must consider that this 2K image is essentially 4x over-sampled. Super 16mm area 2K will not be over-sampled and should exhibit similar qualities to the image below.
http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1184983892.jpg

That said, these essentially speak for themselves. The images are free of any noise or grain of any kind. The detail in the 4K image is vastly superior to the detail of the S16mm 2K scan above [4K S35mm equivalent].


Formats

While Mysterium™ has an active pixel array of 4,520 x 2,540, not all formats are created equal. Part of the beauty of the RED ONE is that it can capture so many different formats on the same sensor. Here are the available formats:

Super 35mm sensor area
2540p
24.4mm x 13.7mm

35mm sensor area
4K
22.2mm x 12.6mm

Super 16mm sensor area
2K
11.1mm x 6.3mm

2/3" B4 sensor area
1080p
10.4mm x 5.9mm

Many people confuse the S35mm and 35mm motion picture formats with the full frame 35mm still format. The full frame 35mm still format is 36.0mm x 24.0mm - very similar to the VistaVision motion picture format. Nearly every motion picture shot today is filmed using the 35mm or S35mm area of the negative. For a visual comparison between all formats relative to RED discussion, see the image below.

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/5_1184983969.jpg
Be sure to note that the "Arri Standard 35mm" area is not on the centerline of the diagram, so its size relative to the other formats cannot be inferred using the provided vertical guides. That said, it is obviously narrower than any other relevant format - just don't use the provided vertical guides to assess how narrow it is.
The noise/lines left of the Arri Standard 35mm format represent audio tracks and references on a standard film print.

In addition to the aforementioned formats, I have also included Canon's 1.6 crop digital SLR format and Nikon's 35mm digital SLR format. The Canon and Nikon digital SLR formats are very similar to the 35mm format imaged by Mysterium™. Different formats all have different field of view and depth of field characteristics. For discussions on these subjects, see the appropriate sections below.

One key thing to note here is that RED's 4K sensor area [the area that they describe as "35mm" instead of "Super 35mm"] is only marginally different than Arri's Super 35mm area. RED's "Super 35mm" 4.5K sensor area is actually larger than Arri's Super 35mm area. You can clearly see that RED's definition of "35mm" as it relates to the 4K sensor area is vastly different than "Standard 35mm" or "Academy 35mm" that we're all used to. RED's 4K "35mm" sensor area is, for all intents and purposes, nearly equivalent to film's Super 35mm format size.

Mysterium™ captures the smaller formats by "cropping" its sensor area. For example, if one were to shoot 2K utilizing the S16mm sensor area, only that area of the sensor would be active. The outer area of the sensor [the S35mm area where a S16mm lens would not resolve] is ignored. This is what is meant by describing a format as "cropped". Shooting 2K cropped is the same as shooting S16mm 2K.

[Brook Willard]

Steve Gibby asked me to post his EFP & ENG Definitions and Explanations thread from the EFP/ENG and RED (http://www.reduser.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=8) forum on this site.

EFP & ENG Definitions and Explanations

There are exceptions and crossover, but IMO these definitions will help you understand EFP and ENG:

ENG (electronic news gathering)
Mobile production of news content, non-hardlined (although occasionally and temporarily hardlined to a van or truck), using B4 2/3” SD and HD camcorders (HDTV news), essentially a run ‘n gun environment. Manual focus, servo-powered zooming, and either manual or auto-iris as called for. This is quick turnaround production, where time is of the essence. IMO RED One is of limited use for this market because of the time turnarounds, dependence on legacy investment in tape/disc systems, and the need for some automated functions on the camera (iris). RED One can be a good B-roll camera for this type of production. Stringing creative B-roll for TV stations, especially the ones that are broadcasting HDTV news, is a viable revenue stream for RED One owners. The key thing is to find a medium to deliver the footage to the station/network on that is acceptable to them. IMO “ENG style” production is using the same or typical equipment configurations of ENG, and many of the similar camera techniques, and yet the particlular production is not specifically news gathering. This crosses over into the configurations and shooting styles of non-hardlined EFP (see below). Cine lenses and accessories (follow focus, matte box, rods, etc.) are very rarely used in ENG work.

EFP (electronic field production)
IMO there are two divisions of EFP: hardlined and non-hardlined.

Hardlined EFP
Hardlined EFP is typical of remote productions using production trucks (tractor/trailor) like sports production, some remote news, and studio hardlined programs (talk shows, contest programs, soaps, etc.). Cameras are mostly big and stationary, although mobile hardlined or microwaved cameras are used for hand held and jib cameras. Directors and technical directors can see what each camera is framing and shooting, this it is a “live call” directing environment. Some POV, in-water, and mounted camera use is hardlined EFP. With the ability to use B4 2/3” HD ENG zoom lenses, EVF availability, monitoring options, and having 12-volt auxiliary power for zoom servos, genlock , dual HD-SDI, and RS 232, RED is very capable of being used in hardlined EFP production. Being a manual camera though, many of the camera functions won’t be controllable from a control room or truck. There will definitely be workarounds needed in using RED One for hardlined EFP. Cine lenses and accessories are not used in hardlined EFP work.

Non-Hardlined EFP
Non-hardlined EFP would be typical of genres of production like action sports, adventure travel, nature, reality, documentaries, some types of stock footage, and many others. Cameras are mobile, small to mid-sized, not hardlined, and can be either part manual, or fully manual in operation. Unless cameras are microwaved or RF’d to the director, the framing and values of the footage are not verified until it is reviewed after the shooting session. Directors must know their shooters can perform, brief them closely on what is needed, and communicate with them via wireless radios – but the director can’t generally see what each camera is shooting while it is being shot. With small productions, the director is often the shooter, so that’s not a problem. Specialty sub-genres may include in-water shooting, POV camera use, and some mounted use. IMO RED One will be particularly useful in non-hardlined EFP production – probably the most common form of professional production in the entire motion media production industry. The form factor, scalability, 12-volt auxiliary power for zoom servo motors, EVF & LCD availability, formats (2k, 1080p, 720p), and lens use (B4 2/3” HD ENG zooms and S16mm zooms), should make RED One very well suited for this type of production. This kind of production is done either with or without the use of cine-style accessories (follow focus, matte box, rods, etc.) depending on genre and choice of lens. Some compact S35mm and 35mm still lenses may be used for certain genres of non-hardlined EFP production and b-roll acquisition. IMO The best non-hardlined EFP shooters are good at using either EFP or cine lenses, set-ups and accessories.

How I arrived at these definitions
As a producer, director, editor, DP, and cameraman I’ve contributed to about 800 national and international television programs that aired on 12 different broadcast and cable networks. About 650 of those programs were non-hardlined EFP, 100 hardlined EFP, and 50 ENG. I’ve also done hundreds of business videos, infomercials, commercials, stock footage shoots, and PSAs - all of which were non-hardlined EFP in nature. I’ve also worked extensively in the film industry and the still photography industries, but those are different stories and workflows, except for DSLR work, which shares a common tech/workflow heritage with RED One. By choice, I concentrate most of my work now on digital cinema, non-hardlined EFP, and DSLR work.

--------------------------

None of these definitions will come as a surprise to longtime EFP/ENG industry veterans. But I hope these definitions will help those who are not familiar with EFP and ENG to understand those portions of the motion media industry better – and give them some more ideas of how to use their RED One cameras.