I'd rather be a beta tester...

[Gunleik Groven]

... and really see it.

There's been some good camera-projects over the years, which have eventually died. I won't speculate too much on the reasons, but one might be "not dearing to hit the marcet because... whatever reason".

From some of my posts I may have come out a bit chill, despite the fact that I ordered, BUT

I'd rather be a beta-tester of Red, even a paying one, than not use it .
... that is as long as there is some way to "beta"-edit the footage.

My other cams take care of business anyway...
Ok. I might get some stick over @ cm.com for this post.
but these are my 2c.
-;)

cheers!

Gunleik

[Stephen Williams]

..
Ok. I might get some stick over @ cm.com for this post.
but these are my 2c.
-;)

Gunleik

Hi Gunleik,

Don't think you would! FWIW there is some moderation @.com now.

Stephen

[Zach Hilton]

... and really see it.

There's been some good camera-projects over the years, which have eventually died. I won't speculate too much on the reasons, but one might be "not dearing to hit the marcet because... whatever reason".

From some of my posts I may have come out a bit chill, despite the fact that I ordered, BUT

I'd rather be a beta-tester of Red, even a paying one, than not use it .
... that is as long as there is some way to "beta"-edit the footage.

My other cams take care of business anyway...
Ok. I might get some stick over @ cm.com for this post.
but these are my 2c.
-;)

cheers!

Gunleik

I think they already have ample beta testers lined up in a sense...the first few hundred RED Ones and their owners who actually want their cameras and want to keep them. Just my 2 cents.

[Stephen Williams]

I think they already have ample beta testers lined up in a sense...the first few hundred RED Ones and their owners who actually want their cameras and want to keep them. Just my 2 cents.

Hi,

Normally beta testers get the equipment for free, or heavily reduced in price.

Stephen

[Steve Gibby]

Hi,

Normally beta testers get the equipment for free, or heavily reduced in price.

Stephen

Free is obviously out of the question, but IMO everyone who buys a RED One camera is getting it for a heavily reduced price for what it should have cost. A quick check of the prices for the "competitor" cameras to RED will easily verify that. The performance to price ratio of RED One is stratospheres beyond the "competition". Significantly lower price for significantly more features isn't exactly a historical benchmark for the motion media industry equipment marketplace. RED is breaking some new price/performance ground here. As one of the first "beta testers" I am absolutely ecstatic about the already heavily reduced price of RED One - especially in view of the robust capability I'm getting for my money.

[PaulClements]

...IMO everyone who buys a RED One camera is getting it for a heavily reduced price for what it should have cost...

Equally the way in which RedOne has been designed means that the users are indeed effectively beta testers the whole time they are using it. Red have said the camera will have upgrades, be modular and likely have software upgrades for free over the years. So even if you receive the camera with listed features turned on you will still effectively be a beta tester because the camera will never be finished.

They've also cut down the R&D time in order to get something out to the customers so their "in the field" testing will be the projects that people produce with it.

For some time afterwards professionals will be looking at what others can achieve with the camera before possibly buying into it themselves. So again users can be considered beta testers.

[Steve Gibby]

Very true Paul...RED One will be a continual work in progress. I think real world use, on the set, on the streets, and in the field, is the best beta testing a camera system can have - working professionals using a camera system in actual working cine style and EFP style conditions and situations. That said, the second half of that success equation is for the camera system manufacturer to readily analyze the stream of feedback from the field use and use that to upgrade and improve their products, and also incorporate that feedback into future products. In motor sports terms, field use is "where the rubber hits the road". RED has demonstrated an unusual ability and desire to listen to its users throughout this 18-month development process for RED One - I think that is a RED company attitude that will not change looking forward. Having bought scores of camera systems over a 3-decade career, this is the first time I've experienced this level of solicited input into the development of a camera system. To me it's a breath of fresh air.

When you add into the mix the ability to network and compare notes with other RED adopters right here on RED User, there is then a viable conduit to analyze the beta testing that is actually taking place in the field. In pre-Internet days RED One would probably not have been possible to develop effectively. Rapid communication fuels effective beta testing.

The old development paradigm of being left out of the development process by manufacturers, then handed a camera system, and effectively being told to be happy with its features, and low performance to price ratio, simply doesn't work for me. It never did, but there were no alternatives...

I'm happily a beta tester for sure...

[Graeme Nattress]

I'd rather be a beta tester than a testy beater!

Graeme

[Steve Gibby]

Oh yeah...agreed!

[Obin Olson]

Gibbs, are you shooting with a RED yet? if so how is it?

[Steve Gibby]

Gibbs, are you shooting with a RED yet? if so how is it?

Not yet...boards are being upgraded first, as RED noted a few days ago. No firm delivery date yet, but I'm sure I'll get some word on that soon...

When I get #8 it will be put in motion immediately: some test footage in 4k (nature, adventure travel, lifestyle), and 2k (action sports) - I'll post my impressions of that here on RED User. Then we'll do the L.A. testing I've posted about. Then I’ll do a lot more field-testing. The L.A. testing will be published on various web sites, impressions will be posted here on RED User, and I'll also be writing a review of #8 for Studio Monthly magazine and the Studio Daily web site.

After all that, me and a production alliance partner, Ken Corben ("Sharkguy" on RED User), have a D-cinema feature and several HDTV series in development for 2007-2008. We will continually post our impressions of our RED cameras (4 of them total) here on RED User, plus we'll probably set up a blog so we can update things with photos and stories from all over the world - because we'll definitely be everywhere on the globe! In the middle of all that, there are multiple geographical areas of the world I’d like to visit to shoot some stock footage and visit with other RED User members…

[Zach Hilton]

Hi,

Normally beta testers get the equipment for free, or heavily reduced in price.

Stephen

Yes normally. But my comment echoes what Gibby is suggesting that it is such a low price and the real testing and such will be when the cameras ship and people put them into use. I look forward to seeing the tests from the "beta testers."

[laguun]

Hi,

Normally beta testers get the equipment for free, or heavily reduced in price.

Stephen

Hi,

and normally manufacturers charge for upgrades & enhancements or only sell you new products and don´t upgrade the old ones.

red, btw, was announced as 2k on board 4k external ecording system, now its 4k onboard and external - without price increase.

furthermore red gave us early reservation holders a $2.500 bonus - even for those who get the final camera, not only for betatesters. for our 2 cameras thats 5.000$, and for the 5 at ludwig munich 12.500$.