Renting 1 versus 2 cameras

[Mark B.]

Is there going to be a significant demand for dual Red One camera rental versus a single camera rental? Are customers going to feel unnerved if there isn't a backup Red immediately available if the first one goes down?

[David Mullen ASC]

There are all sort of models for renting around the country -- I once rented a privately-owned F900 package to take with me to Russia to shoot a tiny feature. The fact that the guy in Los Angeles had no back-up wasn't really an issue because if I had a problem while shooting, I probably would have looked closer in Europe for a replacement (this was in 2001 when the F900 was still not commonplace.)

But yes, personally if I were renting and shooting locally, I'd prefer going to a place with a back-up camera, or at least, someone who had made arrangements with another RED camera owner to be a potential back-up.

Running a rental business is not easy...

[Tom Lowe]

For me, since I will be shooting in remote locations, I really need two to feel secure. Plus digital media is cheap, so you're not having to pay for film to run through a second camera that might not be used. I think it will be a great advantage to shoot with 2 REDs. Of course it will make a dent in your budget, but I think it's worth it if you can afford it.

[Adam Jeal]

This is why my partner and I are getting two camera bodies. We made this decision right at the beginning. It all depends on your intended uses - A professional crew will feel much more secure if they know that there is proper back-up. Also, bonded feature films REQUIRE it.

We are extending this attitude across our entire kit. It is gonna hurt our finances initially (we are really sticking our necks out on this!) but we feel that people will respond favourably to getting quality kit and tech support.

[dalemccready]

I think a spare body is a must to create a feeling of comfort with producers and to stop "egg on face" situations that could occur if something were to happen to the main camera. Also a huge advantage of the Red being so low in cost is that it may encourage 2 camera hire by producers. The second camera sharing a set of primes would be very economical.

[Steven Parker]

A backup body is a MUST for a shoot of any substantial length, especially if you're in a location that's far from an urban center. I'm hoping the UserGroups (or even a dedicated site as mentioned in other threads) will evolve into a sort of job clearing house - "hey I need an extra body for two weeks, who's got one available for X?"

If the producers will pay for a full B-cam pkg, great. If not, at least renting the body w/out accessories will be better than no rental at all.

Of course, demand insurance and check credentials!