RED KOMODO vs GEMINI vs HELIUM COMPARISON

[Andi Loor]

It's easy to like the Komodo maybe due to that it is more blue, thereby looking cleaner. From having used a lot of R3D media my experience is that they can be a bit green, that is not the case here. I didn't like the Gemini images. I don't think they are handling the incoming light well. In some cases I liked the Helium better than Komodo, but in other cases I liked Komodo best. Naturally theese are my personal thoughts, not an absolute judgement.

[Nick Morrison]

That Komodo is almost indistinguishable and has global shutter and no red orbs are all very good things.

Thanks for the test Tim.

[Justin McAleece]

The Komodo is looking fantastic and I think that it's a little more tuned to get rid of the green that I'm always dialing out just a smidge on the other RED sensors. That is my preference, but most shooters I know do the same.

[Phil Holland]

Nice one Tim.

[Peter Stanley]

Komodo Colour is great and dynamic range is too. But it looks a little more like digital video than Gemini and helium. It’s a bit sharper too. I’ve noticed a slightly more digital video look to Most Komodo footage more then other red camera footage. Could it be the global shutter that’s forcing that effect? Reminds me a bit of 3ccd cameras. Obviously it’s a great camera and very impressive but it’s price point aims to be a cut away crash cam. The big red cinema cameras will give you a much more hearty cinematic look. Considering the price difference that makes sense. Still early days, but over the last two months Of footage, my first impressions is it’s great colour and dynamic range but slightly more digital video then bigger reds. BUT WAY better then Zcams, pocket BM and DSLRs.

Looking forward to more side by sides.

[Andy Roberts]

Komodo Colour is great and dynamic range is too. But it looks a little more like digital video than Gemini and helium. It’s a bit sharper too. I’ve noticed a slightly more digital video look to Most Komodo footage more then other red camera footage.

Not to disagree, but until you actually have a Komodo R3D on your screen do you realize just how rich and thick of an image it produces. There is no sharpening in any Red cameras. Komodo footage looks like film, especially with the soft and very soft highlight roll off.

[Peter Stanley]

Not to disagree, but until you actually have a Komodo R3D on your screen do you realize just how rich and thick of an image it produces. There is no sharpening in any Red cameras. Komodo footage looks like film, especially with the soft and very soft highlight roll off.

Hope you’re right. At the moment it looks slightly more digital video on my tv compared to other RED footage. Especially in movement.

[Nathaniel Haban]

I didn't see it posted in the original notes, but are you using the same glass on all three cameras? I would assume so, but just checking.

[Christoffer Glans]

The big red cinema cameras will give you a much more hearty cinematic look. Considering the price difference that makes sense. Still early days, but over the last two months Of footage, my first impressions is it’s great colour and dynamic range but slightly more digital video then bigger reds.

I'd recommend shooting something with more expensive glass than DSLR lenses. Most stuff out there right now are shot with cheap lenses, bad grading, unbalanced LUTs, weird shutter speeds, unbalanced shadows and highlights etc. If you do the same with any other Red, it will look like video as well. There are plenty of bad cinematographers who produced material shot on Red that becomes "examples" to all of those who are deciding between Arri and Red. Of course Arri gets chosen more often when there are far more examples of bad cinematography among Red shooters than Arri shooters as it's more common that Red exist in the hands of the unexperienced. It's always been more popular with newcomers over getting an Arri.

I don't think the global sensor or anything about Komodo produces a video look, I think it's the choice of lenses, lighting and post-process grading that is key to getting a less video-ish look.

[vincent kardasik]

Many thanks Tim!