Originally Posted by
stevesherrick
Mark, just so we all know where you are coming from on this, did you purchase a used camera or are you selling a camera? When was the sale? If recent, I think all of that language for the transfer of ownership, as well as the certification and warranty has been around for a while.
Not looking to probe into your business affairs by any means, and respect your right to air complaints here, just trying to understand as a fellow camera owner/user what the context is for this. I have found that free firmware upgrades when it comes to cameras are not always a given. To me, Red is like Sound Devices. Not only do they look to fix things with firmware updates, they also look to add features if possible. Support is also not a given. There are a lot of companies doing a VERY bad job of it these days. I have a RAID card that I'm about to toss into the trash because I can't get proper support. You are tossing aside the upgrade to Epic rather casually, and to me it's more than just a gesture. It's one that means Red is not just about money. If you have ever spoken to Jim, you know that this is not all about money. He actually really gives a shit, to the point where he's thinking outside the box a little to show loyalty to those who had faith in what they're trying to do.
Do they need to make money? Yes! If the profit isn't coming from camera sales (I have no idea) then it has to come from somewhere, or else the well runs dry and the customers will really be left in the cold. Maybe that's coming from accessory sales, warranty certifications, who knows. I think it's fine to call foul if you see it as such. I just think it's good to look at the whole picture. If you weigh everything and you still come out disgusted, then perhaps this is not the right match for you. Time to find another camera company.
Hopefully you get a chance to talk with people over at RED directly. I think you will find a phone call can do a whole lot of good.
