We hosed it down with a couple of REDs this weekend. At Dusk Saturday Mark, Aldey and Pliny of Offhollywoodstudios arrived at my apt in Brooklyn Heights with camera's 0006 and 0007 and it was on.
First thing we did was throw one of them on steadicam(which was no problem) and shoot some magic hour on the promenade. It was the perfect test. The sun coming down the barrel as it set behind the back lit buildings. Rich Contrast everywhere in everything. We took a couple of passes around a sculpture and shot an impromptu iphone commercial with Mike Curtis' (HDforIndies)and his iphone while he was blogging on it. That guy is a crazy blogger. The camera floated around beautifully on the rig (Alec Jarnigin operating) The images were startling. RED held the sky and clouds like slide film.
Next we humped the cameras to my roofdeck where we shot New York Harbor at sunset. Pliny with beer in hand was dumping cards like he has been doing it his entire life. Mark was popping cards and I was operating. The images were startling. What I saw on REDalert looked like a perfectly exposed super thick negative that you know you can take anywhere you want in timing. I felt like I was about to start a 35mm telecine session. Tons of resolution, latitude, nothing clipping, nothing muddy. It looked nothing like video.
The Camera is built beautifully. This thing is tough. If you dropped it on your foot I would worry about your foot before I would worry about the camera. Its like the love child of an Audi S4 and a M16. There is no cheesy ENG plastic on this thing. The Cage is genius. Steel with plenty of places to to rig to and to grab... and I was grabbing the thing.
Day 2. Offhollywood, and my team rolled out to the jersey shore to Driver's East Stunt Driving School where I shot from Owen Holland's (owner of Action Camera Car)camera car and crane an amazing team of Stunt Car drivers hucking there cars into skids, 180s, slaloms, drifts you name it. These guys make Jason Bourne look like he drives like your grandma. I was spinning on the crane operating the camera with cage a lot it was great to have those points to hold onto as Owen and I chased these mad men (Roy Farful and Mike Burke) around.
The cameras worked flawlessly in the hot sun. Batteries performed great, 8g cards provide plenty of shooting time and the turn around is 8mins max. I didn't wait for a thing all day. Mark, Aldey and Pliny really delivered. They know this camera and its workflow inside and out.
It was a great opportunity for me. Thanks to Offhollywoodstudios, Action Camera Car and Driver's East for everything I look forward to the next one and the one after that.
Paul E. McCarthy DP
