Basic RED Setup Items

[Kyle Prohaska]

Hello Everyone,

I'm curious what would you all consider a base setup for the RED system? The minimal amount of things you'd need to go shoot something? Might sound like a stupid question I know. Obviously the Base Body, Set of Basic Lenses, LCD, EVF, Base Production Pack, A Battery or Two, at least Two of the RedDrive units, A few assorted grip handles to add to the setup, Follow Focus, Possible MatteBox (probably a good decision), and a Tripod that's able to handle all the weight.

Am I missing something critical here? What kind of things would you all like to have around or on a basic RED package before you'd feel comfortable shooting with it? Obviously this has a lot to do with what your shooting, but lets just assume your shooting a lower budget indie (in the hundreds of thousands).

Anybody have a number I should expect to pay to own my own RED System, even at a minimum setup? I'm guessing upwards of $50,000 to really make the thing useful in some way and even get started.

Please excuse my ignorance, I know this is the place for the "pros." Some example screenshots of mine here. Just in case someone bites back thinking I'm a 16 year old kid with a Canon DV camera ;) I'm pretty serious about these questions for the future.

Many would suggest renting, and while I would agree I do want to know IF I wanted to own my own RED setup, what at a minimum I should be thinking to buy.

[Zac C]

Hey Kyle,

Love the screenshots, and the entire film, can't wait to see it.

Basically you have everything you might need to make a working package

The Body
Production Pack
Batteries
Monitor or EVF
Drive, CF cards
Tripod

Follow Focus and Mattebox can always be left out if you plan to rent them, but if you will need a fully rentable red, then add them to the list.

I'm trying to think of other things you might need everyonce in a while, but nothing coming raining down in my mind.

I think you would have a nice RED setup for around 33-40k easily.


Zac

[Damien Molineaux]

Don't forget ND filters and a hot mirror (IR) filter, or combination ND+IR filters. Red M cameras have a 250-320 ASA sensitivity, for outdoors daylight shooting you'll need ND, sometimes even stopping down at T22 (f22) isn't enough, and truthfully, you very rarely want to shoot at T22, why shoot Red then.

And then to fully take advantage of an M-X Red, you'll probaly rate it between 400 and 800 ASA, that means even more ND.

I was shooting yesterday with our Red M camera (#500 Stalker) and I had an IR+ND9 AND either an ND9 or 6 to be able to shoot between T2.1 and T4.

Cheers,
Damien