EXHORBITANT TRANSFER FEE!

[Peter Moretti]

I agree with the system and the price. But perhaps Red will consider giving you a break on the price since it's for a non-profit?

[Alex Kornreich]

It's kinda like complaining about the cost of registering a car at the motor vehicles bureau.

Actually...no. It's like re-registering with Honda or Toyota (not the DMV) when you buy a used car in order for the warranty to transfer over. Federal law mandates that warranties transfer to the new owner. There was already a thread on reduser about this, however I dont remember how Red gets around this requirement.

However if there's no warranty left, it's buying "as-is" and no rules apply, so Red can charge whatever they want for warranty issues and firmware updates.

I think the transfer fee mandate by Red during the warranty period is absolutely unfair, but when it's out of warranty, they can do whatever they want, and I think $750 is a reasonable cost. The op hasn't specified if it's in or out of warranty, though since it's a Red One it's presumably out..

[Jay A. Kelley]

RED is marketing themselves as a high end camera company for professionals. Even the "low-end" Scarlet out performs 80% of what is out there.

The transfer fee is a matter of policy to track monitor, end ensure proper operation of professional grade equipment. It IS an option, so you don't have to do it to use your camera, but if you want it, that's how much it is.

Sounds to me like this person did not purchase the right camera for their needs. An AF-100 or other prosumer camera might serve them better.

Jay

[Yousuf Abbasi]

Sounds to me like this person did not purchase the right camera for their needs. An AF-100 or other prosumer camera might serve them better.

Jay

That makes no sense.

OP is talking about an unnecessarily high fee for transferring a used item, on which he desires no inspection nor extended warranty by the manufacturer. That's like me getting locked out of firmware updates to my iPhone because I bought it used.

To OP: I would do as Greg M stated, get the latest firmware upgrade from original owner and call it a day. Chances are, that'll serve you well for several years. Or make an agreement with the original owner that you'll pay him $100 and in exchange he gets the future firmware updates for you.

[Nathan Beaman]

or anyone of the users on this site could just send the guy the upgrade, no?

[Mike 'Fireman' Ross]

'Sell' the account together with the camera. Make the new owner an admin on the account, then delete yourself. Problem solved - unless you have other cameras on the account of course!

Heh. Transfers. Software not hardware, but I recall a situation involving very high-end software which the vendors tried to maintain was Not Transferrable under any circumstances; people had to go to ridiculous lengths to get around this: the usual way was to create a subsidiary company purely to hold the software licenses. Then you didn't sell the software, you sold the *company*... the software never changed ownership...

Mike

[Daniel Reed]

I completely agree with Sérgio Perez here!

I had a RED camera stolen, reported it to RED immediately... long story short, the only way the thieves can get money is by tricking would be buyers... if the price is too good to be true, ya know why!

Outside of maintaining ownership, paying $750 to ensure you are buying a working camera and getting a 90day warranty is a great deal.

No offense, the camera should have been put into escrow and examined by RED before completing your purchase.
You may find out now when you fork over the $750 to transfer ownership that the camera could very well have been stolen in the first place.

[Tom Hamilton]

Whilst I admire your work to help the kids and the elderly, and very essential work that no doubt is, what possible use could you have for a high-end cinema camera like the R!? As someone suggested above, perhaps a prosumer unit might fit your needs and budget a little better.

I am reminded of a non-profit organization some time ago, whose name shall go unmentioned, that bleated poverty due ongoing maintenance costs of a Fire-Truck-Red Ferrari that had been given them by some well-intentioned and very wealthy, but misguided soul. Seems the director of the project became accustomed to driving in a style he shouldn't really have become accustomed to in the first place.

[sergio arguello]

2c I dont think the fee is expensive, but i have voiced this before I think the warranty should follow the asset and not the owner...ie vehicle refrigerator etc...kinda petty imho