RED cameras. Thoughts?

[xtrafrood]

Anyone here ever try one? I've seen RED cameras used in some skateboarding videos (The Berrics) but holy moly the price is steep! I obviously haven't kept up with cameras--the last camera I was aware of was Sony's MDV models from ~2004 lol. Cheapest RED 'brain' (camera body) is $14,500! I'm not 100% sure but I think photographers for Nike and Adidas might use RED cameras as well.

Sample video 5min--and I'll apologise ahead of time for that Shake Junt guy and the tiny dog rolling around on a skateboard. The Shake Junt company is a bit weird. Too many trees if you catch my drift.

I guess a lot of major Hollywood-type productions were also shot with a RED camera. (Mr. Robot, Stranger Things, The Martian)

http://www.red.com/shot-on-red

Thoughts?

[Altis]

I don't think these are consumer or prosumer cameras since they cost as much as a new car.

You might find more info on a professional filmography site!

I'd sure love to take one for a spin, though.

[Findecanor]

I don't think even most professional movie cinematographers buy these cameras. They rent them for the jobs that they need them for. The total cost of ownership over time would be too large otherwise.

Also, if you rent one then the job of providing you with a working camera is the responsibility of the rental company. If something goes wrong with your camera and you don't have a replacement then the whole production will stall - and it is imperative that that does not happen. A stall to a professional movie production could be incredibly costly and could land you with having to pay it some incredibly high compensation.

[kiwi99]

A guy I knew 3 years ago and skied with a bit owned one, He was big into filming skiing and biking and his family was very well off so somehow he had one.. about 26k setup. To be honest I think he got one because he saw it used in Art of Flight and thought it looked "cool" 

[katushkin]

A guy I knew 3 years ago and skied with a bit owned one, He was big into filming skiing and biking and his family was very well off so somehow he had one.. about 26k setup. To be honest I think he got one because he saw it used in Art of Flight and thought it looked "cool" 

I find it incredible there are people out there who can drop that much money on something "because they think it looks cool".

[xtrafrood]

I don't think even most professional movie cinematographers buy these cameras. They rent them for the jobs that they need them for. The total cost of ownership over time would be too large otherwise.

Also, if you rent one then the job of providing you with a working camera is the responsibility of the rental company. If something goes wrong with your camera and you don't have a replacement then the whole production will stall - and it is imperative that that does not happen. A stall to a professional movie production could be incredibly costly and could land you with having to pay it some incredibly high compensation.

The Berrics (and a few other skateboard oriented companies apparently - who would have guessed that?) are actually sponsored by RED. It's pretty common for a skateboard photographer to carry a spare in case damage occurs. I could see indie production companies renting RED cameras but The Berrics are not exactly an indie production company anymore. It's weird to say it but these days (in the states at least) skateboarding is more popular than little league.

Anyway, I only know of the skateboarding side of RED sponsorship. RED probably sponsors quite a few other events that I'm not aware of. I watched a few documentaries that showed the 'behind the scenes' at a few baseball stadiums but no RED cameras. I guess they're mostly used for mobile shots

A guy I knew 3 years ago and skied with a bit owned one, He was big into filming skiing and biking and his family was very well off so somehow he had one.. about 26k setup. To be honest I think he got one because he saw it used in Art of Flight and thought it looked "cool" 

I find it incredible there are people out there who can drop that much money on something "because they think it looks cool".

I can understand the 'because it looks cool' aspect of cars, boats, etc. But yea, just because the camera 'looks cool' is probably not a good reason to buy one.

[tp4tissue]

It's a professional tool ,  for JOBS, 

not something you'd buy for a hobby,   because its complexity to use/maintain/operate  exceeds the capacity to master within the typical alloted --free time--  of individuals who don't WORK with that tool for a living.


A well off person COULD buy one as you've mentioned,   but in their hands,  it's not significantly better utilized than a cellphone cam.



You can sell your car,  and go buy one today,  but then waht...  you don't know how to skateboard, and you're too fat so no one wants to see you naked..   What's the RED going to do for you.. hahahahahahhaha

[xtrafrood]

Definitely. I can kind of get what you're saying tp. Even back when I knew about Sony's HDV cameras I knew I didn't have what it would take to be part of a crew. I've dove in a bit deeper than I probably should have but I guess the documentaries are PUSH documentaries? So not all of them are The Berrics, some are from Mountain DEW PUSH series (?). The Berrics as a media outlet sports the "Shot On Red" logo often enough that I'm willing to bet they have some RED cameras at The Berrics warehouse/private skatepark. I think some of the other videos or documentaries made for the smaller or less organized companies are shot by Mountain DEW photographers--or the cameras are on loan from Mountain DEW. I'm kind of fuzzy on how it all works but I thought maybe a lurker out there might know a few things about these monster cameras. I rarely get the chance to talk about that sort of thing in my area--one of the reasons I enjoy Geekhack so much

[katushkin]

From the most recent episode of Planet Earth II, it seems like their crews use RED cameras too.

These things are SICK.

[fanpeople]

you don't know how to skateboard, and you're too fat so no one wants to see you naked..   What's the RED going to do for you.. hahahahahahhaha

Could have just put this instead of all the other dribble and you would have got the same point across. ****ing hell tp i thought you were about reducing processing time.

[xtrafrood]

From the most recent episode of Planet Earth II, it seems like their crews use RED cameras too.

These things are SICK.

I've watched a few glimpses of Planet Earth and what I saw was pretty damn impressive. Same deal with Mr. Robot imo, the story might be off the wall but the filming is incredible