On November 13, 2008, larger formats were announced, including a proposed expansion of up to 28,000 horizontal pixels, for a 261 megapixel sensor.[1]
Red One
"Red One" redirects here. For the musical producer, see RedOne.
The Red One was announced in 2006 and released in 2007 as the first camera produced by Red Digital Cinema Camera Company. It has a 12megapixel bayer pattern CMOS sensor, called the Mysterium. The sensor measures 24.4 mm by 13.7 mm, and has 4,520 by 2,540 active pixels, though the camera only records data from a 4096 by 2304 pixel area in normal operation. The Mysterium sensor has about the same active area as a 35 mm film frame masked to the 16:9 aspect ratio, allowing the same angle of view and depth of field as Super 35 film format.
The camera also allows the sensor to be used in a windowed mode in which the sensor can emulate the active area of a Super 16 film frame while capturing 2048 pixel resolution footage. This allows the camera to be used with Super 16 lenses. However this results in a noticeable drop in image quality.
Red specifies the sensor's signal to noise ratio at greater than 66 dB,[2] with 11.3 stops of total dynamic range.[3] The default sensitivity is ISO 320.[4]
Starting early on, the company involved itself in online discussion boards, primarily http://www.dvxuser.com and laterhttp://www.reduser.net. The company began taking camera sales reservations well before the camera was available.
[edit]Lens mount
The Red One camera has an interchangeable lens mount. It ships with a PL mount, common for modern 35 mm and 16 mm motion picture cameras. This company has also released an adapter for 2/3" B4 lenses, and for Nikon F-mount lenses.
At least 2 suppliers have made a Canon EF lens mount for the Red One, which can provide full electronic control of EF lenses.[5][6]
[edit]Recording formats
The Red One can record at several resolutions in a proprietary audio/video lossy format called REDCODE. All recording is progressive scan.
| Resolution | Frame Rates |
|---|---|
| 4.5k WS (4,480×1,920) | 1–30 (variable) |
| 4k 16:9 (4,096×2,304), 4K 2:1 (4,096×2,048), 4K HD (3,840×2,160), 4K ANA (2,816×2,304) | 1–30 (variable) |
| 3k 16:9 (3,072×1,728), 3K 2:1 (3,072×1,536), 3K ANA (2,112×1,728) | 1–60 (variable) |
| 2k 16:9 (2,048×1,152), 2K 2:1 (2,048×1,024), 2K ANA (1,408×1,152) | 1–120 (variable) |
The Red One does not capture at standard definition or high definition resolutions. However, as part of the process of delivering the raw image data recorded by the camera, the RedCine desktop software can downscale to these resolutions. If the final output format is high definition, 4k HD will allow for highest quality downscaling.
[edit]Compression and workflow
REDCODE RAW is a variable bit rate wavelet codec which allows raw sensor data at resolutions of up to 4,096×2,304 to be compressed sufficiently for practical on-camera recording. Two variants were offered previously, one with a maximum data rate of 28 MB/s (224 megabit/s), and one with a maximum data rate of 36 MB/s (288 megabit/s), but the camera was recently updated to record with an additional data rate option of 42 MB/s (336 megabit/s). Compared with the uncompressed data captured by the sensor, these bit rates represent compression ratios of about 12:1, 9:1, and 8:1 respectively.
REDCODE is a mathematically lossy codec, meaning that decompression does not fully restore the original image data captured by the camera. Red claims the codec is "visually lossless", suggesting that the information loss is not visible to the naked eye when images are viewed. However, sample images detailing noticeable artifacts have been posted on the manufacturer's forum. Because Redcode is a wavelet codec, similar to CineForm RAW and JPEG2000, the nature of these artifacts is different from "blocking", characteristic of traditional compression algorithms.
Unlike cameras that record RGB data, the camera records raw data similar to the Dalsa Origin and Silicon Imaging SI-2K. Recording raw data allows white balance, gamma and other image processing parameters like sharpening to be set during post production. Adjusting these settings directly on camera does not impact the raw data that is actually recorded. Such adjustments only influence live monitoring outputs, but are attached to the recorded data as metadata.
Another consequence of the Red's RAW-based work flow is that footage must be processed through a demosaicing algorithm before it can be viewed. Red has provided a QuickTimecomponent which allows a fast demosaic to occur in real time so the footage can be used in applications that support QuickTime without transcoding. Higher quality output can be achieved by transcoding the footage through Red's RedCine-X or RedAlert! desktop software. Using the Red Rocket card allows for real-time processing. Currently the QuickTime component is only available for Intel based Mac OS X and not Windows.
Editing the very high resolution 4K files directly is extremely processor intensive and outside the capabilities of most current computers. However, since REDCODE is a wavelet codec, the files contain several lower resolution versions of the video; the codec uses each in sequence to build the next higher resolution version.[7] That means a 4k file can supply 2k, 1k, or even 0.5k footage directly without decoding the full 4k resolution data followed by scaling. For QuickTime and other programs without support for this feature, reference movies can be made. These are small files without video data but contain pointers into the original video file. For example in Final Cut Pro, one may import QuickTime reference files that only have pointers to the parts of the 4K file that contain the lower resolution version. This way work is done with speedy low resolution video without need for a separate low resolution copy.
[edit]Application compatibility
Apple's Final Cut Pro can use REDCODE files (via Quicktime wrapper) when the Red QuickTime Codecs are installed. Assimilate Scratch was one of the earliest applications to support the RAW camera data off the natively-generated REDCODE files, and has continued to do so ever since.
Adobe's video products (Premiere and After Effects) have been able to work with the native REDCODE files (
.R3D file extension) as of version CS4, and the plugins to do so are officially supported by RED.Sony's video editing product Vegas Pro can natively edit
.R3D files as of version 9.0, and allows full access to raw decode metadata with real-time preview.Autodesk's 2010 releases of Smoke and Flame have a tool, WireTap Central, that converts
.R3D files into a native media form. The 2011 releases of Smoke and Flame have native R3D import.Avid Media Composer v5 has native REDCODE support via AMA (Avid Media Access). AMA allows for the direct linking to the R3D files and immediate editing of the sources. Avid Media Composer also allows direction interaction on a per clip or batch proess for the color metadata. RLS, RSX, and RMD files are all supported. The RedRocket card is also supported for accelerated transcoding of the R3D files into Avid DNxHD and other editing codecs.
Avid DS v10.1.1 has native REDCODE import and linking support. Avid also has a tool called MetaFuze that will convert
.R3D files into a native Avid MXF files for use in Media Composer and Symphony (v4 and earlier). Media Composer v5 and Symphony v5 have AMA support for REDCODE, allowing for direct editing R3D media. Avid DS and MetaFuze also support use of the RedRocket card.Nuke 5.2v2 (The Foundry) includes updated
.R3D support (SDK v2).[edit]Lenses
Red offers a selection of Red-branded PL mount prime and zoom lenses. The company ships a 300 mm f2.8 telephoto prime, a 50–150 mm T3 zoom, an 18–85 mm T3 zoom and an 18–50 mm T3 zoom. In Q1 2010, the 18–50 mm zoom was supplanted by a 17–50 mm t2.9 zoom with substantially improved mechanics. In 2009, Red started delivering a set of T1.8 prime lenses, consisting of 25 mm, 35 mm, 50 mm, 85 mm and 100 mm. Wider lenses have also been announced, with an 18 mm prime lens already shipping. With the PL mount, the Red One camera accepts a wide range of professional grade lenses from vendors such as Zeiss and Cooke.
Additionally, a number of adapters are available to make it possible to use lenses with Nikon mounts, Canon mounts and others.
[edit]Recording media
The Red One records footage to data files on disk or flash based digital storage. Red also offers a Compact Flash module for the camera, as well as 8 and 16 GB flash cards which are typically the media of choice when recording to the Red One. A 16 GB card can hold around 8 minutes of 4k footage or 34 minutes of 2k footage. Compact flash is preferable for cases where the camera rig needs to be as light as possible or in situations where sudden motion or intense vibration could cause dropped frames with mechanical hard drive storage. While the camera can use industry standard flash cards, most are presently not fast enough to maintain the necessary data rates.
The Red-Drive is a 640 GB external hard drive based digital magazine, containing two 2.5 in hard drives in a RAID 0 configuration. It can record over two hours of 4k footage. A Red-Drive is usually mounted in a cradle attached to the camera's rod support system. The drive connects to the camera via a speciality locking connector, though the camera and the drive communicate using the mass storage SATA standard protocol. The drive has FireWire 800, FireWire 400 and USB 2.0 ports, and can be directly connected to a computer via any of those interfaces, at which point it appears as a standard external hard drive, and files containing the footage can be copied off like any other computer file.
The Red-RAM storage device is a solid-state drive which allows for significantly longer recording times than a compact flash card while eliminating the issues related to mechanical hard drives.
[edit]Field monitoring
Red offers three on-camera monitoring options for the Red One, a 5.6-inch (140 mm) LCD screen, a 7-inch (180 mm) LCD screen and an electronic viewfinder. The screens have a native resolution of 1,024 by 600, while the electronic viewfinder has a native resolution of 1,280 by 848. Both the screens and the viewfinder connect through proprietary interfaces and rely on in-camera processing to generate their data displays, making them compatible only with the Red One.
The camera also has HD-SDI and HDMI outputs for connection to external monitors. These presently operate at 720p or 1080p only on playback.
The Red One can generate a variety of data overlays which can be displayed on its video outputs, including histograms, waveform plots, false color exposure aids, time code, project recording formats, audio levels, and two different focus-assist displays.
Unlike virtually all HD video cameras, the Red One does not generate a video stream in-camera which represents its final product. Its real time monitoring outputs do not reflect the resolution and dynamic range captured in the raw files it records. The camera's live outputs are intended to be used only for on-set monitoring, similarly to the way a video tap is often used with film-based acquisition.
[edit]Studio monitoring
Red has recently released a studio monitoring solution in the form of an internal PCI Express card called Red Rocket that is capable of pushing out a 4k, 2k, or 1080p video signal viaHD-SDI to a user-supplied monitor. The card uses on-board processing to render 4k (or other resolutions) at a higher rate of speed. This is an advantage in terms of real-time viewing as well as final output rendering of a project shot on Red cameras.
A breakout box component of the Red Rocket will allow users to convert the HD-SDI signal to four HDMI outputs.
[edit]Audio
The camera has four TA3 ("mini XLR") connectors, and can record up to four channels of 24-bit 48 kHz digital audio, and offers the option of phantom power.
[edit]Physical characteristics
The Red One camera body weighs around ten pounds (4.5 kilograms).[2] Dimensions are 12.02 in long × 6.34 in high × 5.2 in wide (30 cm × 16 cm × 13 cm).[2] The camera is based around a modular design concept. It has many mounting points; accessories like recording devices, viewfinders, etc. can be mounted to the camera, rather than being integral parts of the body.
[edit]Performance issues
As with many CMOS-based cameras, images captured by the Red One may show rolling shutter artifacts. Such cameras read data from the sensor line by line over a short period, rather than all at once, so each frame in an image sequence does not represent a single instant. Rolling shutter artifacts can cause vertical objects to appear to lean as the camera pans them horizontally, and can cause strobe effects like camera flashes or lightning strikes to appear only on portions of frames, creating a "tearing" effect. The effects of the rolling shutter have been improved in recent versions of the Red One camera firmware, but have not been eliminated. Rolling shutter also appears on film cameras, but they are not subject to the "tearing" symptom.
[edit]Initial order process
Red ran a reservation for the Red One camera, requiring a $1,000 deposit, between April 24, 2006 and October 31, 2006. Around 1,000 cameras were reserved during that time. Reservations were reopened from January 21, 2007 until January 24, 2007.[8] The first 1,080 reservation holders each received a machined titanium "R" with their future camera serial number engraved on it. On August 31, 2007, Red shipped the first 25 Red One cameras to pre-order customers. Subsequently the camera became available for general ordering, although through late 2008, there was a wait time of up to several months, as Red filled its order backlog for over 3,000 units. The pre-order process has ended and the Red One became generally available in late 2008.[9]
[edit]Firmware updates
Red began shipping cameras with on-board software capable of adding additional features and bug fixes over time, via the camera's software updating mechanism. The current firmware release is a version of build 30.[4] Since the initial release of the camera, new firmware releases have enabled sound, higher frame rates and better image quality, among other features.
[edit]NAB 2007
At the National Association of Broadcasters 2007 show in Las Vegas, three working Red One cameras were on display as well as all-day screenings of a recent 12-minute short entitledCrossing the Line directed by Peter Jackson using two alpha versions of the Red camera nicknamed Boris and Natasha. The alpha versions had nothing but a record/stop button and shot at 4k at 24 frames per second and a 180 degree shutter. All other features were unavailable. Initially expecting a standard camera test, when Jim Jannard, Jarred Land, and Deanan Dasilva from Red arrived in New Zealand, they were surprised to learn that Peter Jackson intended to shoot a ten minute short set in World War I featuring battles in trenches and in the air. The film was used to showcase the capabilities of the Red One camera in action rather than in controlled test environments.[10][11] The film was shot in two days.
Despite being feature-incomplete, Red assured booth visitors the camera would start shipping before the end of the year.
At NAB 2007, Red announced that Redcode raw data generated by the camera can be converted using proprietary software called RedCine into a range of formats, including DPX. Redcode raw is also supported in Adobe Production Suite CS3, Piranha Cinema, and Ant. A new set of prime Red lenses was released which includes f2.8 15 mm, f1.9 25 mm, f1.9 35 mm, f1.9 50 mm and f1.9 85 mm lenses as well as a new 18 mm–50 mm (f2.8) zoom. The previously announced 18–80 mm zoom has been slightly delayed.[12]
Also at NAB 2007, during the Final Cut Pro User Group Supermeet, the Red team appeared on stage. Although they were scheduled to show footage from the camera, they declined, citing copyright concerns. They also used the venue to announce that they would be developing a "Professional Pocket Cam" and their own 4k projector, but declined to give any more details.
[edit]Filmography
The first feature film shot and completed on the Red One 4k was Red Canvas, starring Ernie Reyes, Jr.[13] Director Steven Soderbergh shot both parts of the movie Che entirely with the Red One camera. Soderbergh is very enthusiastic about the camera, stating that "this is the camera I've been waiting for my whole career: jaw-dropping imagery recorded onboard a camera light enough to hold with one hand. I don't know how Jim and the Red team did it—and they won't tell me—but I know this: Red is going to change everything."[14] He again used the Red One for his subsequent films The Girlfriend Experience and The Informant!.[15] The Academy Award-nominated District 9 was mostly shot using nine Red Ones.[16]
Werner Herzog shot his film My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done? with the Red One. He was disappointed with the camera's long reboot times, saying "It drove me insane, because sometimes something is happening and you can't just push the button and record it". He described the camera as "an immature camera created by computer people who do not have a sensibility or understanding for the value of high-precision mechanics".[17]
The TNT cable channel show Leverage also uses Red One cameras for filming of all their episodes.
Degrassi: The Next Generation has used Red One cameras from the Tenth Season on.[18]
Red Dwarf: Back to Earth, a new three episode series broadcast in April 2009 (released on DVD with a feature length director's cut in June 2009), was shot with a Red One camera using 4k resolution.[19]
The 2010 film The Social Network was shot on the Red One camera at 4K resolution.[20]
Kevin Smith has been filming his upcoming film Red State on a Red camera.
For the second half of ER's final season, the show was filmed using the RED One. Its replacement on NBC, Southland, was also shot using the RED One.
Sanctuary is the first television series in North America to use the RED camera exclusively. [21] (Excerpted from Sanctuary_(TV_series)#Production.)
[edit]Other cameras
At NAB 2008, announced two new cameras in the Red product line. The 3K "Scarlet", originally touted as a "professional pocket camera", and the 5K "Epic," called the "flagship of the Red family." [22]
In September 2008, Jim Jannard made several announcements on the RedUser forum:
- The first, posted on September 8, announced a "DSLR-killer" that was tentatively referred to as "DSMC, a Digital Still and Motion Camera".
- Jannard posted a message on September 11 stating that "Epic...has changed." Eleven days later, on RedUser's companion discussion board ScarletUser, Jannard announced that Scarlet, was "not the same." Both products were pulled from the Red company website, replaced with temporary images stating that they were "Currently Undergoing Change."
- On 14 June 2010, Jannard posted that there would be another delay in Scarlet and EPIC production due to a firmware bug and Foxconn semiconductor closing the semiconductor fabrication plant that produced the sensors.[23]
[edit]DSMC
On November 13, 2008 Red officially announced that the DSMC concept of an integrated Digital Still and Motion Camera system was to be the overarching philosophy of Red's future product lines.
Red opted to design and build interchangeable camera components that are configurable. The modular design allows a camera owner to replace various components as they are upgraded and improved, rather than having to replace the entire camera system. As such it could be configured as either a still or motion camera.
These components come together around a central piece, Brain, which houses a sensor and the necessary electronics to record, encode, decode, and otherwise control imagery recorded to the sensor. As with the other modules, the Brains can be upgraded independently of the rest of the camera, and can also be hot-swapped, so that a single project could use multiple Brains as needed, while otherwise maintaining a preferred configuration of the DSMC.
Scarlet and Epic are the two current lines of DSMC Brains.
[edit]Scarlet
Scarlet Brains will record at 100 MB/s using Redcode 100, and contain sensors ranging in size from 2⁄3 in (17 mm) to full-frame 35 mm sensors, with resolutions ranging from 3k to 6k. The 2⁄3 in and Super 35 versions will contain second-generation Mysterium-X sensors, while the full-frame 35 version is expected to ship with the third-generation Monstro sensor. A self-contained version of the 2⁄3 in Scarlet, with an attached lens, is also planned.
[edit]Law suit
On August 18, 2008, Red filed a law suit against the electronics company LG over its use of the name Scarlet.[24] Jannard accused LG "...of taking the "Scarlet" brand name from the camera company, despite RED's denial of their request."[25]
[edit]Epic
Epic Brains will record a data rate of 225 MB/s. The sensor sizes will be Super 35, 135 film, 645 (medium format), and 617, equivalent to the Linhof Technorama camera (the 617 will record a data-rate of 500 MB/s). Horizontal resolutions will range from 5k to 28k (the latter is the equivalent of 261 megapixels) and could be printed onto 70 mm IMAX 15/70 without the need for the IMAX Digital Media Remastering (DMR). On April 15, 2010, a Red Epic camera was demonstrated at an off-site meeting during the 2010 NAB show exhibition (Red did not have an official booth at NAB).[26]Peter Jackson, reportedly, will film his version of The Hobbit, using 30 Epic cameras[27]
The Red Epic is announced to come in the following variants:
| Name | Physical Size | Resolution (in pixels) | Estimated Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Epic-X S35 | 30 × 15 mm (1.2 × 0.59 in) | 5,120 × 2,700(5K) | >$10,500 RED1 body |
| Epic S35 | 30 × 15 mm (1.2 × 0.59 in) | 5,120 × 2,700(5K) | $28,000 |
| Epic FF35 | 36 × 24 mm (1.4 × 0.94 in) | 6,000 × 4,000 (6k) | $33,000 |
| Epic 645 | 56 × 42 mm (2.2 × 1.7 in) | 9,334 × 7,000 (9k) | $43,000 |
| Epic 617 | 168 × 56 mm (6.6 × 2.2 in) | 28,000 × 9,334 (28k) | $53,000 |
The first major theatrical releases to be shot on the Epic will be the upcoming Spider-Man reboot and Steven Soderbergh's film Contagion.
[edit]Competitors
These competitors have very similar features and some are already in wide use by the film industry.
- Arriflex D-20/21 (35 mm sensor size, 1080p output in HD mode, 3k in data mode)
- Dalsa Origin (35 mm, 4k)
- F-23 (Sony CineAlta) (2⁄3 in, 1080p)
- F-35 (Sony CineAlta) (35 mm, 1080p)
- Panavision Genesis (35 mm, 1080p)
- Silicon Imaging (2⁄3 in, 2k)
- Thomson Viper FilmStream (2⁄3 in, 1080p)
- Vision Research Phantom65 (65 mm, 4k, 125 frame/s)
- Vision Research PhantomHD (35 mm, 2k, 1000 frame/s)
- Arriflex Alexa A-EV, A-EV Plus, A-OV Plus (35 mm, 3.5k)
[edit]In development
- Kinetta Camera (sensor agnostic)
- Aaton Penelope DigiMag (35 mm, 6k)
- Nox 2k by Gs Vitec
- Ikonoskop A-cam DII (16 mm, 1080p, CinemaDNG)
Future plans
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