RED Digital Cinema planning pocket cam, 4K projector and displays
By Evan Blass 
posted Apr 16th 2007 2:14PM
posted Apr 16th 2007 2:14PM
NAB is one of the few times during the year that A/V geeks can pull themselves away from their editing bays, adjust their eyes to the light, and really get down with the latest equipment -- so it should be no surprise that RED Digital Cinema is using the event to leak its plans for some tantalizing new gear. We're all quite familiar with the $17,500 RED-ONE 4K base system and its ecosystem of accessories, and now it looks like the company is prepping products for post-production as well, with self-proclaimed "RED Savant" Steve Gibby reporting that a 4K projector and entire lineup of 4K displays are on the way. Even more exciting -- at least for the average consumer or prosumer -- is a promised "professional pocket camera" being described as a "mini-RED," and though we doubt you'll see these for sale at Best Buy, we're still pretty stoked to see what kind of offer they're going to make us here. And if they do already have a prototype of this one, you can bet it's under extra tight lock and key.
A mini RED? Gets me excited, but... what might that be? I'd guess something in the price range of $5000, using the same sensor like in the big one... but how can they save money? Fixed lens? How pointless. Really I don't know what they could do to keep cost low... the RED-ONE has about nothing, everything seems to be optional. What is there to leave away? I'm curious.
betcha it's a 1080p prosumer camcorder with the red branding and a slick metallic case. Couldn't see it being much else as consumer displays top out at 1080p. (we're talking tv's here, not a 30 inch dell). Now if your local movie theratre is offering up use of their ultra high-res digital projectors to display your kids soccer games, than I guess it's a different story.
Yeah, quite possible, but using the Mysterium sensor might make sense as in keeping production cost low (for the RED ONE at least...).
How many Soccer moms do you see carrying around a $5000 camera? This would be more targeted twards small time independent filmakers that can't afford the RED ONE camera, but are still interested in mastering at a high resolution, even if the output is only 720p.
How about a 1080p camera that records SSD with their proprietary "visually lossless" compression technology? Priced at maybe 5k that'd be pretty sweet.
well, I dropped $1200 on a HD camcorder for your everyday home-movie recording antics. Why? Because the picture looks a world better than the $700 sony i was looking at getting. Since the price hasn't been announced yet, who know what market they might go after.
Yeah, I don't expect RED to enter the consumer market, maybe cameras for documentaries, news, film schools, indie filmmakers, ... but then there are such cameras already.
I hope it records 1080p with at least 10+ bit dynamic range.
whoops, I actually just drooled on my keyboard. i want it. bad.
btw i don't see the problem with doing this - just take off-the-shelf pocket camera logic, add mysterium sensor, design terminator-like outer casing, done. shouldn't be more than $800 - $900.
I would expect something like the Nikon or Sony prosumer cams only with the RED sensor and outer case styling. which would be good enough for me to buy it as soon as it comes out. should have insane light sensitivity and insane color resolution.