Scarlet
Latest
RED Scarlet starts shipping for $9,750, first customer takes one home today
Announced at a curiously-timed event just minutes after Canon's C300 made its on-stage debut, we expected the RED Scarlet to be a hit with cinematographers the world abound. But we're perhaps even more impressed to see one actually make its way to a customer just two weeks after launch, than we were when RED revealed the 4K cam's low $9,750 price tag. Rental service owner Tonaci Tran (pictured front and center above) is the lucky winner, and if you happen to have a Scarlet loan scheduled with him, you could be too. Haven't had enough of the 4096 x 2160-pixel 4K cam? Check out our hands-on from RED's Hollywood launch event.
RED makes the Scarlet official, 5K stills and 4K video for $9,750
It's been quite a day for all you cinephiles out there. First Canon outed its pair of Cinema EOS cameras, and now RED has finally released the Epic's baby sister Scarlet. Scarlet packs a similar punch as her older brother, so she takes 5K (5120 x 2700) resolution stills at 12fps, or can shoot your next cinematic masterpiece in 4K (4096 x 2160) at 25fps. The Scarlet also can use all of the Epic's accessories and comes with a Canon mount so there's plenty of glass to choose from, too. Best of all, Scarlet can be all yours for the low price of $9,750. That's right, for the price of a used Honda Civic, you can shoot video that essentially looks as good as those made by pros like Peter Jackson and John Shwartzman (assuming you've got their moviemaking skills). We're about to get our hands on one, so stay tuned for our first impressions. When she's all by herself, Scarlet cuts a rather petite figure. She weighs the same as an Epic, but trades her elder brother's ebony exterior for one that is, according to RED founder Jim Jannard, "battleship gray." Not the most feminine color, but we must admit we like the two-tone appearance when you start adding on extras like a RED remote or an external view screen. Unfortunately, we didn't get to shoot any video with Scarlet, but we did get to hold her for a bit and found the build quality to be top notch. The camera has a solid feel, and while we wouldn't want to lug it around all day by hand, it's easy enough to maneuver for several minutes at a time. We're hoping we can do some serious shooting with Scarlet with sometime soon for a fuller impression -- RED aims to start shipping them on December first -- but given her low price point and copious cinematic capabilities, we imagine her dance card will be filled for quite some time. %Gallery-138423%
Canon C300 makes an appearance in Vincent Laforet's Mobius, find the short and behind the scenes right here (video)
A New York Times photojournalist turned Hollywood director, Vincent Laforet has become synonymous with DSLR video, after his short film Reverie helped catapult Canon's 5D Mark II into the world of digital filmmaking. And after playing such a significant role in launching that camera, we certainly weren't surprised to see Laforet make an appearance at today's Canon Cinema event, with his short film Mobius getting some time on the big screen. The film follows a photojournalist who stumbles upon a Cartel execution, but it also tells the story of Canon's tightly-veiled C300 cinema camera, which the company launched just moments ago. Laforet used a pre-production C300 (note the green tape button labels) to shoot Mobius in the Mojave Desert under a variety of harsh conditions, including powerful sunlight and near-darkness, in both extremely hot and chilly temperatures -- the camera appears to have performed extremely well, given both the remote shooting environment and tight production schedule. Canon has yet to reveal the C300's price tag, which we expect to far undercut the $120,000 Arri Alexa kit, but its sheer portability makes it a more appealing option for filmmakers -- especially those with limited time and other resources. Laforet was able to shoot his film with a very small crew, since the C300 can be operated by just one photographer. The director used the camera mounted on a tripod, tethered to a variety of helicopters, sitting on the road and even hand-held, like a camcorder or DSLR. Laforet shot with Canon's new FK30-300 telephoto cine zoom PL-mount lens, along with a variety of EOS mount lenses, and notes that the camera's form factor makes it even easier to shoot with than a DSLR like the 5D Mark II. Its cost -- somewhere in the range of $20,000 -- should also put it within reach of not only Hollywood cinematographers, but also television directors and even documentary filmmakers and news photojournalists. We won't see the C300 hit the market until late January 2012, so jump past the break for a sneak peak at Mobius to see Canon's new cinema flagship, along with a rather comprehensive behind-the-scenes video.%Gallery-138348%
New RED Scarlet to be announced November 3rd
Well, it looks like Canon won't be the only company making a big camera announcement on November 3rd. RED CEO Jim Jannard has now confirmed that it will also be officially announcing its "new" RED Scarlet camera on the very same day (no coincidence, it seems), at which point it will detail "all the changes" the company has made to it. Unfortunately, that's about all the company is saying right now, although Jannard promises that "when we announce the changes, we will be ready to ship." [Thanks, Lucario]
Mortal Kombat's first two downloadable fighters revealed
Wait, you mean to tell us that even though the game hasn't actually come out yet, you're already bored with the roster of fighters included in Mortal Kombat? How is that even possible? Regardless, you don't need to worry -- Netherrealm's Hans Lo recently revealed to CVG that two new kombatants are already in the works for post-launch DLC: Series regular Kenshi, and "Scarlet," a fully fleshed-out character based on a glitch in the old Mortal Kombat arcade machines, which turned Jade, Kitana and Milena blood red. Lo explained, "People always thought it was a hidden unlockable character and it wasn't, it was purely a programming glitch." He added, "She's no longer a glitch - she's an actual character, and she'll be coming pretty soon post-launch." We wish other developers were this sentimental about their earlier mistakes -- maybe then we could finally get that Laddergoat game we've always dreamed of.
Working RED Scarlet appears at our trailer, we go hands-on! (video)
Last year at CES, we had a surprise visit from RED's Ted Schilowitz showing off their non-functioning RED Scarlet prototype. Ted just stopped by our trailer again, this time with a working version and it's a seriously impressive piece of hardware. We grabbed a camera and sat down with Ted for an in-depth hands-on, so head on past the break for the exclusive video and some details! %Gallery-113292%
RED Scarlet fixed lens camera shown in public (video)
It may never ship at a price point we peons can stomach, but we're no less thrilled to see RED's fixed lens Scarlet being handled by a mere mortal on video. One Tonaci Tran was fortunate enough to brush into Jarred Land at a 3D workshop, and he just so happened to have a fully functional Scarlet on his person. Tori noted that the unit was a touch lighter than the Epic, and the top-mounted 5-inch touchscreen was obviously rather captivating. We'd bother going on (and on), but chances are you've already clicked through to catch the video. And if not... why? [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
RED founder Jim Jannard calls prosumer Scarlet 'a mistake'
Perhaps it should be no surprise, considering the heartbreaking delays (and $1,000 price bump) the Scarlet has already endured, but it looks like the project is undergoing a major shift in focus -- namely, it will no longer be targeted towards prosumers. EOS HD quotes RED founder Jim Jannard thusly: The concept of RED was to build a camera with as much capability as possible... for the professional market. Then we thought we could extend it down a bit to the prosumer level. Apparently, that was a mistake. He also says that "plenty of companies [are] dedicated to selling prosumer (short for 'almost right') cameras. We aren't going to be one of them." And later, "we had no idea what we were doing... Nothing works like it is supposed to." Ouch. Although we respect the man's candor (if not his eyewear), it's hard to say exactly what this all means: is the Scarlet camera going to be scuttled completely (probably not), or merely priced out of consideration for the (well-heeled) consumer? Either way, you can officially consider us bummed out.
RED Scarlet gets HDRx capability, $1,000 price hike, and 'slight delay'
Two bits of bad news, one bit of good, folks. First with the latter: RED is putting HDRx in its upcoming Scarlet camera. No, not quite the halo-inducing HDR you're probably thinking of, this is better. Got that? Good, now for the lesson in TANSTAAFL: the upgrade is going to add about $1,000 to the Scarlet's eventual price tag, and additionally, there'll be a "slight delay" in the program. Just hang in there, and maybe grip your Mysterium X a little tighter tonight. No, not that tight, you don't want to break it.
RED Scarlet makes surprise cameo filming EPIC's fast focus
The two-second video after the break may not seem like much -- a RED EPIC S35 with a 85mm Canon lens changing its focus from a box at a distance to a hand being moved in front of the lens ("closer than close focus," according to "Fire Chief" Jarred Land). What's more interesting here is what was used to take the video. In the same forum thread that unveiled the footage, employees claimed it was shot using the RED Scarlet 2/3" and provided the above pic as proof: Scarlet is above, EPIC on the bottom, and a standard pocket camera capturing the moment. Not a lot to glean from the video and no definitive update on the production schedule, but hey, take solace in knowing a Canon mount for EPIC is ready and will be therefore presumably be available when the camera does eventually find its way out the door. Video and larger version of above pic after the break.
RED says EPIC camera is back on track, Scarlet to follow before end of 2010
RED may have shown off a working EPIC camera at NAB back in April, but a serious bug has prevented the camera from actually going into production -- to the point which RED founder Jim Jannard himself says that they're not just behind schedule anymore, they are "embarrassingly late." He now says that the company has managed to nail the bug, however, and that the camera is back on track to head into production... sometime. Jannard also assures us that production of the Scarlet camera (also affected by the bug) will then follow, although that depends on "how fast we can get EPIC production rolling and solid" -- he did later add that he expects it to be sometime before the end of the year, though.
RED Scarlet and Bomb EVF surprise hands-on!
We just got a terrific surprise at the Engadget CES trailer: Ted Schilowitz from RED popped in with a RED Scarlet and the Bomb EVF for a quick hands-on! Our video producer Chad Mumm basically attacked him, as did the rest of the crew -- pretty much everyone surrounded him as he pulled the Scarlet out of its pack. Chad actually shot video and did a little interview -- we'll get that up ASAP, but check out the pics in the gallery below. %Gallery-82517%
RED Scarlet 2/3 priced, detailed, and wanted
If you've been waiting for RED to release a product within reach of the prosumer class of shooters then this is it: the Scarlet 2/3. While the price is up from the original $3,750 lens and brain kit announced back in December 2008, an additional ASIC and four additional boards bring plenty of new features to help justify the price bump on this professional-grade camera. Scarlet starts with a 2/3-inch sensor in the $4,750 Scarlet 8X Fixed package (including "brain" and fixed 8x zoom lens, side CF module, REDmote, 2.8-inch touchscreen with "touch focus tracking," REDVOLT battery, and travel charger) or $2,750 for the Scarlet Interchangeable which includes the brain-only with adapters available for electronic RED, Canon, and Nikon glass. The resulting cam shoots 3k REDCODE RAW video at 120fps (150fps burst mode) and scaled 720p or 1080p recording at 60fps. Expect both models to ship in May or June assuming nothing goes wrong with the ASIC or firmware. Until then you can check the gallery for plenty of shots includes a glimpse of RED's mini primes and the 8x side-by-side with the 2/3 interchangeable.
RED DSMC specs detailed, prices start at $28,000 for EPIC-X, lower-end Scarlet still vague
Here we are at last. RED has finally dropped the full specs of at least one its "Digital Stills and Motion Cameras." And what did you expect? RED has naturally blown this thing out. The first camera to be released will be the insanely high-end EPIC-X, which will come out in four stages and retails for $28,000 (ouch). A pre-production "TATTOO" version will hit this year, followed by a production model for pre-existing RED owners next year, a release after that for RED trade-ins and then finally a widespread release. Meanwhile the Scarlet 2/3-inch camera (which is much more akin to current video-shooting DSLRs, though it doesn't have a full frame sensor) hasn't been given a price range or a release window, but promises to please with dual XLR inputs, electronic lens interoperability with RED, Canon and Nikon lenses (adapters required) and 1080p shooting at 60 fps. One great function shared between the cameras is the ability to operate the camera with a touchscreen and perform "touch focus tracking." So, now that we've frightened off all but the die-hards with a hint at pricing and some vaguely defined functionality, let's let the bullet points take it away after the break:
RED releases high-res images of accessories, no actual accessories
When RED's Scarlet and EPIC camera bodies finally became official late last year (after seemingly endless teasing) they were pictured with an almost farcical array of accessories. Nearly a year on and neither of the bodies nor any of those add-ons are available, but you can at least now get a higher-res look at all that wallet-tapping accoutrement. Pictured are the REDVOLT battery pack and its hot-swappable cells, the wireless REDMOTE controller, the BOMB EVF, a display screen, and even a rifle-like stock called the RED GUNNER. Some of these we've already seen in the flesh, others haven't been rendered with this much detail before, and sifting through the REDUSER.net forum where they were posted uncovers some other morsels to whet the appetites of photographers who like extreme stylistic touches. The juiciest is a mention that the release dates for EPIC and Scarlet will be announced in October -- which doesn't leave much time for a 2009 debut for the cameras themselves. %Gallery-74104%[Thanks, weaksauce12]
Oh, by the way: July 26, 2009
Here's some of the other stuff that happened in the wide world of mobile for the weekend of Saturday, July 25th, 2009: A small Chinese firm by the name of Beyond Radio Technology is working on an Android phone that they claim to have had in the labs for 18 months now. Problem is, they've posted screen shots, and they're clearly QVGA -- an instant fail. [Via Cloned In China] Sony Ericsson's PlayNow Arena app store is now accepting apps from developers. Paid apps must cost at least €3 (about $4.25), though freebies will also be allowed; free apps with ad support, however, will require some other form of agreement with Sony Ericsson. There are no submission fees or annual charges for devs, which is nice -- and interestingly, apps that are rejected will have a plan B in the form of official partner GetJar. Java and Symbian are being supported initially, with other platforms (ahem, Android) coming in the future. [Via mocoNews] All of the intel in the field is now pointing toward an August 5 launch for the BlackBerry 8520 "Gemini" on T-Mobile, which confirms earlier suggestions. Speaking of T-Mobile, the Samsung t659 -- codenamed "Scarlet" -- has been spotted in the wild. Unless you have a thing for 2 megapixel cameras, we wouldn't get too excited, but the presence of AWS 3G is always welcome. The global number two manufacturer, Samsung, released its Q2 results -- and they're looking pretty solid. The company managed to push some 52.3 million handsets in the three-month period and said that it'll make good on previous guidance (and then some) of hitting 200 million shipments for the year. [Via mocoNews] A poster over at the ever-trusty xda-developers has somehow managed to stumble upon themes for AT&T's upcoming Warhawk -- the carrier's version of the HTC Touch Diamond2 -- and they're looking mighty Windows Mobile 6.5-ish. [Via wmpoweruser.com and Fuze Mobility]
LG announces 1080p DivX support, release windows for new TVs
LG's always done a good job supporting DivX in its players and TVs, so this morning's press release announcing that the company will offer 1080p DivX support in its latest gear isn't all that surprising -- we're mostly excited because it suggests that the latest round of LED-backlit LCDs will arrive in "late May and late April." That's, uh, real soon now, so those of you waiting on a little Scarlet action in your lives should look sharp.
RED shows off DSMC cam configurations in the flesh, new lenses
RED fans have been getting quite an eyeful this week in the company's forums, as Jim Jannard and crew have been posting all kinds of sneak peeks at the company's latest gear -- including a few configurations of the modular DSMC EPIC and Scarlet systems in action. The company is also working on super-high-end prime lenses for their cameras that supposedly outperform every other test lens the company has in its possession -- Jannard says "it isn't close." As usual, RED doesn't say when any of this is coming out, but it's definitely enough to make a camera geek's hair stand on end -- check it all out in the gallery.[Thanks, Jun-Dai]%Gallery-46951% Read - Prototypes configurations thread Read - Prime lenses thread
LG unveils 42- and 47-inch Bluetooth LH70 HDTVs in Korea
Watch out, world -- LG's got two new Scarlet sets comin' atcha, and both of them sport integrated Bluetooth. The LH70 line will (at least initially) consist of two models, a 42- (39.7mm thin) and a 47-incher (40.9mm thin). Each set will feature a 100,000:1 contrast ratio, 120Hz technology, 2 millisecond response time, a USB port for connecting external media, a touch sensitive power button, DivX compatibility and an ambient light sensor to automatically adjust screen brightness in order to best fit the room and conserve energy. Per usual, there's nary a mention of price, availability or percentage chance that these make it out of South Korea, but we'll be keeping an eye out.[Via AkihabaraNews]
LG intros power-sipping LH30FD LCD HDTVs in Korea
Not even a month after LG outed its 50PQ60D and 42PQ60D Xcanvas plasmas over in South Korea, the company has introduced a trio of LCD HDTVs in the nation as well. The LH30FD models, all part of the burgeoning Scarlet series, are all presumably equipped with 1080p panels, inbuilt speakers and other modern amenities. While LG leaves out most of the details, we are told that all three sets boast a variety of picture modes, a trio of HDMI sockets and a four-step power saving mode that can purportedly "reduce power consumption by up to 70 percent." We've no way to prove or disprove that claim, but hopefully the stipulations will be spelled out more clearly when, er, if these migrate to America. As for those in Seoul, they can grab one later this month for ???2,400,000 ($1,725; 47-inch), ???1,650,000 ($1,186; 42-inch) or ???1,200,000 ($862; 32-inch).[Via Slashgear]
