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Red's new flagship camera is the $80,000 Monstro 8K VV
RED's cinema cameras are too expensive for most of us, but they do push the state-of-the-art, making future cameras you can afford better. A case in point is RED's latest sensor called the Monstro 8K VV (Vista Vision). The bombastic name aside, it packs impressive specs. The sensor is 40.96 x 21.6 mm, which is slightly wider and slightly shorter than 35mm full-frame, handles 35.4-megapixel stills and 8K, 60 fps video, features 17+ claimed stops of dynamic range, and shoots at higher ISOs with lower noise than the last model.
RED reveals more about its holographic smartphone display
When RED Camera first announced its crazy $1,200 Hydrogen smartphone with a "holographic display," a lot of folks wondered how that would actually work. Now, CEO Jim Jannard has revealed that RED is creating the screen in partnership with a company called Leia Inc. (yes, like that Leia). A spin-off from Hewlett-Packard labs, it calls itself "the leading provider of light field holographic display solutions for mobile," and the key words "light field" gives us a pretty good idea as to how it works
RED’s $1,200 holographic phone features snap-on camera accessories
Digital camera maker RED is still releasing new products at different price points, like its $15,000 4K Raven bundle the company plans to release in a partnership with Apple. But the company's looking to enter the mobile market, revealing last month that its first device will be its holographic Hydrogen One smartphone with a planned sticker price of $1,200. While the earlier news was light on details and only had a render of the upcoming phone, a YouTuber just uploaded a hands-on experience with a prototype, giving us our first look at what it will actually look like.
RED starts selling its 'budget' $15,000 camera with Apple
RED, known for high-end cinema cameras used by James Cameron, Peter Jackson and others, has just formed a very unusual retail partnership. It's now offering the 4.5K, 120 fps RED Raven camera exclusively at Apple.com for a mere $15,000. That makes it far and away Apple's priciest third-party accessory, and the priciest product, period, on Apple.com, as far as I can tell -- and it's not exactly a thrift shop in the first place.
After Math: Bigger and better
It was a bumper week for big ideas. Jay-Z's latest album went platinum in under a week, despite it only existing in the ethers of the internet. RED (of high-end camera fame) revealed that it's working on a "holographic" cellphone. And Tesla is going ahead and building the world's biggest battery array down in Australia. Numbers, because how else will we decide which is best?
Camera maker RED is building a phone with a 'holographic' screen
We've seen the venerable Kodak and Polaroid brands slapped onto smartphones before, but RED — makers of those pricey digital cinema cameras — is trying something a little different. The company just revealed its plans to release the Hydrogen One, a high-powered, unlocked Android smartphone with prices starting at an eye-watering $1,195. That gets you an aluminum phone with some crazy looking grips; the titanium finish will set you back an extra $400. And here's the really crazy part: if RED can actually deliver what it promises, the Hydrogen One may actually be worth the asking price.
'Guardians of the Galaxy' team says why it used Red's 8K camera
When director James Gunn revealed that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 would be the first movie shot with Red's 8K Weapon camera, he triggered a bit of speculation: what prompted the move beyond the incredibly high resolution? You might have a better answer today. Red has posted a behind-the-scenes look at the movie that, to no one's surprise, talks a lot about why the Vol. 2 team shot with such relatively exotic gear. And no, it's not just about that picture quality.
RED's latest modular cameras pack 8K 'Helium' sensors
RED's new 8K Weapon and Epic-W cameras with the new "Helium" sensors are now shipping, giving cinematographers up to 35-megapixel RAW images at 60 frames per second. The $49,500 and $29,500 cinema cameras (respectively) aren't exactly consumer products, but they do represent the state of the art in digital video. Now that they're available, you can expect to see slightly sharper images in upcoming films by directors like Michael Bay, who received his own unit ahead of the release.
RED reveals a smaller 8K sensor for its Weapon camera
RED has revealed a new sensor called the "Helium" for its ultra-high megapixel 8K Weapon cinema camera. The chip will be 29.9mm wide (slightly bigger than Super-35), considerably smaller than the company's 40mm VistaVision sized 8K Dragon sensor. It still has the same 8,192 x 4,320 pixel count, however, giving it a pixel pitch of a miniscule 3.65 microns. RED President Jarred Land says the sensor is "way ahead of schedule," and will be available to buyers of its $60,000 Weapon camera "in the coming months."
Film's cinema comeback is driven by nostalgia, not logic
When Kodak declared bankruptcy and Fujifilm halted film stock production, things looked grim for celluloid. Shooting was going digital, and new cameras from Red, Sony and Arri produced quality nearly on par with 35mm cinema cameras. Film, however, has made a cinematic comeback. Last year saw a string of shot-on-film movies you may have heard of: Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Hateful Eight and Interstellar. The directors of those movies believe that film is superior for capturing images -- and Quentin Tarantino even thinks it's a better release format, judging by his Hateful Eight 70mm roadshow. On the other hand, we seem to have forgotten about the crappy theater release prints, environmental waste, extra cost and elitism of film, to name just a few issues. The latest digital cameras now equal or exceed photochemical celluloid in just about every way. Yet, we still hold onto film's unique look and even its faults. Are we just too used to it to move on?
'Guardians of the Galaxy II' to be shot with Red's 8K Weapon
Red and director James Gunn revealed that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 will be the first movie shot on the company's Weapon 8K digital cinema camera. The original film, which grossed nearly $800 million worldwide, was captured on Arri's Alexa XT camera. While directors like Quentin Tarantino and Christopher Nolan still demand celluloid film, digital cameras haven't exactly been sitting still. Red's 8K Weapon arguably rivals the resolution of 70mm film, even though the Vista Vision-size sensor is smaller. Arri, meanwhile, recently released the Alexa 65, a 6K cinema camera with a huge 65mm sensor.
Red launches the Scarlet-W, an entry-level 5K cinema camera
Shooting a film or commercial with the same high-end equipment as a Peter Jackson or David Fincher just got cheaper. Red just revealed the $9,950 Scarlet-W and Scarlet-W Monochrome, cameras that shoot 5K RAW video and 2K ProRes with the company's Dragon sensor. For slo-mo, the 3.5-pound camera can handle 60 fps in 5K widescreen, 150 fps at 4K, and 300 fps at 2K resolutions. The model sits between the high-end $29,000 6K Epic model and the recently launched $5,950 Raven. Red's Jared Land told No Film School that the Raven is intended for drone or gimbal work, while the Scarlet-W is an entry-level main camera. "All of our [latest] cameras have the Dragon sensor in common, so intercutting footage between the entire line is pretty seamless."
Use Snapchat Tuesday and the Gates Foundation will donate to AIDS prevention
Tomorrow is World AIDS Day, and as such the non-profit (RED) organization has plenty of activities planned to raise both money and awareness for its fight against the disease. If you're a Snapchat user, you can do your part just by adding a filter to your snaps: according to the LA Times, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will donate $3 to (RED) every time a Snap is posted that uses one of three custom "World AIDS Day" filters up to a grand total of $3 million.
Red reveals its most affordable 4K camera, the $5,950 Raven
Red, the company best known for professional cameras used on films like The Hobbit, has just launched a camera for producers with more modest budgets. Called Raven, it can produce 4,096 x 2,160 4k RAW video at up to 120 fps, and 2,048 x 1,080 ProRes at 60 fps max. Red has priced it at $5,950 for the body only, though you'll likely need to spend $10,000 or more before you can shoot anything. You'll get the same Red Dragon sensor that's on the company's $29,000 Epic, albeit a smaller version that's between APS-C and Micro Four Thirds sizes.
Canon's new $30,000 video camera can see where you can't
Canon is already competing with the Arri Alexa and Red cameras of the world, but it's about to take this one step further. Meet the ME20F-SH, a high-end video shooter that features a sleek, subtle and somewhat compact design. Most importantly, Canon's new camera can deliver an ISO equivalent of more than 4 million, instantly making it a prime option for people who need to capture footage in super-dark settings -- like a moonless night sky. The company believes its ME20F-SH is also great for production companies making films, reality television and documentaries. However, there are some limitations here. It only does 1080p, for one, which doesn't bode well in terms of being future-proof -- Canon says that had to be done to "achieve the highest possible low-light sensitivity," which would otherwise be reduced if it went with a higher resolution and, consequently, smaller photosites.
NASA shows off the International Space Station in glorious 4K
NASA's International Space Station team recently got a big camera upgrade in the form of RED's Epic Dragon, and it's more than a little eager to show off what this high-resolution gear can do. The agency has started posting 4K videos (sorry, no 6K yet) that show what life is like in orbit in exceptional detail. You can make out the finer details of clouds on Earth, for instance, or see every last nuance of a zero-gravity water bubble.
Apple raised more than $20 million in holiday Product (RED) campaign
Apple raised more than US$20 million in its recent Product (RED) holiday campaign, reports Re/code citing an internal email that Apple CEO Tim Cook sent to employees. "I'm thrilled to announce that our total donation for this quarter will be more than $20 million - our biggest ever - bringing the total amount Apple has raised for (PRODUCT) RED to over $100 million," Cook wrote. "The money we've raised is saving lives and bringing hope to people in need. It's a cause we can all be proud to support." As part of its Product (RED) campaign, Apple partnered with well-known iOS developers for its Apps for (RED) promotion, which was highlighted in the App Store. Developers created Product (RED)-themed apps with the proceeds from app and in-app purchases going to the campaign. Apple also donated a portion of its online and retail sales on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Apple announces new 'Apps for (RED)' campaign and retail sales donation for World Aids Day 2014
Apple yesterday announced its plans to support (RED) and mark World Aids Day 2014 by donating a portion of global online and retail store sales collected on Black Friday (November 28) and Cyber Monday (December 1). Apple also is setting up a special "Apps for (RED)" and Games for (RED) sections in the App Store featuring 25 apps with exclusive new content for the promotion. "Apple is a proud supporter of (RED) because we believe the gift of life is the most important gift anyone can give," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "For eight years, our customers have been helping fight AIDS in Africa by funding life-saving treatments which are having a profoundly positive impact. This year we are launching our biggest fundraising push yet with the participation of Apple's retail and online stores, and some of the brightest minds in the App Store are lending their talents to the effort as well." The new App Store sections will be available starting Monday, November 24 and will remain a focus in the App store through Sunday, December 7. Highlighted (RED) Titles include Star Walk 2, Clear task manager, Over, Threes! and more. All proceeds from both app and in-app purchases will go directly to the Global Fund to fight AIDs.
Apple partners with app developers to raise money for AIDS research
Apple has teamed with select app developers on a fundraising initiative for (RED) and World AIDS day (Dec 1st). For the next two weeks there will be a dedicated a section of the App Store where 25 partnering apps will be available with new or exclusive content. Titles taking part include high-profile names such as Angry Birds, FIFA 15, FarmVille and djay. All the sales revenue (including in-app purchases) from this section will go to (RED)'s Global Fund campaign. In addition to the apps, Apple is pledging to contribute a slice of select Black Friday sales, and is donating a portion of all retail sales on December 1 (cyber Monday). Apple has a long history of working with (RED), a charity co-created by Bono -- famously close to Cook's organisation. A relationship that has already seen Apple raise over $65 million for the fight against AIDS -- a figure you get to augment while spreading a little festive cheer this year.
Panasonic and Red hope to replace photos with frames of video
If you're worried about missing a once-in-a-lifetime photo op, Panasonic and Red have a proposition: Why not shoot ultra high-res video and just grab still images? Both companies had the same idea at Photokina 2014 (though Red had it long before that), albeit with wildly different thoughts about price and quality. Panasonic's system is called "4K Photo," and allows you to extract a still from its 4K, 30 fps, 100 Mbps video stream, for as little as $900 on the new LX100 compact camera. Red, on the other hand, has got a more extreme plan: Capture up to 100 fps, 19-megapixel RAW stills starting at $17,000 for its Red Scarlet Dragon cinema camera.
