Hands On With Epic M: Digital FX

Red One/Epic/Scarlet/HD frame sizes.

Ted - IBC 2011 interview.

Scarlet info is 3 mins in - tough questioning !

Ted - Red Scarlet latest.

Red Epic/Scarlet Shoulder Mount

Ted From Red: Scarlet Pre NAB Preview

Ted From Red: One Camera To Rule Them All

Ted Schilowitz REDmote iPad Controller

More NAB Scarlet/Epic interviews

Poor Ted - sounding exhausted !

Utah Camera Rentals (US): Scarlet at the Sundance Festival

Ted Schilowitz from RED - the hardest working man in the film business, taking time out from dinner to do an impromptu demo on the weekend!

Engadget (US): Latest Scarlet mini Prime preview with Ted from RED.

Engadget (US): Latest Scarlet 8X Zoom Picture

This is one beautifully designed and engineered product. Looking forward to hearing more of the Epic S, it's been a bit quite on that front recently.

Thanks to Engadget for the picture.

Latest CES Red Scarlet demos (US) 2011

Thanks to Revision 3, TechcrunchTV, Engadget and The Guardian.

Red's Ted gives another peak at Scarlet at Red Studios.

Red Scarlet 2/3" Fixed Camera Coming To CES 2011 - preview video w/ Ted Schilowitz from Tonaci Tran on Vimeo.

Sensor Chart: Fascinating illustration of sensor sizes.

2011: The Year Scarlet drops and changes everything

In many ways 2009 and 2010 belonged to the Canon 5DMKII. It certainly did in my sphere. A full frame sensor, super filmic shallow depth of field, class leading L Series glass, incredible low light performance and long exposure timelapse combined with a tiny form factor - this camera recalibrated what was expected from a video camera. Then came 24P and 25P recording at FULL 1080P and the flood gates opened to the cheers of those who strived for a high production value film look to their, err, films !

The camera certainly has its limitations though and the plethora of accessories that the operator has to invest in to achieve professional results is a testament to that. However, used on the correct job the 5DMKII has been an unbeatable tool that delivers a beautiful film look.

For me, 2011 looks to be the year of the RED Scarlet and it's variants. This camera is a very smart product from a company with its eye firmly on the ball. It takes the form factor of a DSLR like the 5DMKII and adds the professional tools and functionality of a much larger camera.

The Scarlet has long been rumoured and was supposed to ship early 2010. RED build great cameras but sticking to their release dates is not a strong point. RED like to say that their products may be behind their own release schedule but they are still 2 years ahead of the competition. It's a good point.

I am keeping a close eye on this product. It records at 3K (cinema cameras record at 4K and FULL HD 1080P is less than 2K). That gives you some idea of where this camera is aimed at. There will essentially be two flavours. Two models based on the 2/3rd sensor (fixed 8x Zoom lens and and an interchangeable lens version) and an interchangeable lens version based on the Super35 sized sensor. It’s the latter that interests me at the moment. A rugged bodied small camera that records at 3K with PL mount for cinema lenses and a massive Super35mm sensor.

On paper things look relatively affordable. Relatively being the key word. Compared to the 5DMKII not so much though! And you have to purchase everything separately - even the new Bomb EVF viewfinder is an accessory that is over £3,000. But this is not a 5DMKII competitor, it’s a much higher end unit than the HDSLR market needs - the 5DMKII (and MKIII?) will be around for quite some time yet. Personally I can envisage keeping my 5DMKII’s and investing in Scarlet S35 (now renamed Epic S), I will be able to use my great Canon L Series glass in the transitional period and look at upgrading to Zeiss CP.2 compact primes when the time is right.

There is a lot of pent up demand for a product like the Scarlet (and Epic S35), RED are renowned for changing every aspect of the spec including the price point as they see fit. Let’s see how the product crystalises in the next few months - will it be an #EPICWIN or #EPICFAIL ?!

Tonaci Tran (US): First public hands on with Scarlet.

This is the very first public footage of a working Red Scarlet Fixed Lens camera. Thanks to Tonaci on Vimeo

RED Scarlet (US):Tonaci Tran is the first 'real' person to hold Scarlet!

This is the first picture of a Red Scarlet out in the wild. Quite a big day - as it has time to time been written of as a fantasy of RED's. Not any more - it lives, it breathes!

This is the 8x Zoom fixed lens 2/3rds Sensor variety. I am interested in the interchangeable PL Mount EPIC S version that will have a Super35 Sensor. That means cinema Ziess Compact Primes will be able to be used with this Super35 sensor at a much more affordable price point (Still quite an investment with each lens being around £3,500).