Archive notice: This article was originally published on April 26, 2006. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
Even though the camera is not to be available until the end of the year and cannot even be seen yet at the NAB booth of the Red Digital Cinema Camera Company (RED), „Red one“ is already attracting attention. According to company information, the underlying 12-megapixel chip has a native resolution of 4.520 x 2.540 pixels and can record up to 30 full frames per second at 4K and up to 60 full frames per second at 2K.
In terms of contrast, the camera is intended to keep up with film cameras with a dynamic range of more than 66 dB. The color depth is to be 10 bit, most likely selectable between logarithmic and linear. For recording in 4K, the camera supplies uncompressed RAW data. For 2K 1080i/p and 720p there is the Redcode codec, a wavelet codec with variable bitrate.
When the camera is used to its maximum, the amount of data delivered would be approximately 1,2 GByte per second. For these extreme data rates, RED wants to offer the Red-Raid, which records images directly to a hard-disk array. The camera has a Fibrechannel and an Infiniband interface through which data can be recorded on any desired data carrier.
The chip and its electronics are housed in a robust casing made from a magnesium-aluminum alloy with a PL mount. This means that all professional film lenses and Digiprimes can be used with it. RED has also planned its own lens set specifically designed for this camera, production of which has just started.
It will still take time before the camera actually reaches the customer. It is expected to happen in the first quarter of 2007. However, it is already possible to make a deposit of 1.000 US dollars and be placed on the waiting list. If the customer ultimately decides against the camera after all, he gets his money back, it says.
The price of the camera is to be 17.500 US dollars, which is far below the price of the 4K camera already available from Dalsa. The first lens, a 300/2,4 prime lens, is to cost 4.750 US dollars. Since the camera as such does not yet exist, however, all information should be treated with caution.
The manufacturer plans to show the first images at IBC 2006.
Further links:
- Red Digital Cinema Camera Company (RED)
