All you need to know about the Red One

  RED ONE:

Can the Red One be considered a video camera?

Given the basic definition of video being a SD or HD the Red One clearly doesn't fit the category. Described as a digital cinema camera, the Red One more resembles a RAW file based still DSLR.

 

Why "Red"?

Red is simply the colour that represents strength, power and passion, in addition to being chosen as a favourite colour by a high percentage of the population. When researching the colour Red, one learns that Red "grabs attention" and gets people to "take action".

 

Where is the Red One made?

All design and engineering for the Red One is located in Southern California, USA. Manufacturing and assembly of Red One took place in Singapore until recently.

 

What cameras does the Red One compete with?

Because the Red One is a digital cinema camera (and not an HD video camera), the list of competitors is a short one. Cinema, or film based, cameras offer resolution rated a little over 3K. The Red One , at 4K, provides approximately 3.2+K resolution, based on the slight hit of an optical low pass filter  used to reduce the effect of aliasing. It is safe to say that Red's biggest competition comes from film, and as the sensor technology continues to improve, while film's days of progress are numbered, the promise of digital acquisition will be realized. The advantage film has currently is one of dynamic range. With each generation of Red sensor development, the gap becomes narrower and narrower.

 

Why was the Red One developed?

The man behind Red is Jim Jannard, founder and previous owner of Oakley, a multi-billion dollar sunglass and sports apparel manufacturer. It was Jim's passion for imaging technology and the search for his ultimate camera that led him to starting a company that could build the camera he couldn't buy. It was Jim's plan to challenge the conventions of planned obsolescence in today's technology, building a camera for tomorrow. Red was created by the perfect storm of Passion, Resources and Technological Advance.

 

Can a Red One record in black and white?

The Red One records a RAW signal off of the sensor, so all colour, or lack of it, can be adjusted in post-production. The Red One offers the ability to remove colour in-camera as well, through tagged metadata, so that when the files are brought into post, the image appears in black and white. It is important to note that the REDCODE® file is captured as RAW data and untouched by any colour or gain settings made in camera.

 

 

What tripods are recommended for the Red One?

There are many excellent tripods available for the Red One made by O'Connor, Cartoni, Miller and Sachtler, just to name a few. Red recommends, at minimum, a fluid head capable of supporting a minimum of 40lbs., such as an O'Connor 1030HD PRO. Optimum would be a head capable of greater load, such as the O'Connor 2060HD.

 

What type of lens can I put on a RED ONE?

The RED ONE offers a variety of choices when it comes to lens options by virtue of its interchangeable PL lens mount. Most PL mount lenses are compatible and capable of covering the full sensor area. With a Canon or Nikon mount adapter (replacing the removable PL mount), one can use traditional Canon and Nikon 35mm still camera lenses and also have full sensor coverage. S16 lenses with PL mounts may also be used, but for use with 2K recording only, as the coverage will be insufficient for full sensor.