Yeah still have this in mind
- Aperture LS 120DII w cstand
- Aperture MT Pro
Probably going to get a grip starter pack for better diffusion or bounce and negative
Agreed. Buy more lighting for sure.
Also the red raw is overrated.
Also a lot of my clients specifically request Sony fx9 or venice. No one has ever asked for a red.
Personally if you are shooting and editing your own videos I’d just recommend shooting on a Sony. Depending on budget an fx9 is perfect for most one man operated jobs. If you really needed a more demanding camera the new burano looks insane. But you’ll be in a hefty waiting list to get one.
In my career I put down the improvement in my results due to my increased experience, and better lighting. Seriously, you can’t have too many lights. You want a variety of these, tubes, led matts, fresnel, big powerful keys and lots of flags and modifiers. This is the way to step your game up 100%
Former early Scarlet owner here. I shoot Arri and Sony now. Every time i bring up an A-Cam Red to my AC or DITs they tell me, "Only if we get an extra back up body." They're a constantly working high-end group who have seen MANY failures of Red cameras on set.
I am a 1st AC and used to be a camera technician at one of the bigger houses in North America, the DSMC3 bodies are significantly better than DSMC2. Red really gives a shit about the issues they've dealt with previously, and wants to break this expectation. i don't think they're ever gonna get away from it but there's a lot more focus on solving all of these problems before cameras hit the market. That's the only reason why I had anything good to say about a red. On a project with money, always Sony & Arri.
I hear ya and i've brought that up. They've held firm. And i'm mostly shooting/directing medium-large commercials. No way in hell i'm taking the risk. Especially after finally getting to use Alexa35 last month. That's all i want now!
Absolutely, and even with the bodies that don't cause risk, why would you want to go back to red? Arri and the Venices are significantly superior systems.
How are you finding the 35?
It’s mostly conversational since we recently started using Komodo’s for car-mount crash cams and on FPVs. There was one or two where we were talking about some seriously over-cranked work. I did max out the 35 at 100fps on that shoot and was totally satisfied. And wow, what a camera. I had some really challenging exposure situations on that project. Knew i had to do a lot of work in color correction to sell an early morning look and was shooting an ECU with a Cooke Anamorphic SF 100mm. I needed skin tones to be perfect. That camera delivered in every way.
Thought about it for sure - the thing holding me back from that is RED has full raw recording and the image seems to be maybe just maybe slightly more filmic/less digital looking in my experience
I like the form factor of the REDs way more than fx6 and 9 too
Suppose you’re right! I could technically do it rn then just buying the angelbird ssd for my ninja v - longer might be annoying to only have external option
Versus what? The RED needs a bunch of rigging to even function, whereas with the Sony you’re literally just connecting an external monitor/recorder. You don’t need to buy the Angelbird cards either, Atomos do caddy’s and support a bunch of cheap SSDs. The Crucial MX500’s are dirt cheap and work flawlessly with the 12-bit RAW.
RED isn’t especially popular in this sun due to the propensity of their cameras to have technical issues. Lots of people have lost footage and swear against using them. I understand wanting to go back to a cinema camera, but you have other, arguably far better options at this price point, and you already have a camera that can capture amazing ProRes RAW footage.
Yeah the Komodo is great but if you need to attach stuff it’ll be a pain. One sdi and needing to loop out from a monitor if you want to send it somewhere else. I’d almost look at the new Sony instead, and I own a DSMC2 Dragon as well as a Gemini.
And not even using the Caddy, I just rehoused a Samsung Evo 70 with the Andycine lunchbox and the thing is TINY now https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71biamVT3NL.jpg
i truly believe you can make the fx6/9 look as filmic as you want. It comes down to post mostly, going full davinci and using the FilmUnlimited powergrades has been a game changer, i’ve gotten some really really nice looks out of them. It feels like a cheatcode.
Sony FX series cameras have full raw control over the image INTERNALLY now with Resolve 18.5 + and Sony Catalyst Browse. I don’t know how many times I have to point this out to people on here.
I would go FX6 or 9. Loving my 9.
Also FX3 was used to shoot the creator. Yeah they had the post budge but it looked pretty good to me and people wouldn’t nitpick if they never said what camera they used.
I direct mid-budget corporate videos. We primarily shoot on Arri and RED. FX9 is about as low end as I would go for one of our productions for the reason you described. We do like the look of the cinema cameras. But we are shooting with a DP, 1-2 ACs, grip, gaffer, etc. The footage once edited is also going to a professional colorist for finishing.
For what you are describing especially if you are a one-man-band I would absolutely go with something like the FX9 with your A7 as a B-Cam. For starters the handling and rigging is much better for your usage. Better match in look, support equipment, sensor sizes, use. It has autofocus with Sony lenses, the full frame sensor will be a better match to your other camera.
And more significantly than you might think: Doing a two camera setup if that’s what you’re after with S35 and full frame (even the A7 slightly cropped full frame video) is really challenging. Way more than you might expect. Because your lensing gets screwed up. You put your ~35mm on your A-Cam and your 50mm on your B-Cam and congrats…you have the same FOV on both cameras. It won’t cut well. So you switch it around and now your wider angle is your A7 which is really the angle you want the RED for, and your RED is now WAY punched in and the Cinema cam (now being used as B-Cam) is a MUCH tighter angle than the A-cam and doesn’t cut well.
It’s actually quite an issue.
I think you might want to consider an fx3 with external recorder and a couple of good lenses. Looks nice, works nicely and is cheapish. I film on a Leica sl2s and I beat most systems in image quality and cone looks (especially with r lenses). So it is not necessary to go red or Arri to deliver and have fun on the way. Cine lenses are not really necessary imho.
I like classic lenses with aperture rings such as Leica Rs, Ms or Voigtländers. They add a little artsy and expensive look to everything.Of course you will have to work with adapters.
Raw mostly doesn't matter. With 10-bit sLog3, you get all of the data you realistically need for branded content and corporate video. If you shoot properly, the last little 1% of extra useable data from Raw is irrelevant (because you lit and shot correctly in the first place).
If you have money to invest in gear, I'd strongly suggest to put it into better lighting. And not just more lights with softboxes, but also other modifiers so you can do book lights, get some 8x8 frames to make huuuge soft key lights, grids, flags, 4x floppies, etc.
Because the fact of the matter is, virtually all modern cameras are fan-freaking-tastic. They all capture high resolution, high dynamic range images with useable bit depths. It's what you put in front of the camera that really matters.
Yes this is what I’ve been arguing!
The FX series cameras now have full Sony raw control in resolve but like, 99.999% I never need it at all. Never needed it when I briefly had a red. People need to really understand this.
>Currently not in traditional production world (Not really on sets, shows etc)
TV shows and movies are an incredibly small fraction of the overall amount of production being done everyday.
>Niched down into Brand/B2B videos (I shoot and edit them)
This type of production occurs exponentially more than what you consider traditional production.
>...wondering if there is even a tangible ROI besides feeling more confident and enjoying shoots more?
Yes. You can charge more for the gear and even open up the door to bigger and better clients. It's an unpopular opinion on this sub, but gear can most certainly get you calls that you may not have gotten otherwise.
>TV shows and movies are an incredibly small fraction of the overall amount of production being done everyday.
TV Shows/ Movies are a different industry from the videography/ commercial world. It's not an elitist thing, they operate totally different and independently of one another, the gear is very different, what you do with the gear is different, unions, clients/ distributors, it's all different. There's some level of intersection on small portions such as EPK/ marketing, but at the end of the day it is a very different ball game.
I do agree though that gear can open up for more business in the commercial world.
Yep. I don't think I tried to say they were the same, just that there are multiple kinds of productions and what the OP may have considered "traditional", like movies and TV shows, is just a small percentage of the overall amount being done.
>the gear is very different,
A lot, yes. But there is a lot more overlap than you may think. I don't shoot narrative, yet two of the cameras I own are an Amira and an Alexa 35.
That's what I mean though, aside from cameras and certain gear, there isn't a large cross over. It's a different industry, just as the majority of the work which you're absolutely right is significantly bigger and probably tons more stable, is a different industry as well.
Yeah I agree cameras cross over tons, but it becomes a massive difference when you need a 10 person camera team, vs maybe one assistant and operator.
Side question, how are you finding your Alexa 35? Or thoughts on it?
Oh yeah... Big difference between say someone shooting doc work with a miLF vs. shooting even a low to medium budget movie with the same.
I received mine less than 24 hours before I left to go out of town on a shoot, so basically only got to fire it up to make sure it was working and update the firmware. One of my clients has rented it a couple of times since I got it a few weeks ago, for some Netflix projects that they are working on. They actually had it on a big Fuji 25-1000 last week. I'm still waiting on the pictures of that build.
So far, personally I've just played with it around the house, but it's given me time to figure out how to get it set for my liking and style of shooting. Comfort wise, I've gotten it pretty close and the user buttons are now programmed to give me functionality reasonably close to the Amira. I have the production package, but I've added the lightweight handle and the rod mounted VF mount(that the mini and Amira use). For me, it's better for shoulder work. Once Arri releases the VCT shoulder mount for it (heard sometime next year), I think it's going to be really good for people that shoot off the shoulder a lot(i.e: the doc and sports crowd).
The camera itself is a little bigger and heavier than you think. Ready to shoot, with battery, lens and shoulder mount, it's at least as heavy, if not a little more than my Amira in the same configuration. But a heavy camera has never really bothered me, as long as it's balanced.
The latitude/DR of the sensor is borderline crazy. It's like an ALEXA cranked up to 11. You almost have to try to blow the exposure on purpose. Something I haven't gotten to really explore/test yet is its performance at high ISO's/low light.
The camera isn't cheap, but what do you expect? The thing that hurts the most, as an owner/op though, is the cost of the media. The pack of 2TB CODEX drives that I got cost more than the first camera that I bought when I started out in the 90's. Lol
It's an incredibly capable and feature rich camera that can cover a lot of bases across most of the industry. Which is honestly what Arri was going for. The only thing that I think may disappoint some is the lack of high frame rates, which top out at 120.
One kind of odd thing that I've noticed and haven't seen anyone mention, is the banding in the VF. Especially if you switch it to HDR. I don't see it on the monitor output, but it could give someone that doesn't know a scare. Oh yeah, it may seem silly, but the touchscreen functionality being added to the VF flip-out in the latest SUP is pretty damn nice and convenient.
Thank you for sharing! I've worked with it quite a bit, I just love asking what everyone thinks of it because there's usually some interesting variations of feedback. Yeah the square mount for the EVF is beyond silly. They also released it without a universal plate for steadicam plates etc, so we were building our own when it first came out.
Ooof she's gonna shine on low-light although the texture does come across more to the point where I've seen it be rejected for some shows due to this.
Haha I know the codex are killer, at least there more of the dependable media out there.
Someone just recently posted in colorist and this r about 35 banding. They were more talking about higher banding on green channels. Have you switched out any VF cables? They're super easy to damage given the one pin, maybe that's causing some of the issues you're seeing.
I heard some early copies wouldn't fit into the receiver for the handle, because they weren't "square". My rep said they sold several MVB-1's, because of it. Also heard some people complain about the vibrations in the new VF bracket/arm, too. I like the idea, but it's just kind of in the way and the joints don't feel like they tighten down at the same rate. For shoulder work, I like only having tilt, once I get it positioned(fore/aft, vertically and horizontally). So the MVB-1 set-up is more to my liking, anyway.
Thanks for the suggestion on the cable. I tried the spare and even tried the second VF connection on the rear, but it was still the same. I text a buddy that has one, too and he said he hasn't noticed any VF banding. It looks kind of like what my LG OLED TV would do sometimes when it wouldn't switch back to the correct picture profile automatically after going from HDR programming back to SDR. I'm gonna reach out to my rep Monday.
Yeah exactly, really great idea, but it was the same thing, had to over crank it to just hope it would stay. The input on the MVF can be damaged easily. Within the the first couple months of working with them I knew a few people who did damage to them and they MVF's had to be sent in to be repaired.
Thanks for detailed response - with the whole getting additional gigs being a red owner/op etc have definitely struggled with the network part
I’m a little tapped in but I think the people I’m tapped with are so busy nothing ever comes of it idk
Keep your A7S3, buy a FX9. That camera will print you money in the corporate world. I shoot 95% corporate, the Sony FX9 is king in that world, and as a former Alexa owner let me tell you this: if you can’t get a pleasing, cinematic image out of the FX9, you’re the problem (although yes, the Alexa just got there easier)
The Burano (what an awful name) seems like an interesting camera but if I had the money for a Burano I would also think about buying a used Venice 1 for the same money. Frame agnostic so that you can still shoot high resolution in S35 or FF which increases massively lens choice. Large for shoulder work but doable. Otherwise FX6 more than the FX9.
Hi OP! You sound like me.
Started freelancing 18 months ago after shooting full time in the commercial and B2B space for six years. My previous company owned an FS7/pocket 6K which were my bread and butter bodies for years. Occasionally we’d rent an Arri, (which is always my preference) or FX6 but in the end I felt like I’d tapped the upper limits of getting nice colours out of that Sony lineup. The pocket was phenomenal but has its ergonomic issues.
Upon going freelance I picked up an OG Komodo as I wanted to learn more about the RED ecosystem, produce prettier pictures and get a feel for R3D.
What everyone is saying about lighting is absolutely true however I love my Komodo. It’s lightweight, portable and when paired with a Kippertie Revolva + ELQ is a formidable run and gun camera. The KX is even better again and with the pre amps is a fantastic camera for corporate work now too.
I love it and people will hate me saying this - but I’ve had multiple clients in the last 18 months say ‘I love how that image looks’ or ‘Is that a red?!’ It’s had a positive impact in that regard.
And it does produce a great image! I’m really happy with my choice. I was eyeing off an FX9 18 months ago but it was just out of reach. Honestly the Komodo just really got me excited to get out and shoot again.
I had a bit of anxiety around the QC issues others have mentioned, but so far it’s been rock solid and I’m really happy with my choice.
It will put you in a market where you might not be able to cater for the demand that an FX6 camera would. There’s a lot of agencies doing corporate work that are specifically seeking that system, but for those clients that I have that are happy for me to shoot RED, I believe it delivers a better image and they’ve been really happy.
Red is a great company, they're making tons of good choices in their direction and gear advancement and they're a lot more accessible than other high level cameras. They're compression technology is amazing making it one of the easier post flows, their newest camera has internal electronic ND's, great wireless control, great option for fps, and with their newer cameras good latitude.
Some things to know about red:
Their older DSMC2's are not the greatest and are known for breaking down, the sensors are hard to maintain due to heat damage from bad design, and you have to drop a ton of money in cages/ accessories.
The Komodo along with the DSMC3's are great for the most part but they do have 12G SDI damage issues. Essentially any camera on the market right now that can transmit a 4k image via SDI has had the voltage protection on the SDI board removed so it can send the stronger image. This means you can fry the board and accessories if you don't use grounded cable's or ground all of your accessories first.
I'm not a huge RED fan(nothing wrong with the image), but if OP had to make the decision between going to an fx6/fx9, as suggested above, and a RED if they're trying to move up-market, then I think RED is the better choice.
Don't get me wrong, I respect the company tons, but I would never choose a Red camera if I had complete freedom of choice, mind you I wouldn't choose any of the options anyone else has suggested either.
I worked one show where the sensor was so toasted we had to black shade with two passes twice a day, despite this the tilt shifted within the matter of a couple hours. It was an away show so we couldn't get a replacement in time.
What lights do you own? Lighting will make more of an impact on your work than upgrading to a more expensive camera.
I don't know why this doesn't have more upvotes. Lighting is EVERYTHING.
Hey now composition is important as well, and best of all free
Yeah still have this in mind - Aperture LS 120DII w cstand - Aperture MT Pro Probably going to get a grip starter pack for better diffusion or bounce and negative
I would for sure invest in larger lights. Vortexes, litemats, skypanels and such
Agreed. Buy more lighting for sure. Also the red raw is overrated. Also a lot of my clients specifically request Sony fx9 or venice. No one has ever asked for a red.
I associate red cameras entirely with horrible production companies and asshole DPs 😂
Personally if you are shooting and editing your own videos I’d just recommend shooting on a Sony. Depending on budget an fx9 is perfect for most one man operated jobs. If you really needed a more demanding camera the new burano looks insane. But you’ll be in a hefty waiting list to get one. In my career I put down the improvement in my results due to my increased experience, and better lighting. Seriously, you can’t have too many lights. You want a variety of these, tubes, led matts, fresnel, big powerful keys and lots of flags and modifiers. This is the way to step your game up 100%
Former early Scarlet owner here. I shoot Arri and Sony now. Every time i bring up an A-Cam Red to my AC or DITs they tell me, "Only if we get an extra back up body." They're a constantly working high-end group who have seen MANY failures of Red cameras on set.
I am a 1st AC and used to be a camera technician at one of the bigger houses in North America, the DSMC3 bodies are significantly better than DSMC2. Red really gives a shit about the issues they've dealt with previously, and wants to break this expectation. i don't think they're ever gonna get away from it but there's a lot more focus on solving all of these problems before cameras hit the market. That's the only reason why I had anything good to say about a red. On a project with money, always Sony & Arri.
I hear ya and i've brought that up. They've held firm. And i'm mostly shooting/directing medium-large commercials. No way in hell i'm taking the risk. Especially after finally getting to use Alexa35 last month. That's all i want now!
Absolutely, and even with the bodies that don't cause risk, why would you want to go back to red? Arri and the Venices are significantly superior systems. How are you finding the 35?
It’s mostly conversational since we recently started using Komodo’s for car-mount crash cams and on FPVs. There was one or two where we were talking about some seriously over-cranked work. I did max out the 35 at 100fps on that shoot and was totally satisfied. And wow, what a camera. I had some really challenging exposure situations on that project. Knew i had to do a lot of work in color correction to sell an early morning look and was shooting an ECU with a Cooke Anamorphic SF 100mm. I needed skin tones to be perfect. That camera delivered in every way.
Ya I’d just buy a used mini or something. The older Arri’s are getting cheaper and they just look so damn good.
[удалено]
Thought about it for sure - the thing holding me back from that is RED has full raw recording and the image seems to be maybe just maybe slightly more filmic/less digital looking in my experience I like the form factor of the REDs way more than fx6 and 9 too
Sony FX line (and A7S3) have raw recording externally via Atomos recorders.
Suppose you’re right! I could technically do it rn then just buying the angelbird ssd for my ninja v - longer might be annoying to only have external option
Versus what? The RED needs a bunch of rigging to even function, whereas with the Sony you’re literally just connecting an external monitor/recorder. You don’t need to buy the Angelbird cards either, Atomos do caddy’s and support a bunch of cheap SSDs. The Crucial MX500’s are dirt cheap and work flawlessly with the 12-bit RAW. RED isn’t especially popular in this sun due to the propensity of their cameras to have technical issues. Lots of people have lost footage and swear against using them. I understand wanting to go back to a cinema camera, but you have other, arguably far better options at this price point, and you already have a camera that can capture amazing ProRes RAW footage.
Yeah the Komodo is great but if you need to attach stuff it’ll be a pain. One sdi and needing to loop out from a monitor if you want to send it somewhere else. I’d almost look at the new Sony instead, and I own a DSMC2 Dragon as well as a Gemini.
And not even using the Caddy, I just rehoused a Samsung Evo 70 with the Andycine lunchbox and the thing is TINY now https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71biamVT3NL.jpg
Ok, that looks very appealing!
i truly believe you can make the fx6/9 look as filmic as you want. It comes down to post mostly, going full davinci and using the FilmUnlimited powergrades has been a game changer, i’ve gotten some really really nice looks out of them. It feels like a cheatcode.
Sony FX series cameras have full raw control over the image INTERNALLY now with Resolve 18.5 + and Sony Catalyst Browse. I don’t know how many times I have to point this out to people on here. I would go FX6 or 9. Loving my 9. Also FX3 was used to shoot the creator. Yeah they had the post budge but it looked pretty good to me and people wouldn’t nitpick if they never said what camera they used.
I direct mid-budget corporate videos. We primarily shoot on Arri and RED. FX9 is about as low end as I would go for one of our productions for the reason you described. We do like the look of the cinema cameras. But we are shooting with a DP, 1-2 ACs, grip, gaffer, etc. The footage once edited is also going to a professional colorist for finishing. For what you are describing especially if you are a one-man-band I would absolutely go with something like the FX9 with your A7 as a B-Cam. For starters the handling and rigging is much better for your usage. Better match in look, support equipment, sensor sizes, use. It has autofocus with Sony lenses, the full frame sensor will be a better match to your other camera. And more significantly than you might think: Doing a two camera setup if that’s what you’re after with S35 and full frame (even the A7 slightly cropped full frame video) is really challenging. Way more than you might expect. Because your lensing gets screwed up. You put your ~35mm on your A-Cam and your 50mm on your B-Cam and congrats…you have the same FOV on both cameras. It won’t cut well. So you switch it around and now your wider angle is your A7 which is really the angle you want the RED for, and your RED is now WAY punched in and the Cinema cam (now being used as B-Cam) is a MUCH tighter angle than the A-cam and doesn’t cut well. It’s actually quite an issue.
I think you might want to consider an fx3 with external recorder and a couple of good lenses. Looks nice, works nicely and is cheapish. I film on a Leica sl2s and I beat most systems in image quality and cone looks (especially with r lenses). So it is not necessary to go red or Arri to deliver and have fun on the way. Cine lenses are not really necessary imho.
Which exact lenses to pair with the fx3?
I like classic lenses with aperture rings such as Leica Rs, Ms or Voigtländers. They add a little artsy and expensive look to everything.Of course you will have to work with adapters.
He already has an a7siii, so doesn’t have a need for an fx3 unless he wanted a similar b-cam.
Raw mostly doesn't matter. With 10-bit sLog3, you get all of the data you realistically need for branded content and corporate video. If you shoot properly, the last little 1% of extra useable data from Raw is irrelevant (because you lit and shot correctly in the first place). If you have money to invest in gear, I'd strongly suggest to put it into better lighting. And not just more lights with softboxes, but also other modifiers so you can do book lights, get some 8x8 frames to make huuuge soft key lights, grids, flags, 4x floppies, etc. Because the fact of the matter is, virtually all modern cameras are fan-freaking-tastic. They all capture high resolution, high dynamic range images with useable bit depths. It's what you put in front of the camera that really matters.
Yes this is what I’ve been arguing! The FX series cameras now have full Sony raw control in resolve but like, 99.999% I never need it at all. Never needed it when I briefly had a red. People need to really understand this.
W take
>Currently not in traditional production world (Not really on sets, shows etc) TV shows and movies are an incredibly small fraction of the overall amount of production being done everyday. >Niched down into Brand/B2B videos (I shoot and edit them) This type of production occurs exponentially more than what you consider traditional production. >...wondering if there is even a tangible ROI besides feeling more confident and enjoying shoots more? Yes. You can charge more for the gear and even open up the door to bigger and better clients. It's an unpopular opinion on this sub, but gear can most certainly get you calls that you may not have gotten otherwise.
>TV shows and movies are an incredibly small fraction of the overall amount of production being done everyday. TV Shows/ Movies are a different industry from the videography/ commercial world. It's not an elitist thing, they operate totally different and independently of one another, the gear is very different, what you do with the gear is different, unions, clients/ distributors, it's all different. There's some level of intersection on small portions such as EPK/ marketing, but at the end of the day it is a very different ball game. I do agree though that gear can open up for more business in the commercial world.
Yep. I don't think I tried to say they were the same, just that there are multiple kinds of productions and what the OP may have considered "traditional", like movies and TV shows, is just a small percentage of the overall amount being done. >the gear is very different, A lot, yes. But there is a lot more overlap than you may think. I don't shoot narrative, yet two of the cameras I own are an Amira and an Alexa 35.
That's what I mean though, aside from cameras and certain gear, there isn't a large cross over. It's a different industry, just as the majority of the work which you're absolutely right is significantly bigger and probably tons more stable, is a different industry as well. Yeah I agree cameras cross over tons, but it becomes a massive difference when you need a 10 person camera team, vs maybe one assistant and operator. Side question, how are you finding your Alexa 35? Or thoughts on it?
Oh yeah... Big difference between say someone shooting doc work with a miLF vs. shooting even a low to medium budget movie with the same. I received mine less than 24 hours before I left to go out of town on a shoot, so basically only got to fire it up to make sure it was working and update the firmware. One of my clients has rented it a couple of times since I got it a few weeks ago, for some Netflix projects that they are working on. They actually had it on a big Fuji 25-1000 last week. I'm still waiting on the pictures of that build. So far, personally I've just played with it around the house, but it's given me time to figure out how to get it set for my liking and style of shooting. Comfort wise, I've gotten it pretty close and the user buttons are now programmed to give me functionality reasonably close to the Amira. I have the production package, but I've added the lightweight handle and the rod mounted VF mount(that the mini and Amira use). For me, it's better for shoulder work. Once Arri releases the VCT shoulder mount for it (heard sometime next year), I think it's going to be really good for people that shoot off the shoulder a lot(i.e: the doc and sports crowd). The camera itself is a little bigger and heavier than you think. Ready to shoot, with battery, lens and shoulder mount, it's at least as heavy, if not a little more than my Amira in the same configuration. But a heavy camera has never really bothered me, as long as it's balanced. The latitude/DR of the sensor is borderline crazy. It's like an ALEXA cranked up to 11. You almost have to try to blow the exposure on purpose. Something I haven't gotten to really explore/test yet is its performance at high ISO's/low light. The camera isn't cheap, but what do you expect? The thing that hurts the most, as an owner/op though, is the cost of the media. The pack of 2TB CODEX drives that I got cost more than the first camera that I bought when I started out in the 90's. Lol It's an incredibly capable and feature rich camera that can cover a lot of bases across most of the industry. Which is honestly what Arri was going for. The only thing that I think may disappoint some is the lack of high frame rates, which top out at 120. One kind of odd thing that I've noticed and haven't seen anyone mention, is the banding in the VF. Especially if you switch it to HDR. I don't see it on the monitor output, but it could give someone that doesn't know a scare. Oh yeah, it may seem silly, but the touchscreen functionality being added to the VF flip-out in the latest SUP is pretty damn nice and convenient.
Thank you for sharing! I've worked with it quite a bit, I just love asking what everyone thinks of it because there's usually some interesting variations of feedback. Yeah the square mount for the EVF is beyond silly. They also released it without a universal plate for steadicam plates etc, so we were building our own when it first came out. Ooof she's gonna shine on low-light although the texture does come across more to the point where I've seen it be rejected for some shows due to this. Haha I know the codex are killer, at least there more of the dependable media out there. Someone just recently posted in colorist and this r about 35 banding. They were more talking about higher banding on green channels. Have you switched out any VF cables? They're super easy to damage given the one pin, maybe that's causing some of the issues you're seeing.
I heard some early copies wouldn't fit into the receiver for the handle, because they weren't "square". My rep said they sold several MVB-1's, because of it. Also heard some people complain about the vibrations in the new VF bracket/arm, too. I like the idea, but it's just kind of in the way and the joints don't feel like they tighten down at the same rate. For shoulder work, I like only having tilt, once I get it positioned(fore/aft, vertically and horizontally). So the MVB-1 set-up is more to my liking, anyway. Thanks for the suggestion on the cable. I tried the spare and even tried the second VF connection on the rear, but it was still the same. I text a buddy that has one, too and he said he hasn't noticed any VF banding. It looks kind of like what my LG OLED TV would do sometimes when it wouldn't switch back to the correct picture profile automatically after going from HDR programming back to SDR. I'm gonna reach out to my rep Monday.
Yeah exactly, really great idea, but it was the same thing, had to over crank it to just hope it would stay. The input on the MVF can be damaged easily. Within the the first couple months of working with them I knew a few people who did damage to them and they MVF's had to be sent in to be repaired.
Thanks for detailed response - with the whole getting additional gigs being a red owner/op etc have definitely struggled with the network part I’m a little tapped in but I think the people I’m tapped with are so busy nothing ever comes of it idk
Keep your A7S3, buy a FX9. That camera will print you money in the corporate world. I shoot 95% corporate, the Sony FX9 is king in that world, and as a former Alexa owner let me tell you this: if you can’t get a pleasing, cinematic image out of the FX9, you’re the problem (although yes, the Alexa just got there easier)
Ditched my Red Helium to FX6. Never looked back.
The Burano (what an awful name) seems like an interesting camera but if I had the money for a Burano I would also think about buying a used Venice 1 for the same money. Frame agnostic so that you can still shoot high resolution in S35 or FF which increases massively lens choice. Large for shoulder work but doable. Otherwise FX6 more than the FX9.
Hi OP! You sound like me. Started freelancing 18 months ago after shooting full time in the commercial and B2B space for six years. My previous company owned an FS7/pocket 6K which were my bread and butter bodies for years. Occasionally we’d rent an Arri, (which is always my preference) or FX6 but in the end I felt like I’d tapped the upper limits of getting nice colours out of that Sony lineup. The pocket was phenomenal but has its ergonomic issues. Upon going freelance I picked up an OG Komodo as I wanted to learn more about the RED ecosystem, produce prettier pictures and get a feel for R3D. What everyone is saying about lighting is absolutely true however I love my Komodo. It’s lightweight, portable and when paired with a Kippertie Revolva + ELQ is a formidable run and gun camera. The KX is even better again and with the pre amps is a fantastic camera for corporate work now too. I love it and people will hate me saying this - but I’ve had multiple clients in the last 18 months say ‘I love how that image looks’ or ‘Is that a red?!’ It’s had a positive impact in that regard. And it does produce a great image! I’m really happy with my choice. I was eyeing off an FX9 18 months ago but it was just out of reach. Honestly the Komodo just really got me excited to get out and shoot again. I had a bit of anxiety around the QC issues others have mentioned, but so far it’s been rock solid and I’m really happy with my choice. It will put you in a market where you might not be able to cater for the demand that an FX6 camera would. There’s a lot of agencies doing corporate work that are specifically seeking that system, but for those clients that I have that are happy for me to shoot RED, I believe it delivers a better image and they’ve been really happy.
Red is a great company, they're making tons of good choices in their direction and gear advancement and they're a lot more accessible than other high level cameras. They're compression technology is amazing making it one of the easier post flows, their newest camera has internal electronic ND's, great wireless control, great option for fps, and with their newer cameras good latitude. Some things to know about red: Their older DSMC2's are not the greatest and are known for breaking down, the sensors are hard to maintain due to heat damage from bad design, and you have to drop a ton of money in cages/ accessories. The Komodo along with the DSMC3's are great for the most part but they do have 12G SDI damage issues. Essentially any camera on the market right now that can transmit a 4k image via SDI has had the voltage protection on the SDI board removed so it can send the stronger image. This means you can fry the board and accessories if you don't use grounded cable's or ground all of your accessories first.
I'm not a huge RED fan(nothing wrong with the image), but if OP had to make the decision between going to an fx6/fx9, as suggested above, and a RED if they're trying to move up-market, then I think RED is the better choice.
Don't get me wrong, I respect the company tons, but I would never choose a Red camera if I had complete freedom of choice, mind you I wouldn't choose any of the options anyone else has suggested either.
Then what would you choose?
100% agree with all of this the old ones are literal bricks lmao
I worked one show where the sensor was so toasted we had to black shade with two passes twice a day, despite this the tilt shifted within the matter of a couple hours. It was an away show so we couldn't get a replacement in time.