Top 5 Things at NAB ‘08

1.) Red Scarlet/Red Epic - one for home, one for SERIOUS D-cinema work. Scarlet is easily summed up - “3K for $3K” - with 3K sensor that can shoot up to 120 fps for under three grand, when it ships in 2009 it will be a tough price point to beat. Red Epic, meanwhile, with better quality Redcode RAW, and 5K resolution at up to 100fps for only $40K, should be an indie filmmaker’s new Must Have.

2.) Codex Portable - record dual link HD-SDI or even RAW formats the latest cameras using 4:1 wavelet technology, on a breadbox sized package you can sling over your shoulder. Add the virtual file system on top of that, as well as the ability to transcode material in-the-box, you’ve got a helluva solution for a damned attractive price.

Red One News - Builds, Lenses, Accessories

...so besides Scarlet, Epic, and Red Ray, there was (Oh Yeah!) news for Red One too. They have some new lenses, accessories, and firmware builds coming for the Red One. I got hands on with the big honkin’ 18-85mm zoom, and it is GOOD. I looked at the new 7” Pro LCD and I like it. Read on for the details that aren’t on the website.

Red Ray - 2+ Hour 4K playback for under $1000…from a burnable DVD

On the show floor, I’ll try to clean this up later, but here’s the scoopage:

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Playback device, 4K in, 4K, 2K, 1080p, 720p, or SD out from Red Disc, Red Express, or native R3D files from CF

RED / RED RAY

Favorite quote from Ted Schilowitz, Leader of the Revolution for Red:

“We consider 1080p Blu-ray to be a stopgap solution. The future is way beyond 1080p.”

Read on below for all the nifty details:

Red Scarlet - 3K for $3K…at up to 120fps

Again, I’m on the show floor and working fast, so here’s the scoop on Red’s new professional camera that is high end consumer priced:

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: 3K for $3K, 2/3” Mysterium X Sensor, 1-120 fps (180 fps burst mode), up to 100 MB/sec Redcode RAW & RGB recording to dual compact flash, 4.8” LCD, 8x T2.8 Red Zoom lens (fixed lens), full auto or manual shooting modes, HDMI, HD-SDI (4:2:2 likely), FW800, Still mode, WiFi control, compatible with many Red One accessories (as shown on show floor).

RED / SCARLET

Here’s some of my own pictures of the prototype.

Read on the all the gory details:

Red’s new Epic camera - 5K RAW, 100fps, $40K

OK, I’m on the show floor and furiously typing this up, so this is quick, rough, but info-laden -

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: $40K, 5K, 1-100 fps, Super35mm coverage, up to 100MB/sec Redcode (yes, MB not Mb), FW800 & USB 2.0, Redcode RAW & RGB to RedFlash, dual link HD-SDI, 2 XLR, upgradeable sensor, body, boards & mount, 6 pound machined aluminum body, hybrid stainless steel mount, compatible with MOST but not all Red accessories. Ships “early 2009”

RED / EPIC

Read on below for all the gory details.

Blogwad - press releases of interest for NAB 2008

So I’m digging through all 100+ NAB related emails, to figure out what is worth checking out this week. In no particular order, here is cut & paste PR copy of what caught my eye to check out. I’m not advocating anything in particular, other than just “this caught my eye.”

First item, goes without saying, is abusing my Exhibitor badge to be parked front and center Monday morning at Red’s booth, I have a 10am interview with Ted, which will have given me enough time to see what’s up in the booth to start drilling him on questions. OK, let the PR-speak commence - this is copy/paste, not my interpretation:

Mike’s Notes from Saturday’s Digital Cinema Summit

Mike on the scene at NAB

Hey all - just a quick note to let you know I’ll be at the NAB show - today is Saturday, and I’m just sitting down at the Digital Cinema Summit to take notes on…whatever they are going to talk about next.

I’ll be bouncing between this and the Digital Tech Guru panels today/tomorrow, with maybe some DP panels as well - gotsta get me 5 minutes to see the schedules, work has been INSANELY busy this week (another post entirely).

Monday morning first thing I have an interview with Ted Schilowitz in the Red booth, and with anticipation of Scarlett (“professional, handheld camera”), 4K displays, 4K projectors, 4K distribution system, and a new Red reel I’ve been seeing pieces of for a few months, should be a helluva show.

I’ll be abusing my access priviledges to get in bright and early…for your benefit.

I’m also, through work, going to be spending some time with the Codex and S.two booths, they should both have some very interesting announcements, and other stuff as well of course.

It’ll be an interesting show with both Apple and Avid off the floor. I noticed Apple shipped Final Cut Server quietly last week, and Avid had some good announcements too.

: )

-mike

UPDATE - aaaaaaand then work intervened. I took some demo footage over to the Band Pro booth, and Randy Wedick and Michael Bravin gave me a quickie look-see at the new Sony F35 camera. It is the Genesis sensor (striped CCD) 35mm sized, with a PL mount, on what is otherwise an F23 body. Better brains behind it, so some image enhancements in the circuitry. More later.

I also got a quickie looksee at the Angineux Rouge lens, I will HAFTA check me out that! Aimed at the Red camera crowd.

-mike, yet again

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