RED CAMERA
Sam Longoria:
"I'm a 4k convert. I'm a film guy all the way. (S8/R8/16/35/65mm/Imax). I've shot and built a few cameras, but I see we've reached the tipping point, in the film biz.
You can hang on to all your old film equipment, or you can sell it for a song, to me and other collectors. For shooting and theatrical presentation, Digital is now where it's at, I am sad yet cautiously glad to report.
I was on the Visual Effects Society "Golden Eyes" panel in Hollywood, and we looked at all the different digital formats, A/B with 35mm. We had to take an eye test to get on the panel!
I sat between Richard Edlund ASC and László Kovács ASC for a week, and screened movies in the old Warner theatre (Pacific), it was Heaven.
Richard said it, and at first I didn't agree, but now I admit it...4k digital looks as "good as film." Film has 10k resolution, and Digital is only 40% of that, but you can only measure the difference, you can't see it.
RED is a camera that will pull HD 2k or 4k, and it is light and small and really good quality, and blows the doors off HD, which is only 2k.
Starting with "Attack of the Clones," the "Star Wars" movies were shot in 2k HD. Please realize it took all George Lucas's money and his whole ILM studio to make the 2k digital image look that good.
George says "Where We Are Now" is just the beginning of Digital Filmmaking. This is as poor an image and process as it will be. It will only get better-faster-cheaper from here. Good to remember.
Roger Ebert rightly points out the original "Star Wars Trilogy" films have more "punch" to them. They look better-sharper-clearer. That's because they were made on film. That may get better, as storage and pipelines get better-faster-cheaper.
Now, as to camera size. YUM! I've had Super 8mm and video cameras bigger than the RED. It is little and mighty. Yes...I have Techno-Lust.
Ryan Jorgensen reminds me not to forget the beautiful glass sitting at the front of the RED! Of course. Ryan and Jared went for the beautiful Leica Primes. No flares, just perfect.