RED ONE Florida - Frequently Asked Questions

Why Shoot in 4K?

The RED ONE Cinema camera allows you the option to shoot in 2K, 3K, or 4K. When in 4K, the entire Mysterium sensor is utilized, delivering a picture resolution of 4096x2304. In comparison, most of today's HD cameras output an image of 1920x1080, but in reality only record an image 1440x1080 and have to res-up to a full HD image.

As you can see in the diagram below, the RED ONE captures significantly more information than is required by any of today's output methods, thus eliminating the need to up-rez.

Format Comparison:

How is the RED different than Film?

Cost. Time. Flexibility.

Modern film workflow includes scanning the processed film for editing and post production. That scan is done at 2K, unless it is being used for special effects, in which case it's at 4K. By shooting with RED you already have the pristine 4K image you want and haven't paid for any film or processing.

You can record up to three hours of 4K footage onto a single RED RAID Drive. This is significantly cheaper than purchasing film stock. Once you have completed a shot, you can immediately view it, no longer having to wait for film dailies.

The RED also gives you the option of spontaneously shooting supplemental shots that you may not have had the time or resources for when recording with film. Artistic choices made on set like exposure, tinting, etc. aren't final with the RED. The RAW footage can be retrieved at any time and given a completely different look.

What lenses do you use with the RED?

We offer two lens options: a PL mount or a Nikon SLR mount. The PL mount allows you to attach a Super 16 or 35mm cinema lens. Our current PL mount package includes a Zeiss 14mm T2 Prime lens and a Cooke Techno 25-250mm zoom lens. For more budget-conscious productions, a Nikon SLR lens with the Nikkor mount can be chosen and still capture a 4K image. Our current Nikons include a 24mm Prime, a 50mm Prime, and a 70-300mm zoom.

Of course you can also use your own PL mount or Nikon lenses.

What advantages do I have with the RED on set?

One advantage is that once a scene is completed, you can connect the RED Drive directly to a laptop on set and drop the proxy files into your timeline to compare and match to footage you have previously shot. Another convenient feature is that your footage is stored on a sturdy, compact portable hard drive, safe from the elements.

What process do you use for editing?

There are many proven workflows for working with RED footage depending on your project and final format. We use RED’s proprietary software like RED Alert! and REDCINE-X to create custom looks for the footage. We utilize both Apple and Adobe platforms for editing:

Apple - We import high quality Pro Res encoded footage into Final Cut Pro 7 taking full advantage of professional applications including Motion, Shake, Compressor and Color.

Adobe - The Production CS4 package allows us to import and edit directly from the RED R3D files while still maintaining the ability to adjust the metadata during the edit. We then dynamically link the sequence to After Effects for a true 32 bit render in files up to 4K.

Different workflow are adapted to best match your project. For example, the workflow for a commercial will be different than for implemented for a feature film.

What output options do I have?

Shooting with the RED offers unlimited options for output delivery. In addition to the ability to export any flavor of HD (1080p, 720p, etc.), you can also export 4K or 2K .dpx files that can be transferred directly to film. In short, we can custom export any size you require.