RED Epic with the 6K Dragon Sensor.
The RED Epic with the 6K Dragon Sensor became available last year, almost two years after the the original announcement. Of course being a small company, developing bleeding edge technology can be messy. But the new cameras are finally turning up. Each is produced to order by hand, with prior RED Epic owners among the first to be offered an upgrade. The ability to just pop in a new sensor, along with some firmware updates, is a boon to owners. To date, though, ramping up manufacturing has been slow. There just haven’t been many Dragon-ized REDs available for rental until now. Of course you can buy the camera from dealers such as AbelCine, but the starting price comes in around $50,000.
Does a great sensor make for a great camera? Not always, though RED owners and others can get touchy about anything less than a rave rating. If you want to make sure that you can resist the Kool-Aid, you might want to read Art Adams carefully considered response to criticism from RED founder Jim Jannard.
Many have been waiting for this bump up in resolution. As RED’s PR has it, you can now “capture over 9x more pixels than HD”, and you had better have enough storage to handle that. The sensor sits in a new carbon fiber/magnesium body, dropping 1 pound compared to the prior model. HBO uses two of the EPIC M cameras on its ‘Game of Thrones’ series; the extra resolution handles compositing in the popular, visual-effects heavy show. David Fincher, a top director who is also a bit of a tech geek, used the camera to shoot his latest feature “Gone Girl”. According to reports, he uses the resulting large frame in post to move around a viewport, choosing the ideal framing. “Gone Girl” will open the 52nd annual New York Film Festival.
We’ve included a press release from Adorama Rental about the recent availability of the camera, but other in town rental houses offer it including OffHollywood. You can also check out the RED Owners Rental Group page for available gear. With some 15 to over 16 stops of dynamic range (the number seems to vary), RAW output, and improved color rendering, the 6K Dragon sensor might be a good choice for your production.
Here’s the release:
Adorama Rental Co (ARC), the industry source for professional cinematographers, videographers and photographers, is now renting out the RED Epic Dragon Sensor digital cinema camera. The brand new 6K RED Dragon® sensor allows filmmakers to capture over 9x more pixels than HD, while 19 MP packs in detail beyond belief. The RED Epic is helmed as a groundbreaking still and motion camera that can capture up to 100 frames per second at full resolution, translating into thousands of chances to capture the perfect image.
ARC rental rates for the RED Epic Dragon Sensor Camera start at just $910. The camera can be ordered with mounts compatible for Leica-M, Canon EF, Nikon and PL lenses. Filmmakers can use the camera with any of their own lenses or additionally rented lenses, and can add a host of accessories from ARC’s inventory to complete their filmmaking package for any type of shooting environment.
Access to one of the world’s most advanced cinema cameras has never been easier. The RED Epic Dragon’s compact form factor, 6K resolution and wide dynamic range make it the perfect solution for 3D capture. The new RED Dragon sensor features the company’s most advanced color science yet, resulting in softer skin tones, richer and more vibrant primary colors, and in general, colors that are more true to life than ever before. The RED Dragon sensor has exceeded all expectations with a 101 DxOMark Sensor Score, making it the new reigning champion in dynamic range. REDMAG SSD media is a solid state media solution for the EPIC Dragon camera. Storage capacities of 48GB, 64GB, 128GB, 256GB and 512GB allow cinematographers to choose the media that fits their storage and budgetary requirements for any production.
Find ARC Rental Rates For:
RED Epic 6K Dragon PL Camera
RED Epic 6K Dragon EF Camera
RED Epic 6K Dragon Nikon Camera
RED Epic 6K Dragon Leica Mount Camera
About Adorama Rental Co
Adorama Rental Co has been in business since 1988 and has become the ultimate industry source for professional cinematographers, videographers and photographers. ARC rents and supports a full range of still and motion cameras, including lenses and accessories, lighting and grip equipment. It is a “one-stop” destination for every kind of shoot, carrying the most comprehensive list of DSLRs, digital backs, video and digital cinema cameras, strobes and continuous lights, at rates that make sense. Adorama Rental Co is a division of Adorama (www.adorama.com), one of the world’s largest photography, video, imaging and electronics retailers. Visit Adorama Rental Co atwww.adoramarentals.com.