You have to hand it to RED – they always push their products in unexpected directions and break new ground from a technical perspective. While I’ve always preferred the Arri to the RED (and not just because of the difference in image quality), the evolution of RED’s ever-evolving camera lineup is certainly fascinating.
Recently, RED commissioned two cameras for two of the most famous directors of our time, Michael Bay and David Fincher. Not surprisingly, given the two directors’ radically different approaches to filmmaking, their custom-designed cameras are also vastly different. After reading some specs Cinema 5Dwhich I’ve also listed below, I can’t help but feel that Fincher’s camera is more in line with what I’m looking for in a cinema camera.
Let’s take a look at each one.
Michael Bay’s red “Bayhem”
Bay’s camera was custom-made for his latest action, “Transformers: The Last Knight,” and it focuses more on the inside than the outside… despite the fact that it looks like this:
While the camera body is obviously a custom design, when you look past the neon paint job, it’s not all that different from RED’s other cameras. The difference here is the sensor.
The camera is equipped with a new 8K Super 35mm sensor (named “Helium”), which is different from RED’s 8K Vista Vision sensor. Although the physical size of the Vista Vision sensor is much larger (closer in size to 65mm film), the sensor is a true Super 35mm format, which means the pixels used are smaller and of higher quality. Take a look at the image below and notice how the Vista Vision and Helium sensors have the same resolution, but different physical sensor sizes:
I personally have never been attracted to RED’s Vista Vision sensor as I prefer the standard Super 35mm format. I think the larger 65mm format has a place in cinema (The Revenant very clearly proves that), but in many cases the lack of lens options and other logistical issues associated with shooting 65mm aren’t ideal …especially for independent filmmakers. With that in mind, it goes without saying that I find this helium sensor more interesting because they pack so much technology into such a small size.
What’s even more interesting is that we will see this sensor from RED in future cameras. It’s not strictly reserved for this custom camera. RED Digital Cinema’s Jarred Land recently said this is the first in a new series of 3.65 micron sensors we’ll see in the future. It will also be available as an upgrade for weapon owners.
David Fincher’s red “Alien”
As I said above, Fincher’s “Red” is very different from Bay’s “Red”. Where Michael Bay’s custom RED focuses on its sharp 8K sensor, David Fincher’s custom RED focuses on functionality. Take a look.
At first glance, this camera body may appear large, but in reality, the benefits of having such an “all-in-one” package far outweigh the drawbacks – especially on larger productions. Here’s a short list of camera features seen on Cinema 5D:
- RED Weapon Dragon 6K sensor technology
- 7.0-inch LCD touch screen
- Paralinx Wireless Video
- Extended WiFi/Foolcontrol antenna array
- RT motion lens motor control
- Zaxcom Wireless Audio and Time Code
- Anton Balkin Mountain
- Shoulder type
- Alien-inspired brain design
I’ve said in multiple blog posts before that I’d like to see RED launch a new camera body. RED’s image quality continues to improve, and their cameras offer some really great features…but what’s always kept me away from their lineup is the modular body design. I think modular camera bodies will be very useful to many filmmakers, and they definitely have a place in certain types of productions. That said, I almost always prefer to use a camera that I can take out of the case, open, and start rolling.
It’s often thought that if you want more speed or convenience in the field, you can pre-build a modular camera and put it in a box with all the peripherals. But in reality, it’s never going to be perfect. In the process, cables can come loose, the Magic Arm can bend, and other peripherals can get knocked around. If RED can implement this type of design into their future cameras (hopefully with a smaller footprint), I think they’ll open the floodgates for a lot of filmmakers who prefer a more traditional camera body design.
Fincher’s Xenomorph has almost everything you need built-in: from wireless monitoring to shoulder-mounted mounting, and everything in between. It may not have the 8K sensor that Michael Bay’s custom RED has, but 6K is more than enough for any other filmmaker (4K would be enough!), and I think this camera’s capabilities will be among the best Any product RED has created to date. Unfortunately, this is not a camera that will see the light of day, as I understand it was developed specifically for Fincher’s new Netflix show, Mindhunter.
That’s it for now. I’ll be sure to post some updates and more thoughts on these cameras if more details emerge in the future.
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