RED puts barely-used, discounted Scarlet-X cameras on sale
updated 06:33 pm EDT, Tue October 16, 2012
Large number of RED cameras used for three-second shot
Cinematic camera maker RED has put some of its pre-owned Scarlet-X cameras up for sale. The "Battle-Tested" ex-rental camera packages include the Scarlet Brain, Side SSD and a Canon Mount at a price of $7,100, instead of the regular $11,900 sum usually charged for the bundle. The reduction brings the price down considerably, but still outside the range of most amateur videographers.
The Scarlet is capable of recording a 4K video at just higher than 25 frames per second. A 3K video is possible at 48FPS, 2K at 60FPS, and 1K at 120FPS. The Super 35-level sensor can shoot 5K stills at 12FPS continuously, while the Redcode video streaming effectively eliminates bitstream artifacts with a 50MB/s transfer rate.
The sudden stock of pre-owned cameras come from an unknown project where a "whole truckload" of Scarlets were rented for a three-second shot, according to an announcement on the company's forum. It is claimed that none of the cameras have been used for more than a minute of recording time, and although were monitored by the company throughout the rental and are considered effectively "brand new", the cameras are still needed to be sold labeled as used.
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They must have been used for a Matrix-style zoom-around-the-action scene. Any guesses as to what movie they rented it for?
The Wachowskis are making Cloud Atlas, but most of the photography was done last year - they started filming in Sept 2011. The Hobbit is in production, but it doesn't feel like their style. Avatar 2/3 or Skyfall perhaps.
Who else might blow a bundle on a 3-second zoom shot? And it should be someone who likes RED cameras. Not all producers do.