The RED Scarlet has always had a stigma to it since inception. It was supposed to be a 3k camera for 3k USD back when it was planned. With a fixed lens and slow motion capabilities all while shooting REDCode RAW video. That camera never materialized and in turn the Red Scarlet with modularity was born. Not quite an Epic but also a lot more expensive than the original promise. It however delivered the image quality promised but not in the slow motion front. That is however until today with the Scarlet-W camera.
It has a 5K Full Frame (5120 x 2700) RED Dragon sensor with a 16.5 stops of dynamic range. That is some of the best DR numbers quoted for a motion digital camera. However the Slow Motion aspects of this Scarlet W camera are of note and the following specs should get your attention if you are on the market and have 10k USD for a body and 6k for the needed accessories to shoot with it in a ready package.
Dragon SENSOR SPECS:
| SENSOR TYPE | RED DRAGON® 13.8 Megapixel CMOS |
|---|---|
| EFFECTIVE PIXELS | 5120 (h) x 2700 (v) |
| SENSOR SIZE | 25.6 mm (h) x 13.5 mm (v) x 28.9 mm (d) |
| DYNAMIC RANGE | 16.5+ stops |
| SIGNAL-TO-NOISE-RATIO | 80 dB |
RECORDING:
| MAX DATA RATES | Up to 140 MB/s using RED MINI-MAG® |
|---|---|
| MAX FRAME RATES 1 | 48 fps at 5K Full Frame (5120 x 2700) and 8:1 REDCODE 60 fps at 5K 2.4:1 (5120 x 2160) and 8:1 REDCODE 120 fps at 4K Full Frame (4096 x 2160) and 13:1 REDCODE 150 fps at 4K 2.4:1 (4096 x 1728) and 13:1 REDCODE 160 fps at 3K Full Frame (3072 x 1620) and 10:1 REDCODE 200 fps at 3K 2.4:1 (3072 x 1296) and 10:1 REDCODE 240 fps at 2K Full Frame (2048 x 1080) and 7:1 REDCODE 300 fps at 2K 2.4:1 (2048 x 864) and 7:1 REDCODE |
| REDCODE® COMPRESSION 1 SETTINGS RANGE FROM 2:1 UP TO 22:1 |
4:1 REDCODE for 5K (5120 x 2700) at 24 fps 8:1 REDCODE for 5K (5120 x 2700) at 48 fps 3:1 REDCODE for 4K (4096 x 2160) at 24 fps 7:1 REDCODE for 4K (4096 x 2160) at 60 fps |
| REDCODE RAW ACQUISITION FORMATS 2 |
5K Full Frame (5120 x 2700), 2:1, 2.4:1, 16:9, 6:5, 4:1, 8:1, and Ana 2x, 1.3x 4.5K Full Frame (4608 x 2412), 2:1, 2.4:1, 16:9, 3:2, 4:1, 8:1, and Ana 2x, 1.3x 4K Full Frame (4096 x 2160), 2:1, 2.4:1, 16:9, 3:2, 4:3, 5:4, 6:5, 4:1, 8:1, and Ana 2x, 1.3x 3K Full Frame (3072 x 1620), 2:1, 2.4:1, 16:9, 3:2, 4:3, 5:4, 6:5, 4:1, 8:1, and Ana 2x, 1.3x 2K Full Frame (2048 x 1080), 2:1, 2.4:1, 16:9, 3:2, 4:3, 5:4, 6:5, 4:1, 8:1, and Ana 2x, 1.3x |
| APPLE PRORES | Apple ProRes 422 HQ up to 2K (2048 × 1080) and up to 60 fps Apple ProRes 422 up to 2K (2048 × 1080) and up to 60 fps Apple ProRes 422 LT up to 2K (2048 × 1080) and up to 60 fps |
| TYPICAL MAX RECORDING TIME USING RED MINI-MAG 120GB |
5K (5120 x 2700) at 24 fps and 11:1 REDCODE: 41 minutes 5K (5120 x 2700) at 48 fps and 14:1 REDCODE: 26 minutes 4.5K 2.4:1 (4608 x 1944) at 120 fps and 15:1 REDCODE: 17 minutes |
Of note is the addition of built in Apple ProRes recording in (2048 × 1080) and up to 60 fps in HQ and LT if needed. However it is clear that you will want to shoot REDCODE RAW on this camera to gain access to it’s full resolution.
Slow Motion Highlights:
- 120 fps at 4K Full Frame (4096 x 2160) and 13:1 REDCODE
- 150 fps at 4K 2.4:1 (4096 x 1728) and 13:1 REDCODE
- 160 fps at 3K Full Frame (3072 x 1620) and 10:1 REDCODE
- 200 fps at 3K 2.4:1 (3072 x 1296) and 10:1 REDCODE
- 240 fps at 2K Full Frame (2048 x 1080) and 7:1 REDCODE
- 300 fps at 2K 2.4:1 (2048 x 864) and 7:1 REDCODE
It is not entirely apparent but the slow motion frame rates of teh RED Scarlet-W are selectable in full frame and in several intermediate crop modes with some aspect ratio cut outs. It adheres to some film Academy formats with 2.4:1 which is intended as a Cinemascope or anamorphic compatibility. The Full frame rates use the 1.9:1 aspect ratio common in movie shooting.
You get 300fps at a near Full HD resolution 1080p at 7:1 compression. The faster the frame rate the less compression can be applied on the fly.
Video slow motion sample of the RED Scarlet X previous version by 4DgraphicDesign:
While there is no available slow motion samples yet, you can get a look at what the previous version of the camera was able to do. It was not as sharp as your regular frame rates but it was no slouch either. It is unclear as to the quality the new frame rates will be able to get and if artifacts will surface.
Pricing:
The cost of a camera like this is not for bargain hunters except when your budget is in the 5 figure range. Still it is one hell of a camera that can shoot academy motion pictures at 5k or 4k and be able to grow with your production. The resolution and sensor are unmatched and in a class of their own.
- Body “BRAIN” Only : $10,000 USD
- Basic Package: $14,500 USD
- Shooters Kit: $16,000 estimated as calculated at Cinema 5D!
As for our ranking in the HSC Camera Guide, it will be a matter of looking at the capabilities once in the wild with productions using the slow motion feature. We expect it to rank high but be hindered by it’s price in the rankings while probably gathering an excellent image quality rating.
The RED Scarlet-W is scheduled to begin shipping in March 2016.
More information about the RED Scarlet-W is Here at the official RED Page!