Yesterday the world of consumer video changed

Did anyone notice? I sure did. Red unveiled two products at the National Association of Broadcasters convention on Monday (I wish I could have been there). Red was founded by Oakley founder Jim Jannard with the intention to bringing the best digital video camera to the market. The company's first offering, the Red ONE camera, shot at variable frame rates up to 4k resolution. Cameras in this range, such as the Sony CinaAlta, can cost well over $80,000.00. The base price for the Red ONE camera came in at a very wallet-friendly (to serious indy filmmakers) $17,500.00 for the camera body. Very inexpensive when compared to the competition though not at a price point that could be considered for the "prosumer" market.

Steven Soderbergh, who might remember as director of such films as Sex, Lies and Videotape, Oceans 11 and Solaris, recently did the heretofore unthinkable by ditching film and shooting with the Red ONE cameras for all future productions. To say the Red ONE was well received is a dramatic understatement.

So along comes the 2008 NAB convention and all the rumors surrounding the Red SCARLET. What was it? What is it? It turns out that the Red SCARLET is a smaller hand-held video camera that records to compact flash at 3k resolution - with a price point of less than $3000.00! Amazing. In 2009, if you are an indy filmmaker, you are either going to have a Red SCARLET or you are going to want one. Sure, people will keep their Panasonic HDC-2000s and their Sony HVC-1Vs and the like, but many more will gravitate to the SCARLET as the camera of choice? Why? How about greater than 1080i (or p) recording? That's one reason. Variable from rates from 1-120 fps with 180 fps burst? There's another reason.

This little camera looks like a major hit. And the price is dead-on perfect. Let's wait and see until the camera is released in 2009 to pass final judgment. It has been stated by Red over and over, this is a mock-up and changes are likely to occur.

Also released at the NAB show was the Red EPIC, a camera that shoots at a whooping 5k resolution. Unheard of. This is a professional level camera, no doubt about that. The starting price tag is rumored to be around the $40,000.00 mark so I don't think I'll be seeing any of these cameras in the hands of amateur filmmakers in the near future (who didn't rent them).

But bring on the Scarlet! I was saving my nickels and dimes for a Sony or Panasonic prosumer camera. If the Scarlet is delivered in 2009 with the specs listed today I'm in.