Andrew R

I don't understand what you are getting at. Any forum run by the company that produces the product is going to be biased. That goes for the Arri forum or any camera forum. Still, there is plenty of legitimate info on Reduser. There is also a complaint thread to post your grievances . It's not as bad as everyone makes it sound. And when someone like Mullen, Wolski or Schwartzman talk, people tend to listen. They may be fans but that does not make their opinions any less relevant. If Deakins posted on the Arri forum that he is in love with the Alexa, would you say, "well of course he said that, it is an Arri forum and thus it is biased."

Well for starters, other DP's have posted as well stating positive experiences with Red. John Schwartzman ASC of Seabiscuit fame said this a little bit ago: "Here in Mahattan for the last 2 weeks of the Amazing Spiderman, since we first started 7 months ago with our beta-tattoo bodies a lot in the world has changed. I speak to many DP's getting ready to use the Epic, most are shooting 3D and using either 3ality or ET rigs. The 3ality rigs have worked really well for us, they have been quick and reliable by 3D standards and after the 2nd week we all fell into a routine which allows us to do 25 set ups a day. 2 weeks ago I color corrected a 8 minute sizzle reel at colorworks cut together by the editors, it had a little bit of everything in it and Brook and I finished out to a 4K 2D DCP, that was turned over to Rob Engel our head stereographer to be made into a 2k 3D DCP. The 4k Epic images are absolutely the highest resolution images I have ever seen, Steve Bowen the colorist, who has lots of digital experience was speechless, the images are gorgeous, dark with no noise, and full of detail. The color tracked really well to the 3D and it looks really great in 3D, I just wish 3D projection would catch up with acquisition. The 2d 4k has 4 times the resolution of the 3d image, when I have done film scans I think the difference between 2k and 4 k scans is there but it is subtle, when originating an image at 4.5k and viewing it at 4k there is nothing subtle about it, sort of like the paint job on Jared's Porsche, it gets your attention. My RED experience on the Amazing Spiderman has been great and I am looking forward to using this camera to shoot some commercials this summer in 2D. 10 more days to go on first unit and then Collister shoots kanother 2 weeks of 3D plates and we are done. John" David Mullen ASC is also a regular contributor. I doubt that anyone forced Wolski to say what he said. Besides, he is using Epics on Riddley Scott's new sci fi flick so I think his positive review was sincere. Yes, Reduser is a pro red forum. DVXuser is pro Panasonic. Arri's forum is biased to their product. I would say that this place seems like a hang out for Red bashers but I really think it is just a couple of people screaming loudly.

Wolski posted those comments on Reduser. If he had a bad experience but did not want to broadcast his grievances, he would have said nothing.

I read that they are using a 270 degree shutter angle on the film. Not sure what that translates to in time since the Red does not have a disc shutter but that is an odd choice. I wonder why they did that.

I would dispute one claim. He basically stated that he had heard that Pirates 4 was having problems with their Red cameras but according to the DP Wolski: ""We tested ALL the digital camera's available and against film and we chose the RED MX for Pirates of the Caribbean 4. We have had no camera problems with the RED ONEs and we have had the kind of support that is above and beyond the call. We didn't know what to expect when we started with 13 RED ONE MX cameras (supplied from Panavision), but the cameras are performing flawlessly under extreme conditions and we could not be happier. Thank you to the people and the incredible support from both Panavision and RED. If we had to make the decision again we wouldn't change a thing." Not calling Bay a liar but it seems odd that the statements are at the opposite ends of the spectrum. I would probably trust Wolski more since he actually shot the film.

I have seen footage from Epic owners as well, not Red employees, and it is equally impressive. My statements about the Red workflow come from personal experience, not a chit chat with a Red rep at NAB. People here don't take pro Red statements seriously because they have it out for Red. They love to go against the grain and joke about how trashy Red products are and how everyone who owns one is a fool who kisses Jannard's feet. I think a lot of people hate Red because of the cult like following that the company has. I have a handful of stories about Alexas with tech glitches and construction problems as well so no camera is perfect but in my humble opinion, the Epic is about as close to perfect as you can get. Yes, I played around with one for 30 min at a trade show but I was impressed nevertheless. The site is full of people who formed a negative opinion of Red way back when the One first hit the market and will never reverse that opinion no matter what. People need to get real. Film is going to die within this decade. Digital is the future. Red is really the only company pushing the envelope of digital cinema. Everything else has been a reaction to the Red One. Sony is just now getting around to 4K and Arri has yet to break the 4K barrier and will not anytime soon. It is impossible to deny that the Epic is the most revolutionary and advanced cinema camera on the market. It wins in every category including resolution, dynamic range, form factor, and data storage. It is equal to the Arri in terms of sensitivity as well. Plus, it is cheaper than every other camera. Is it perfect? No, but this camera opens the door to a bunch of new creative possibilities. Instead of ragging on it, go out and shoot with it and form your own opinion.

I never said I shot with one, I said I saw one in person (at NAB to be specific). How about you go out and shoot with it yourself. You don't see me running around demanding that people prove their credentials. People on this site really shock me sometimes. I'm not just talking out of my ass. Watch this if you care to be informed:http://www.fxguide.com/fxguidetv/fxguidetv-106-epic-april-fxphd/

I agree that the Alexa beats the MX but based on what I have seen, especially with HDRX on the Epic, Arri will have a hard time topping the Epic. And the Alexa is not three times more expensive than the machined version of the Epic ($58,000). Both are low quantity, hand made machined cameras. Having seen the Epic M in person, I can say that the build quality is as good as the Alexa. Yes, the assembly line cast body Epic X will probably be built to lower tolerances but that is expected considering the $28,000 price tag.

I have shot both film and digital and based on my experience, the new Red is without a doubt the most revolutionary, user friendly, capable camera system I have ever seen. No fanboy talk here, I like Arri, Aaton, Sony ect. but tis camera truly lives up to the hype. This camera is everything that Red wanted the One and MX to be but failed to accomplish. The workflow is rock solid and fast, the footage is stunning and the DR is off the charts. Trust me, you need to use this camera. Even Phil would have a hard time talking s%#* about it. The Arri Alexa beats the Red MX but the Epic beats the Alexa in every single category including resolution, dynamic range, frame rate, form factor and data storage. It's time to get real. The Epic is not the One or the MX, it is a fully flushed out system that resolves all of the issues that the first generation system had. The whole Red fanboy accusation is getting old.

Ha, I got a big laugh out of your article. No mention of Red of course. How long you gonna hate on Red Phil? I'm sure all the films shooting on Epics is driving you crazy. Red created possibly the greatest movie camera ever with the Epic yet you still act as if they are garbage. Shoot with one and you will become a believer. Or don't and stay in the dark.