Ryan E. Walters, Cinematographer

Why RED? 18 reasons it will benefit your production.

2. 12 bit Color Depth
The RED records in a color depth of 12 bits which means that it retains a maximum amount of color fidelity in the image. Many consumer and prosumer formats such as DV or HDV record in 8 bits, while more professional formats like DVCPRO HD record in 10 bit color depth. What this means is that 8 bit image has roughly 17 million color choices, 10 bit has around 1 billion, and 12 bit has about 69 billion colors to choose from. So practically speaking, not only does a color depth of 12 bits have a wide enough range of colors to record a more accurate picture, but it does not suffer from color banding like 8 or 10 bit can. Examples of this banding can be seen in the examples below, and they become an even bigger issue when color grades are applied to the footage in post. (Disclaimer: All of the images here are displayed in 8 bits as that is the standard bit depth of web images.)

(Notice the stair stepping in the colors. This banding becomes even worse when color grading is applied.)


(Notice the smooth even transition from one shade to the next. There is some banding due to the fact that this image was converted down to 8 bits for web viewing. This is not present in the original image.)


(A side by side comparison showing the problems of a color depth of 8 bits.)

3. More Latitude / Dynamic Range then HD.
The Red offers a greater dynamic range then many other digital formats. Having a wider dynamic range allows for greater creativity when lighting a scene as well as greater flexibility when working in less then ideal situations. When shooting in the DV or HDV formats many of these cameras can only handle 4 - 6 stops of dynamic range, while working in more professional formats like HD (Rec 709) you can get 6 - 8 stops. However, with the Red you can get 9 - 11 stops of dynamic range. (Although Red rates their camera at 11.3 stops, I have found in practice that it is around 9.5 stops.) The range each camera system can produce varies, but with the Red you can be sure that you are getting the maximum range possible to date in a digital system. Below are the profile charts for various formats created with the Sekonic Profile program and the Exposure Profile Target II. These profiles are for general comparison only. For a direct comparison the specific camera in question should be tested.

(6.1 stops of dynamic range)


(7.7 stops of dynamic range)


(9.2 Stops of dynamic rage)

4. Sensor size-
Having a larger sensor benefits the Red in two areas: First, a larger chip allows the Red to have a greater dynamic range. (As demonstrated above.) Secondly, the larger the sensor the shallower the depth of field then a traditional video camera. (As demonstrated in reason #5) For a comparison of sensor sizes of various camera systems see the following chart:

5. Cinema Optics
Because the RED has the same imaging (sensor) size as super 35mm film it has the same depth of field characteristics of film. One of the first signs that a project was shot on video is the extended depth of field - everything is in apparent focus. One of the hallmarks of film is it's shallow depth of field. This shallow depth of field allows for selective focus which can be used as a powerful creative story telling tool. It helps direct the viewer to what is important in the frame. In the example below both cameras were focused on the name card at the feet of the angel. However, in the video frame much of the area in front of and behind remains in relative focus, where as the Red frame singles out the angel directing all attention to the subject.

6. Frame Rates -
The Red offers the widest selection of frames rates in it's category with the ability to select from 1 to 120 frames a second. These frames are all recorded natively with no processing, or other manipulation by the camera. The standard frame rate is 24 frames per second, shooting slower then that (Ex: 18 fps) yields a sped up motion rendition on the final clip. While shooting faster then standard (Ex. 75 fps) yields a slow motion rendition to the footage. Many cameras record slow motion at 60 fps which is decent, but if you want super slow motion, then 120 fps will get you there.

7. Resolution -
The Red is able to record at a stunning resolution of 4.5k which is more then 4 times larger then 1080p HD. Why does this matter if the best cinema's in town are only projecting in 2k, and high end TV's are only 1080p? Well the answer lies in the details - literally. It is always best to be shooting at a resolution that is higher then the final delivery format. This allows the most information to be captured and then retained through out the post process. Shooting at or below the resolution of the final format means that the final image will actually have less detail in it after it has gone through the post process. Even if the final delivery format is standard definition TV the final image will have greater detail by starting with a higher resolution. (There is a reason why those Hollywood movies which are shot on film stand up so well even when shown on a large screen standard definition TV.)

(The Red One can shoot in resolutions from 4.5k down to 2k as noted by the chart above.)


(Notice that even though both the 1080p and the 4k frames have been down sampled to standard definition the 4k image shot by the Red One retains all of the details. The 1080p version shot by the Sony camera gets very mushy and the details blend together.)

3 Benefits of Solid State Acquisition:
1. Instant ingest and editing (No tape ingesting or film processing)
Since the RED shoots on solid state drives the footage is immediately available for editing. So if an editor is on set, the footage could be edited as it is being shot. However, the more likely scenario is that the footage will be downloaded and backed up on set. Once this is done it is immediately available to be edited by the editor back at the studio. Having the digital files means that the editor looses no time ingesting tapes (which has to be done in real time ... hours) or waiting for the film to be developed (sent to the lab ... days).

2. No tape dropouts, or damaged heads
Solid state recording means that there is no danger of a recording head getting clogged or stuck resulting in tape drop outs. Inclement weather or environments can wreak havoc on tape heads inducing tape dropouts or worse - a camera incapable of recording an image. The Red avoids all of this by going strait to solid state recording media.

3. Instant access for VFX and greenscreen work
Instant access to the footage is a huge benefit for visual effects and green-screen work as the results can be quickly tested on set to make sure that what is being shot will work in the final edit. Saving oversights that could lead to costly reshoots.

3 Big Savings to the Bottom Line:
1. No tape or film stock costs
Depending on the format tape stock can run $30 (or more) per 30 minute tape and 35mm film can run $250 (or more) per 5 minute reel.

2. No film processing / scans / offline
Depending on the quality, speed, and quantity of scans film processing can run from $300 - $700 per hour.

3. No deck rental ($500 / day) or ingest charge ($150 / hour) for tape.
Shooting on a professional tape based format (DVCPRO HD) or shooting on film incurs additional overhead to the production which can be avoided by shooting on a digital format to a solid state drive. Saving the added cost of tape or of film stock means that the money can go towards what is most important: what is in front of the lens.

5 Additional Benefits:
1. Sync Sound
No need to spend time syncing sound as you can record straight to the camera and edit the image and sound at the same time.

2. “Raw Audio”
Recording 4 channels of 24 bit 48 kHz audio yields a high quality audio mix suited for further audio enhancement in the studio.

3. No light loss, image softening / degrading due to 35mm adapters.
While 35mm adapters do allow for the shallow depth of field similar to 35mm film they do loose a lot of light which means that additional equipment is needed to light them properly. Additionally, many adapters soften the image which takes the resolution as well as the perceived sharpness down.

4. Greater flexibility in post.
The Red records all settings as metadata, save two. Exposure and frame rate are the only two choices that are locked in at the time of recording. If a choice is made on set and later it needs to be changed - for whatever reason- it can be reset. (Provided that the original files are kept.)

5. Bake It In-
You are able to "bake-In" a look you want to the footage for instant use, and you can go back and change it later if wanted / needed.

Because of these 18 reasons you can feel confident that your production will benefit from using the Red One regardless of the final delivery format - web, TV, or theaters. If you still have questions regarding the Red feel free to contact Ryan as he will be glad to help assist you. You can contact him directly through the use of the Contact Page.