It was $3K when announced in the Stone Age then corrected to $6K in the Middle Ages, so what will be the price tag in postmodern times, after so many camera revolutions passed?
I think Isaac_B was just reminding us of who we are dealing with. Even if the Scarlet is $7000 or $8000, we will still need to buy the proprietary cards from Red to use with it along with specific lens mounts for it and a Viewfinder and Lcd to monitor with it.
2K for $12K - what's the target audience then? In pre-Mark II world the whole idea was shallow DOF, there was no cam in sub $10K range that was able to do it. 2/3'' was still great competition for conventional video cameras like Sony EX1. But times have changed. There are TONS of options these days. For 12 grand you can get, say, two cams (not a single one) that cover all your basic needs: FS100 for shallow DOF, EX1 as a reporter camera and still have 2 grand left for accessories. Or you can get a dozen of DSLRs. Or... whatever you fancy, you get a whole arsenal of video equipment for 12 grand these days.
There's no big difference between 2K and 1080, and it's 4K that justifies the price tag of more expensive cameras targeted to those shooting for theaters. Epic-M doesn't have it.
So I don't get it, who's gonna buy it? What's special about it? IMO RED is so freaking late with it.
I wasn't really saying it was going to be 2K for $12000. I was just remembering the 3k for $3000 scarlet we all were initially waiting for then it went from $3000 to about almost $7000. We might still get a 3K or more camera but with a $6,000 to possibly slightly under $10,000 price tag. However, with all the optional accessories Isaac_B brought to our attention that will be needed for it to be fully functioning, it will come to between $11,000 to $15000 to use it unless Red has included everything for under or around $6000.
I didn't mean to start a "Red Flame Topic". I hope that Red does present the scarlet with features no other competitor can match. But if they are going to be using the 3rd of November to make yet another announcement of another announcement that the Scarlet will be shipped sometime in late 2012 simply to take publicity away from Canon's announcement, that would make them a special type of A** Hole.
I don't think you can have a completely positive discussion about Red simply based on Red's history, which is based on announcements of promised products that where never delivered as promised and some products, like the Scarlet, that have been promised and never delivered.
I'm a little confused (though not surprised) about the pricing you guys are speaking of. I thought the $7k scarlet was moved into the EPIC-S program, and also: "It has been announced that the Scarlet 8x fixed will sell in a package with all of the modules necessary to make the camera function for $5750" (wiki). Is this info outdated, or are you just applying some (sensible) skepticism?
As you said just sensible skepticism. I believe the price you quoted is out of date, but I stopped reading anything at Reduser about 2 years ago. I just started back a day ago when I found and posted the link that started this thread.
Red has constantly changed all their products to include all of the latest technology(that's a good thing) but the price also constantly changes to account for incorporating that technology. The Scarlet started out as 3K for $3000, who knows how much it is now or even what it will be called now. Red just couldn't seem to release a product and, as the technology advances to a certain point after that product has been released, simply release an improved follow-up product with that technology(ex..Gh1 to Gh2, Panasonic Hvx200 to Hvx200A, Canon 5D to 5D mkII). They have started now with the EPIC as an improvement over the RED ONE, but never tried at all with the SCARLET.
I am not a Red fanboy, but look at what they are announcing...
Red is attempting to control the entire process of image acquisition thru final theater and consumer projection and distribution on RedRay, leaving nothing to chance from the lens to the final 3D projection in 617 in the future.... Think THX and IMAX times 10 in scope!
They revealed most of their complete roadmap with details on their 4K laser 3D projector (no doubt in reaction to Canon upcoming announcement and Barco projector announcement)
Red's roadmap now makes complete sense thru 2013, and the delays on the Scarlet are completely sensible since they were busy with other things. The Red Scarlet is just one part of the entire Red ecosystem, and the ecosystem is brilliant in retrospect, especially Redcode RAW.
NOBODY ELSE is attempting this right now, and I think we'll all benefit from their progress.
I think Red is developing, openly advertising the development and producing the initial products in small quantities with intent to PROTECT their patents and IP, and will license the technology to everyone in the future for mass production.
I agree with everything you just said except "the delays on the Scarlet are completely sensible" ;) They had no choice but to flush their original plans in 2008 since this was supposed to be the "DSLR-killer"