Red Digital Cinema DSMC2 Cameras and Upgrades

The company presents a total revamp of its body offering with the DSMC2 Monstro 8K VV, DSMC2 Helium 8K S35 and DSMC2 Gemini 5K S35.

Red Digital Cinema has streamlined their roster of available cameras. Referring to them as “brains,” the company’s numerous camera iterations have been consolidated down to only a single DSMC2 model. The company says that this simplified approach gives purchasers an overall price reduction in comparison to prior lineups. 

The DSMC2 will come with choice of three sensors, however. At $54,500, a small price bump from the original $49,500 asking price, the DSMC2 with top-of-the-line Monstro 8K VV full-frame chip promises more than 17 stops of dynamic range. Now in aluminum alloy as well as carbon fiber, it maintains otherwise identical technical specifications as the prior Red Weapon Monstro 8K VV camera and sensor.

Also featuring 35.4-megapixel resolution, the DSMC2 Helium 8K S35, in full-spectrum or monochrome, has 29.90mm x 15.77mm sensor for Super 35. With more than 16.5 stops of latitude, the Helium 8K S35 begins at $24,500 and is based on the same body design as the Weapon Helium 8K S35.

Also for Super 35, Red announced their newest sensor, the 15.4-megapixel Gemini 5K S35, just prior to NAB 2018. It was priced for the Red Epic-W brain at $24,500, and now starts at $19,500 with the DSMC2 camera body. The DSMC2 Gemini 5K has also been given a new aluminum-alloy construction.

The Gemini 5K is the first in their lines to run dual ISO performance as Standard Mode (800 ISO) or Low Light Mode (3200 ISO). It's rated at 16.5+-stops, and has heightened anamorphic coverage, at 30.72mm x 18mm with a diagonal of 35.61 mm, over the Helium. 

“Our camera lineup, as most of you can agree, has gotten a little bloated and confusing,” explained Jarred Land, President, Red Digital Cinema, and an ASC associate member, through a post on REDuser.net. “One body. All Weapon inside. A true, unified DSMC2. Then choose your sensor. DSMC2 with Monstro. DSCM2 with Helium. DSMC2 with Gemini. Simple.”

Starting in the summer of 2018, sensors for the Weapon Helium 8K S35, Epic-W Helium 8K S35, Weapon Red Dragon 6K, Epic-W Gemini 5K S35, Scarlet-W Red Dragon 5K, Epic Dragon and Scarlet Dragon camera systems are eligible for upgrade (sensor pricing here) to the DSMC2 Monstro, DSMC2 Helium and DSCMC2 Gemini bodies. Red has also created several trade-in paths for Scarlet-W, Epic Dragon and Scarlet-Dragon brain owners.

In fact, only four previous models are not compatible, the original Red One, Epic Mysterium-X, Scarlet Mysterium-X and Red Raven. 

The Red DSMC2 cameras are capable of up to 60fps at 8K, 300 MB/s data rates and simultaneous capture of Redcode Raw and Apple ProRes or Avid DNxHD/HR formats.

Red provides a number of cable-free peripherals to build the system as needed, such as integrated monitors, powering (a module or port expander is an additional, required purchase), wireless controls, media bay at up to 960GB, and included as well as optional OLPF low-pass filters to preserve skin tones and color fidelity throughout the dynamic range of the cameras.

The Red Weapon and Red Epic-W brains will no longer be sold.

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