As you all know, RED announced a “new” sensor: The RED Dragon-X, which is sitting underneath the Gemini 5K sensor. It’s a kind of a low cost member of the unified DSMC2 family and its price is $14,950 and $19,950 for the starter kit. However, the bigger news is that RED created an upgrade path for Scarlet owners, as well as Raven owners, who both of them are pissed off. Why? Read below.
DSMC2 Dragon-X
The DSMC2 Dragon-X keeps the original dragon sensor but updates it with an IPP2-compatible processing system for allowing IPP2 in camera, preserving high data rate capabilities and parallel recording in two codecs.
[bctt tweet=”The DSMC2 Dragon-X keeps the original dragon sensor but updates it with an IPP2-compatible processing system for allowing IPP2 in camera, preserving high data rate capabilities and parallel recording in two codecs.” username=””]
The slides below show the comparison between the four DSMC2 models.
Nevertheless, a lot of RED users claim that in term of spec wise, there is no significant difference between SW and the Dragon-X, besides the privilege of future upgrade.
The slide below shows spec difference between SW and Dragon-X:
We assume that RED will stop to manufacture Scarlet and Raven very soon, and the only option to stay up-to-date with RED cameras is via this Dragon-X upgrade pathway.
[bctt tweet=”Nevertheless, a lot of RED users claim that in term of spec wise, there is no significant difference between SW and the Dragon-X, besides the privilege of future upgrade.” username=””]
DSMC2 DRAGON-X 5K S35 UPGRADE (SCARLET-W OWNER) : $4,950
The price to upgrade the Scarlet to Dragon-X is $4,950.
At bottom, you are paying for your camera being a member in the DSMC2 family, and that’s basically it. The sensor is the same, IPP2 is the same (not in camera though). In other words, you are paying $5000 for the ability to upgrade your RED in the future. Yes, I know… it sounds strange.
What about the Raven? $8500
There is also an upgrade path to the Raven. Let’s read what Jarred Land, RED’s president said in the RED Raven FB group:
“$8500 to go from Raven to Dragon-X. But I am only doing one line, for one week sometime likely in January after the dust settles to do any and all Raven upgrades. Raven needs a lot more parts and a lot more time to upgrade than Scarlet-W of course but i just wanted to at least give you an option of some of you that have been asking me for this for the last few months. This upgrade path wont be on Red.com or anywhere official… and you will need to come to RSH to a very old-school-back-of-the-store swap when its time. I’ll post here when we are ready.”
$8500 to go from Raven to Dragon-X. But I am only doing one line, for one week sometime likely in January after the dust settles to do any and all Raven upgrades. Raven needs a lot more parts and a lot more time to upgrade than Scarlet-W
This statement made some rage in the group. Let’s read what Raven owners said:
“That price makes no sense. might as well sell you camera if you want a new body, or buy a second raven for that price”
[bctt tweet=”“That price makes no sense. might as well sell you camera if you want a new body, or buy a second raven for that price”” username=””]
“$8500 isn’t a deal…. That’s more than the camera is worth”
“Considering the camera was released at $6500 it’s much more”
“I live in the UK and am not going to fly to the U.S to upgrade my brain… that and if it 8.5k on top for me that’s just not worth it”
From REDUser forum:
“Some people are saying 10k upgrade from raven which will give you the same sensor just a few more pixels that’s a lot you can buy a Mavo LF for that sort of money and still hold on to the raven. “
Some people are saying 10k upgrade from raven which will give you the same sensor just a few more pixels that’s a lot you can buy a Mavo LF for that sort of money and still hold on to the Raven
Jarred commented and explained:
“Definitely not for everyone…its for those that want to move up to changeable mounts, IPP2, the normal upgrades paths, a bit more resolution and sensor size and of course the better compression you get with the data speed. It’s purely for those who asked fir it. It’s gonna be too expensive for a lot of Raven owners, and I will likely lose a bit of money with every upgrade, which is why this needs to be contained to a single event to make every dollar count.”
Definitely not for everyone…its for those that want to move up to changeable mounts, IPP2, the normal upgrades paths, a bit more resolution and sensor size
Final thoughts
It seems that RED cameras are like smartphones. You need to upgrade and upgrade till infinity.
In fact, you need to upgrade, in order to have the privilege of another future upgrade.
RED actually runs the company like a smartphone company. The upgrade paths never ever end. Eventually, you will have to pay thousands of dollars just to get your camera in the DSMC2 family. It turned to be a fashion thing, nothing related to pure filmmaking.
Take a look at the Alexa Mini for example. It’s still good and relevant. No need to upgrade. Not 6K nor 8K. There are other examples as well (Sony, Canon cinema line and so on).
So what makes RED different? The industrial design? Nowadays you can get for 10K a used ARRI Alexa that is more reliable, higher image quality and better user interface.
Filmmakers spend thousands of dollars on upgrading RED camera just to have the privilege of spending thousands of dollars more in order to upgrade them again.
What do you think about those upgrade paths? Are you a Raven/ Scarlet owner? Should you upgrade? Let’s know your thoughts in the comments section below.
“you are paying for your camera being a member in the DSMC2 family, and that’s basically it. ”
Sure if you ignore the fact that you get double the top frame rates and in-camera 3D LUTs and less compressed ProRes options.