RED Digital Cinema is officially shipping its new Limited-Edition V-Raptor RHINO 8K S35 camera on its online store. In an email sent to followers, RED explains why S35 (Super 35) is an important format, and why it’s preferred, in some cases, over Full-Frame.

Limited-Edition V-Raptor RHINO 8K S35 is now shipping

RED has announced that the Limited Edition V-RAPTOR RHINO 8K S35 is now shipping. Furthermore, RED will donate a portion of the Limited Edition RHINO sales to the following organizations, which were selected in partnership with the Wildlife Society of Filmmakers: Wildscreen, Jackson Wild, BBC Natural History Unit’s Global Talent Initiative, and Wildstar Academy. That’s absolutely a tremendous cause, and I wish many camera manufacturers would do that. Furthermore, RED emailed its followers, explaining the necessity of the Super 35 format. According to RED, RHINO’s S35 8K sensors are optimized for Super 35mm lenses: “V-Raptor 8K S35 offers filmmakers a unique benefit of using the versatile range of Super 35mm lenses while still capturing in the smooth true-to-life detail that 8K resolution provides” the company says.

The Super 35 format is still ideal for many markets over the Large Format. While traditional motion picture productions may prefer the aesthetic of the ‘Large Format Look’, for many applications Large Format may not be as practical.

RED Digital Cinema

S35 advantages in Wildlife, Broadcasting, and Cinema

As stated by RED: “The Super 35 format is still ideal for many markets over Large Format. While traditional motion picture productions may prefer the aesthetic of the ‘Large Format Look’, for many applications Large Format may not be as practical”. Here’re the advantages of S35 over FF as RED sees them:

Wildlife

Wildlife filmmakers are often hundreds of feet from their subjects and in remote or barely accessible locations. This requires a compact kit and the ability to shoot in Super 35mm format, allowing for wide-range zoom lenses, like the Canon 50-1000mm, with the size and weight to remain flexible for any scenario or environment. Hence, the 8K resolution of the RHINO might become handy regarding those scenarios.

Broadcasting

Live event broadcasting continues its trend of blending cinematic imagery into its final delivery. Whether these productions are looking to highlight the shallower depth of field, slow motion playback, or higher resolution, the V-Raptor 8K S35 provides this cinematic requirement, and still supports a wide range of lenses that are essential for live coverage. Moreover, live 8K workflows using RED Connect unleash the power of 8K in these environments, allowing for different framing to be pulled from a single camera position and controlled downstream for a more immersive production.

Cinematic

Lenses are as critical of a decision for a cinematographer as the camera itself. When the lenses that are needed to tell the story do not cover large formats, filmmakers have the choice of either using V-Raptor 8K VV at 6K Super 35mm or now V-Raptor 8K S35 for when the full 8K resolution is needed. By capturing full 35 megapixels of 8K compared to the 20 megapixels of 6K, filmmakers maintain the full flexibility of 8K image capture while in the Super 35mm format.

Final thoughts

Indeed, the RHINO can be a smart choice for many cinematographers who own big expensive zooms (more expensive than the camera itself) that shoot only S35 and need the combination of 8K and high frame rates. The major downside, especially for wildlife filmmakers, is that there’s no internal ND option in the RHINO. BTW, there’s no sample/test footage of the RHINO yet. It’s a bit stage for RED shipping a camera without demonstrating any sample footage of it. So, where’s the footage?

Product List

Here’re the products mentioned in the article, and the links to purchase them from authorized dealers. 

• RED RHINO V-Raptor 8K S35
  • BUY on B&H