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The past few years have seen a major shift in prosumer camera tech-nology. Affordable HD cameras like the Panasonic HVX200 and the SonyZ1U have brought high-definition capture well within the budgetary reachof us all. Now the bar has been raised even higher, and the high-definitionceiling of yesterday is the 2K and 4K image stratosphere of today.

Two major contenders in this emerging “extreme HD” digital cinemamarket are Red, with its Red One 4K, and Silicon Imaging, with its SI-2K.These new cameras bring 2K and 4K acquisition into the sub-$20,000 pricerange, allowing producers accustomed to DVCPRO HD and XDCAM-basedENG-style cameras access to image quality rivaling 16mm and 35mm film.

Each camera offers a different approach and workflow style. Red aimssquarely at replacing 35mm as an acquisition format, with full 4K resolu-tion, film-style camera operation and 35mm PL mount lenses. SI takesmore of a Swiss Army knife, IT-centric approach, with extensive previsual-ization resources and alternative on-set configuration modes, including360-degree and 3D image capture.

SILICON IMAGING SI-2KWith its 2⁄3-inch, 16:9 CMOS sensor, the SI-2K can shoot standard defini-

tion, HD in 720 and 1080, and up to 2K using PL mount and C-mount HDand 16mm cinema lenses. A variety of over- and undercranking options arealso available, where the maximum frame rate depends on the capture reso-lution. At SD, the camera goes up to 150 fps, while at 720p, the maximumframe rate is 85 fps. The SI-2K records both uncompressed and to theCineForm RAW codec.

“The files that we record are digital negative files, as a D-SLR shoots inRAW mode,” notes Ari Presler, Silicon Imaging’s CEO. “At 5:1, CineFormRAW is a visually lossless codec. The images are always recorded as pixel dataand everything that’s processed for on-set display purposes is nondestructive.So all of the white balance, color 3D lookup table and transformation datagets stored as metadata along with the content. In post, that metadata travels

with the files so the editors and colorists can see what theintent was when it was shot.”

The camera records directly to an onboard storagedevice or over gigabit Ethernet to a PC laptop runningSilicon DVR software. This IT-centric approach allowsthe camera to be highly flexible and adaptable to dif-ferent workflows.

“We partnered with Iridas and incorporated a set oftheir SpeedGrade tools for color grading on set,” notes

Red and Silicon Imaging are two companieswith new cameras at the top of theresolution pile today. They bring the loftyheights of 2K and 4K acquisition to themass market at unbelievably affordableprices. By Noah Kadner

Digital Cinema Revs UpWith 2K And 4K Acquisition

TOP: Mark L. Pederson ofOffhollywood Studios and DPPaul McCarthy shoot with Red inNew York City. MIDDLE: DP UlfSoderqvist works with the SI-2Kon the set of the feature Adopta Sailor. ABOVE: Steadicamoperator Alec Jarnagin takes theRed for a test flight.

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Presler. “You can create any look youwant and visualize what the content isgoing to look like at the end. We’ve alsointegrated the ability to do live green andbluescreen keying. You can have back-ground mattes loaded in the camera. Youcan see where you are in perspective,which gives you feedback on your light-ing and on the composition to the crewand the actors. We use the same engine asthe editing and compositing tools right inour camera.”

Longtime HD and film shooter UlfSoderqvist appreciates SI’s data-centricapproach and its benefits to his workflow.He recently shot the feature Adopt a Sailorwith the SI-2K, starring Bebe Neuwirthand Peter Coyote.

“Having Iridas built in gives you a bigadvantage,” Soderqvist says. “Clients seewhat it will look like right away, whichspeeds up the work in post. You give thecolorist more of a feel for your intendedlook rather than their own interpreta-tion and a lot of back and forth.”

He also praises the image quality, espe-cially compared to his previous HD work.“With HD cameras, you get exposure clip-ping and when it’s gone, it’s gone,” hesays. “The SI-2K feels more like film; it hasfar greater latitude. You don’t have toworry as much about your highlights andblacks and compressing your window. I’mused to working with HD, but this reallybrings me back to my film roots.”

In addition to feature and commercialwork, Silicon Imaging has adapted itscamera system for special applications.

“We can synchronize multiple cam-eras for stereo acquisition,” says Presler.“We just finished our first 3D project, aBjörk music video. Our first 3D featurefilm, called Dark Country, is shootingwith Thomas Jane. We also have a 360-degree configuration with nine cameras,each covering a 40-degree arc, to makean 18K image. Max Penner at ParadiseFX built the first 360-degree rig for aflight over Niagara Falls. Paradise wasalso involved with the design and opera-tion of Disney’s CircleVision, which wasa 360-degree camera system shooting onfilm. We’re trying to make the wholeprocess more efficient and streamlined.”

RED ONE 4K CAMERAWith an eye toward 35mm film

shooters, Red burst onto the scene atNAB in 2006 after secret developmentsupervised by Oakley founder and CEOJim Jannard. The concept of a 4K camerapriced at $17,000 proved controversial,eliciting initial reactions ranging fromexcitement to disbelief. The companyreturned to this year’s NAB with a demo4K movie shot on the Red One anddirected by Peter Jackson. The camerahas also attracted the interest of directorSteven Soderbergh, currently shootingtwo features back-to-back with Red.

“It wasn’t long ago when we were[considered] a scam, we weren’t,” Jannardcommented to online forum Reduser.net.“It’s too early tomark us as a finished pro-gram, we aren’t. This is a monstrously dif-ficult project, and we’re just beginning.”

The Red One camera is optimized for4K capture, while offering optional 2KandHD recording as well. It utilizes a cus-tom 12-megapixel Mysterium CMOS sen-sor and offers a variety of over- andundercranking frame rates, depending onshooting resolution, as with the SI-2K. At4K, the camera maxes out at 60 fps whileat 2K and below, it can shoot at up to 120fps. Red uses PL-mount 35mm lenses,enabling the camera to achieve the depth-of-field characteristics associated with35mm cinematography.

Red can output uncompressed andalso records to onboard CompactFlashcards using Redcode RAW—a customcodec with a lower data rate thanCineForm, but it manages to retain highimage quality and is optimized for 4Kimage capture. Like CineForm, Redcode

RAW can be reprocessed in postproduc-tion via a digital negative-style workflow.

Red One comes with two applications,called Red Alert! and Redcine. Red Alert!allows a quick look at Redcode footagewith histograms and zebras. It’s capableof outputting to 2K or 4K DPX and TIFFsequences, enabling the footage to beused in virtually any NLE or finishingapplication. Redcine is amore robust util-ity, adding professional-grade color cor-rection and geometry options.

New York-based producer MarkPederson of Offhollywood Studios seesRed as pushing the industry shift towarddigital cinema. “It will accelerate a transi-

tion that’s already happening,” he says.“We’ve already seen major studio motionpictures from directors like MichaelMann, Robert Rodriguez, David Fincherand Bryan Singer shooting digital. Thestudio system is becoming more receptivetomovies shot digitally. Red is hitting thatmoment at exactly the right time. Both ofour Red Ones are shooting every day andwe’re getting stunning images.”

Red includes a plug-in codec for FinalCut Pro that allows the NLE to edit thenative Redcode RAW 4K material withoutany transcoding, while looking at “virtualproxies” at 2K, 1K or other resolutions,based on the power of the Intel-basedMac

TOP: Designed as much as a computeras a camera, the SI-2K featuresextensive network and peripheralconnectivity. ABOVE: Mark L. Pedersonand Paul McCarthy set up a craneshot with Red.

ABOVE: The SI-2K MINI, designed with versatility in mind. BELOW: A look inside the SI-2K’sresourceful lens mount system.

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you’re using toDecode. There will be otherenhancements and workflow benefitscoming from RED’s development partner-ship with Apple. Assimilate’s Scratch color-correction program also offers native sup-port for Redcode at full 4K on the PC.

“We’re doing a feature in October withFCP and Scratch,” Pederson says. “Themedia will go onto a RAID on our SAN,and my offline FCP editor can cut directlyfrom that original media. On the Scratchsystem, I can pull up a cut and grade, as ittakes an XML or EDL right out of FCP.We’ve done a bunch of projects this way.We can put the final grade out as an imagesequence or as 10-bit uncompressedHD inScratch and go right out to tape for ourHD

clients or to 4K DPX files for film outs.”“The post side is a work in progress,

and it’s coming together,” notes TedSchilowitz, Red’s ‘Leader of the Rebellion.’“We picked partners that made sense, andwe found that the bulk of our customersare using Apple’s Final Cut Pro. It’s nosecret that we’re working on a pathway tonative 4K editing in FCP. On the DI fin-ishing side, we’ve initially worked withAssimilate’s Scratch. We ultimately wantto be application-agnostic, but as a youngcompany, we have to make choices. Moreplayers will be invited to the party as wemove forward with Red.”

THE FUTUREBoth cameras represent a huge leap

over HD in terms of resolution. Red offers4K image capture with 35mm lenses

and depth-of-field characteristics, whileSilicon Imaging focuses on versatility andspecial applications in 2K. Both compa-nies continue to develop their productlines for the next wave of digital cinema.

For its part, Silicon Imaging intendsto further enhance its relationships withpartner companies for increased flexibil-ity. It recently released the SI-2K MINI, ahighly compact 2K camera suitable totight shots and POV applications.

“As a result of our partnership withP+S Technik, the MINI accepts a fullrange of lens mounts, including PL, B4,Nikon, C-mount and Panavision,” saysPresler. “It’s a precision mount with norequirement for any backfocus readjust-

ments. We’re focused on optimizedimage quality with on-set visualizationand workflow for producing 2K, HD andSD all in one system.”

Red’s plans include a Pocket Profes-sional compact camera, as well as value-priced 4K projectors to enable theaterowners and professionals alike the abilityto exhibit 4K material at full resolution.

“It all comes from an organic place,”says Schilowitz. “Our camera is a dis-ruptive technology designed to replace35mm, and there’s a lot of tenacity and ex-citement around it. The biggest challengeis dealing with the interest and demand.We think in terms of building cool stuff;the marketing takes care of itself.” HDVP

To learn more, visit Red at www.red.com andSilicon Imaging at www.siliconimaging.com.

LEFT: Red frames New York Cityin this image direct from a 4KRedcode Raw frame. BELOW: TheRed One 4K. BOTTOM: Red offersa high-quality, value-priced set ofPL mount zooms and primes.

“The studio system is becoming more receptive to movies shot digitally. Red is hitting that moment atexactly the right time. Both of our Red Ones are shooting every day and we’re getting stunning images.”