It was no secret that RED was working on Super35 versions of its V-Raptor cameras, in fact, back in November, they announced the V-RAPTOR S35 which came painted in a special Wildlife Society of Filmmakers ‘Rhino Grey‘ version with a portion of sales going to various wildlife charities.
The Super35 Versions of the V-RAPTOR & V-RAPTOR XL are as the name suggests, essentially the same exact cameras that are already available, but with S35 sensors instead of VV ones.
The new 8K S35 sensor has the same sensor scan time as its 8K VV counterpart, which is twice as fast as previous generations while maintaining a claimed dynamic range of 16.5+ stops.
The V-RAPTOR XL 8K S35 also includes RED’s new integrated electronic ND system, allowing for precise control of density in 1/4, 1/3, and full stop increments.
V-RAPTOR XL 8K S35 Key features
- 35.4MP 8K Super35 CMOS Sensor
- Interchangeable PL Mount Included
- Up to 8K120, 7K140 & 4K240 in 17:9 S35
- Integrated Electronic ND Filters
- 16.5+ Stops Dynamic Range
- Powerful & Versatile 12/24V Outputs
- Industry-Standard Input/Output Array
- ProRes, REDCODE Raw HQ, MQ & LQ Options
- Built-In Ambient Lockit/Timecode/Genlock
- Integrated V-Mount Battery Plate
V-RAPTOR 8K S35 Key features
- 35.4MP Super35 CMOS Sensor
- Active RF Mount, Autofocus Select Lenses
- Up to 8K120, 7K140 & 4K240 in 17:9 S35
- 16.5+ Stops of Dynamic Range
- Lightweight & Compact DSMC3 Design
- ProRes, REDCODE Raw HQ, MQ & LQ Options
- Right-Side Assistant’s User Interface
- Built-In 2.4″ LCD for Camera Control
- USB-C, Timecode, Dual 12G-SDI Ports
- V-Mount Battery Interface
The V-RAPTOR and V-RAPTOR XL S35 versions are bound to be very popular with wildlife shooters who need to capture high resolution at long focal lengths. The BBC Natural History unit utilizes a lot of RED cameras and they have almost certainly already placed orders.
As I already mentioned, the cameras feature an S35 35.4 Megapixel CMOS sensor with dimensions of 26.21 mm x 13.82 mm and you can use it with lenses that cover up to a 29.63mm image circle. The sensor is actually a little bit smaller than the 27.99 x 15.75 mm sensor that is used in the ARRI ALEXA 35. RED claims the camera has 16.5 stops of dynamic range.
The V-RAPTOR S35 features an integrated RF mount and it is also compatible with Canon RF to EF mount adapters. With an RF mount, you can also use a variety of adapters to put various different lenses on the camera. Again, it is interesting to see RED bringing out RF mount high-end digital cinema cameras and not Canon. The V=RAPTOR XL comes standard with a PL mount.
The cameras are capable of recording in the following resolutions and framerates:
120 fps at 8K 17:9 (8192 x 4320), 150 fps at 8K 2.4:1 (8192 x 3456)
140 fps at 7K 17:9 (7168 x 3780), 175 fps at 7K 2.4:1 (7168 x 3024)
160 fps at 6K 17:9 (6144 x 3240), 200 fps at 6K 2.4:1 (6144 x 2592)
192 fps at 5K 17:9 (5120 x 2700), 240 fps at 5K 2.4:1 (5120 x 2160)
240 fps at 4K 17:9 (4096 x 2160), 300 fps at 4K 2.4:1 (4096 x 1728)
320 fps at 3K 17:9 (3072 x 1620), 400 fps at 3K 2.4:1 (3072 x 1296)
480 fps at 2K 17:9 (2048 x 1080), 600 fps at 2K 2.4:1 (2048 x 864)
AVAILABLE REDCODE SETTINGS
REDCODE HQ, MQ and LQ at 8K 17:9 (8192 x 4320) up to 60 fps
REDCODE LQ at 8K 17:9 (8192 x 4320) up to 120 fps
REDCODE HQ, MQ and LQ at 6K 17:9 (6144 x 3240) up to 96 fps
REDCODE MQ and LQ at 6K 17:9 (6144 x 3240) up to 160 fps
REDCODE HQ, MQ and LQ at 4K 17:9 (4096 x 2160) up to 240 fps
REDCODE HQ, MQ and LQ at 2K 17:9 (2048 x 1080) up to 480 fps
REDCODE RAW ACQUISITION FORMATS
8K 17:9 (8192 x 4320), 2:1, 2.4:1, 16:9, 1:1 and Anamorphic 2x, 1.8x, 1.6x, 1.5x, 1.3x, 1.25x
7K 17:9 (7168 x 3780), 2:1, 2.4:1, 16:9, 1:1 and Anamorphic 2x, 1.8x, 1.6x
6K 17:9 (6144 x 3240), 2:1, 2.4:1, 16:9, 1:1 and Anamorphic 1.5x, 1.3x, 1.25x
5K 17:9 (5120 x 2700), 2:1, 2.4:1, 16:9, 1:1
4K 17:9 (4096 x 2160), 2:1, 2.4:1, 16:9, 1:1
3K 17:9 (3072 x 1620), 2:1, 2.4:1, 16:9, 1:1
2K 17:9 (2048 x 1080), 2:1, 2.4:1, 16:9, 1:1
APPLE PRORES Dedicated recording in ProRes 4444 XQ, ProRes 4444, ProRes 422 HQ, ProRes 422, and ProRes 422 LT with resolutions up to 4K (4096×2160) Proxy recording available up to ProRes 422 HQ in 2K (2048 x 1080)
The V-RAPTOR 8K VV can capture Super35 in 6K, providing users with the flexibility of seamlessly switching between Large Format and Super35, whereas the new V-RAPTOR 8K S35 can capture in 8K resolution with all Super35mm glass. By capturing the full 35 megapixels of 8K compared to the 20 megapixels of 6K, filmmakers gain the flexibility of 8K image capture while in the Super35mm format.
The new systems serve a variety of productions –wildlife, live events, and traditional cinema. Wildlife and natural history shooters who often shoot hundreds of feet from their subjects will benefit from the V-RAPTOR 8K S35’s compact and flexible set-up while still allowing for wide-range zoom lenses.
The S35 V-RAPTOR systems could be used for broadcast productions that are looking to create a different look than you get from traditional broadcast-style cameras. The new 8K S35 sensor provides shallower depth of field, slow-motion playback, and higher resolution in a format that supports the wide range of lenses required for live event coverage. Live 8K workflows are possible by using RED Connect, which is compatible with both V-RAPTOR and V-RAPTOR XL. It allows for different framing to be pulled from a single camera position and controlled downstream.
As with the VV versions of these two cameras, they’ll be available in pre-bundled packs, which allow customers to get shooting right away. The standard V-RAPTOR is available in both a Starter Pack and V-Lock and Gold Mount versions of a Production Pack, while the V-RAPTOR XL is available in both V-Lock and Gold Mount versions of the Production Pack.
Price & availability
The V-RAPTOR 8K S35 and V-RATOR XL 8K S35 are available for order today directly via RED.com or through any of RED’s premium or authorized resellers. The standard V-RAPTOR 8K S35 is priced at $17,995 USD while the XL, which comes in either V-Lock or Gold Mount, is $34,995 USD.
