HD For Indies

NAB 2006: RED - pricing and availability

Today at NAB, tons of new details were dropped about the RED camera, and so far it sounds just stunning. So much new information has come out, I'm going to drop it in a series of articles covering different facets of the camera.

Let's start off with what's new information that's relevant to potential buyers: The price and how to get one.

PRICING
First off, drum roll please, the price:

$17,500 for a Red One camera body (no lens, no digital mag)

The price for the 300mm lens (f2.8, fixed 300mm, details in other articles today): under $4750

Recording modules: Ted Schilowitz said that there would be a recording option under $1000, but did not specify storage type or capacity. I asked some more about it and he said that product at that price point would offer a useful amount of recording capacity. (My personal interpretation of that statement was that it would be well more capacity than a P2 card)

HOW DO I GET ONE?

If you're interested in reserving one today, they aren't taking orders, but they are taking deposits as a placeholder in line, so that you get a very clear indication of where you are in the queue for production, with no prevarications. In order to distinguish who is serious, they are asking for a $1000 deposit via credit card, which is fully refundable at any time, no questions asked. These are non-tranferable - if you don't want to buy it, you can't give or sell that line position to somebody else - that place in line simply goes away.

This is not to raise cash to develop the camera, simply a way to tell who seriously wants one and reserve a place for those folks.

At this time, they are trying to limit orders to 5 units. If you insist on trying to get more, talk to Ted or Jim. Also the price is what they consider fair and firm - the price is the price. Note that they are selling directly and not through resellers at this time.

If you don't feel comfortable putting a deposit down on a camera that isn't finished yet, fine - later this year they'll be showing actual cameras, and then shipping them late this year/early next year (current plan) - you can always wait and put in an order later, but you'll be behind everyone else who put in an order before you.

So the optimists (with a deposit) get theirs first, the pessimists will have to wait their turn.

update - as of noon, I think there were about 100 reservatsions placed last I heard. So get on it if you want in!

-mike

Labels: Red