Mini Red ready out of the box?

[MBFilms]

Will that new mini red scarlett be all that one would need to get up and running? Or are there lenses and other attachments that would need to be purchase in order to use it?

[Erik Bien]

So far as we know right now, there will be at least four different basic cameras from RED going under the name 'Scarlet' — FF35 & S35 DSMCs (REDspeak for full-frame 35 and Super35 Digital Stills/Motion Cameras), and 2/3" Cinema and 2/3" Fixed Zoom. The first three will all accept different types of interchangeable lenses, but the 2/3" fixed will be more like a traditional camcorder, with a permanently attached 8x zoom lens.

Although we still don't know all the specifics of what's included (and like everything RED isn't actually shipping today, 'subject to change'), the 2/3" fixed zoom Scarlet is still supposed to be offered for $3000 "bare bones" or $3750 for a "complete kit," which presumably will include a battery, charger, EVF or LCD for on-board monitoring and some sort of recording module. I'm just guessing here, but I'd be surprised if you needed to add anything more than a suitably fast Compact Flash card to the complete kit to start shooting.

[Koppel]

I think the fixed lens scarlet will not have auto focus nor any way to record audio. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[tkmslee]

I think the fixed lens scarlet will not have auto focus nor any way to record audio. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Welcome to film making.

[Halsu]

I think the fixed lens scarlet will not have auto focus nor any way to record audio. Correct me if I'm wrong.

My pleasure ;-)

It will have manual focus, autofocus and very likely a touch screen guided focus (point at the area in the image you want in focus and the camera will autofocus there).

It also comes with two channels of balanced mic inputs with +48V phantom in the brain (with 3,5 mm plugs). If you want full size XLR's, you need to buy the Pro I/O module add-on (which also includes SDI out, time code etc.).

[Duke]

The latest posts say it will have audio input for a 'scratch' audio track, but no onboard mic. Speculation is always rampant on Scarletuser though. We'll see.

I wonder how many Scarleteers will swamp the server again tomorrow since it will just be a list of potential release dates and a little more info?

[Zacatac]

The latest posts say it will have audio input for a 'scratch' audio track, but no onboard mic. Speculation is always rampant on Scarletuser though. We'll see.

I wonder how many Scarleteers will swamp the server again tomorrow since it will just be a list of potential release dates and a little more info?

They are also designing a Scratch Mic to sit flush up against the Brain so you can sync in post

[Duke]

What I don't understand is why it would only be considered a 'scratch' audio track.

Usually thats like the situtuation with the 7D where there is AGC, clipping, or some other crippling hardware situation. Otherwise a digital sound recording at CD sound bandwidths should be fine all by itself.

Any idea what the limitation is in that regard? Is this going to be something where a juicedlink to run it through will solve the problem?

[Ian-T]

Maybe that is their way of keeping costs down (not to focus on audio but just video). Having a scratch track makes sense so as to sync up in post. Adding XLR inputs and all the other necessary stuff to make it more professional might add to the overall price. I'm just guessing here.

[Erik Bien]

There will be an optional "professional IO module" with multiple XLRs. The Scarlet body itself has two mini-jack audio inputs.

[Halsu]

Maybe that is their way of keeping costs down (not to focus on audio but just video). Having a scratch track makes sense so as to sync up in post. Adding XLR inputs and all the other necessary stuff to make it more professional might add to the overall price. I'm just guessing here.

The clip-on onboard mic is for "scratch audio": just like with every other camera out there, you're not supposed to use the onboard mics for anything "real". The mic inputs however are perfectly capable of good quality sound, when using an external mic.

The reason they don't have XLR's in the brains is simply the lack of space - there's not enough room for them (at least that's what they've said). Even though the on-brain connections are with minijacks, they are balanced, and have phantom power, and record uncompressed 24 bit/ 96 kHz audio - in other words, the audio quality should be just as good as with XLR's, the only difference is less robust connections.

[Duke]

Its been awhile since I've opened an electronics book, but I don't think you can have balanced phone jacks unless they are both stereo jacks and you use the other 'line' as a push pull system. (XLR cables have 3 or 5 lines, while mono phone lines have two.)

Since the mics themselves are mono I don't see how you could do that without an adapter, but it wouldn't need to be a powered adapter. Maybe even just a cable.

If that's the only issue that wouldn't be much of a work around.

[Halsu]

Its been awhile since I've opened an electronics book, but I don't think you can have balanced phone jacks unless they are both stereo jacks and you use the other 'line' as a push pull system. (XLR cables have 3 or 5 lines, while mono phone lines have two.)

Since the mics themselves are mono I don't see how you could do that without an adapter, but it wouldn't need to be a powered adapter. Maybe even just a cable.

If that's the only issue that wouldn't be much of a work around.

The connections are "stereo" 3.5mm TRS. But in this case, the "stereo" connection is used to carry one mono channel. To connect a regular XLR condenser mic to it, you will need a cable that has a female XLR in one end, and a stereo 3.5mm plug in the other.

I'm not sure of the exact cabling, but it will be one of the following:

XLR pin 3 > TRS Tip
XLR pin 2 > TRS Ring
XLR pin 1 > TRS Sleeve

or

XLR pin 2 > TRS Tip
XLR pin 3 > TRS Ring
XLR pin 1 > TRS Sleeve

Actually, both should work, the only difference is the phase of the audio, which is flipped on one of these. That's not a big deal, as long as you have the same cabling on both left and right channels. If you have different cabling on the channels, the mics will be at opposite phase to each other, which is usually not desireable.

[Duke]

That's what I said. :hv20-smilie70:

[Svart]

Its been awhile since I've opened an electronics book, but I don't think you can have balanced phone jacks unless they are both stereo jacks and you use the other 'line' as a push pull system. (XLR cables have 3 or 5 lines, while mono phone lines have two.)

Since I'm an electronics designer and I do a lot of audio work, I'd like to clarify some things.

Balanced= impedances are balanced through out the transmission line.

Differential= a signal is split and one of the copies has it's polarity(not phase!) inverted for transmission over a balanced transmission line.

An input can be balanced but doesn't need to be differential. A differential input always has to be balanced.

Most audio is over XLR, 1/4" TRS, 1/8" TRS, or TT/Bantam, all of which is are designed for balanced, differential signals.

:hv20-smilie77:

[debuys]

True, Svart and that terminology is used in circuit design. For engineers that don't drive trains or understand differential equations balanced is synonymous with differential