Epic-M and Epic-X
On April 15, 2010, an Epic prototype was demonstrated at an off-site meeting during the 2010 NAB show exhibition (Red did not have an official booth at NAB). The Epic M was introduced in early 2011, the Epic-X in late 2011. They share the same technical features, the only differences are the manufacturing process and their delivery dates.
The launch sensor, called Mysterium-X, is a 27.7 by 14.6 mm 5120 x 2700 pixel, 13.8 megapixel Bayer pattern 14 bit CMOS sensor which is rated at ISO 800 at daylight with a dynamic range of 13.5 stops. It has approximately the same surface area of a traditional Super 35 film frame masked to the 1.85:1 aspect ratio, creating a similar angle of view and depth of field as the Super 35 film format.
The second sensor, yet to be released, the Dragon, is a 30.7 × 15.8 mm Bayer pattern 16 bit CMOS sensor which is rated at higher than ISO 2000 with a dynamic range of greater than 15 stops.
The camera utilises an interchangeable lens mount system allowing for the use of industry-standard lens types. PL mounts, the most common mount for modern 35 mm and 16 mm motion picture cameras are sold as well as Canon EF lens mounts, which provides full electronic control of EF lenses, Leica M-Mounts and Nikon mounts with full electronic iris and aperture control.
The camera can record at several resolutions in the proprietary video codec REDCODE. Lower resolutions are achieved by windowing the sensor.
| Frame size | Width | Height | Mpix | Aspect Ratio | max. fps | max. fps HDRx | lowest possible REDCODE at 24 fps | lowest possible REDCODE at max. fps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5K | 5120 | 2700 | 13.8 | 1.9:1 | 96 | 48 | 3:1 | 12:1 |
| 5K WS | 5120 | 2134 | 10.9 | 2.4:1 | 120 | 60 | 3:1 | 12:1 |
| 4K | 4096 | 2160 | 8.8 | 1.9:1 | 120 | 60 | 3:1 | 12:1 |
| 4K HD | 3840 | 2160 | 8.2 | 1.78:1 | 120 | 60 | 3:1 | 12:1 |
| 3K | 3072 | 1620 | 5.0 | 1.9:1 | 160 | 80 | 3:1 | 12:1 |
| 2K | 2048 | 1080 | 2.2 | 2.4:1 | 300 | 120 | 3:1 | 12:1 |
Table shows maximum frame rates at different resolutions for the Epic camera.
The camera is capable of recording at a data rate of up to 450 MB/s to proprietary SSD drives called RedMags.
The camera generates a variety of data overlays which can be displayed on its video outputs, including histograms, waveform plots, false color exposure aids, time code, project recording formats, audio levels, and two different focus-assist displays. Unlike most HD video cameras, the Red Epic does not generate a video stream in-camera which represents its final product. Its real time monitoring outputs do not reflect the resolution and dynamic range captured in the raw files it records. The camera's live outputs are intended to be used for on-set monitoring, similarly to the way a video tap is often used with film-based acquisition.
The shutter speed can be set to any value that would correspond to a shutter angle of 1° to 359° in a film camera without creating the artifacts that a mechanical shutter creates in such a camera. Rolling shutter artifacts haven been reduced significantly by the faster readout of the sensor compared to the Red One.
Framerate on the Epic can be brought down to 1 fps to shoot time lapse footage with a user-definable shutter speed.
The camera is based around a modular design concept. It has many mounting points for accessories like recording devices, viewfinders, etc. that can be mounted to the camera, rather than being integral parts of the body. Several cages, plates, and rail systems are available that provide protection or extra mounting points.
Read more about this topic: Red Digital Cinema Camera Company