Red Digital Cinema
| Company type | Private (until 2024), now subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Digital cinematography cameras |
| Founded | 2005 |
| Founder | Jim Jannard |
| Headquarters | Foothill Ranch, California , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Keiji Oishi (CEO), Tommy Rios (Co-CEO), Jarred Land (advisor), Jim Jannard (advisor) |
| Products | Digital cinema cameras (Epic, DSMC2, Komodo, Red One, Red Raven, V-Raptor, Scarlet), lenses, Redcine-X software |
Number of employees | Over 400 (2011) |
| Parent | Nikon Corporation (since April 2024) |
| Website | www |
Red Digital Cinema is a U.S.-based manufacturer specializing in digital cinematography cameras, with its main office located in Foothill Ranch, California. Established in 2005 by entrepreneur Jim Jannard, who is also known for founding Oakley, Inc., the company concentrates on producing high-resolution digital cinema camera systems. In April 2024, Red became part of the Nikon Corporation group.
The company operates studios in Hollywood, Los Angeles and maintains offices in both London and Beijing. Its worldwide presence is further supported by authorized dealers and service centers. Red’s product portfolio features models such as the Epic, DSMC2, Komodo, Red One, Red Raven, V-Raptor, and Scarlet cameras.
History
The inception of Red Digital Cinema was driven by Jim Jannard’s ambition to create an affordable 4K digital cinema camera, drawing on his extensive background as a camera enthusiast and business innovator. Early partnerships with Frederic Lumiere and Ted Schilowitz contributed to developing a sensor size comparable to traditional film, overcoming significant technical barriers within the industry.
At the 2006 NAB Show, Red introduced the Red One camera aimed at Hollywood filmmakers. By 2007, director Peter Jackson had evaluated prototypes during the production of Crossing the Line, while director Steven Soderbergh employed Red technology for Che, marking key milestones for industry adoption. The Red One was officially released later that year, with early users including the television series ER.
In 2010, Red broadened its operations by acquiring Ren-Mar Studios in Hollywood and rebranding it as "Red Studios Hollywood". The workforce expanded to over 400 employees by 2011. This period also saw major camera manufacturers discontinue analog equipment production, with Red credited for accelerating the shift toward digital cinematography.
Red’s market share among top-grossing domestically shot digital films increased from 5% in 2010 to above 25% by 2016 before experiencing a decline.
In August 2013, founder Jim Jannard stepped down, appointing Jarred Land as company president.
On March 7, 2024, Nikon Corporation completed the acquisition of Red Digital Cinema for roughly $87 million USD to strengthen its position in the digital cinema camera sector. Following this acquisition, Keiji Oishi of Nikon assumed the role of CEO alongside Red executive Tommy Rios as co-CEO. Former president Jarred Land and founder James Jannard continue to serve as advisors.
Nikon’s fiscal report ending March 31, 2024 confirmed the purchase price at approximately 13.167 billion yen (~$87 million), representing around 1-2% of Nikon Group’s total financials—a strategic move aimed at enhancing Nikon’s competitiveness in digital cinematography.
Red One
Launched in 2007 as Red Digital Cinema’s inaugural production camera, the Red One is capable of capturing up to 120 frames per second at 2K resolution and 60 frames per second at 4K. It utilizes a proprietary "Mysterium" sensor compatible with the Redcode RAW format. By 2010, an enhanced version featuring a 14-megapixel "M-X" sensor was introduced. The Red One offers image quality on par with 35 mm film and is housed in a robust aluminum alloy chassis weighing approximately 10 pounds.
This model was employed in notable films including Che, The Informant!, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. In 2010, Red unveiled the Red Epic camera, which found use in major productions such as The Amazing Spider-Man, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Prometheus, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, and The Great Gatsby.
DSMC system
In 2009, Red launched the DSMC ("Digital Stills and Motion Capture") platform designed to accommodate both still photography and video through interchangeable lens mounts. The initial DSMC model, the Epic-X, was aimed at professional users. Later, the Scarlet series provided more budget-friendly alternatives with reduced specifications, originally equipped with a 5K sensor. Subsequent enhancements introduced a 6K sensor with improved dynamic range, branded as "Red Dragon," which broadened Red’s product lineup and market presence.
DSMC2 system
The DSMC2 camera series, introduced in 2015, defined the design standard for all models up to 2020. The first offerings included the Weapon 8K VistaVision (VV) and Weapon 6K, followed by the Red Raven 4.5K and Scarlet-W 5K models. These cameras supported third-party recording codecs such as Apple ProRes and Avid DNxHD.
In 2016, RED unveiled the "Helium" 8K sensor integrated into the Red Epic-W and Weapon 8K Super 35 (S35) cameras. Early in 2017, this Helium sensor achieved a top DxOMark rating of 108. A notable milestone was Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, which became the first feature film released using the Weapon camera at full 8K resolution, marking a major step forward in ultra-high-resolution post-production workflows.
DSMC3 System
In 2019, RED announced the Red Komodo, with beta units shipping in 2020 priced at $6,995 and standard black versions available for $5,995 (body only). The Komodo is equipped with a 6K Super 35 sensor, Canon RF lens mount, dual BP battery plates, and a global shutter—offering a compact yet professional-grade cinema camera solution.
In 2021, RED introduced its flagship Red V-Raptor, the first model in the DSMC3 series. It features an active Canon RF mount and supports multi-format recording. The V-Raptor includes a VistaVision 8K sensor measuring 40.96 mm by 21.60 mm, capable of full-sensor 8K capture at up to 120 frames per second and slow-motion up to 600 FPS at 2K resolution, boasting a dynamic range of approximately 17 stops. Its launch price was $24,500 for the body only.
The following year saw the addition of the V-Raptor XL to the lineup—offering a larger chassis, increased connectivity options, an internal ND filter, expanded power configurations, and an interchangeable lens mount.
In November 2022, RED released the limited edition V-Raptor Rhino featuring an 8K Super35 sensor housed in a light grey finish priced at $19,500. By March 2023, RED expanded their flagship range further with V-Raptor and V-Raptor XL models equipped with Super35 sensors instead of VistaVision sensors, providing greater versatility within their premium offerings.
Lenses
Red has provided Super35 Arri PL mount prime and zoom lenses compatible with their cameras.
Primes
| Name | Focal length | Aperture | Minimum focusing distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pro Prime | 18 mm | T1.8 | 4" |
| 25 mm | T1.8 | 4" | |
| 35 mm | T1.8 | 4" | |
| 50 mm | T1.8 | 6" | |
| 85 mm | T1.8 | 18" | |
| 100 mm | T1.8 | 24" | |
| 300 mm | T2.9 | 7.36 ft. |
Zooms
| Name | Focal length | Aperture | Minimum focusing distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pro Zoom | 17–50 mm | T2.9 | 4" |
| 18–85 mm | T2.9 | 8" | |
| 50–150 mm | T2.8 | 8" |
Hydrogen One modular smartphone system
In 2017, Red revealed its intention to enter the smartphone arena with a 5.7-inch holographic display and seamless integration with their camera lineup. The Hydrogen One, launched in August 2018, incorporated a holographic screen, immersive spatial audio, compatibility with Red cameras, a dedicated streaming platform, and modular expansions similar to Motorola’s Moto Mods. Founder Jim Jannard emphasized the phone’s camera module as a prospective "B camera" for professional filmmakers to use alongside an 8K Weapon.
Despite these ambitions, the Hydrogen One was met with harsh criticism and failed commercially due to outdated specifications and limited functionality, ultimately being labeled among the worst tech releases of 2018. By 2019, the modular accessories were removed from Red’s online store, with Jannard announcing a significant overhaul of the Hydrogen initiative. Later that year, the company discontinued the smartphone series altogether.
Software
Red introduced its Redcine-X post-production software in 2009 to streamline workflow processes. This system benefits from acceleration via the Red Rocket card, which boosts decompression of sensor data. Additionally, Red offers SDKs that facilitate handling Redcode footage and enable remote camera operation, supporting integration with external software solutions.
Redray
Launched in 2012, the Redray Player was the pioneering standalone device capable of delivering 4K content to compatible 2D and 3D displays. It featured a 1TB internal storage and supported 12-bit 4:2:2 color precision in the Redcode format. Although a cinema-grade laser projector was announced concurrently, it never reached the market.
Lawsuits
Red has actively pursued legal measures to defend its patents and brand identity. In 2008, it initiated litigation against LG over the "Scarlet" trademark after denying LG’s request to use the name. In 2011, Red filed suit against Arri and former employee Michael Bravin for unauthorized email access; this dispute was resolved by 2013.
In 2012, Red took legal action against Wooden Camera for patent infringement concerning third-party accessories. The following year, Red sought an injunction against Sony alleging patent violations in Sony’s CineAlta 4K cameras; Sony responded with a countersuit but both parties jointly dismissed the case later in 2013.
In 2017, Red sued Jinni Tech over counterfeit production of Red Mini Mag storage devices. Two years later, Apple Inc. filed suit against Red relating to patents on digital cinema cameras and sensor processing technology but lost when a judge found Apple’s evidence lacking.
At the core of these disputes lies Red’s US patent US8872933B2 covering its proprietary RAW video technology—a vital component of its business model and competitive positioning—set to expire in April 2028.
See also
External links
- Red Camera 2012 [2006] at WikiBooks
- Short description with empty Wikidata description
- 2005 establishments in California
- American companies established in 2005
- Cinematography
- Companies based in Lake Forest, California
- Digital movie cameras
- Manufacturing companies based in Greater Los Angeles
- Electronics companies established in 2005
- Movie camera manufacturers
- Nikon
- Privately held companies based in California
- Canon RF-mount cameras
- 2024 mergers and acquisitions
- Technology companies based in Greater Los Angeles
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment