RED’s New RAVEN Is a Lightweight, Drone-Ready 4K Camera

The new camera is called the Raven, and it can film RAW video at 4,096 by 2,160 4K, at up to 120 frames per second as well as 2,048 by 1,080 ProRes at 60 frames per second. This camera packs the same dynamic range and color science as the RED Scarlet, Epic, and Weapon. For example Red is offering a “Jetpack” package priced at $9,750 which will allow the camera to hook onto gimbals, drones, and more. It is scheduled to be shipped in February 2016.

With pricing that starts at $5,950 for the camera BRAIN only, and complete packages under $10,000, RED RAVEN reflects RED’s ongoing commitment to the belief that cinema-quality creative tools should not be in the hands of a few-they should be available to all professional shooters. The company is known to miss its estimated ship dates, so take that with a grain of salt.

Red Digital Cinema is a big name in the professional camera market, and the company’s cameras have been used in films like Avengers: Age of Ultron, Jurassic World, and the upcoming Matt Damon-helmed flick, The Martian. A Canon EF mount and a media bay that supports RED’s MINI-MAG SSDs are also included with the device’s almost $6,000 price tag (prices can go up to $10,000 for a fully equipped RAVEN package).

So the company has announced the Raven, which is a much more affordable camera that while still out of reach for most consumers, is within reason for indie filmmakers.

“Red Raven is a new category in our line up”, said Jarred Land, President of Red, in a statement.

RED RAVEN will begin shipping in February 2016, and deposits will be accepted beginning today.

It will come with the Red Dragon sensor, albeit a smaller version, and is also capable of capturing 4K RAW video up to 120fps, so videographers looking to up their game can consider this.