Introduction

Figure: V-RAPTOR XL 8K S35 camera

V-RAPTOR® XL 8K S35

V-RAPTOR® XL 8K S35 expands upon the most powerful and advanced RED® camera platform ever. Using RED’s newest 8K S35 sensor, V-RAPTOR XL 8K S35 leverages the convenience and lens selection of the Super 35 mm format, with the benefits and flexibility of 8K acquisition, all inside of a large-scale-production-designed XL camera body.​

V-RAPTOR XL is designed to support high-end television, natural history, broadcast, motion picture productions, and any filmmaker who requires an all-in-one solution.​

V-RAPTOR XL is a dual voltage camera system, supporting both low voltage 14 V batteries and high voltage batteries in both V-Lock and Gold Mount options. V-RAPTOR XL features the most flexible power ecosystem available in the market today.​

12V and 24V auxiliary power outputs support the camera assistants, allowing them to power all the peripherals needed to do their job well, from one centralized place. ​

Front facing 3G-SDI and 2-Pin 12V power, along with DSMC3™ RED® Touch 7.0” LCD compatibility, allows the camera to support any camera operator's viewing preference. ​

Wireless timecode, genlock, camera control, and four SDI outputs, support the DIT or camera shader, giving them access to everything they need at their cart or truck.​

Built-in variable ND allows cinematographers or camera shaders to precisely select their density with increments as fine as 1/4 stop, providing never before seen exposure and depth of field control inside a cinema camera of this level.​

Featuring the same 8K S35 sensor found inside the V-RAPTOR 8K S35, this format is ideal for any project where both Super 35 mm lensing and 8K acquisition are required. Now you can leverage lightweight zooms or vintage primes while still capturing at 8K 120P for stunning high resolution slow motion. The V-RAPTOR sensor's scan time is 2x faster than any previous RED camera, allowing you to capture up to 600 fps at 2K. V-RAPTOR XL continues to feature RED’s proprietary REDCODE RAW codec, allowing you to capture 16-bit RAW, and to leverage RED’s latest IPP2 workflow and color management.

Quick Reference

Refer to the Quick Reference section to get familiar with this guide and the camera.

R3D File Format and REDCODE

All videos and frames are recorded to the R3D® file format. The R3D file format was developed by RED to provide an efficient and manageable RAW video data format that promotes advanced post-production editing capabilities. In the R3D file format, the digital image received from the sensor is formatted as a pixel-defect corrected (but in all other aspects unprocessed) 16-bit per pixel RAW data frame. Each RAW frame, or sequence of RAW frames in a clip, is compressed using proprietary REDCODE® RAW compression, then stored to media.

RAW data is recorded independently of any RGB domain color processing such as ISO, White Balance, or other RGB color space settings. Instead, color parameters are saved as reference metadata; that is, color is not burned into the recorded RAW data. This innovative recording technique promotes flexibility in RGB color processing. It allows you to defer color correction to post-production, or to adjust the image color in the field, without changing the recorded RAW data image quality or dynamic range.

REDCODE is a compression codec that reduces R3D RAW files down to a manageable size, allowing the media to record longer. The ability to compress RAW data is one of the significant technological advances that RED has brought to the motion picture industry.

Image Processing Pipeline

This camera uses RED's Image Processing Pipeline 2 (IPP2). In IPP2, the advanced RED color space (REDWideGamutRGB) allows the camera to use every color that the sensor can generate up to the clipping threshold. Then the camera encodes the image using Log3G10, a gamma curve that retains extreme highlight and shadow detail. Using the advanced color space and gamma curve, RED IPP2 allows you to grade and make color adjustments in post-production, instead of in-camera. IPP2 also allows the camera to use a CDL for grading. For more information about IPP2, refer to the RED IPP2 support page.

Shoot For Video and Stills

High resolution video, such as the digital footage captured by the camera, has surpassed the detail necessary to produce professional full-sized prints. Because the camera is able to record RAW video at high frame rates and resolution, this camera is ideally suited to capture video and still images simultaneously while still preserving the full flexibility that RAW still photographers have come to expect.

Post-Production

Many non-linear editing systems (NLEs) can open and edit RED footage, allowing full RAW control and flexibility without any need to re-transcode. Each NLE version may have specific compatibility requirements, such as camera firmware version or camera type. Before shooting, make sure you check all of the compatibility requirements. R3D's from V-RAPTOR XL require integration of SDK version 8.3 or later.

You can open and/or edit R3D files by using one of the following products:

NOTE: Third-party applications may have limited compatibility with R3D files. Third-party developers must use the most recent R3D SDK (8.3 or later) to offer compatibility with the latest RED firmware.

Post-Production with REDCINE-X PRO

REDCINE-X PRO is a professional one-light coloring tool set, equipped with an integrated time line, and with a collection of post effects software. REDCINE-X PRO provides the ideal environment to review recorded footage, edit metadata, organize projects, and prepare your R3D files. You can use REDCINE-X PRO or any of the compatible third-party NLEs to edit R3D files.

Additional Resources

  • RED.com: Visit the official RED website for the latest information about RED products.
  • RED Downloads: Go to RED Downloads to download the latest firmware, operation guides, and post-production software.
  • RED 101 Articles: RED offers in-depth technical articles about RED cameras, post-production, and digital cinematography.
  • RED TECH Videos: RED offers videos about understanding and using RED cameras.
  • RED Support: Visit the RED SUPPORT site for support articles or to file a support ticket.