So what’s all the fuss about this DSMC system and the Mysterium Monstro sensors?? Is RED really gonna kill the DSLRs with this system? Are we gonna see professional (and amateurs) flock to their new Digital Still and Motion Cameras?

First of all, it’s mostly a motion camera that can do stills too. Where Canon & Nikon have enabled some of their still cameras (5D & D90) to shoot motion, RED goes the other way which is only logic since their core business is to manufacture motion cameras!

RED seems to have solved the typical CMOS issue that shows itself by moving the camera during motion capture.

Known as “jelly movement”, they have overcome this issue with a rapid read-reset CMOS sensor program. The Mysterium Monstro sensor is supposed to be the fastest read-reset CMOS known to man enjoying the same motion characteristics as a film camera.

And since it’s that good at capturing motion, it has little problem capturing stills… That is crucial is you plan to shoot sports at high speeds!

With 2,251,799,813,685,248 possible camera configurations announced, RED plays the card of “switching components” when there is an update available instead of buying a new camera.

“As technology pushes forwards, there is no reason to buy a new camera every time a sensor, recording module or display technology improves.

Instead you can upgrade individual modules, and even interchange Scarlett and EPIC components at will.”

Where this might be true for motion picture (I know nothing to comment about it), this is not true when it comes to still photography…

When a major DSLR manufacturer like Nikon releases a new camera, like the D3 for example, they don’t just release a new sensor…

Often a new camera includes major improvements to the body, viewfinder, auto focus system, white balance, etc. and of course the sensor.

Now, would I want to be able to switch my D3 sensor when a D3X sensor will come out? Heck yeah!! But it’s not that simple.

If you’ve already invested in a digital medium format camera system, like the Hassy of Leaf, well you can already change the sensor as they improve while still being able to use your lenses and existing body! No revolution here…

Obviously, RED will need to do much more to get in the DSLR market.

Let’s take sensors or “brains” as RED calls them, a full frame sensor (Scarlet FF35) will cost you $12,000 for 24MP and that’s just for the brain. But I have to say the specs are stunning!

Then you need to buy the handle, viewfinder (monitoring module), recording module, batteries and lens mounts…

We have no ideas how much these will cost so far, but taking the price of the brains, it ain’t gonna be cheap!

So price isn’t gonna be their main argument to have you and me switch…

But let’s say money is no object, you are a famous and rich fashion photographer and you wanna get the RED DSMC system…

You’ll have to invest in a new system and new lenses because if you are a Nikon or Canon user, there is a good reason you didn’t get a Hasselblad H3DII set up (hint : $$$) and you won’t be able to use your old lenses (unless you were using a Mamiya that is)!

So you pick the EPIC 645 sensor, 65 MP for $45,000, which is better than the AFi 10 and the P 65+ for about the same price, and you add the new lenses, handle, batteries, etc.

You end up with a monster setup, costing you probably 1.5x (if not 2x) more than a top of the line Hasselblad combo for a setup that’s mostly designed to shoot motion…

For some reason, I’m not sold and trust me, I LOVE their cool looking designs and their huge balls for taking such a leap but I really think that if they do want to make a dent in the DSLR market, they will have to do even better to convince me, as a Pro, to switch.

I have to say they really pushed the envelope and that’s what we need to make things move. So in that sense, it’s a revolution. I’m also sure it’s an even bigger revolution for film makers and from their point of view, I can see why they would be thrilled at the DSMC system and the new Mysterium Monstro sensors.

But I can’t figure out how this will compete with regular DSLRs as they claim it will… Looks to me like this is more like a Hasselblad/Medium format killer more than it is a DSLR killer!