One of the things that unites us at Lens Head Media is our unwavering obsession with video production gear. Cameras, lenses, camera support equipment, lights: we love it all. However, collecting gear is very much a “what new toy have you got lately?” kind of game. And right now, the latest and greatest tool in our arsenal is truly kick-ass.
That’s right, we have the brand new RED Monstro 8K VV camera. Behold, in all its glory!
But what exactly is the RED Monstro, and what makes it so awesome? Moreover, why is it such a big deal that we were able to get our hands on one? Well, dear readers, let me explain.
The RED Monstro Explained
Over the years, RED cinema cameras have grown to represent the most cutting-edge cameras on the market. Sure, Arri dominates most big budget film and tv camera credits; and yes, Arri cameras are beyond legit. However, RED’s latest efforts have upped the ante in the race for superior camera design and functionality.
For proof, look no further than the latest step in the evolution of camera sensor technology, the RED Monstro 8K VV.
Superior Specs
The Monstro is a step above anything that RED has on their roster of eye-poppingly great cameras. Its unique specifications represent the true state of the art in image capture technology, and man is it ever awesome. I could wax poetic about how great this camera is for over 10,000 words, but I know your time is precious. Here’s what you really need to know:
- The biggest allure of the new Monstro sensor is that it offers significantly improved image quality, particularly as it pertains to dynamic range and shadow detail.
- The sensor’s size is a whopping 40.96 x 21.6 mm, which means its a hair wider and a smidge shorter than 35mm full-frame.
- If you wanna get crazy and use the Monstro for shooting still photographs, you’ll get some damn nice ones out of it. Specifically, the camera handles 35.4 megapixel stills, which is nothing to scoff at, y’all.
- You know the beautiful, super slow-mo footage that every production around covets? The RED Monstro is right up there with the best of ‘em when it comes to capturing that. Not only can the camera shoot 75 fps (frames per second) at 8K resolution, you can push it all the way to 240 fps, albeit at only 2K resolution.
- Arguably the most impressive part about the RED Monstro is its unprecedented dynamic range capabilities. Depending on the environment you’re shooting, this camera can achieve up to 17+ stops of dynamic range.
- For reference, up until the introduction of the Monstro, the king of DXOMark capability was the RED Helium 8K S35 sensor. And that only managed 15.2 stops of dynamic range. So yeah, the Monstro’s 17+ stops is kind of a big deal.
- With its increased processing power, the Monstro can also shoot at higher ISOs with reduced noise. Maybe not as sexy of a stat as some of its other capabilities, but important nonetheless.
Streamlining Image Processing
In the past, the biggest barrier to entry into the world of RED cameras—besides price—was its at times clunky image processing capabilities. However, RED leveraged all the buzz surrounding the Monstro’s launch to unveil its new-and-improved image-processing pipeline (IPP2).
Though anyone who uses a R
ED camera benefits from IPP2, the lucky souls who actually have the Monstro (like us) can control the new image pipeline in-camera. If you’ve ever shot with a RED before, you know how beneficial this is during production. That said, the beauty of RED’s IPP2 workflow is that it carries you all the way through post-production, which streamlines everything. All of these benefits could warrant another entire blog post. But instead, I’d suggest you just read about it from the source itself.
Making the Most of the Monstro
I’m not gonna sugarcoat it: the RED Monstro is f**king awesome. We here at Lens Head Media have used the best cameras in the industry time and time again during our history. Yet, we’ve never enjoyed shooting with a camera as much as we enjoy the RED Monstro.
Just look at this commercial we helped Entertainment Creative Group shoot for Resurgens Orthopaedics. The winning combination of slow-mo shots and gorgeous colors in this spot are just a taste of the Monstro’s capabilities. It’s a camera that’s perfectly equipped for capturing breathtaking beauty shots or run-and-gun excitement, and everything in between.
As a bunch of gear junkies, we couldn’t be happier to have this beauty of a camera in our arsenal. We can’t wait to use her some more, so if you have anything that needs a high-end touch–or if you just want to talk gear–reach out to us at [email protected].