Scarlet with a Macbook Pro

Jerrod Cordell · May 24th, 2008, 10:35 AM

So I've been looking at the Scarlet and it seems like a very impressive camera if it has all the professional features required for indie filmmaking and commercial advertising. I do have a question though. It was kind of asked in an earlier post but not really answered.

I own a brand new 2.6 GHz Macbook Pro with 4 GB of RAM. I was wondering if this was fast enough to handle the Redcode Raw codec in FCS2. Although I would love one, I really don't have the money for a Mac Pro, so if my MBP isn't fast enough for the Scarlet I guess I'd just have to wait and stick with my A1 for awhile longer.

Also, I haven't really heard anything about the weight of the Scarlet. I have a Merlin Steadicam and I'm hoping it'll be light enough for it.

Jon Fairhurst · May 24th, 2008, 03:54 PM

I don't know the weight, but eying the camera at NAB, I would guess that the prototype was about 7-1/2 inches long through the barrel, 6 inches tall through the handle, and 3 inches wide near the lens. The body is all aluminum.

Overall, I would guess that the weight would be just a bit more than a plastic prosumer 1/3" camera with fixed lens - but not all that much. I would think it would be lighter than an XL-H1 with the standard lens.

These are just guesses, however. My wet-finger-in-the-wind estimates could be totally off.

Also, the prototype was just notional in many ways. For instance, there was almost no detail in the lens area.

Everything could change.

Charles Papert · May 24th, 2008, 05:42 PM

It looks to me to be a bit of a handful, literally and figuratively, with a Merlin. The form factor in particular was one thing I was less than enthusiastic about, and I will not be surprised if it changes significantly by the time it gets to production. It resembles a vertical mini-camcorder in shape but not in size, making it unwieldy in many ways especially on a stabilizer, where low slung, long and wide are much preferable to tall and skinny.

Meryem Ersoz · June 12th, 2008, 11:06 AM

There are so many ways to handle the footage that it is hard to say whether your Macbook Pro will handle the footage *to your satisfaction.* Yes, it will handle the footage, that's not a problem. The question is will your transcode/render times be satisfactory? Will the trade-off between image quality and the extra time needed for output be worth it to you?

Of course, by the time SCARLET is released, all of this may be different than it is right now. But those are the questions of right now....

The next firmware update, Build 16, is supposed to be (eventually) accompanied by an update to RedCine, and we have no idea what that may look like or what kind of speed enhancements are possible.

May 24th, 2008, 10:35 AM	#1
Jerrod Cordell Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Titusville, FL Posts: 125	Scarlet with a Macbook Pro So I've been looking at the Scarlet and it seems like a very impressive camera if it has all the professional features required for indie filmmaking and commercial advertising. I do have a question though. It was kind of asked in an earlier post but not really answered. I own a brand new 2.6 GHz Macbook Pro with 4 GB of RAM. I was wondering if this was fast enough to handle the Redcode Raw codec in FCS2. Although I would love one, I really don't have the money for a Mac Pro, so if my MBP isn't fast enough for the Scarlet I guess I'd just have to wait and stick with my A1 for awhile longer. Also, I haven't really heard anything about the weight of the Scarlet. I have a Merlin Steadicam and I'm hoping it'll be light enough for it.

May 24th, 2008, 03:54 PM	#2
Jon Fairhurst Trustee Join Date: May 2006 Location: Camas, WA, USA Posts: 1,072	I don't know the weight, but eying the camera at NAB, I would guess that the prototype was about 7-1/2 inches long through the barrel, 6 inches tall through the handle, and 3 inches wide near the lens. The body is all aluminum. Overall, I would guess that the weight would be just a bit more than a plastic prosumer 1/3" camera with fixed lens - but not all that much. I would think it would be lighter than an XL-H1 with the standard lens. These are just guesses, however. My wet-finger-in-the-wind estimates could be totally off. Also, the prototype was just notional in many ways. For instance, there was almost no detail in the lens area. Everything could change. __________________ Jon Fairhurst FRESH FILMS WEEKLY AT COLONELCRUSH.COM.

May 24th, 2008, 05:42 PM	#3
Charles Papert Wrangler Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 4,988	It looks to me to be a bit of a handful, literally and figuratively, with a Merlin. The form factor in particular was one thing I was less than enthusiastic about, and I will not be surprised if it changes significantly by the time it gets to production. It resembles a vertical mini-camcorder in shape but not in size, making it unwieldy in many ways especially on a stabilizer, where low slung, long and wide are much preferable to tall and skinny. __________________ Charles Papert, SOC www.charlespapert.com

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

June 12th, 2008, 11:06 AM	#4
Meryem Ersoz Wrangler Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 2,482	There are so many ways to handle the footage that it is hard to say whether your Macbook Pro will handle the footage to your satisfaction. Yes, it will handle the footage, that's not a problem. The question is will your transcode/render times be satisfactory? Will the trade-off between image quality and the extra time needed for output be worth it to you? Of course, by the time SCARLET is released, all of this may be different than it is right now. But those are the questions of right now.... The next firmware update, Build 16, is supposed to be (eventually) accompanied by an update to RedCine, and we have no idea what that may look like or what kind of speed enhancements are possible.