RED Dragon Upgrade Revealed: $6k For 6K And A Big New Sensor

High-end camera company RED has announced the next generation of its modular system, the Dragon sensor upgrade for EPIC and Scarlet cameras, complete with the superlative specs we're used to from the firm. Dragon will be offered as a $6,000 upgrade for the EPIC, with 6K resolution and 15+ stops native Dynamic Range. It'll also record 120fps Full 5K video footage.

In case you've not been keeping up, 6K resolution means a whopping 6,000 x 4,000, enough to make the 1920 x 1080 of Full HD look altogether pitiful. On that level, $6,000 starts to look almost reasonable: RED can afford to do that as its camera systems are so modular, offering owners the chance to customize their setup depending on what style of photography or videography they do.

That 6K recording will be done at at least 85fps, according to RED's Jim Jannard. He says the Dragon sensor itself "is slightly larger than the Mysterium-X sensor and the pixel size is slightly smaller. The pixel design and sensor design makes all the difference in the world ... Most all of your current lenses will work." Light performance is also better than the Mysterium-X, he says, with a 30 x 15.8 mm sensor and 5 micron pixel size.

RED is yet to confirm how much Scarlet owners will have to pay for the Dragon sensor upgrade, though based on the $6,000 EPIC price tag we're guessing it won't be cheap. Upgrades will begin late this year for the EPIC, with Scarlet upgrades kicking off in 2013, though RED warns that everything is subject to change.

[via The Verge]