The Sony business model isn't set up for me, to them I'm just a small producer, they're looking at millions of consumers or 245 international networks, but not me.
The fs100 to 700 was the perfect example. They could have gone 4k without such a huge financial hit to the buyer, made a higher bit depth file, expanded the E mount line, especially in light of the Z series and gotten away from that awkward avchd wrapper but they didn't they brought out newer cameras and left the e mount guys hanging.
Sony also changes media like I change socks.
Red is not perfect but they got back to me last night in 5 minutes on the phone twice and in multiple emails. 5 minutes.
No camera company has done that.
Red also has a base coloring suite, not perfect, changes a lot but they have one, along with monitors, media, viewers, breakout boxes, cages, everything it takes to go to work, without having to dig around for a week on the web.
Their cameras aren't perfect, but my R1's have already lasted longer than my fs100 that sets in a case, the R1's and Scarlet are working this week.
The R1's have made us serious money and not only impressed on set, have impressed in final delivery.
Yes I hate this raw file render process, but at least I can line up 200 clips base out the color and go to bed knowing I'll have prores in the morning ready to roll, even if the rockets aren't working.
Now If I was moving to something else it probably would have been Canon because they sort of get it. The 1dc shoots 4k and I like a dslr form factor, but it shoots a screwy codec and is limited on recording time at 4k which wouldn't have worked. At least Canon serves me on both ends stills and motion and Sony doesn't.
Panasonic can be just as screwy, though they seem to be on to something with the gh series if not for cost alone and when it comes to run and gun, the gh3's with their autofocus fits a niche I need the gh4's will expand upon that without throwing out all the lens mounts.
We're at a tipping point and Somebody needs to fill the niche, with not only motion cameras, but a complete motion to still solution that covers the on set and back end workflow.
Canon could do it, they're close, but they tend to mess around. Arri won't do it, they're a movie cam company, but right now for what I do they probably are the best solution except for costs, the Arri's make RED look cheap.
Also even though Arri is logical taking a 2.5 k file and making it 2k with a lot of depth, unlike red that takes 3.8 k and makes it 4, it's still going to be a 4k world whether I or anyone like it or not.
My bottom line is no more 10 grand and over cameras. What I have is on movie sets around the world and RED takes the back end response very seriously because they know in the land of motion, there is no redos.
RED is a love/hate company, I fall in the former, but my love is tempered by reality.
IMO
BC