Red Announces Black-and-White Shooting Epic-M Monochrome Digital Cinema Camera

SEPTEMBER 10, 2012

By Dan Havlik

In characteristically atypical fashion, Red announced on Friday via the RedUser forum, that it will be releasing a black-and-white shooting version of its Red Epic digital cinema camera.

The camera "brain," aka the main base module, will be called the Epic-M Monochrome and will ship on October 1, 2012 for $42,000.

The 4k-capable Red Epic is the big brother to the Red Scarlet-X, which we reviewed in this month's issue of PDN.

The black-and-white-only Red Epic-M Monochrome will feature a newly developed Mysterium-X Monochrome Sensor. It follows in the footsteps of a similar announcement from Leica back in May, which launched the Leica M Monochrom rangefinder camera. The 18-megapixel Leica M Monochrom uses a special "monochrome" CCD sensor to shoot images in black-and-white.

Though the companies have no apparent connection, it's interesting to note that both the Red and Leica products share another feature: they use red dots as a design motif on their cameras.

According to Jarred Land of Red who made the Epic-M Monochrome announcement, director David Fincher is currently shooting his latest project using only the new Red black-and-white camera.

Here are some more details of the Epic-M Monochrome from what Land wrote in the forum:.

"I am pleased to announce the Epic-M Monochrome.

Newly Developed Mysterium-X Monochrome Sensor.

Native ASA 2000.

Increased net resolution ( Removal of the debayer process, so every single individual pixel is used for luminance / image data )

New Low Pass Filter with to accomodate the reduced pixel pitch ( 1x1 vs 2x2 Bayer )

$42,000 ( brain only ) includes upgrade to Dragon Monochrome Sensor spring 2013.

David Fincher is shooting his current project solely on Epic-M Monochrome cameras as we speak.

Pre-orders open on RED.COM Monday.. Ships October 1st."