User manual

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The image data of 3K REDCODE media is also kept intact during ingest, but this
resolution is not supported by the real-time effects architecture of Final Cut Pro, so it
may be an inconvenient format with which to edit.
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Regardless of how you ingest 2K REDCODE media, the resolution is kept the same.
Shooting 2K Versus 4K REDCODE Media
Since only 2K resolution is supported by the real-time effects architecture of Final Cut
Pro, you might think that shooting 2K is the easiest resolution to work with. While 2K is
well-suited for slow-motion cinematography, RED does not recommend 2K as a primary
shooting mode for principal photography.
Keep in mind that the RED camera records smaller resolutions by using less of the
sensorʼs area. If your goal is to shoot with a shallow depth of field, this may not be ideal.
Depending on the combination of lens and exposure youʼre using, you may find it
preferable to shoot 4K in the field (thus exposing the greatest possible area of the
sensor, comparable to a Super 35MM film gate) in order to obtain the shallowest depth
of field for your compositional needs, and let Final Cut Pro downconvert to 2K. Itʼs also
worth noting that shooting 4K will result in higher image quality even if you downconvert
while transcoding to one of the Apple ProRes codecs in Final Cut Pro.
Choosing an Aspect Ratio
The RED camera supports two variants of each resolution, a 2:1 aspect ratio for
projects intended for film output, and a 16:9 aspect ratio for projects intended for video.
Color has only been tested with the 2:1 variants of the 2K and 4K resolutions. Although
the 2:1 aspect ratio is a bit wider than the 1.85:1 standard, you can easily crop a bit off
the sides in preparation for printing to film.
Important — The 16:9 aspect ratios have not been tested extensively with Color. If you
plan on using this resolution, you should do your own workflow tests before committing
to shooting your project at this resolution.
Choosing a Frame Rate to Use with Final Cut Studio
The Color workflows in this document have only been tested with timebases of 23.98
and 24. Although the RED camera supports shooting other frame rates such as 25,
29.97, 50, and 59.94 that are appropriate for broadcast, you should perform your own
workflow tests with Final Cut Pro and Color before you commit to shooting an entire
project with one of them.
Turn Off the Cameraʼs MAX Setting Before You Shoot
Thereʼs a checkbox labeled MAX In the PROJECT submenu of the SYSTEM menu of
the RED ONE camera. If youʼre planning on finishing your project using Final Cut Pro
and Color, itʼs best to turn this setting off before you begin shooting. Leaving it on may
adversely affect real-time performance of RED media in Final Cut Studio.
Using Native REDCODE Media with Final Cut Studio – Jun 15, 2009! 2