RED Raven

Technical Details

The camera body (Brain) weighs 1.36 kg and measures 152 x 89 x 89 mm. The CMOS sensor offers a maximum ISO sensitivity of 3200 and a dynamic range of 16.5+ stops. The Raven records in various formats: 4.5K (4520 x 2540), 4K UHD (3840 x 2160), 2K (2048 x 1152), and HD (1920 x 1080). RED MINI-MAGs with capacities between 120GB and 480GB serve as storage media. The camera features a Canon EF mount, 3G-SDI output, HDMI out, and requires a 12V power supply with a consumption of approximately 65 watts.

History & Development

RED Digital Cinema introduced the Raven in March 2016 and launched it in September of the same year for $5,950. It was the first RED camera under $6,000 and was intended to appeal to independent filmmakers and photographers looking to expand into video. In 2018, production was discontinued in favor of the RED Komodo, which continued the concept of a compact, affordable RED camera.

Practical Use in Film

The Raven established itself in the independent film scene, music videos, and commercial productions with smaller budgets. Director Steven Soderbergh used the camera for test shots for "Logan Lucky" (2017). Its compact form factor allowed for gimbal use with the DJI Ronin and similar stabilization systems. However, the REDCODE RAW workflow required powerful computers for post-production and sufficient storage space, as one minute of 4.5K footage consumes approximately 7-10 GB.

Comparison & Alternatives

Compared to the larger RED Weapon, the Raven offered less resolution (4.5K instead of 6K) and slower frame rates, but retained the characteristic RED color science. Competitors like the Sony FS7 or Blackmagic URSA Mini offered similar features at comparable prices, but without the RED ecosystem. Its successor, the RED Komodo (2020), offers 6K resolution in an even more compact form factor and has replaced the Raven as the entry-level model.